The so-called distinction between men and women applies even to the Empress Dowager's thousand-year Imperial Banquet, thus dividing the banquet into two sides proceeding simultaneously, with officials on one side and their wives on the other, though it merely splits the vast hall with a screen.
The sound of strings and bamboo flutes intertwines with the exchange of cups; dancers glide in the hall with graceful and spirited steps, spinning rapidly, their movements appearing even more enchanting under the shadows of the lamps.
Wufu sat at a small table, picking up a delicate morsel with a small silver fork and placing it into her mouth. In this palace, to make it convenient for noblewomen to eat without ruining their makeup, the dishes are all made bite-sized, as small as a fingernail.
