In the courtly etiquette of the Yu Xinchao dynasty, the Empress, as mistress of the inner palace, met with the wives of officials. These meetings were not mere social calls; they were crucial for maintaining the delicate balance between the imperial court and the harem.
Ji Xiaosong had meticulously planned an exquisite and elegant tea party, held in a side hall of the inner palace.
To create the impression of a floral paradise amidst the depths of winter, she had spared no effort.
Flanking the entrance to the side hall stood enormous blue-and-white porcelain vases, overflowing with long branches of wintersweet. Golden blossoms clustered so densely on the branches that their rich fragrance washed over guests like an invisible tide, instantly filling the air.
Further inside, flower stands as tall as several men stood in the four corners of the hall. They were laden with rare varieties of chrysanthemums: white ones, as pure and flawless as piled snow and frost;
