The night deepened.
At the southern part of Qinghe Street in Changwu County, luxurious chariots vied with each other for supremacy, and the sound of flutes and stringed instruments played ceaselessly through the night from the red buildings in the markets. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, every household and thousands of doors celebrated with a nightly feast. Above and below Luoyue Bridge, two full moons shone—one in the sky and the other reflected in the water—illuminating Shengjing City with radiant flowers and moonlight, vying in brilliance.
In the midst of the city's revelry and wine, a certain courtyard within Prince Wen's Mansion was exceptionally quiet and chilled.
Inside the room, the silver lamps cast a hazy glow. The bed had been changed with fresh beddings, and the cloud-patterned gauze canopy that had been slashed by the blade was replaced with a clean gauze drapery. The gentle fabric enveloped the person and her breath on the bed, wrapping them both in softness.
