In the fortieth year of Yongchang, on the tenth day of the third month.
The weather was clear, and the scattered clouds had faded away. Behind the Xuanfeng Gate, in the Xiefang Garden, a multitude of flowers were budding, with red apricots as though pouring out.
Amidst a large expanse of fuzzy spring hue, two eunuchs were carefully selecting and picking fresh peach blossoms from the trees.
Soft Consort had recently gained much favor in the palace and required several baskets of fresh peach petals for her baths daily. The best were the peach petals with dew in the early morning, tender and pink, flawless like beauties.
While they were picking, there was the faint sound of footsteps approaching. Looking up in the direction of the sound, they saw a female official leading a group dressed in green towards the deeper part of the eastern corridor.
