Falan Royal Capital, Huaqiu City.
Summer Palace.
The hot wind swept through the boxwood hedges, whispering softly.
In the flowing streams of the palace gardens, white-painted swan boats sailed by, laden with noblewomen and noble maidens adorned with lace.
Hundreds of glass floating lanterns drifted on either side of the water, their starlight intermixed with the lamplight ripples, only to be disturbed by the silver carp in the river.
The noble young ladies played, stirring the river water with their hands, while the noblewomen raised their heads to gaze at the garden under the moonlight.
Youths with red lips and white teeth strolled through the geometric flowerbeds, crafting the royal crest out of purple silk and lavender.
Upon seeing the arrival of the noblewomen, they smiled and bowed in greeting.
If any lady favored a particular youth, she only needed to remember the emblem embroidered on his chest, and that night, she could see him at her bedside.
