139 | A King's Affections (Part 2)

All the servants of The Yangtze Riverbank Tea House were kept busy with more useful things than gossip. But that did not stop them. They still gossiped and giggled while preparing the most luxurious room on the upper floor to be worthy of a royal patron. Beyond the double cherry doors, precious materials and extravagant furnishings in lavender tones showed the matrons spared no money for the comfort of their top clientele. Under draped sheer veils sat an inviting bath carved in marble and having hot water fill it to the brim. Ginseng and dried camellia petals were sprinkled to make a soaking infusion aimed to restore the vigour and replenish colour with colour for a healthy skin glow. The perfect tonic to set up the body for any kind of activities, platonic or otherwise.