In a little tower, listening to spring rain all night; in a deep lane, apricot blossoms for sale come morning

The two emerged from the alley, and the bustle of the street swept over them.

People.

People everywhere.

Men and women, young and old, all wore their finest clothes and the brightest flowers.

Even Zhang Zai's flamboyant outfit looked rather ordinary here.

The splendor of the Flower Market could be described thus:

In the spring months, countless flowers bloomed in dazzling profusion.

Peonies, herbaceous peonies, Japanese roses, and banksia roses-all were brought to market.

Flower sellers arranged their wares in horsehead-shaped bamboo baskets, their sing-song cries clear and enchanting.

Behind sunlit curtains in quiet courtyards, beneath dawn's veil in lofty towers, last night's wine had yet to wear off, and sweet dreams had only just ended.

None who heard those cries could escape the stirring of fresh sorrow or the awakening of hidden regrets-such was the exquisite mood of the moment.

Among all the families of the Capital, noble and humble alike delighted in wearing flowers.

Thus, around Kaiming Bridge, a flower market gathered at daybreak during the spring months.

Zhang Zai stood at the street corner, drew a deep breath, and spread his arms as though to embrace the whole of spring.

"Brother Wei, can you smell it?"

"Smell what?"

"The fragrance of a hundred flowers." Zhang Zai closed his eyes, looking utterly intoxicated.

"Take a breath. Every flower has its own scent.

"Peach blossoms are sweet, apricot blossoms tart, pear blossoms delicate, crabapple blossoms rich, peonies stately, herbaceous peonies alluring, and lilacs full of wistful longing.

"All those fragrances mingled together-that's spring."

Wei Nisheng took a breath as well.

Unfortunately, what he smelled was not flowers, but the food sold along the street.

"Come on, come on." Zhang Zai lowered his arms and pulled Wei Nisheng into the crowd.

"It'll take us a little under an hour to