Before dawn had broken, Zhong Hui got out of bed.
His servants had long since made their preparations. After changing and washing his face, Zhong Hui did not hurry to eat, but instead sat straight down before the bronze mirror.
The household hairdresser deftly took out his tools and stood bent over beside Zhong Hui, beginning to tidy his hair.
Once his hair was arranged, the hairdresser began trimming his beard.
There were barbers in ancient times, though generally only the sons of Great Clans had their hair and beards trimmed every day.
Zhong Hui was just such a man. He cared a great deal about his clothes and appearance.
The hairdresser neatly trimmed his sideburns and shaved away the excess hair. Once his face had been groomed, Zhong Hui felt full of vigor.
Only then did he rise and go to eat.
Zhong Hui liked eating alone, and he was quite particular about his food.
It was the usual Famous Scholar routine: the food could not be repeated from one day to the next, and different days, festivals, and so forth all had their own dietary requirements.
Zhong Hui ate at a leisurely pace. By the time he finished, it was broad daylight.
Although it was exceptionally bright both inside and outside the mansion, no clamor could be heard; all was exceptionally quiet.
This was because Zhong Hui disliked noise, so even the servants in his household dared not raise their voices.
After finishing his meal, Zhong Hui went to select his clothes.
He had all manner of garments, every one of them exquisite. After choosing carefully, Zhong Hui finally went out.
He looked spirited and radiant.
As he walked, Zhong Hui could not help flicking his sleeves and holding his head high, displaying his Famous Scholar airs.
Once