It was obvious that the excuse was just a pretext; Tiqie Xianzuowen left the banquet hall and went alone into the silent tea garden.
The 'tea garden' in the He Style Garden is quite an important area. The layout here differs stylistically from the main garden, surrounded by fences with a deep garden path leading from the gate to the teahouse, flanked by planted trees and numerous stones.
Along the path, many stone lanterns serving lighting purposes are set up, creating an environment that is serene yet not at all spooky. The clattering of Tiqie Xianzuowen's wooden clogs trailed to the corner by the hand washing basin.
The 'hand washing basin' is essentially a hollowed stone crafted into a container to hold water.
A layer of moss covered the stone's surface, and a bamboo spout dripped water into the stone basin. Xianzuowen took a bamboo water ladle, which maids usually use before a tea ceremony to scoop water and wash their hands—a simple bathing ritual.
