Schemes of the Noble Households Chapter 14

The solar eclipse does not last long, but its impact is huge.

In the following days, all civil and military officials did not wear hats when they went to court. Civil officials wore a Jieli and military officers wore a Pingshangli. They all wore precious swords instead of wooden swords, and rode in horse-drawn carriages, with strong servants following them in a line to show their power.

The nobles of Wuyi Lane abandoned their wide-sleeved gowns and wore dark black robes instead. Those with official positions wore hats, while those without official positions tied a hemp scarf around their waists. Young men and boys who had not yet reached adulthood wore hats without roofs, and the girls all wore silk jackets and Confucian clothes, with skirts tied around their waists. They did not wear gold or jade, but only silver ornaments.

The nobles started the trend first, and the common people in the city followed suit.

On the south bank of the Qinhuai River, it is common to see fierce men carrying bows and arrows. There are also boatmen and helmsmen with bamboo swords tied around their waists in the river. Shop owners place wooden weapons in front of their doors in an attempt to dispel bad omens.