When the light fog flies in the dim moonlight, the blossoms are bright.
Tonight is a good time to meet her boyfriend. Her stockings walk on the fragrant
steps 2. Her hands carry gold silk shoes
3. After she
meets her boyfriend south of the lobby, she leans close to him and trembles in
his embrace. It is difficult for her to come out 4. This makes him
love her even more tenderly.
1
This poem was written for Younger Queen Zhou. The History of Southern
Tang says, "The second wife of Last King Li, Younger Queen Zhou, was the
younger sister of Zhao-hui, King Li’s first wife. Younger Queen Zhou was
talented and demure. When Zhao-hui was sick, Younger Queen Zhou visited her
boudoir frequently, but Zhao-hui was unaware of it. One day, when Younger Queen
Zhou stood in front of Zhao-hui’s bed curtain, Zhao-hui was astonished and
asked, 'Is it you, my younger sister?' Younger Queen Zhou was young and did not
suspect anything wrong, so she told her the truth, 'I have been here for several
days.' Zhao-hui was disgusted with her younger sister, so she ignored her and
went back to sleep. After Zhao-hui died, Younger Queen Zhou mourned her elder
sister. She waited for a year and then married King Li. Even before her
marriage, King Li's sentences 'Her stockings walk on the fragrant steps./Her
hands carry gold silk shoes.' were well known throughout the Kingdom of Southern
Tang."
2, 3, 4
These three sentences imply that Younger Queen Zhou did not want her
dying sister to know about her date with King Li.