"They look like people from Donglin or Nanchu. I heard that in Donglin, men all know how to dance—they even bare their bellies while doing it."
"What handsome men! Come take a look, haha!"
The chatter continued.
Over the past decade, Qing State had grown prosperous and its people well-off. With lives of abundance, social customs naturally became more open. Crowds gathering to watch men dance was no longer considered unusual.
Shen Wei, hearing the murmurs around her, glanced curiously toward the flower boat's deck, where four young men from Donglin were dancing.
All were sturdy lads in their early twenties, dressed in traditional Donglin dance attire, their waists adorned with tinkling bells. Their movements were fluid and graceful, their well-defined chest muscles exposed, drawing cheers and gasps from the onlookers.
As the dance ended, thunderous applause erupted.
Many spectators tossed silver coins and flowers onto the boat as rewards for the performers.
