"Brother, let's go check out the scenery from that viewing platform up there!"
After Xiao Wenyan left, Ning Ruoxuan pointed toward a viewing platform near the top of the mountain and said,
"Sure. Let's go!"
Ning Wangshu smiled and nodded.
The two followed the mountain trail and soon reached the viewing platform.
Standing at its edge, they could see nearly half of Kyoto spread out in the distance. Closer by, a magnificent stretch of red maples extended for ten miles!
"Wow, Brother, it's so beautiful! The view from this platform really is different. No wonder Cousin Wenyan said that those villas halfway up the mountain are mostly owned by Kyoto's top families."
"The scenery really is beautiful. You can admire half of Kyoto from here and get a close-up view of all these lovely red maples. When winter comes and snow covers the ground, it'll be even more beautiful..."
Ning Ruoxuan exclaimed excitedly.
Ning Wangshu smiled. "The scenery here really is quite nice."
Just as the siblings were admiring the view, they heard laughter and conversation behind them.
Ning Wangshu glanced back and saw several young men and women heading toward the viewing platform. He was a little surprised to spot Rongrong among them—the woman he'd run into earlier outside the Xiao family home.
But Ning Wangshu paid her no mind. He merely glanced at her before turning his attention back to the view.
When the group saw Ning Wangshu and Ning Ruoxuan standing by the platform's edge, they also paused in surprise.
One of the young men asked suspiciously, "Those two look unfamiliar. I don't think I've seen them before. Does anyone know which family they're from?"
Everyone who lived here belonged to one of Kyoto's top families. They all knew one another's backgrounds, and there were guards at