Within the Pavilion, Foul Winds Stir-This Man Was Xie Guan!

Outside Grand Vista Courtyard, on the western shore of Mother Lake,

stood a pavilion with upturned eaves, its four corners curling skyward, screens hanging down and swaying gently in the wind.

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It was late autumn, and the chill was steadily deepening.

Large round braziers stood on all four sides of the pavilion, charcoal blazing within them and crackling loudly.

An old charcoal tender from the manor kept adding fuel to build up the fire.

At the center of the pavilion stood a large stove, filled with fine charcoal. A dark brown Jingdezhen teapot rested atop it, steam billowing upward as the lid bounced with little "pfft" sounds and the faint clink of metal.

An iron tray had also been set on the stove, holding peanuts, chestnuts, dates, and the like, their fragrance assailing the nose.

Beside it stood a table of yellow agarwood, laden with seasonal fresh fruit and exquisite pastries.

Autumn scenery spread across the lake: towering rocks, tea brewed around the stove.

The lake's light and autumn moon complemented one another; without wind, the pool's surface was an unpolished mirror.

It truly was an elegant diversion!

Within this pavilion, aside from the deferential attendants,

stood another woman, slender and graceful. Parasol Tree would certainly have recognized her—she was Shilan, Xie Renfeng's chief maid.

She was tall, dressed in a sapphire-blue flowing-sleeved ruqun. Her skin was white as snow, her face like a peach blossom, and a tiny black mole at the tip of her nose added several touches of charm.

As a maidservant, she naturally had no seat.

"Renfeng's journey was so urgent. I wonder when he'll return?"

"He still fears Father in the end. He isn't as free and easy as I am!"

A man lounged lazily upon a cushion of snow-white fox fur,