The Plainlands, the Liu Household.
Azure Field Mountain had now been rebuilt, with yellow mulberries and green willows planted throughout, their wood qi flourishing.
Three peaks towered above, dotted with pavilions. Following the winding paths down, one came upon several residences with white walls and blue-tiled roofs standing at the foot of the mountain.
Green willows swayed gently, and several young children laughed and played beneath them. All were bright and graceful, dressed alike in green. It was summer, and the weather was hot; only beneath these few willows could any cool shade still be found.
A man and a woman suddenly appeared on the path before the residences. The man was handsome, wearing a green robe with a sword at his waist. A trace of emotion crossed his face as he watched the children playing beneath the willows, and a faint smile emerged.
The woman beside him wore a long black-and-gold dress, her bearing serene and elegant. She held a girl with exceptionally dark pupils in her arms. The child was about three or four, neither crying nor fussing, and gazed ahead curiously.
The children playing beneath the willows froze. Seeing the newcomers, they seemed unsure what to do.
The oldest boy stepped forward. About eight years old, he had red lips, white teeth, and bright eyes. He approached calmly and bowed respectfully to the newcomers, saying:
"Greetings, Uncle. Father is on the mountaintop. I'll go tell him right away."
"Sorry for the trouble, Xuanhe."
Liu Xingfang laughed heartily, leaving the boy a little embarrassed. He bowed again and ran toward the mountain, but before he had taken more than a few steps, someone emerged from the residence.
Dressed in a blue-and-white gown, he looked scholarly, with an outstanding bearing and a steady disposition. It was Liu Baiyuan. His