As an imperial garden, Willow-Catkin Manor had an exceptionally elegant interior, constantly maintained and tended by servants. Even the water in its gardens flowed freely, with some of the water diverted from the canal passing through the grounds.
Rockeries surrounded the grounds, green willows cast their shade, and crisp birdsong rang out now and then, bringing the entire garden to life.
Red koi swam in a clear pond. In the octagonal pavilion beside it, two figures were playing a board game.
One had a head of white hair, but his face looked like that of a young man in his twenties or thirties, bright and resolute.
Across from him sat an elderly man with white eyebrows.
The white-browed elder stared at the board for a while, unable to place a piece. Finally, he sighed. "That was a truly brilliant move, General. You can advance or retreat, pull out whenever you wish, and even if you stay still, no one can ignore you. The pressure is tremendous."
"It's hardly that complicated. The key to the game is simply going with the flow."
The young-faced Great General spoke in an even tone.
On the surface, he looked like nothing more than an utterly ordinary man.
But just as he picked up a piece, his fingers suddenly paused. He looked at the elder across from him and smiled. "You may have trouble, though."
As his words fell, the elderly player's expression changed. He slapped the table and rose in an instant. A long Great Qi horizontal saber and a short blade flew into his hands, and he vaulted straight out of the pavilion, looking toward the wooded hills beside the courtyard.
Four figures shot in one after another. Each tapped a foot against the water and crossed the artificial lake to land on