The twenty-second day of the sixth month fell in the middle stretch of the dog days, arguably the most stifling day of the year. Although it was still the Si Hour of the morning and the blazing sun had yet to unleash its full strength, and although the woods around Chen Family Cove were lush, with West Lake's thousand expanses of emerald water absorbing the summer heat, traveling in such scorching weather still felt unbearably hot.
Accompanying Lu Weiwei to Mingsheng Spring were two stewards, three household attendants, two serving women, and the two young maids Duan Chu and Zanhua. They all wanted to reach Chen Family Cove soon and have a good rest. They had been traveling since early morning; Little Lady Wei Rui truly was impatient to see the flowers.
Once they rounded the pine grove, the imposing Chen Family Cove Fortified Manor, built against the mountain, came into view before them. Pointing toward it, Ran Sheng enthusiastically told the Lu Residence servants how wonderful Chen Family Cove was, with its lovely mountains and clear waters, its kindly people and harmonious ways-
Lu Weiwei lifted the gauze curtain at the front of the ox cart and gazed at the Fortified Manor standing firmly ahead. Her heart pounded furiously. She beckoned gently to Chen Caozhi, who was walking beside the cart. "Master Chen-"
Chen Caozhi drew a little closer and saw Lu Weiwei lean out of the window. Extending an index finger as tender as the white of a scallion, she pointed at the verdant peak behind the Fortified Manor. "That is Nine Luminaries Mountain-"
Chen Caozhi smiled. "Yes."
Lu Weiwei said, "Your Snowy Mountain Retreat depicts this Nine Luminaries Mountain and Chen Family Cove. In the painting, everything is covered in gleaming snow, while now all I can