The gentry of Huizhou County died quietly that clear morning, the solemn and majestic county government hall turned into a purgatory on earth.
Turning into the rear hall, one found a long, narrow corridor with a view, flanked by the autumn scenery of a courtyard strewn with fallen leaves.
It was here that Xu Yuan once again saw the beautiful woman he had encountered earlier by the man-made lake.
This time, she was dressed in a bellyband, being attended to by a maidservant, enjoying a rather extravagant breakfast with a man who bore some resemblance to the county magistrate Liu.
A handsome man and a beautiful woman, chatting and laughing softly, complemented by the golden yellow fallen leaves of the autumn breeze, made for a beautiful sight.
Behind the hall were the living quarters of the county magistrate, so it seemed Xu Yuan's earlier guess was correct—the woman was indeed either the magistrate's concubine or his daughter.
