The classical architecture of the Edo period was arranged in a picturesque manner. Following that faint figure, Yang Chen passed through two narrow alleyways, leading to a garden surrounded by a wall.
Since it was winter, most of the grass and trees had withered, and the red and yellow leaves scattered on the weathered tiles and stone slabs bore witness to the passage of time. Some branches peeked out from the mottled walls.
Several ancient and sturdy Japanese black pines, with their broad and round crowns, stood evergreen in the courtyard, meticulously pruned to maintain a hint of verdant green amidst the winter.
There were no other visitors on the stone path in front of the courtyard, leaving Yang Chen to wonder whether this place was not a tourist spot or if there just happened to be no one around. What thrilled Yang Chen was the fact that this time he hadn't lost track of the person he was following.
