On the opposite shore, the melodies of zithers and lutes intertwined, their resonant strings growing louder as the fish boat gradually drew closer.
Amidst the gathering on the shore, over a hundred female attendants and powerful warriors stood together, surrounding a white-clad woman like stars cloistered around the moon.
The woman wore a straw hat draped with gauze, obscuring her face. Yet, her graceful silhouette stirred boundless reveries. With a delicate hand, she lifted the edge of her hat's brim, slightly raising the veil to glance out over the lake. Then, stepping forth from the crowd, she approached the stone jetty where the boat was about to dock.
