Li Dai went upstairs. An observant waiter who had been standing by immediately stepped forward to guide them. Since it was the Heavenly Room No. 1, the two of them followed the waiter along the covered corridor, walking past rows of guest rooms. Only at the very end did they see a small path beside the lodging rooms that led further back. Venturing deeper revealed the ingenious design of the First-Rate Tower: the covered path connected to another small pavilion in the back. Flanked on both sides by all sorts of grotesque rocks and exotic flowers, the small building was quite lovely. Yet this second pavilion was not the end; continuing along the covered corridor and passing through another small path brought them to a third, fourth, and fifth pavilion.
Walking through the entire layout, Li Dai could not help but admire the clever architecture of the First-Rate Tower, with pavilion linked to pavilion. The deeper one went, the more exquisite the pavilions became. At the very last covered path at the rear, instead of another pavilion, there was a large courtyard. Descending a flight of steps into the courtyard, they saw that the space was divided into eight arched gates separated by hedges of flowers and plants, labeled from Heavenly Room No. 1 to 8. Li Dai instantly understood how to navigate the place.
Yet, unable to suppress her curiosity, she voiced her doubt, "Do we have to walk through such a complicated route every time we come and go?" Going upstairs, passing through so…
Chapter 535