Qinshui Pavilion had a private courtyard with a square pond dug into the center. The pond was lined and carved entirely from white marble, surrounded by twelve bluestone screens. The bottom was paved with flint, turning it into a steaming hot spring.
The spring water, channeled from the mountain behind, shimmered with a pale green hue. Vegetable juices had been mixed in, releasing a faint, bitter, astringent aroma. The stone wall where one entered the water was chiseled at an incline, perfectly supporting Weimo’s right arm, which was still too weak to lift.
The flint at the bottom of the pond scorched her feet, and her skin flushed red from the heat. Just as she started to rise, a cold, ruthless voice drifted from behind the screens: "The time has not yet come."
Chapter 27