"Mingxu, Mingxu..." They seemed to hear someone calling from the shore, presumably for the little boy in their arms. More and more people were gathering around.
The woman in black glanced toward the shore, then carried the boy over to them. The woman who had been shouting just moments ago now stood frozen, watching as the woman in black walked toward them step by step. Wherever her skirt brushed past, lotus buds opened into full bloom. Truly, lotuses bloomed with every step she took. It was as if Guanyin herself had appeared, yet even Guanyin could not compare to this woman by a fraction.
After handing the little boy to one of the women, the woman in black left. The stunned nobles had even forgotten to thank her. But a young man noticed something: although a fine drizzle was falling and everyone else held umbrellas, the woman did not seem wet at all. It was as if a thin film surrounded her, shutting her off from the outside world. But he had no time to investigate further. The one who had just fallen into the pond was his own younger brother.
