Comprehension Before the Fish

There was a large lake beside the Yanming Mountain in the south of Chang'an City freshly completed in the fall of the 14th year of Tianqi. The mortar in the lake's stone embankment still smelt fresh. The lake had already frozen solid in the depths of winter and the humidity in the air had become a layer of ice on the dust, making it look particularly refreshing.

Ning Que had heard Eldest Brother talking about the lake some time ago, which was why he came here after he had left by himself.

He sat in the snow for a very long time, but did not see Eldest Brother. However, he did see the fisherman who had fished through a hole in the ice that he mentioned. He saw the ropes that buzzed and turned and the horses that panted hot steam as they ran furiously to turn the ropes and move the fishing net beneath the surface of the ice. He thought about something or another silently.