Little Mirror Lake

Little Mirror Lake is a secluded lakeside retreat whose still, jade-blue water gives the place its name, but its narrative importance lies in the family and political revelations that gather around it. The lake is where Duan Zhengchun visits Ruan Xingzhu, and its nearby Square Bamboo Forest becomes the setting for a consequential discovery involving a gold lock.

Setting and Approach

The lake lies northwest of the place from which Xiao Feng and A'Zhu set out to find it. The route crosses a small wooden bridge and narrows into a path difficult to distinguish among waist-high grass. After less than an hour of travel, Xiao Feng reaches the water and sees its calm surface, compared in appearance to a mirror. The hidden, overgrown approach makes the retreat feel apart from the roads and public spaces through which the wider conflicts unfold.

The lake’s name also provides a practical landmark: a local bartender can direct travelers toward it, and Xiao Feng follows his directions while escorting A'Zhu. The journey brings them to the lakeside before they seek out the Square Bamboo Forest, linking the open water with the more private domestic space beside it.

The Retreat and Its Residents

Duan Zhengchun has come to the lake to visit Ruan Xingzhu, who lives in seclusion nearby. While investigating the suspicious circumstances surrounding Venerable Xuan Bei’s death, Duan Zhengchun also takes the opportunity to see Ruan Xingzhu; in the days before Xiao Feng arrives, the two have been spending their time together. Their meeting place is therefore not merely a scenic landmark but a private refuge within Duan Zhengchun’s wider travels and duties.

The neighboring Square Bamboo Forest contains three small houses with bamboo roofs and a delicate construction. It is there, rather than on the lakeshore itself, that a woman rushes out holding a gold lock. Duan Zhengchun recognizes its significance and reacts with visible alarm. Xiao Feng has already seen a very similar lock among A'Zhu’s belongings, so the object ties the secluded retreat to a family connection whose meaning is not apparent from the lake’s tranquil setting alone.

Encounters and Narrative Significance

Xiao Feng and A'Zhu arrive at the lake after an urgent search for the Square Bamboo Forest. Near the water, they witness an unusual display of skill: a stone breaks a fisherman’s line just as he lifts a carp from the lake. Xiao Feng suspects the act belongs to an unorthodox martial artist, adding an element of uncertainty to the approach before the travelers reach the houses.

Little Mirror Lake also stands at the meeting point of personal and political stories. Duan Zhengchun’s presence there follows an investigation into Venerable Xuan Bei’s murder, while his visit to Ruan Xingzhu brings his private family life into the same location. The gold lock, recognized beside the bamboo houses and resembling A'Zhu’s, makes the landscape a threshold to recognition and disclosure. The lake’s stillness thus frames events that unsettle the identities and relationships of those who come to its shore.