The sky had told a lie on the morning of the Grave Sweeping Festival. When the sun had first made its glorious ascent at the break of dawn, it had been merciful in its show of power – slow and gentle in the way it warmed the earth below. It was the sweet caress of the heat that drew the people of Qian Tang in throngs to the shores of West Lake after a morning of paying ritual respects at the gravesites of ancestors. There on the lake surface amid the waterfowl and along the banks in the shade of willows, they basked in the beauty of the springtime.

The storm that rolled in suddenly when the sun had reached its peak in the sky came as an otherworldly surprise. In an instant, steely grey clouds made their appearance from over the hills, and the warmth that radiated down from the round disk of gold seemed to be rapidly sliced to ribbons by the icy slivers of rain. The visitors who were taking their holiday scrambled for shelter from wetness. The sudden downpour was a miserable thing to bear for anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in it without an umbrella.

Two such unlucky individuals now stood underneath the canopy of a wispy willow tree, accepting the sparse protection it had to offer. One of these was the maiden Lady Ivory - an extraordinary beauty by any definition. Even now, as wet locks of her raven-black hair were matted to the sides of her face, she appeared to have an elegance that would incite envy in any female who would happen to take notice of her. She tugged at the folds of her white dress which now clung hopelessly to the curves of her thighs and her legs. Decency seemed no longer to be a luxury to be had; her clothes were sodden with rainwater. Blinking away droplets that had gathered on her long lashes, Lady Ivory pressed her red lips into a thin line and gave her handmaiden, Little Jade, a most disapproving look. This second young woman returned the look with a sheepish smile. Her own beauty was different - a sprightly one that held its own bewitching charm. Little Jade gingerly patted her own cheeks, which had grown rosy from the sting of the whipping wind. Her own green blouse and skirt, which were of lesser opulence than her mistress’s but fine nonetheless, were soaked through as well. She, however, made no effort to fuss with them.

By all appearances Lady Ivory and Little Jade, clinging to the trunk of a tree that swayed with the whipping wind, seemed the typical damsels in distress. Things, however, were not exactly as they seemed.

The storm was Little Jade’s doing - a small feat of magic performed in order to attract a hero to their rescue. But not just any hero would do. The mistress she served dutifully had caught sight of a handsome young gentleman sitting on a boat in the middle of the lake. He wore a contemplative expression as he sat lost in the delights of an afternoon spent away from the bustle of the city. As waterfowl with emerald sheens found their way to the side of his boat, he was all too happy to pinch pieces from a loaf of bread that he had wrapped in a cloth for a midday meal and toss them into the lake. His arched black eyebrows lifted high on his sloped forehead and he let out a deep and carefree laugh as the birds pecked hungrily at the water's surface and hurried alongside his boat, gaping their small beaks at him for more generous offerings. He was happy to please them. Lady Ivory was captivated by his gentle dark eyes, and by the compassion she saw within them.

All this was not lost on Little Jade, who watched with amusement as her mistress stared. Little Jade waited until the young man's boat came closer to the lake's shore, then with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, summoned forth the storm. Laughing, she had ignored Lady Ivory's questioning eyes and had run for cover toward the willow tree. Lady Ivory had followed reluctantly.

The young man on the boat stuck his head out from underneath the awning on the boat, and blinked in surprise as the heavy raindrops splashed on his cheeks and ran in quick rivulets over his face. Using a sleeve, he wiped away the water and retreated back underneath the covering.

The boatman ceased his rowing so that he too could open an umbrella over his head. He positioned the handle in a knothole in the boat. While he struggled to get the umbrella just-so, the young man squinted through the downpour and spotted two forlorn figures underneath a willow tree. They were prisoners in a storm, and the young man's heart went out to them. He looked to either side of him. It would be a tight fit, but there was room still on the bench underneath the awning for two more.

"Boatman," he shouted, struggling to be heard above the drumming of the rain on the lake surface. "Would you please row to shore and accept two more passengers for another ride around the lake? I will gladly pay their fare."

The boatman wordlessly nodded and began rowing once more, this time in the direction that the young man had pointed him in. As the boat drew nearer to shore, the young man could see that the two underneath the tree were women, and lovely ones at that. One hand went to his side to grab the umbrella he always carried on his outings. The other hand came up to smooth back any strands of hair that might have fallen out of place. He suddenly felt very conscious of his appearance.

Lady Ivory and Little Jade were able to get a good look at their rescuer for the first time as the boat approached. As he came nearer, they were both pleased with what they saw. He was indeed handsome. Little Jade gaily waved at him while nudging Lady Ivory in the side with her elbow. Lady Ivory hid her face underneath the wet curtain of her white sleeve, shooting Little Jade a look of irritation from behind the fabric. Of course, she was secretly happy at Little Jade's cunning at drawing the man near, but it would be unlike her to admit it.

Lady Ivory stole a peek as the young man came toward them with his umbrella. He was dressed in plain clothes - simple and clean robes of white with a matching sash tied around his middle.

She paid special attention to the way he carried himself as he came forth. Though his clothes were modest, he walked briskly, with his back straight and with his head held high with a subtle dignity. “A scholar,” she thought to herself. She could already tell by his demeanor.

Her own attire was of fine silk. Even Little Jade, whose clothes were of plainer fabrics, was dressed in finer clothes than the average citizen. The young man would immediately see that they were of the wealthy upper class.

"Pardon me, ladies," he said, bowing deeply as he joined them underneath the willow. "I hope you will not think I am being too forward. I saw you from the middle of the lake and thought that you might appreciate some help. I have enough fare to pay the boatman to take on two more passengers, if you would like to join me underneath the awning of the boat for a trip or two around the lake. The worst of the storm should let up by the time we're finished and the canopy will certainly be a better shield from the rain than this poor tree."

Little Jade giggled at the stiff formality of his speech, and as was her playful way, she decided to mock him. With exaggerated politeness, she put her hand over her heart and bowed her head in a most demure fashion. She cleared her throat. "Sir," she said, her voice dripping with honey, "we will gladly accept your offer. That is, if my lovely mistress, Lady Ivory approves."

Lady Ivory nodded quickly and brought her eyes up to meet the young man's gaze for a brief moment before casting them shyly downwards once again.

"Such kind eyes," she thought to herself and smiled.

The young man was too enchanted with Lady Ivory’s beauty to be offended by Little Jade’s mockery of him. In that brief glance, the young man felt himself completely taken with Lady Ivory, and intrigued by her mystery. Though Lady Ivory was capable of casting a love spell, there was no unnatural magic at work here.