Highland Manor of Camellias, The

The residence of Mrs Wang, the wife of Murong Fu's deceased maternal uncle (jiu4 tai4 tai4 舅太太). Located on the shores of Lake Tai, a little more than 4.5 li (2.25 km) from Dwelling of the Brocade Many-Stringed Zither. Grew nothing but camellias on its grounds where flowering plants were concerned. Considered by Duan Yu as being named after the camellia in vain, because it did not know how to grow the better cultivars that he found there (Chapter 12).

Men who visited the manor without being invited would first be seized; then, they would have their arms and legs chopped off before being killed and buried in the grounds of the manor (Chapter 12).

Buildings in the grounds of this manor included (Chapter 12):

• Building of the Cloud-Patterned Brocade, The (Yun2 Jin3 Lou2 云锦楼) - the place where Mrs Wang hosted a banquet in Duan Yu's honour, to get him to tell her more about the camellias that she had just brought home. Surrounded by camellia bushes that were three to four grades below the best.
• Building of the Red and Rosy Clouds, The (Hong2 Xia2 Lou2 红霞楼) - Tang, a disciple of The Boundless Sword/Cave in Dali, was buried alive at the foot of this building, next to a red camellia bush.
• Fertiliser Shed, The (Hua1 Fei2 Fang2 花肥房) - the place where A'Bi and A'Zhu were taken to have their right hands chopped off for trespassing the Highland Manor of Camellias. Built of stone. Had a metal arc-shaped trap in one of its pillars.
• Jade Cavern Library of the Lord of Heaven, The (Lang2 Huan1 Yu4 Dong4 琅嬛玉洞) - a library where a collection of martial arts books were kept; included portions of the manual for the Dog-Beating Stick Technique of the Beggars' Gang.

Servants, who were all women, at this manor included:

• Auntie Yan 严妈妈 - an old woman with a bent back; had a strange cackling laugh and a dry voice that sounded very sinister. Ugly; had a murderous glint in her eyes and a pair of canine teeth that protruded from her mouth. Disliked pretty young women; felt that they would be beautiful only if they were maimed in some way. In charge of making 'fertilisers' for the gardens at the Highland Manor of Camellias; thought by Duan Yu to have probably killed many people during her career. Had good hearing despite her age; knew that someone (Duan Yu) was outside the Fertiliser Shed because she could hear him breathing. Trapped Wang Yuyan with a metal arc after tricking her into untying A'Bi and A'Zhu from a pillar in the Fertiliser Shed. Very loyal to Mrs Wang; did not dare to do anything against her wishes. Waited for the day that Mrs Wang would allow her to dig up Mrs Murong from her grave and use her corpse to make fertilisers. Managed to trap Duan Yu with a metal arc too, but Duan Yu grabbed her wrist when she wanted to go and report Wang Yuyan's actions to Mrs Wang and had her all internal strength drained within the time it took to brew a pot of tea (about 15 minutes) (Chapter 12).
• Old Woman Rui 瑞婆婆 - diminutive old woman with a headful of white hair, a wrinkled face and downward-sloping brows. Spoke with an accent that was not native to Dali. Used an iron crutch. Seemed to be wary about attacking Mu Wanqing. Leader of the gang that was sent by the woman Wang of Suzhou to capture Mu (Chapter 3).
• Old Woman Ping 平婆婆 - fat old woman with a protruding belly that made her look as if she had already been pregnant for seven or eight months. Had salt-and-pepper hair, a fleshy face and a voice that was a few notches lower than that of an ordinary man. Spoke with an accent that was not native to Dali. Used a pair of short wide-bladed sabres; seemed to be wary about attacking Mu Wanqing. Addressed as 'Fat Old Woman' (Pang4 Po2 Po2 胖婆婆) by Duan Yu (Chapter 3).
• Xiaocha 小茶 - the maidservant who was tasked with caring for the four pots of camellias that Mrs Wang had brought home (Chapter 12).
• Xiaocui 小翠 - the maidservant who was tasked with ensuring that the man whom she had seized for having an extra-marital affair, carried out Mrs Wang's orders of having his lawful wife killed and marrying his mistress according to the full and complete customs of marriage; had done such a task seven times (Chapter 12).
• Xiaolan 小兰 - a maidservant who had performed tasks that were similar to Xiaocui's before (Chapter 12).
• Xiaoming 小茗 - a maidservant who gave Wang Yuyan news about Murong Fu. Also brought Wang news about the punishment that Mrs Wang had prepared for A'Bi and A'Zhu, together with Youcao (Chapter 12).
• Xiaoshi 小诗 - another maidservant who had performed tasks that were similar to Xiaocui's before. Ordered by Mrs Wang to chop Duan Yu's legs off, but halted by the same because of his knowledge about camellias. Later ordered by Mrs Wang to prepare a banquet in Duan Yu's honour at the Building of the Cloud-Patterned Brocade (Chapter 12).
• Youcao 幽草 - the maidservant whom A'Bi, A'Zhu and Duan Yu met when they first arrived at the manor; considered herself older than A'Zhu. Brought Wang Yuyan news about the punishment that Mrs Wang had prepared for A'Bi and A'Zhu, together with Xiaoming. Had a good relationship with A'Bi and A'Zhu (Chapter 12).