Embankment of Swallows, The

The place where the Murong Family was known to live in Suzhou; located 30 li (15 km) to the west of Suzhou City (Chapter 11).

Consisted of the following buildings (in order of appearance):

• Manor of Participative Unity, The (Can1 He2 Zhuang1 参合庄) - residence of the Murong Family in Suzhou; not known to outsiders (Chapter 11).
• Little House of Zither Melodies, The (Qin2 Yun4 Xiao3 Zhu4 琴韵小筑) - accessible from Suzhou City only by a series of waterways. Required more than 2 shichen (4 hours) of rowing through waterways that were clogged with water-lily leaves, red caltrops, reeds and wild rice stems. Consisted of 4-5 separate huts; given by the Murong Family to their servants as quarters (Chapter 11).
• Water Pavilion of Beautiful Listening, The (Ting1 Xiang2 Shui3 Xie4 听香水谢) - residence of A'Zhu (according to A'Bi); located 36 li (18 km) away from the Little House of Zither Melodies by boat (Chapter 11). Consisted of 8-9 separate units, at least two of had more than one storey (Chapter 12).
• Double-Storeyed Water Pavilion of Bestowals, The (Huan2 Shi1 Shui3 Ge2 还施水阁) - the place to which Jiumozhi would be given access, as well as reading privileges for the martial arts manuals there, if he managed to obtain the scrolls for the Phenomenal Swords of the Six Channels for Murong Bo (Chapter 11). Contained portions of the manual for the Dog-Beating Stick Technique of the Beggars' Gang. Considered by the late Mrs Murong (mother of Murong Fu) as a better library than the Jade Cavern Library of the Lord of Heaven that belonged to the Wangs (Chapter 12).
• Murong Bo's tomb - located a day's journey by boat from the Little House of Zither Melodies (Chapter 11).
• Dwelling of the Brocade Many-Stringed Zither, The (Jin3 Se4 Ju1 锦瑟居) - accessed initially on foot via a winding cobblestone path measuring several tens of zhang (1 zhang = 3.33 metres) long from the Little House of Zither Melodies; the place where dinner was served to Duan Yu, Jiumozhi, Cui Baiquan and Guo Yanzhi. Small wooden hut that was surrounded by water; required a very short boat ride to get there. In the 2nd edition, this place was called the 'Dwelling for Listening to the Rain' (Ting1 Yu3 Ju1 听雨居). Had a trap-door through which Duan Yu, A'Bi and A'Zhu escaped from Jiumozhi. Eventually destroyed by Jiumozhi as he demolished it, and hurled the pieces at the escaping trio (Chapter 11).
• Dwelling for Listening to the Rain, The (Ting1 Yu3 Ju1 听雨居) - see Dwelling of the Brocade Many-Stringed Zither, The.