The Essence Herb garden was on the other side of the compound from Dàilán's quarters. There was not any particular hurry, so she finally had time to walk leisurely and think about the herbs she was holding.
That old man had been interesting. She wondered if he did that sort of thing to every customer, or if he had singled them out for some reason. Despite his claims of being retired, she was fairly sure he was actually a powerful cultivator—after all, there were a lot of people out there who would not hesitate to rob an old peddler if it suited them.
That explained his caution, she supposed. But one could not survive in that line of work long without some skill. Chén'er also seemed unnerved by his knowing something about her training, so Dàilán guessed that anyone trying to bully him would receive a sharp lesson in manners.
She was already looking forward to seeing what he brought back in eighteen days. More importantly, the thought of there being a possible Relic site only a few days away truly excited her.
Hujian was the closest large city to the Wilderness of Fusou, which was why Clan Guan and the other Clans in the city were only considered low to mid rank—nothing like the Imperial City Clans, or even the Clans in the major cities.
Still, in the provinces there were always more opportunities for growth, and personally she preferred being out here, where there was a possibility of travelling jianghu, unlike her cousins' lines, which seemed perpetually focused on rising in status toward the heart of the Lotus Empire.
She wondered if she could convince her Father to let her go on a week's training trip to the place the old peddler had mentioned. She would need to plan the route and expedition requirements carefully, to show Father it was worthwhile before making such a request. He would be more inclined to grant it if she framed it as an attempt to gain experience to help break through her current cultivation bottleneck—while also demonstrating proper caution.
She would have to go to the library and find a map of the area…
Immersed in her planning, Dàilán was rudely shaken from her thoughts as she collided with someone. Even as she let out a startled cry, her training with Chén'er took over, converting what might have been an awkward stumble into a controlled roll and coming up in a defensive crouch. Cool stone pressed through the thin soles of her shoes as she steadied herself, the faint echo of the impact still ringing in the corridor, several paces behind her previous position, her hand already moving toward the knife strapped to her leg beneath her skirts.
"Ah—sorry!"
Her conscious mind caught up with her reactions. She realised she had collided with her Second Cousin, who had just entered the corridor from the garden. That cousin was now performing an elaborate, undignified dance, attempting to catch several falling pots of plants that had been sent flying by the impact.
Dàilán darted forward and just managed to catch the last four pots before they struck the ground.
"Phew… close! I apologise, Cousin," she said hastily, bowing awkwardly with her arms full even as she flushed in self-directed anger. She could almost hear Chenli's voice in her head chastising her for letting her guard down, especially as the difference in the environment was not exactly subtle, now that she was paying attention.
The air here always carried a faint medicinal bitterness, damp earth and crushed leaves clinging to the stone. The ceramic pots clicked softly as she shifted in embarrasment, the low hum of minor formations just audible beneath the garden's quiet.
"At least you caught them," her cousin replied with ill grace, her round face flushed in annoyance. "It is not like you to be so absent-minded—you should watch where you are going. I would be very annoyed if any of these had broken. I just spent the last shí potting these Essence plants for my courtyard. What are you doing here, anyway? I never see you doing anything as womanly as gardening…"
Dàilán felt her cheeks warm. As her Father's only child, he treated her more like a son than a daughter—both a gift and a burden. It gave her far more freedom than her cousins enjoyed, but also earned their resentment. Never mind that she was expected to perform both roles well.
"I was going to plant these Essence herbs I bought," Dàilán said, then paused and handed the pots back. "Ying Yue? If you have a moment, we need to talk—and perhaps you could show me the proper way to plant these." She tugged the bag from her belt to show it. "You are correct. I do not get much practice."
From the stubborn set of Yue's face, cheeks puffed slightly, it looked like she meant to refuse—until her eyes fell on the bag. Irritation faded, replaced by sharp interest.
"That is a high-end preservation bag," she said. "Where did you get it?"
"There was this… old cultivator," Dàilán replied. "He sold me some very unusual Essence herbs. He put them in the bag to help keep them fresh."
Yue's brows rose. She set the pots neatly on the shelves just inside the entrance and held out her hands. "Unusual? Give me the bag."
Dàilán hesitated. "I…"
"I like plants," Yue said flatly. "I would not damage them to spite you."
Dàilán blinked, then nodded, handing it over carefully. She barely managed to hide a giggle behind a decorous hand when Yue cracked the seal and Essence surged outward. The older girl snapped the bag shut at once, astonishment giving way to a grave expression.
"Follow me, Dài. There is no time to waste. The inner ring—perhaps even the centre…"
She spun on her heel and moved faster than Dàilán had ever seen her move, muttering under her breath. The sound of Yue's footfalls changed—lighter, sharper—cloth snapping softly in the disturbed air as her pace shifted.
Dàilán matched her pace, eyebrows lifting as she realised that Yue was quite obviously reinforcing her body with Essence—something Dàilán had never suspected her of being capable of doing.
"First—first!" Yue snapped into a glowing communication jade that appeared in her free hand, which nearly made Dàilán trip in surprised confusion. Communication jades were expensive and rarely given to anyone other than Clan Elders—how did her Second Cousin have one?
The jade thrummed faintly in the air, cool light washing over Dàilán's fingers as the ambient sounds of the garden seemed to dull around it. "Daughter of a—Míng Jiàn! Answer! It is important, I need your help with the formations in the garden!"
A cool, unimpressed drawl that Dàilán recognised as her First Cousin's issued from the jade. "Did you ruin the Essence Gathering Formation again, Moon-face?"
"Dagger, Orchid got her hands on anchor-rank plants. High rank at least! I need you to let us into the centre eye."
"Be right there."
The lazy voice sharpened immediately as the jade dimmed.
Dàilán felt her mouth fall open. What was going on? Yue noticed her expression, an uncharacteristically wicked smile crossing her face as her Cousin twitched her hand in a clearly practised motion, making the jade vanish up a sleeve.
"Surprised, Orchid?" Yue asked sharply, even as she kept moving at speed, though Dàilán could detect that she was starting to breathe slightly heavier. "While you were off pretending you were one of the young masters, First and I had our own understandings. We just had to play proper daughters of the inner house in front of the Dragon for appearances' sake. Pity you never bothered to look deeper."
"Boy, is Fatty Ji going to be surprised," Dàilán muttered instead of responding directly as she kept pace.
Yue's face went intent. "What did you say?" she demanded, even as they slammed to a sudden stop in front of an area crowded with formation markers, Essence mist visibly pooling within. The mist pressed faintly against her skin, raising the fine hairs on her arms as sound softened, as though the world itself were holding its breath.
"Heir Ji paid for those herbs," Dàilán answered shortly, then paused as their First Cousin, Míng Jiàn, emerged from the mist, her expression set, before turning slightly back toward Yue."He asked me to pass on his high regard for you, regardless of any recent… issues in communication."
"Really, Orchid?" Míng Jiàn said coolly. "Did he have anything else to say? And what is this about anchor-rank herbs?"
Yue tossed the bag over to the First Cousin, her eyebrows rising as Míng snatched it out of the air and saw the formations worked into the fabric. "This is master-level work… where did you get this, Moon-face?"
"Not me, Orchid. Says some old cultivator gave it to her. Never mind that—inside! Orchid, follow. I want details!"
The First Cousin frowned and opened the bag, reeling back in shock at the Essence that poured out. Without another word, the taller young woman slammed her palm next to one of the formation markers, and an opening appeared. Dàilán stumbled as Yue pushed her through, both of the other cousins following her as the formation closed.
"Where do you need them planted, Dagger?"
"It would help if I knew what is in the damn bag!" swore the Eldest uncharacteristically.
Dàilán coughed, steadying herself. "High Essence concentration harvest. Earth-aligned. Three first rank, two second rank, one third rank."
Míng Jiàn's eyes narrowed. "How high a concentration… never mind. They could pass for Sky. The third rank goes in the centre."
She sped off toward the heart of the formation.
Yue Ying grabbed Dàilán's arm. "Come on!" Her Second Cousin rushed to follow, towing the younger girl behind her. "When were they harvested?"
"Four days ago," Dàilán replied excitedly. "It has to be from a Relic site or a Secret Land!"
"Here. I will open the formation for the new points," said the First Cousin, placing the bag into Yue's hands. "First there," Míng ordered tersely, pointing, "seconds there and there… thirds in a triangle around the centre—there, there, and there."
Yue nodded. "How long?"
"I can only open the points for half a fēn. Be swift," Míng answered, sinking into a meditative pose.
The Second Cousin blurred. There was a sharp crack, and suddenly five plants stood where bare earth had been a moment before.
Essence thickened with a palpable slap of pressure, the air briefly hard to breathe. The taste of metal lingered at the back of her tongue as the Essence surged. The plants glowed, leaves unfurling as they visibly freshened.
"Done, Dagger," Yue reported crisply as she appeared beside Dàilán. A second, softer crack followed, and the pressure eased. "Four days? Seriously?" She turned to her youngest cousin, eyes bright. "I would have sworn they had been pulled from the ground yesterday."
"That is what the peddler said," Dàilán replied. "He told me where, too. I want to go and see for myself—he said he would be back in eighteen days, possibly with more."
Míng was suddenly in front of her. "More? The formation has never been this stable. If I could get more…"
Dàilán made a sudden decision. "Come with me when the peddler returns—both of you. Yue, Heir Ji really needs to talk with you. Someone is attacking the Clan; that is why the sudden rush of marriage proposals began. Míng, Fatty mentioned someone else—he shut up quickly, but I do not think he would have brought up a rival for Yue's hand without reason."
Míng's eyes narrowed. "Attacking the Clan? Why do you think that?"
"Heir Ji said every Clan that approached to discuss marriage for either of you was turned away with excuses or formal refusals. I was offered as the only alternative in exchange for support. I told Grandmother as soon as I returned—she agreed. Someone is undermining us, subtly. If Fatty Ji did not have such a thick face, I doubt we would have realised before we lost all backing."
Yue whistled, then grimaced. "Dagger, Father was furious when I confronted him about the Ji arrangement. I do not know why."
"Chén'er thought it gave him an advantage—marrying me out in exchange for my Father's support," Dàilán said, flushing, but the others only nodded.
"Yes. But this is larger than internal manoeuvring over succession," Míng said. "Moon, I propose that Orchid has matured enough to be brought in."
Yue studied Dàilán, then nodded. "I agree. Breakfast was impressive. So was going to Grandmother the moment you realised something was wrong. We will need a name for you."
"Orchid is fine," Dàilán replied. "No one said petals cannot be deadly. But I am serious about all of us visiting the peddler together—each of us has interests he seems knowledgeable about. If I plan the trip, can you secure permission?"
"Depends whether we can make it 'appropriate'," Yue said thoughtfully. "Fatty is a dear, but persuading him to exert himself can be a trial. Still—we can talk to him if we all go out next week."
"I will have to tell Chén'er," Dàilán admitted, unsettled by how quickly everything was shifting.
"That is fine," Míng replied. "We would have brought her in earlier if she were not always glued to your side."
"She does not like how you have been treating me—she might…"
"That only means the act has been convincing," Míng said coolly. "Be careful where you speak of this. Inside the formations is safe—I have layered privacy inscriptions—but we cannot always meet here."
"Could you upgrade the formations in my Meditation Garden?" Dàilán asked. "I have been trying, but…"
"Possibly—especially if you acquire more plants like these. What do you mean, you have been trying?" Míng frowned. "Formations are dangerous."
"I am aware," Dàilán snapped. "There was an old formations codex Father confiscated. He now believes it is safe. You could ask him."
"Do not grow too familiar, Dagger," Yue warned lightly. "We still have to maintain appearances."
"Why are you all acting like empty vases?" Dàilán demanded.
"Our lines have male heirs," Míng said bluntly. "If our true capabilities were known, we would be married off without question. So we play the perfect noblewomen."
Dàilán snorted. "Yes. I understand. Married to whoever is convenient. Heir Ji knows, then?"
"Yes," Yue replied simply.
"That explains why he took such a risk. He knew something was wrong." Dàilán rubbed her forehead. "I hate politics and traditions that make no sense."
Míng turned to Yue. "Watch your father." She tossed a communication jade to Dàilán before striding back toward the edge of the garden. "We return to routine before anyone notices all the Heiresses missing."
Yue rolled her eyes. "Ignore her. Always abrupt. Keep that hidden," she said, gesturing to the jade. "She makes them for discreet contact. Do not let anyone see it unless you trust them."
"Why treat me like family now?" Dàilán asked, still bewildered.
Yue started walking. "Things have changed. You proved you care about the Clan and us. We were set against each other—someone must pay for that. Besides, most of it was an act to keep our fathers complacent."
She broke into a run. Dàilán paced her until they reached the boundary.
"Split up once we cross," Yue said. "No need to be seen together."
"Will the green-tea behaviour at least stop?" Dàilán asked plaintively. "I would like real cousins."
"Well, I did say mostly, Orchid," Yue laughed, vanishing across the formation's edge. "You are still far too pretty for your own good."
Dàilán slowed to a walk; crossing the formation's edge felt like pushing through a thin veil of water—pressure releasing all at once, the ordinary sounds of the compound rushing back in as she trudged slowly back through the normal portion of the garden as she hung her head in defeat. "It is not my fault," she muttered quietly.