Head down and thinking furiously, Dàilán barely noticed the Majordomo taking his leave as he saw her off at the edge of the Main House grounds. The clipped rhythm of her shoes against lacquered boards echoed faintly in the corridor, the air still carrying the faint resin scent of recently polished screens. She returned his bows absentmindedly, hurrying off towards the Third House courtyards as she tried to think of a way to fulfil the mission she had been given.
It would not be easy to talk to Heir Ji without raising the suspicions of whomever was orchestrating these attacks on the Clan, internal or external. She needed to have a good and truthful — as well as obvious — reason, one people would not bother looking past, to approach House Ji.
A sudden thought made her stop momentarily, bowing to a pair of servants as they crossed in front of her through the Third House courtyard. Calculating on her fingers, as the saying went, she went over the idea in her mind.
Her expression firmed and she strode quickly towards her quarters.
She reached her rooms within a kè, calling out quietly for Chén'er. Receiving no reply, she nodded to herself. As the weekly Heir duties meeting had been ended early, Chén'er had not yet returned from her own errands that she usually performed while her Mistress was otherwise occupied — likely reporting to her Master.
Unslinging the satchel, she hesitated slightly, then placed it on her study table. She filled herself a cup of water from the jug that was always kept filled by her desk. Drinking the water kept cool and clean by the formations etched into the jug, she walked through the guest antechamber into her bedroom and over to the necessary room, placing the cup down on the guest table in the antechamber as she went.
Because she was paying attention, she noticed the faint prickle along her skin as the privacy formations activated, like static before a storm — something she normally took for granted. A small smile pulled at her lips as she pulled out the communication jade she had been given two days ago and sent a small amount of Essence into the formation engraved on it.
Once the formation lit up she spoke quietly into it, while squatting and performing the necessary, covering the sound of her voice.
"Orchid to Moon."
She let the communication jade hang from the necklace she had put it on and kept under her robes.
There was no immediate reply and she busied herself with finishing her business. As she rose to wash her hands and pass them under the Essence cleanser, she started to worry about what she could do if no one answered within a reasonable amount of time.
The jade vibrated against her collarbone, subtle but insistent, the stone warm now from her Essence. She sighed in relief. Taking her hands out from under the disinfecting and perfuming device, she pulled the jade up on its chain and put her thumb into the activation point, sending Essence through it.
"Problem, Orchid?" Yue's voice, with a clear trace of annoyance, issued from the jade.
Dàilán rolled her eyes, the posturing was a lot easier not to take seriously when she knew the real situation. "Any chance of you getting in touch with Fatty soon? His expertise is needed."
There was a muffled noise that sounded like surprise. "Orchid? You would have more chance than me — why use the jade to ask me that?" The annoyance was clear in Ying's voice now.
"I have no legitimate reason to contact him. As for the jade, some parties would probably prefer such a contact did not occur." Dàilán chose her words carefully.
"That…" When Yue's voice came again it was guarded, the annoyance gone. "How could Fatty help?"
The young teen hesitated. "Financial advice. An outsider's perspective would be helpful."
The response was a soft, almost sad, "Oh."
Suddenly, the jade vibrated again.
"Dagger here. Bring Orchid as chaperone instead, Moon. Makes more sense anyway." Míng's voice floated out of the jade and Dàilán's eyes widened in surprise.
The jade vibrated again.
"Dragon here. Concur. Implement immediately. Orchid, be suitable for visiting within a shí. You as well, Moon." The Matriarch's voice sounded from the jade and the heiress lost her grip on the jade in surprise, eyeing it like a scorpion.
After a moment, she reached out, turned off the water and cleanser, opened the door and moved back into her room, touching the maid call as she stowed most of the scrolls from her satchel in the pigeonholes of her 'bookcase'.
Moments later, Ài's voice came from the door. "How may I assist, Young Mistress?"
"Please help me into something appropriate for visiting House Ji and possibly the market. I expect to receive a directive from the Matriarch within the next shí, possibly sooner," she directed her newest lady-in-waiting calmly.
"Then you should have time to bathe?" inquired Ài, moving briskly into the room.
"Yes. Unless I miss my guess, Second Cousin will need to do the same," Dàilán replied.
"Easy enough to check — a moment, Young Mistress."
Dàilán completed stowing the scrolls she did not intend to take with her and started removing the nondescript, deliberately gender-neutral robes, as the sound of deliberate footsteps announced the return of her lady-in-waiting and both maids.
Ài's return was accompanied by Chàng and Biyu, who burst into chatter the moment they came into the room.
"Young Mistress, the Matriarch has requested you accompany Second Mistress to the Ji Clan as chaperone. Apparently it has been decided that Second Mistress will deliver her apologies regarding the recent suite refusals directly to House Ji, to emphasise sincerity."
Ài nodded. "Second Cousin has already called her servants to draw a bath and lay out visiting robes. A messenger has already been sent to the Ji Clan. We are to be there at the beginning of the next shí."
"Very good," responded the heiress. "Ài, I will need something appropriate, but quiet and understated and as plain as possible without losing face or giving offence. I am to support Second, not draw attention away from her."
"Yes, Young Mistress," Ài bowed, then headed for the wardrobe.
"I need to be able to carry some scrolls, unobtrusively, as well," specified Dàilán as she allowed Chàng to finish helping her out of her robes as Biyu went to start the bath.
Ài bowed her head to acknowledge the instruction as the heiress headed past her for the bath.
Dàilán slowed and turned towards Ài. "Chén'er will likely not be available in time. You will need to accompany me — my apologies for the short notice."
Ài swallowed, her eyes widening.
The young heiress waved a hand dismissively. "Do not worry, it is unlikely to be dangerous — in fact, since it is mostly a political exercise I would have taken you as well regardless. Chén'er prefers dealing with things with action, covert or otherwise — you are better than her at the political currents of the inner ring."
Ài bowed again. "I will endeavour not to disappoint, Young Mistress."
Dàilán smiled. "I have every confidence you will surprise yourself, Ài."
The young teen headed for Biyu as she appeared in the bathing room doorway, missing the somewhat dazed expression on Ài's face.
After a moment the lady-in-waiting shook herself free of the impact of her mistress' pure smile of confidence. "She will cause Empires to topple one day, that girl," she murmured to herself as she opened the wardrobe.
At the close of the shí, Dàilán and Ài were waiting by the postern gate of the Clan compound, Ài carrying a large parasol to shade both of them from the late afternoon Golden Crow. Even beneath its shadow, the heat pressed steadily against the stones, drawing the scent of warm dust up from the courtyard.
Yue Ying's group had not yet arrived, which both of them had expected, given that they had both been able to dress tastefully but simply with only minimal jewellery and cosmetics. The fabric Ài had selected for Dàilán was soft but unadorned, a muted silk that whispered rather than shimmered when it moved.
"For something like this, the Second Heiress must bring an entourage modest but not too small, as well as dress in formal robes, makeup, and jewellery. Likely bringing a tasteful gift, preferably something chosen and organised by herself personally," speculated the lady-in-waiting as they stood there.
The heiress winced. "Formal dress means the palanquin — she will not be able to walk any reasonable distance in those. I would prefer to walk alongside — I hate that thing, it always makes me feel queasy. Have I told you how much I hate politics lately?"
"You will likely need to make apologies as well," warned Ài, "the other Clans in general lost a great deal of face through this whole fiasco between being constantly rejected by all of you."
Dàilán nodded, then turned slightly as she heard a rise in noise. "There they are."
Yue arrived borne in an Essence-driven palanquin, three attendants following behind. Her white robe shimmered with pearls; silver rabbits chased one another along the hem like moonlit spirits.
"Cousin," Dàilán smiled, "you honour your name. Truly a lady of the moon. Beside Heir Ji — who so favours gold — the pairing would resemble sun and moon in harmonious orbit."
Yue coloured prettily.
"It… it is not too much, you think?" she asked, uncharacteristically timid.
"We shall let Heir Ji decide that," Dàilán grinned. "Personally, I should think he might propose on the spot."
"Oh… that would be most improper…" Yue's voice thinned to something like a mosquito's buzz.
Dàilán snorted and tapped her cousin gently on the shoulder with a sleeve-covered hand. "As though you would say no."
Yue blinked, the colour flooding back into her face. "Well — of course not… it is just…"
"Tradition, I know," grumbled the younger woman. "Let us start, or we shall be late."
Yue looked at her cousin properly, and clear surprise showed as she registered Dàilán's and Ài's attire.
"Cousin… you did not need to dress so plainly… and this is?"
"My second lady-in-waiting, Ài," introduced Dàilán as Ài bowed gracefully. "And as for my dress, the focus should be on you, and rightfully so. The last thing we need today is for people to remember I was here."
Yue's eyes widened slightly and she inclined her head towards Ài. "I understand. Would you care to ride? I can close the curtains for privacy."
"And the privacy formations only function fully once enclosed," Yue added more quietly. "It is safer than walking — fewer angles for curious ears."
Dàilán hesitated a fraction of a breath. "I dislike being confined."
"Especially today," Yue said softly, her eyes shifting to underscore the counterpoint."Dragon wastes no time," she murmured.
Dàilán exhaled in acknowledgement. "Under protest."
Yue eyed her sympathetically. "I always find cultivating helps keep the body from noticing the nausea."
The younger woman sighed and climbed nimbly aboard opposite her cousin, shooting an apologetic glance at Ài, who smiled cheerfully.
"Not to worry, Young Mistress, I am perfectly happy to walk alongside."
Dàilán's apologetic look turned into an irritated glare at Ài's cheerful wave as she tugged on the rope that caused the palanquin curtains to fall closed.
Inside the palanquin, once the curtains were down, the faint hum of the activated formations settled into the wood around them. The enclosed space smelled faintly of silk, sandalwood polish, and Yue's powder. A low resonance thrummed through the frame as the palanquin lifted into a smooth, measured glide — steadier than any carried litter, almost unnaturally so.
Yue leaned forward, her eyes alight with curiosity.
"Privacy formations are active."
Outside, the city murmured beyond the layered silk — a vendor's call rising and falling, the faint clink of scale-weights striking brass.
Dàilán did not answer at once. She tapped her fingers against her knee once, twice — then stilled them.
When she looked up, the lightness from earlier had gone from her eyes.
"Do you monitor market rates beyond the Clan's internal records?"
Yue frowned. "For the Essence Herb garden, yes."
Dàilán withdrew a scroll from within her sleeve. The parchment whispered softly as it unfurled.
For a moment there was only the muted sway of the palanquin.
Yue's brows drew together.
Confusion.
Her lips parted slightly.
Disbelief.
Then, slowly — as the figures resolved themselves in her mind — dawning horror.
"What is this?"
"These are the figures recorded by the treasury," Dàilán replied quietly. "Third House oversees the Clan's revenue ventures. It appears our goods are sold below prevailing market rates… while our purchases are recorded above them."
Yue's lips parted further.
"That cannot be so. Merchants complain we press them harshly — that we charge near the upper bounds."
"Negotiations are conducted through the treasury," Dàilán said. "Our Formation Masters and alchemists fulfil Clan commissions for contribution points. Payments are arranged elsewhere."
The air inside the palanquin seemed suddenly close, warmer despite the filtered light.
Realisation struck.
"So customers see one figure. The Clan authorises another. And the difference—"
Her voice faltered.
"Father…"
The word seemed too loud in the confined space. A gust of late-afternoon heat slipped beneath the curtain, carrying with it the mingled scents of fried batter, dust, and horse sweat.
Tears welled despite her effort to restrain them. One broke free.
Dàilán moved immediately to steady her, gripping her cousin's hands firmly.
"We may be mistaken. That is why we require confirmation."
Yue drew in a breath, straightening despite the brightness in her eyes.
"No. We confirm. At once."
Dàilán blinked.
"Your cosmetics—"
Yue froze in new alarm.
Dàilán secured the scroll back into her sleeve and leaned out between the curtains.
"Ài. At once."
Moments later, Ài slipped inside, taking in the situation in a single glance. She produced her cosmetics case with quiet efficiency — not unlike a conjurer revealing hidden doves.
The faint scent of crushed orchid and rice powder unfurled as the case opened, clean and controlled, pushing back the harsher smells of the street.
"Second Heiress, please be at ease. I shall restore you presently. Young Mistress, if you would have it slow slightly, that would assist."
Outside, the city murmured beyond the layered silk — distant bargaining, the faint clink of scale-weights, the creak of wagon axles somewhere beyond sight.
Dàilán smiled reassuringly at her cousin as she jumped out, speaking brightly as she passed through the curtains.
"You are in excellent hands, Cousin. Ài prepared me for the Matriarch's breakfast."