“Although the Su Family of Suizhou is one of the Five Surnames and Seven Clans, their influence is no match for the Jiang Family of Ganzhou or the Jiang Family of Taiyuan. In terms of wealth, they cannot compare to the Hua Family of Yangdu or the Bai Family of Qingzhou. As for scholarly learning, the Bai Family of Longxi leaves them a dozen streets behind. Even the notoriously tight-fisted Ling Family of Xingyang has at least produced several rising stars of the court, led by Ling Zhiyan — their future prospects are genuinely promising.” Jin Ruo was quite baffled. “So what exactly does the Su Family have to show for themselves?”

Lin Sui’an rubbed her chin. “Probably — a thick enough skin.”

Hua Yitang fanned himself and let out a low laugh.

Su Feizhang, the Su Family patriarch, first exchanged greetings with Prefect Chi and Chief Historian Xia, then high-handedly cut through the crowd and made his way to Hua Yitang. The wrinkles on his old face smoothed out entirely. “I have long heard that Yangdu is a land of outstanding talents, and that every young man of the Hua Family is possessed of remarkable bearing. Seeing Adjutant Hua in person today, the rumors truly do not lie.”

Hua Yitang broke into a dazzling smile. “Yidu is a place of rare treasures and hidden dragons. The Su Family of Suizhou, with a century of heritage, is a clan of profound depth, unparalleled elegance, and exceptional talent in every generation. To meet the Su Family patriarch on this trip is the greatest of honors.”

The two men exchanged a glance and smiled, then together invited Prefect Chi and Chief Historian Xia to take the seats of honor at the head table. Afterward, the two of them actually linked arms and sat side by side, close as old friends — Su Feizhang wearing an expression of warm benevolence, Hua Yitang flashing his most charming smile, both the very picture of kindred spirits who had found each other too late.

Lin Sui’an gave a shudder. Jin Ruo furiously rubbed her arms. “Good heavens, that Hua fellow’s smile is absolutely revolting.”

Once the guests of honor were seated, attendants immediately guided everyone else to their seats in order. The Su Family’s disciples were all placed in the secondary seats on the right. Hua Ermu sat below Hua Yitang. Wu Chengqing sat in the secondary seat on the left. Wu Chun, leader of the Five Mounds Alliance, was pressed right against Wu Chengqing’s side. The other noble families took their places in family-aligned rows in turn — yet no one came to escort Lin Sui’an and Jin Ruo. As the seats filled up one by one, it became apparent that no places had been prepared for them at all.

Lin Sui’an and Jin Ruo stood alone in the middle of the hall. Gazes from every direction converged on them, accompanied by pointing fingers and whispering voices.

Hua Yitang’s eyes went ice-cold in an instant. He shot to his feet. Lin Sui’an quickly made a hushing gesture and waved her hand, signaling him to stay calm.

The goal of tonight’s banquet was to investigate whether the Su Family of Suizhou had any connection to the Dragon God Fruit. With the situation still unclear, she could not afford to let a small slight cause a greater loss.

Hua Yitang narrowed his eyes and slowly sat back down.

Lin Sui’an looked around, then walked briskly to Liu Qingxi’s table and clasped her hands in a greeting. “Lady Liu, would it be all right to share your table?”

Liu Qingxi was taken aback. Her seat was near the door — it was among the lowest-ranking positions in the room. By any reasonable measure, Lin Sui’an had no business sitting here.

“Lady Lin… if you don’t mind… please, be my guest…”

Lin Sui’an cheerfully sat down beside Liu Qingxi. Right next door was Fangke’s prime spot. Jin Ruo scurried over eagerly and squeezed herself in. Doctor Fang shot Jin Ruo a glare, then grudgingly yielded half a seat.

Ling Zhiyan, who had slipped away to relieve himself, arrived fashionably late. The Su Family had naturally kept a seat for him — right beside Hua Yitang. But when Ling Zhiyan glanced at the distinguished guests at the head of the table, then looked over at where Lin Sui’an and Jin Ruo were seated, he made up his mind on the spot and squeezed over to Fangke’s other side.

Fangke: “Hey!”

Jin Ruo: “Ling the Judicial Inspector, do you really need to pile in here? The three of us crammed at one table means only one serving of food — we’ll all go hungry. That’s a terrible deal.”

Ling Zhiyan: “This spot suits me just fine.”

Jin Ruo: “…”

Lin Sui’an glanced at Ling Zhiyan. Ling Zhiyan gave a slight nod and a small smile.

Lin Sui’an felt a warmth in her heart. What a genuinely decent person that strikingly handsome Ling was — he must have sat down here with them to ease the awkwardness of their situation.

And so, Lin Sui’an’s side became a cheerful, lively little gathering, while up at the head table, only Hua Yitang and Hua Ermu were left to entertain Prefect Chi, Chief Historian Xia, Su Feizhang, Su Yiyun, Wu Chengqing, and a whole jumble of noble family scions. Even though the fourth son of the Hua Family and Hua Ermu were both naturally adept at socializing with everyone around them, at this moment they were visibly straining — Hua Yitang kept sending pointed looks in Ling Zhiyan’s direction, silently pleading for rescue. Ling Zhiyan, however, appeared to have taken a sudden interest in the newly arrived dishes and was busy studying them with his chopsticks, paying no attention whatsoever. Hua Yitang then looked toward Lin Sui’an, who balled up her fist and mimed an encouraging gesture at him. Hua Yitang’s professional smile froze.

Three courses of food came and went, two rounds of tea were served, and then a faint fragrance drifted in from outside. A procession of beautiful young women glided in, all dressed in gauze skirts, their hair piled high in elaborate buns with hibiscus blossoms pinned at their temples — freshly picked flowers in crimson, snow-white, and pale pink. Each woman carried a wooden tray bearing a blue-glazed double-handled wine jug. The fragrance of wine mingled with the perfume of flowers, as though one had been transported to a sea of blooms afloat on a lake of wine.

Qian Jing at her waist let out a low, resonant hum. Lin Sui’an quickly pressed down on the hilt to pacify Qian Jing, that little drunkard. Liu Qingxi looked over with considerable surprise. Lin Sui’an was rather embarrassed. “Ahem, well, that is — this wine smells absolutely wonderful, ha, ha—”

Liu Qingxi curved the corner of her lips. “This is the White Fragrance, one of the thirty-six vintages of Sanhua Tower, brewed from the dewdrops of hibiscus flowers that first bloom at the first quarter-hour after the chen hour of the day. They say it tastes best when drunk alongside fresh hibiscus petals.”

Indeed — the first wave of beauties delivered the wine jugs, and the second wave brought each table a dish of fresh mandarin-duck hibiscus petals, the blossoms variegated in pink and white, delicate and vibrant.

Lin Sui’an followed Liu Qingxi’s example and poured herself a cup of White Fragrance. The wine was a pure, rich amber color. She placed a hibiscus petal on top and took a small sip — the floral note was fresh and clean, the wine’s own fragrance soft and subtle, with a gentle sweetness on entry. She found herself growing pleasantly lightheaded.

At the neighboring table, opinions on the wine were divided.

Jin Ruo: “This wine is too mild. No kick to it.”

Ling Zhiyan: “Though it tastes sweet going down, it has a very strong delayed effect. Don’t drink too much.”

Fangke: “Sweet. Unpleasant.”

Up at the head table, Hua Yitang stared over at their little group with visible irritation. He held his wine cup but didn’t drink — he was just gnawing on flower petals. If someone who didn’t know the situation saw him, they might have thought he was trying to cultivate immortality by subsisting on blossoms.

The third group of women made their entrance. Leading them was a young woman of around twenty years of age, dressed in a five-colored gauze gown with a long, trailing silk shawl. Her hair was black as ink, her face white as jade, and the outer corners of her eyes were drawn upward with fine red lines, lending her entire bearing an air of exquisite refinement.

The moment this woman appeared, the whole hall first went silent — then erupted in an uproar. The young noble scions in particular went red in the face with excitement, craning their necks like giraffes, as though they wished they could press their eyeballs directly against her face.

Jin Ruo pounded Lin Sui’an’s shoulder furiously. “Master, master, master — she’s the number one courtesan of Red Fragrance House, the most renowned in all of Yidu: Duan Hongning.”

Lin Sui’an made a noncommittal sound, unsure what to say.

Although this woman carried herself with elegance and distinction, in terms of pure looks, she was no more than above average — could it be that after spending so much time around people of Hua Yitang and his sister’s caliber, her standards had been raised without her noticing?

Ling Zhiyan seemed to read Lin Sui’an’s puzzlement and considerately offered an explanation. “Lady Lin may not be aware — renowned courtesans are rarely celebrated for their looks alone. It is their arts and talents that move people’s hearts.”

Liu Qingxi: “I’ve heard that Lady Duan excels above all at the guqin, with a skill so extraordinary that she is said to rival the guqin master of the Su Family of Suizhou. If we get to hear her play one piece tonight, the trip will have been more than worthwhile.”

Lin Sui’an: “…”

The guqin master of the Su Family of Suizhou — wasn’t that Su Yiyun? She had already heard him play back at the Hall of Responses to Heaven, and honestly could not recommend the experience.

Duan Hongning walked to the center of the hall. First she bowed deeply to the distinguished guests at the head table, then turned in a full circle and inclined her head to acknowledge everyone present. Raising her voice, she said, “Tonight, Hongning has been entrusted by the Su Family patriarch to host the Sanhua Tower banquet. I am deeply humbled. Should there be any shortcomings, I beg the indulgence of all honored guests.”

“Ha ha ha ha, Lady Duan is too modest.” Prefect Chi was already three cups deep, his face ruddy, as he raised his wine cup with a smile. “Simply being able to drink the White Fragrance has already made this evening entirely satisfying for me.”

The guests below chimed in with their own cheerful agreement.

Duan Hongning smiled prettily. “If the Prefect is satisfied, then Hongning feels it is still not nearly enough. At this hour, with such a beautiful night and such fine scenery, the banquet has only just begun. It is said that a feast is made complete by song and dance, and that all cares and sorrows may be set aside with the right entertainment. Perhaps the honored guests would care to guess — whom has Hongning invited to enliven this evening?”

“Could it be Minina from the Eternal Day Pavilion?!” someone cried out in astonishment.

Duan Hongning smiled without answering, then bowed and stepped back.

The music in the room changed abruptly. What had been barely noticeable, languid background melodies transformed into something urgent and powerful — a broad-shouldered man wielded two mallets and struck a great drum, the sound shaking the very heavens and trembling the mountains. The musicians summoned every last ounce of their skill: panpipes, pipa, konghou harps, sheng mouth organs, and the frenzied rhythm of clappers. Then — the entire room went dark at once. All the music stopped dead. Everyone held their breath and listened. The drums began again, one beat at a time, and the lanterns lit up one by one. At the center of the pavilion appeared a woman clad in scarlet lantern trousers on her lower half and only a narrow black garment on top — something resembling a modern bodice — with her arms and midriff fully bare. She was barefoot, her toenails painted a rich crimson. Gold bells hung at her wrists and ankles. Both hands were raised in a lotus-flower pose, and she balanced on one foot with the other leg curved gracefully upward, striking a posture of sinuous, enchanting beauty.

Lin Sui’an’s heart gave a silent cry of amazement, and she stared wide-eyed.

The lights grew brighter and brighter, and the dancer’s features came slowly into focus. She was a woman from the western regions — golden hair twisted high with no adornments of any kind, a high-bridged nose, deep-set eyes, and irises that were a shade of ink-green.

In an instant, the drumbeat and the music crashed back in at full force. The dancer leapt into the air and began — bare feet flying, soaring and darting across the floor, spinning like the wind, golden bells ringing through the air, passionate and free, surging and brilliant.

Lin Sui’an watched with her mouth open the entire time. Her heartbeat surged with the drums and the rhythm of the dancer’s steps, and she very nearly wept.

This was entertainment fit for an emperor. Tonight was absolutely worth it.

The crowd clapped along with the drumbeats and shouted Minina’s name, Jin Ruo being the loudest of all. Even Fangke could not restrain himself from slapping the table. Ling Zhiyan nodded his head again and again. Liu Qingxi dipped her finger in the White Fragrance wine and traced rapid strokes of brushwork on the table, murmuring to herself, “Like a dragon or serpent darting forward, swift and ever-changing, like a tempest of wind and rain, full of peril and wonder — so that’s how it’s done, so that’s how it’s done…”

Gradually, the great drum softened. Eight powerfully built young men, bare-chested, each with a small drum strapped across their shoulders, entered in single file. After circling around Minina once in a dance, they scattered to their positions at different tables, drumming and singing loudly. The guests one by one left their seats and joined the dancers in spinning and twirling together. Of all those at the head table, Su Feizhang’s spirits were highest — he was the first to descend to the floor, arms outstretched, his body spinning like a top. He was, it turned out, an accomplished practitioner of the whirling dance.

After a circuit of dancing, Su Feizhang felt it wasn’t enough. He pulled Prefect Chi and Chief Historian Xia down to join him as well. He was about to drag Hua Yitang along next, but Hua Yitang struck first — he leapt to his feet in a flash and, like a slippery white eel, wove his way through the dancers and slid over to Ling Zhiyan’s side, nudged him with his backside, and squeezed himself a space.

Fangke: “Hey!”

Jin Ruo: “This is too crowded!”

Ling Zhiyan: “Shouldn’t the fourth young master get out there and dance a set?”

“Everyone in Yangdu knows that a single dance by the fourth son of the Hua Family can bewitch a city and empty ten thousand streets. Unfortunately, the outfit I’m wearing today is far too elaborate — quite unsuitable for dancing.” Hua Yitang raised his wine cup and took a measured sip. “What a pity.”

Lin Sui’an: “…”

Jin Ruo: “Does not boasting kill you, Hua?”

It had to be said — the atmosphere of the whirling dance was absolutely electric. With the Su Family patriarch personally leading the way, the noble scions who habitually followed the Su Family’s every cue naturally felt obliged to join in. Before long, the entire hall was a sea of spinning figures and flying sweat. Scanning the room, only Su Yiyun remained in his seat among the Su Family, while among the assembled noble family scions, the only ones still sitting were Hua Ermu, Wu Chengqing, the Che Family of the western city, and Lin Sui’an’s group of spectators — along with Liu Qingxi.

“Do you see those two men tailing Su Feizhang?” Jin Ruo pointed into the crowd. “The one who looks like a fat-headed carp is Wang Jingfu, the patriarch of the Wang Family of the northern city — he’s in the grain trade. The one as thin as a corncob is Ma Kaicheng of the Ma Family in the eastern city — he deals in tea. These two families are the closest allies of the Su Family.”

“Who is that?” Lin Sui’an asked, pointing to a man dancing near Minina.

The man was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, slick-haired and powdered, his entire body of fat jiggling furiously as he pressed desperately against Minina’s direction, only to be blocked again and again by the male dancers.

Jin Ruo squinted at him for a good while. “This one looks like a lustful fat duck — who is that?”

Ling Zhiyan quietly moved his chopsticks away from the braised duck dish.

Hua Yitang: “Little Jin Ruo, what kind of eyes do you have? He clearly looks more like a lump of aroused mutton fat.”

Fangke quietly withdrew the hand he had stretched toward the roasted lamb ribs.

Liu Qingxi burst out laughing.

“Does Lady Liu know this person?” Lin Sui’an asked.

“Ahem, he’s Wang Jingfu’s cousin, Wang Jinlu.” Liu Qingxi lowered her voice a few degrees. “Fond of wine, women, and gambling. He’s a well-known — ahem — dissolute wastrel within Yidu.”

Everyone instinctively glanced over at Hua Yitang with expressions of disdain.

Hua Yitang waved his fan busily. “Please. If we were back in Yangdu, someone of his looks, background, and character wouldn’t even qualify for the title of dissolute wastrel.”

Everyone rolled their eyes in collective exasperation.

Liu Qingxi was thoroughly entertained.

This spirited, uninhibited communal dance went on for a full three songs before it finally wound down. Su Feizhang was in excellent spirits. He rejoined Prefect Chi and Chief Historian Xia and ascended once more to his seat. Glancing left and right, he noticed Hua Yitang was missing. Looking again, he discovered that Hua Yitang had somehow changed his seat entirely and was now sitting below. Su Feizhang clapped his thigh repeatedly and called out, “How did Adjutant Hua end up in the lower seats? This won’t do at all — Shilang, go and invite Adjutant Hua back to his proper place immediately!”

“Yes, patriarch.” Su Yiyun clasped his hands and rose. He brushed his sleeve cuffs, then stepped out one measured step at a time, moving with unhurried deliberateness through the entire length of the hall, drawing every pair of eyes in the room along with him.

As he drew closer, Lin Sui’an saw the smile on Su Yiyun’s face — the textbook smile that never reaches the eyes. Then she looked at Hua Yitang, who had one corner of his mouth curved upward in a smile that equally never reached his eyes — the classic smile concealing a blade.

Su Yiyun bent in a bow. “Adjutant Hua, please return to your honored seat.”

Hua Yitang snapped his fan open with a flourish. “Judicial Inspector Ling is sitting in the lower seats — how could I, a mere adjutant of the seventh rank subordinate, presume to sit above him?”

Su Yiyun: “Judicial Inspector Ling’s seat is also at the head.”

Ling Zhiyan was taken off guard. “Ah — Ling still has case matters to discuss with Coroner Fang—” His sentence broke off halfway as Fangke delivered a withering cold stare in his direction. Ling Zhiyan hastily changed course. “The young leader of the Pure Gate is also in the lower seats—”

Jin Ruo quickly jumped in. “Wherever my master sits, I sit.”

Lin Sui’an: “…”

Hey, hey, hey — how did the fire circle back around to her again?!

Su Yiyun’s gaze shifted. “If Lady Lin would not object, perhaps you would also—”

“No need.” Lin Sui’an waved her hand. “I prefer quiet.”

Jin Ruo: “Master stays, I stay.”

Ling Zhiyan: “And Ling still has some things to catch up on with Young Leader Jin.”

Hua Yitang: “Judicial Inspector Ling stays, I stay.”

Fangke rolled his eyes extravagantly.

Su Yiyun’s smile stiffened for just a moment. He exhaled softly, then signaled a servant to bring over a jug of White Fragrance wine. He filled his own cup, then raised it high with both hands, bent his body to a perfect ninety-degree bow, and suddenly pitched his voice to carry across the entire room. “Su Yiyun of the Su Family of Suizhou offers this cup as an apology to Lady Lin!”

Side story:

Lin Sui’an: A sense of foreboding.

Hua Yitang: Hmph — this fellow is up to something, just as I thought.

Author’s note: I’m back — oh heavens, I don’t even know what kind of virus this was. Stomach cramps, aching all over, and couldn’t keep my eyes open. I ended up lying in bed for five full days before I recovered. Please everyone, take care of yourselves.