Song Jie looked wildly from the left window to the right as they exited the Houses. She saw a barren landscape, grass and the odd bush but no trees, and no guards.

"But how..." she began, before noticing that the large man's gaze had turned towards her, Song Jie fell immediately silent. The light quickly faded as the day's proceedings had gone on for a long time and Song Jie was no longer able to look out of the window. Instead, she sat still on the velvet seat and wondered as to Yang Min's whereabouts. The woman drew the curtains and then promptly fell asleep, snoring softly. Father pulled out a small red silk box with an ivory clasp. Upon him opening it, Song Jie could smell something strong and musty that made her nose burn, "Care for some?" he asked the large man beside him,

"I don't smoke a pipe," the man spoke for the first time making Song Jie jump, she had almost begun to believe he didn't have a voice.

"Oh come now, Hu Chao,” Father sniffed, “everyone dignified should smoke a pipe, everyone of the court at least.”

"I am not of the court Zheng Li, I merely work for the Emperor."

"Yes of course, on matters grave I'm sure," Zheng Li rolled his tongue as if to emphasise his words.

"My matters concern the Emperor alone"

"I wouldn't dream of inquiring as the to the nature of such things Hu Chao, if the Royal Guard tells me a man such as yourself is coming along with me for the ride, then so be it! Although I doubt it has much to do with choosing a courtesan and more to do with the raids going on all over the place."

"Raids?" Hu Chao cocked a bushy eyebrow.

"Burnings, whatever you call them,” Zheng Li snapped, “there have been rumours Hu Chao, dark rumours."

"Really?" Hu Chao's lips curled upwards faintly, he glanced over to Song Jie who had already busied herself in reading her poetry book despite the poor light. "What dark rumours?"

"Well the monasteries for a start, people can see the smoke for miles, and word travels faster than that."

Hu Chao let out a biting laugh, "The age of those decrepit monks holed up in their stone fortresses is at an end. Penning and spreading their filth, their conspiracies."

"I quite agree Hu Chao, I quite agree,” Zheng Li nodded in acquiescence, “but the people still look to the monasteries for guidance, spiritual consorts are a regrettable necessity in such times of encroaching...unease. Furthermore, it is hard to honestly believe that it was the monks who harboured the conspirators."

Hu Chao groaned with contempt, "The Emperor gave you people evidence, those spiritual consorts as you call them provided food and shelter for men who would overthrow our entire regime. What more do you need?" he snapped, a globule of spit flying across to land on Song Jie’s knee. She stared at it hard, willing herself not to immediately brush it away and draw the men’s attention to herself.

"Of course, I have been privy the evidence myself when last visiting the Royal Court." Zheng Li sat up importantly, "But, that was just one monastery, why are...inspections...being carried out on all such institutions throughout the land? I saw myself only last week the flames at Jaritu, burned down the whole west quarter, many casualties they say. I was there on official business of course…"

"Monk casualties do not concern me," Hu Chao turned to look out the window again and Zheng Li shifted uncomfortably in his seat taking out a long curved pipe, so fragile looking Song Jie wondered how it did not get broken on such long journeys. He stuffed some of the black substance from the red box into the end and lit it with a match. A horrible scent clouded the carriage, Song Jie could not help choking loudly causing both men to look up. She managed to suppress the rest of her coughing and concentrated even harder on her book.

"Of course it's not really the monasteries that concerns me," started Zheng Li again, "It's the Magi."

"Spirits have their uses," Hu Chao replied grimly.

Song Jie's head snapped up but both men ignored her, engrossed in their own conversation, Zheng Li sighed, "Useful as they are for the Emperor they are quite nasty, I saw a troop of Magi heading out west the other day, fearful looking creatures. Some of them appeared quite bloodied as well, fighting other Sprits I assume? They certainly wouldn't sustain such injuries from mortal men!"

"You assume too much Zheng Li," Hu Chao warned, folding his arms and closing his eyes to signal that the conversation was over.

The men fell silent for much of the rest of the night. The darkness seemed to go on forever with the sun rising lazily the next morning. Song Jie had not managed to sleep, she stared intently at the gap in the curtains waiting for daylight to peek through. When it did, she wanted so badly to throw back the curtains and see the world outside but everyone else was still slumbering and she feared taking liberties would not ingratiate her with her new travelling companions.

Song Jie decided instead to nudge her poetry book further towards the edge of the seat so it fell off and hit the woman's foot hard. Zheng Li’s female companion, Song Jie had discovered, was named Guo Bo and seemed to have little time for anything other than her naps. Guo Bo started and woke up whilst Song Jie pretended to be asleep and waited for the curtains to be drawn back.

The presence of daylight seemed to stir the men and soon Song Jie could hear talk of breakfast, she cautiously opened her eyes and looked to the window, it was, however, far too bright for her to see anything.

Disappointed, she wondered what Yang Min was doing now. Song Jie had already inspected the carriage as soon as she had gotten in and clearly there was nowhere for her friend to have hidden. Yang Min must have realized this too. It would be nearly breakfast back at the Concubine Houses. Maybe once they got to the Royal Court Song Jie could ask the Emperor to send for her friend? She hoped that he would be willing, after all who would want a lonely courtesan? She tried not to think about it and instead concentrated on accustoming her eyes to the bright light.

"Eat," Guo Bo’s shrill voice announced as she shoved a parcel of food into Song Jie's hands.

"Guo Bo, poor Song Jie is probably not hungry, it's quite sickening the first time you travel by carriage isn't it Song Jie?" Zheng Li was looking at her concerned.

Song Jie realised she had barely noticed the constant bumps of the road, the rolling movement of the horses. She had been far too focused on discussions of Spirits and thoughts of Yang Min and the palace.

"I am fine, Honoured Father. I shall eat." Song Jie opened the parcel to find wrapped honey sweets and once more her thoughts went back to the Houses.

"Look out the window if you wish," said Zheng Li, beckoning, Song Jie edged forward and stared out. Gargantuan mountains carpeted in green spread out before her. The undulating landscape rose into sharp peaks and fell back down to hidden valleys. It was a different shade of green to anything she had seen before, darker, more wild. The texture of the mountains looked bumpy, almost ridged in places until she realized there were vast forests coating them.

"Where are we?" Song Jie murmured in amazement.

"Travelling north-west, through the mountainous plains. You will see smoke occasionally if you look out or even houses, those are the villages and towns of this region." Zheng Li pointed out landmarks for quite some time, he obviously had abundant knowledge of the route, "In about a day's travelling the land will start to get flatter and we will pass near larger market towns."

"Honoured Father, how far to the Royal Court?" Song Jie asked curiously.

"That will take much longer,” Zheng Li nodded, “We shall have to stop for food and drink, even to rest. But I know several quiet safe houses along the way." If they too haven't been burned, he added under his breath. Song Jie stared out the window again, forgetting all about the honey-sweets sitting on her lap, the outside was far more vast than she had anticipated, she dreaded to think if it had been her and Yang Min alone on those mountains with the creatures that lived there.

The night came too quickly again for Song Jie's liking and as the sun set behind the mountains, darkness fell and the curtains were once more drawn, but as Zheng Li reached over to draw his he stopped and looked out intently.

"There's a blue glow on the horizon Hu Chao, know anything about that? In the direction of Gowla."

"The Magi reached there early then," Hu Chao grunted.

"The Magi?" Zheng Li shuddered, "So close, I was hoping to stop near there in the morning."

"And you shall," Hu Chao replied.

"Not with a burning taking place!" Zheng Li looked distraught.

"The inspection will be over by the time you get there Zheng Li, I myself am to oversee matters there personally."

"So you knew then? I can't take a future Royal Courtesan somewhere so dangerous."

"It is not dangerous Zheng Li, it is controlled. You were ordered to drive me where I choose. Where the Emperor chooses."

At the mention of the Emperor, Zheng Li quieted down and pulled the curtain closed with a jolt. Sitting down nervously he took out his pipe again and glanced up at Song Jie who had ceased all pretence of reading her book.

"Such a shame really...” he began to mutter, “all those monks - half of them I'm sure innocent. I was given Song Jie by a monk you know. Must have been illegitimate, poor fool, desperate to be rid of her. Moral lapses expected in all men I suppose." Zheng Li was half whispering but Hu Chao evidently heard as his head suddenly turned violently towards Song Jie, she let out a small gasp.

"Such a beautiful baby, had to take her really, perfect addition to the flower garden, and look what a blossom she turned into..." Zheng Li seemed not to have noticed the strange change in atmosphere within the carriage. Hu Chao stared harder at Song Jie and she felt her cheeks burning and a desperate need to throw back the curtains again to somehow transport herself to outside the confined space.

"Of course a Choosing was always going to be hard, oh!" Zheng Li had singed himself with a match whilst lighting his pipe, he sucked his fingers then took a deep puff, coughing even slightly himself he motioned at Song Jie, "But beauty of course is the main criteria, that and song, and their 'Auntie', Song Ju assured me she can sing wonderfully, play the sanxian too." Guo Bo shifted slightly in her sleep where she was lying beside Song Jie.

"She has a few defects as related to me by Guo Bo, knees too close together, arms too thin, not as fragranced as the others, and that 'blemish' on the foot. But such trifles...well that's what they are really, mere trifles,” Zheng Li kept talking and talking whilst Hu Chao’s piercing stare became only more uncomfortably intense.

"She has a blemish on her foot?" Hu Chao interrupted slowly.

"Apparently,” Zheng Li shrugged, “can't say I noticed it when she was a baby, but then again I didn't do the inspection, Song Ju will have, she was my travelling companion then of course, before Guo Bo."

"Tell me child," Hu Chao addressed Song Jie directly for the first time, "What is this blemish of yours? It must certainly only be a 'trifle' for Zheng Li himself to still consider you worthy of the Emperor."

Song Jie found herself shying under his sneer and glanced down towards her ankle.

"An old scar," she lied, "I burned myself on hot tea when young." Song Jie didn't know why but she felt a strong need to conceal as much as she could from the large fur-wearing man.

"Ah!” Zheng Li declared with a smile. “Well there you go, that's why I don't remember it, probably happened after I had gone."

"Wake up Guo Bo," demanded Hu Chao suddenly.

"What on earth for?" Zheng Li stammered, "Look the Royal Courtesan is not your concern Hu Chao, the flower I deem worthy, is well, worthy. That's my job, now I suggest you busy yourself with yours."

"I am doing my job." hissed the larger man, "Now wake her up."

Guo Bo was woken up begrudgingly and insisted on having some food before she talked. When she was ready her sallow eyes flickered between the men, "It wasn't a scar. Looked more like a tattoo to me."

"A what?" Zheng Li asked, clearly uncomfortable.

"A tattoo,” Guo Bo repeated, “far out west there are men that have markings on their skin, painted warriors. I hear all about these things talking to town folk here there and everywhere and I know some Spirits have..."

"That will be all," Hu Chao looked intently at Song Jie again then commanded, "stop the carriage."

"What? Hu Chao you can't be serious, how is this related to you?" Zheng Li gasped

"STOP!" Hu Chao bellowed, his voice crackling through the air. The horses pulled to a sudden halt and Song Jie found herself thrown forwards like a rag doll. Zheng Li awkwardly helped her back upright before Hu Chao ordered them to disembark.

With an expression of shock and disbelief Zheng Li opened the door and alighted from the carriage.

"You next," Hu Chao gruffly ordered Song Jie. "Not you." he barred the way as Guo Bo moved towards the exit. Guo Bo looked indignant and shook her head vociferously, "She can't be un-chaperoned, that's the rules."

"I make the rules," Hu Chao snarled and pushed her back down to her seat with a rough shove. Song Jie stretched herself out of the carriage until her feet found the hard earth. Jumping, she landed in the blackness. The night air was cool and she could hear rustling from the breeze all around her. They were still on the mountain side somewhere but she couldn't make out her surroundings.

"Hold the girl," came a fierce instruction.