Contrary to her previous expectations, Madam Zhi almost popped a blood vessel when she met the three disciples of the Tongshan Sect. Her nails dug into the wooden table underneath her sleeve as she gave the men a smile. "The Zhi Mansion thanks the Tongshan Sect for the gracious help. Please let us know if there is any further news when you come across any."

"Of course, Madam Zhi." Qu Zihao bowed. "Then us disciples will take our leave now."

She stood up, smiling elegantly as she walked them to the front door. But once Madam Zhi was back in the main hall the smile dropped as she stared at the chair opposite to where she, the madam of the house, sat. The empty chair. The empty chair where her husband should've sat. Anger clouded her mind and her hands itched to alleviate the rage burning inside of her. What were the chances that the Qitian Dao Sect, a sect that had not opened its doors in decades had a member who looked exactly like that girl? And with qi? In a nearby city? 

"No." She whispered staring at the ground. Wild and willful whispers in the back of her mind only aggravated her anxieties. "This will not do."

"Does Madam Zhi have a request?" A thin voice echoed through the room as Rong Mei stepped out from behind one of the pillars and bowed.

Madam Zhi sank back down onto her chair and rubbed her temples. Oh if her mother saw her. At the thought, her eyes flitted to the elderly woman in front of her still bowing. Time was a little too kind to the woman. And so was her family. She had seen the gifts that arrived from time to time. Her resolve hardened and her knuckles tightened on the handle of her fan. 

She snapped it open with a sharp flick. "Send my husband a letter. Tell him there are some matters that I need to handle in the Capitol prior to the trials. For Kong-er. He needs a set of robes anyway and there is an import of Water Silk coming in next week. I will be gone for a week."

Rong Mei bowed again and left. Madam Zhi's eyes trailed after the woman's ramrod straight back disappearing down the hall. Her eyes narrowed slightly and a subtle snarl appeared on her lips. Some people needed to be dealt with as soon as possible. 

******

As Zhi Yan reluctantly followed after Niu Hejun, she lamented in her heart how she had not met this man she would've long gotten to the Capital by now. Looking at the red lights and loud music passing by her, she decided that the man had misspoken when he was talking about who he was going to make happy because clearly it was not her. 

The culprit of her troubles grinned at her as he pointed to the different buildings they walked past. "I heard that that house has the best alcohol in all of the Huang Ye City. Or that one, that one has the best silks in the province imported from the southern provinces. Do you want to have a look?"

Zhi Yan shot him a withering look and kept walking. "It does not interest me."

"It does not interest you? Then what about that one, handcrafted hairpins made by the locals?" 

She chose not to respond though her eyes curiously roved around her surroundings. Yet despite her thinly veiled curiosity, Niu Hejun noted that not once did her left hand move far from where the concealed cleaver hung on her waist. After a moment, he sighed and moved their animals to the side before dragging her by the sleeve to a bench just outside a small store. 

He sat her down. "You think I'm wasting your precious escape time?"

"Naturally."

"Well, you have thought wrong. Tell me, Birdie would those uptight righteous sect cultivators want to be seen in the red-light districts?"

"During the day, they might cross it but," Zhi Yan shook her head. "They are not the ones I am worried about. I am aware that you have solved part of the issue. But a reminder: part of the issue."

He smiled and clicked his tongue at her playfully. "Ah, ah. I have solved it completely for now. Just think, time must be spent in order to find a specific needle in a box of needles. Might as well place us in a box that they wouldn't expect, no?" Niu Hejun murmured in a low voice. "I mean who looks for a cowardly and talentless runaway girl in a whorehouse?"

Zhi Yan shot him a skeptical look but he only smiled as he noticed her shoulders subtly relax. He patted her back roughly and she felt a rush of qi into her veins. Shooting a questioning look at the man, she moved to feel her back but was stopped. "For a little protection."

******

Soon they stopped outside an extravagantly decorated tea house with red lanterns hanging on the outside casting a warm glow on the patrons entering. The guards at the door bowed them as attendants dressed in colorful silk robes with intricate hairstyles and delicate makeup led them in. 

"We'll take the best view. I need to show Birdie here, the best Huang Ye City has to offer, pretty lady." Niu Hejun said winking at the girl leading her in eliciting a tinkling giggle.

They were guided to an upstairs terrace overlooking the seats and stage below. The terrace itself was a spacious room with a small table by the railing decorated with ornate paintings and vases.

"Your cloak, Young Master." Her hand immediately grabbed the attendant's hand on the fabric causing the girl to stiffen in surprise.

Sir? Zhi Yan looked at the girl and then at Niu Hejun who gave her a smug smile subtly tapping his shoulder. Ah. No wonder no one had given her any looks when she stepped in. She gave an awkward cough and released the girl's hand. "I-uh, Miss. Uh, you are alright. This is alright. Do not trouble your hands." The attendant, a small girl with a delicate round face dressed in sunset orange silk robes burst into a deep red blush and scurried out of the room

Niu Hejun let out a loud snort and ushered the other attendants out of the room whispering placations and flirtatious remarks as they left. As soon as the door shut, he took one look at Zhi Yan's face and erupted in a bout of laughter. "Birdie, what peculiar charm you have! I must say that face I gave you is doing most of the work though."

In a huff, Zhi Yan sat down facing away from him but it did not deter the man. He sat across the table from her and as if on cue two attendants came in delivering a fragrant bottle of alcohol. Pouring her a bowl, he leaned back with a sigh. "Your welcome, Birdie, and I mean it when I say you have a lovely face." 

The straightforward comment caused her to inadvertently breathe in and the previously pleasant alcohol slid down the wrong pipe. A fit of coughing seized her body and she could only glare as the man next to her cackled to his heart's content. After the wheezing died down, she angrily took a swig from her bowl. "Do not say such nonsensical things."

"Aw, Hejun don't tease your poor friend look at how red he's become." A courtesan who introduced herself as Hualing entered the room, her comment earning her a laugh and a kiss on the hand.

Zhi Yan cast the woman a glance surprised at the intimate moniker but ultimately decided to ignore the two looking at the scene below them. Dancers in bright silks spun to the festive music as the patrons conversed with each other over small jugs of alcohol. The skillful hands on her back slowly relaxed her posture and soon one bowl became two then four. It's not like I'm paying.

******

"No, Miss Xu, wrong." A hiccup. "Chamomile, this yellow flower, right? Look for this and boil it in water. Tea. Clean it and put it in oil. Relaxer. Not the dandelion. Or the spirit dandelion."

Niu Hejun was lying against a set of pillows languidly sipping from the jug as Hualing rubbed soothing circles on his shoulders. The performance downstairs was still going on but the commotion only seemed to serve as an ambient buzz as he looked at the scene before him.

"She has such a unique charm about her. This is the first time a client has brought out plants. Flowers yes but herbs, Hejun-ah you have such an interesting traveling partner. Come on, Hejun-ah, show, Hualing." Hualing murmured noticing his eyes fixated on Zhi Yan. With the disguise, Zhi Yan's face was sharper now with darker brows and more prominent bones yet she still maintained the same coy and apathetic allure. The flush on her cheeks and lidded eyes only furthered her appearance of ambiguity.

He let out a chuckle. "You know I can't do that. You pretty little demons might eat her up."

Hualing rolled her eyes and pinched him. "That's rude."

The table had been clumsily dragged over and a small circle of courtesans had formed around Zhi Yan. Zhi Yan or rather her male counterpart sat in the middle of it all, cheeks flushed to her ears and back straight like a pole. The empty bowls of alcohol were now filled with different plants and pushed to each of the three women surrounding her. "Apricot flower for Miss Tao. Pain-relieving for dancing and care for one's body."

"Miss Die, thi-"

"Just Die-er, call me Die-er." The speaker leaned forward, lazily fanning herself as she looked into Zhi Yan's eyes and her face slowly broke through the warm haze. Die-er was a beautiful woman with sharp sensual eyes that roved her body in a burning and tantalizing manner. Her black hair was pinned up and adorned with small golden butterflies that matched the butterflies on her vermillion robes. Mortals are really so...A slender pale finger under her chin coaxing her forward interrupted her train of thought. Die-er had a scarily hypnotizing gaze that seemed to pull Zhi Yan forward. "Die-er wants some affection tonight." The woman whispered. Niu Hejun's eyes narrowed and Hualing's hand paused on his shoulder.

The sound of a bowl scraping across the table broke the trance and Die-er looked down surprised to see a bowl with little yellow flowers. "Miss Die, cinnamomum verum. Sinal relaxation and warming of the body. Strive to stay warm in the upcoming winter."

Die-er's mouth opened frozen as Zhi Yan moved back before she let out a charming laugh and leaned in once more. "Oh, I like you, pretty boy."

As the night continued on, Zhi Yan pulled out plant after plant from the Universe Pouch that Niu Hejun bought for her. There was a sort of clumsy charm in her short but straightforward manner of speaking. Inadvertent compliments spilled from her lips and every piece of advice slowly mumbled out was surprisingly detailed and personalized to each person. For the amount of liquor that she drank, not once did her composure abandon itself.

"Sister Xu, I really do like him." Die-er sighed as she leaned against Zhi Yan who was awkwardly trying to hold up the women. "So obedient so pretty. Like a fairy."

"A fairy?"

"Yes, so proper and pretty, like a cloud floating above Mount Lu. Have you heard the poem?" She was now playing with her hair, slim fingers deftly coaxing it into a braid.

"No, but I," Zhi Yan's brows furrowed trying to remember but the action only elicited a faint pounding in the back of her head. "I've met a fairy before. Very pretty. Maybe not nice though."

Tao Yu the third courtesan wearing a muted blue dress with long cascading hair, giggled and tapped Zhi Yan's nose with her fan. "Oh, you're so funny. Of course, you did."

“Does this Young Master want to stay here with us? People would love you."  Xu Ou asked as she strummed a couple of strings on the guzheng. 

Zhi Yan sluggishly mulled over the idea but before she could respond Niu Hejun had strode over, sweeping up Xu Ou and Hualing in the process. “But our love runs deeper so I’m afraid Birdie will stay my traveling companion.” 

Xu Ou grumbled in response to his arm around her waist before whatever he whispered next caused her to concede with a huff. “Die-er, Tao Yu take him to a room. I need to attend to some matters.” The older women gave their younger counterparts a knowing look and the two women immediately stood up, bowing.

Niu Hejun looked at Zhi Yan still on the floor like he was expecting her to say anything only for her to simply wave her hand at him. He sighed and ruffled her hair. “If there’s trouble come find me.”