“It seems reasonable given that it was his basket that was poisoned,” Mother Huiling said.“But you need not worry.Heng and his friend have agreed to help officials by continuing to watch the outsiders.”
Huang Min, the friend who had gone with Heng to play the role of girlfriend as they watched the outsiders.Leander was certain he would be jealous of that name under other circumstances, but right now he was too worried for his irrational insecurities to rise to the surface.
Xi wandered into the room, rubbing his eyes and looking like a zombie.He collapsed into the chair next to Leander.“I had no idea human beings could physically drink that much.”Xi rubbed his face.
Mother Huiling laughed brightly, her voice sounding like a song.“To drink less would be to dishonor the spirit of the celebration,” she said.
“Everyone was definitely honoring the celebration.They honored it until they were too honorable to walk straight,” Xi said.
Leander hissed a warning.And here he thought that he’d have to worry about the literal child offending their hosts, but Shanlin would never say anything so rude.
“Heng is held in high esteem, as are you, Craftsman Lian.Many a wife was jealous when I said that you wove ling baskets.”
“Are they that valuable?”Xi asked even though he knew the answer.Leander suspected he was fishing for more information, which seemed inappropriate over morning tea, although the effort impressed Leander.Given his complexion, one offer of congee or flatbread might make him vomit.
“Oh yes,” Mother Huiling said.“Ling is spiritual energy.Most grown food has ling, and food from this dragon space has more.But once you harvest that food or butcher the animal, the ling will seep out like water from an uncured clay pot.Craftsman Lian weaves not only reeds but qi itself.It can maintain the ling in food for much longer, and then when we eat that food, our qi replenishes much more quickly.That can help a person whose reservoirs are low from performing great magics or it could assist someone in improving their cultivation so that they may prepare themselves for the next step.”Mother Huiling’s smile grew wider as she spoke.“Many envy me for having Craftsman Lian as my son.”
Leander was shocked by the last sentence.He struggled to find an appropriate response.“Mother Huiling, if you can find us a guide today, I would be happy to weave for you the most elaborate basket you have ever seen.”
Mother Huiling clapped her hands together.“You are a delight, but if you need to rest, you should.”She leaned forward and with a conspiratorial tone said, “I suspect most men of the city will not stir from their beds until noon, at least not the ones who can afford to be absent from their positions.”
Most of the city.Most of the city had turned up to celebrate an adoption ceremony and the presentation of a son.That implied an immense amount of power, money, esteem, or all three.And truly, they had celebrated until they were too drunk to do much more than stumble about and play ridiculous games, like getting Leander to step over a saddle.
Sometimes, magical China’s culture was quite baffling.“I appreciate your concern for us, but I am quite well.If Xi requires more time to sleep, he can return to the bed.”Leander smiled at Xi, who glared back.Leander wondered if he had heard about the pill master’s murder.It did not seem surprising that someone would want to kill such a disagreeable man, but his death meant that the village had lost someone of immeasurable skill.
“No, no.I’ll go,” Xi said.A third cup of tea floated toward Xi, but he waved his hand.“No, thank you.I don’t think my stomach would handle anything right now.”
“This is an ancient remedy for sour stomach caused by overindulging,” Mother Huiling said.
Xi looked at Leander who nodded.He trusted she would not offer him anything that was not safe, and most of the natural remedies were mild at best and in some cases useless.
Xi reached for the cup, and Mother Huiling said, “It is best to drink it quickly.”
Xi took a deep breath and then threw back the tea like it was a shot of whiskey.He then started choking.Mother Huling cackled.“That is why many people prefer sleep over medicine in the curing of a hangover.”
Xi wheezed, “That was vile.”
“That was a proper punishment for overindulging.If you wish to go with your qixiong as he searches for reeds, you need to have your head about you.The forest is ancient and full of powerful creatures; it is not a place for unwary men who are nursing hangovers.”
Xi nodded sheepishly.“Thank you for the warning and the tea,” he said, but his mouth was still twisted in disgust.
They had the rest of their tea in companionable silence.A servant appeared to invite them to the table where congee was served, and even Xi managed breakfast without being ill.Leander avoided looking at the servants; he didn’t even know how to talk to a servant.
“How is your magic?”Mother Huiling asked Xi.
“Sluggish,” Xi admitted with a grimace.
“Such injuries to the flow of qi usually result in death.Craftsman Liam is impressive.”
“He is,” Xi said with a meaningful expression.Ever since their first night in their shared bedroom, everything Xi said seemed to have another meaning.It made Leander want to run, but he had nowhere to go and he could not offend the Nie family.Well, Mother and Father Nie anyway.Last night, Nie Zhiyuan had spent most of the night glaring, so he was already offended.
“We should leave.I don’t know how long it will take to find reeds of the proper size,” Leander said.“Mother Huiling, can you look after Shanlin when he wakes?”If he were lucky, they would be back before that.Shanlin had stayed up far too late and had eventually fallen asleep on the table, his head next to Father Xiaobo’s cup, which all the men had found entertaining while the women clucked about how he should have gone to bed long ago.Leander had carried him to his room.
“We will arrange his gifts and write to all those who honored him.He will be busy most of the day, and writing in Chinese will help the language pills settle his qi in new pathways.”She stared at Xi, her expression making it clear she expected him to write in Chinese as well.
“That is good advice,” Xi said with grace, but his expression was unhappy.
“I often provide good advice, not that people listen.And I advise you, qidi of my second son, that you take a guide with you into the forest.Huang Yuan’s family has been allied with ours for many generations.He will show you where to find the best path.”
