Heir Ji rolled hurriedly to his feet as the three girls made their way to his table out the front of the tea shop, the elaborate embroidery and jewels on his cloth of gold robes reflecting and refracting light like a golden buddha.
"Third House Heir Guan," he greeted, bowing as low as his rotund stature permitted, "Thank you for agreeing to speak with me."
"First House Heir Ji," responded the young Heiress cautiously, bowing back as the three of them stepped off the street and onto the shop's small front courtyard in front of the table.
"Please do me the honour of sitting," he gestured expansively at the empty seats.
Dàilán looked around cautiously. No one else seemed to be paying them any attention and if she was to meet with someone - in public was a wise choice. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Chén'er give a slight nod. Chàng stepped forward and unrolled a small mat from her bag, spreading it on the seat opposite Heir Ji. Dàilán smiled in thanks to the maid as she sat, Chàng stepping behind her to arrange the folds of her robe.
Chénli ignored the offer of a seat, standing slightly behind Dàilán on her left.
Heir Ji coloured slightly and sat back down quickly - waving over a server to remove the unused seats. Another server came forward with a plain but well cared for tea set which Chénli gracefully intercepted, the server bowing in thanks.
A moment later, Chàng placed the tea set in front of her mistress and Heir Ji, pouring it out elegantly and efficiently, before stepping back behind the Heiress.
The fatty's eyes narrowed as he took in these actions, then relaxed slightly as Dàilán lifted the earthenware cup to her lips and took a small sip.
"Please excuse our caution, Heir Ji. My Clan has suffered a number of unfortunate events of late. I am sure you understand, especially given our last few encounters."
Heir Ji flushed again, not meeting her eyes, finally picking up his own tea and taking a long sip.
Eventually he placed it back on the stone table with a soft click and straightened up. "For the last," he said quietly but firmly, "I can only give my personal apologies. My Clan…" He sighed explosively. "We are large and wealthy, but only Merchants. When it was rumoured that your Clan were considering a husband for you, in return for backing… my Elders saw a way to achieve official status."
Dàilán's brow creased. "I see. I was given to understand that.. Your Clan had an understanding with Second Elder?" she questioned delicately.
Heir Ji frowned. "I… that is. I had assured your Second Cousin that I would…" He took a deep breath. "This is the matter I wish to discuss with you."
Chén'er interrupted. "I believe I can clarify things Mistress. Heir Ji is interested in your Second Cousin, but his suit was rejected… it appears, without Second Cousin's knowledge?"
Dàilán's frown became thunderous. "Yet his Clan was told they were free to pursue my hand? While my Clan were told there were no suitable suitors expressing interest in my Cousins - because of that nonsense about orchids?"
Heir Ji was now also frowning darkly. "No suitors…? That is certainly not the case," he rumbled, "I personally know of one other Heir who…" He clamped his lips abruptly, eyes widening, hastily picking up his tea and taking a large gulp.
Dàilán ground her teeth. "I see. I take it there were no such restrictions on my hand?"
"None other than that the new in-laws would provide support to Clan Guan of course," Heir Ji shook his head, "a few of us did consider it strange but, you are a beauty and your talent at such a young age overrode the usual considerations. Most Heirs were ordered to pursue you regardless of the concerns. It appears that someone has been manipulating all the Clans of Hujian."
Chenli clicked her tongue. "What was the excuse given to higher ranking clan Heirs for their suites for the other Guan daughters being rejected?"
"A polite refusal from the lady in question and the return of any gifts," Heir Ji answered promptly.
Dàilán's eyes opened wide. "That is impossible. One of the most contentious issues in the Clan of recent months has been the lack of interest for the more senior Clan Daughters - while everyone pursued my hand."
Heir Ji coughed, his face red again. "We probably need to very discreetly inform our Elders of this."
The Young Heiress' face was white. "It appears Guan Clan have offended every Higher Rank Clan in Hujian who approached with proposals. How is this possible?" She stood and bowed to the Heir. "First Heir Ji, you are honourable and brave to speak where others remained silent, but I must return to my Clan immediately if there is any hope of rectifying this disaster."
Heir Ji stood and bowed in return. "My face is just a little thicker than most - so I am willing to lose a little skin to ask questions in my interest. I will also let my Elders know and discreetly let our allies know - if there is someone plotting against all of us… but please, Third House Heir Guan, if you could possibly let your Second Cousin know…" He broke off, awkwardly flushing.
Despite the situation, Dàilán laughed in delight. "You have my word."
After bowing to each other once again, the young heiress turned quickly and left, the other two girls walking behind her. They walked as briskly as possible, without seeming in a hurry and arrived back at the Clan Compound without incident within a couple of Kè.
Once inside the walls, Dàilán turned to Chàng and ordered, "Straight to the Matriarch. Make them aware it is urgent." The maid's eyes widened and she nodded vigorously and darted off. The Heiress headed for her suite at a speed close to a run.
"Not your Father?" questioned her bodyguard, pacing her.
"Someone has been intercepting or modifying all communications to and from the Clan, for who knows how long - except for the notice Grandmother sent out yesterday," pointed out the young mistress grimly, "We cannot afford to have whatever is doing this to block the information again."
As they burst into her suite Dàilán shrugged off her travelling robe and dropped her recent acquisitions on the bed, while Chén'er pointed out equally grim, "This is too big to be Second Uncle," and grabbed the robe, placing it on a hanging stand to be beaten clean by the servants.
"En. I do not understand why no one has said anything to us! Even to demand what right we had to reject their suites. Face would stop some of them from making an issue of it - but not all. It does not make sense. Someone has to be actively attacking us. Who have we offended?" Grabbing a fresh, more elaborate visiting dress, Dàilán let Chénli help her into it, then turned for the door. She growled in frustration, "Suddenly the recent cooling of relations with the other clans in Hujian makes a lot more sense."
At a pace close to a run, the Heiress and her bodyguard headed for the Women's Pavilion.
"Why are we running?" enquired Chénli, still pacing her, "and, sure it makes sense, but it still does not answer the how and why."
Dàilán frowned. "Point. It will not make much difference if we arrived there a few fēn earlier or not and Grandmother will be irritated to see 'ladies proceeding indecorously'." She slowed her pace to a brisk walk.
"You are right - how and why is an issue. The Matriarch will certainly have more information - this piece may help uncover other possibilities, perhaps? I do not know…!" She fluttered her hands in frustration as they reached the Phoenix gate, which stood open.
"I will have to reward Chàng. She obviously managed to get through in record time," the Heiress said as they swept through and over the bridge without looking around. The Maid in question was standing at the end of the path, composed except for the movement of her chest indicating a shortness of breath.
"The Matriarch is in her study awaiting you, Young Mistress," she said clearly as they reached her, "Please follow me."
---
In the Matriarch's study, the grand old lady studied the three young girls in silence for a fēn as they bowed.
"Third Heir," she eventually spoke, "Your maid spoke eloquently of urgent news that affects the Clan. This is the only reason I have permitted this precipitous meeting. Speak."
"In the market today, Heir Ji spent a large amount of Essence stones in order to request a meeting. During our discussion, we uncovered some disturbing information," responded Dàilán.
"He was one of your suitors, was he not?" asked the Elder Lady expressionlessly.
"He wished to know why Second Cousin had rejected his suite," replied the Heiress flatly.
Her Grandmother blinked once, slowly. "Continue." She said after a moment.
"I of course explained that no such suite had been received. Heir Ji… explained that multiple suits, many from higher ranking clans - had also been rejected by Clan Guan. In the case of higher ranking Clans, by polite personal rejection letters from… my Cousins, and a return of gifts."
There was a sharp cracking sound as the stone desk in front of the Matriarch split in half.
"Did he offer any explanation as to why none of the Clans made question of the rejections?" the Elder enquired evenly as if nothing had happened.
"At least in his Clan's case, there was a reference to his Clan being lacking in noble blood and thus unsuitable for Second Cousin." responded Dàilán, her own anger keeping from reacting even as she could hear Chàng trying to muffle a whimper of fear.
"And the farce over your hand?" The Matriarch bit out.
"Apparently fuelled by rumours that there would be no such restriction. Their Clans saw a chance at gaining noble status in for whomever 'won', in exchange for supporting us." answered the Heiress, letting her own anger leak into the phrasing.
"I trust you clarified matters with Heir Ji?"
"Indeed. He surmised that someone is targeting us - and possibly all the Clans in the city - as all have been affected. He will be communicating this information to his Clan and their allies."
The older lady relaxed slightly. "That was well done, Heiress. Was there anything else?"
"He did request that I convey his sincere admiration to Second Cousin," admitted Dàilán, smiling slightly, "I believe this is what brought him to approach me in the first place. I also suspect..." she hesitated.
"Go on, " offered the Matriarch, tilting her head in interest.
"This is a guess on my part, but I think Heir Ji may have had his suspicions that not all was as it should be - else he would have avoided us after being rejected - as the other clans have done. He took a risk, but… I think he calculated it."
The Matriarch let out a cold snort. "Be that as it may, the other Clans would have lost face with the rejections, thus their cold behaviour towards us becomes justified to some extent. If whomever has manipulated this also managed to stop further inquiries, they would have felt too humiliated to continue pressing, possibly considering us too arrogant to be worth their effort or even openly hostile towards us."
The older lady rubbed her eyes. "I will need to contact the other Matriarchs via Essence Communication Stone to make apologies and clarify the situation."
Dàilán blinked. "The other Matriarchs?"
The Elder smiled slightly. "Of course child. How else did you think my decree from yesterday was promulgated so quickly?"
Dàilán winced at a sharp pinch in the ribs from Chénli, "That reinforces our theory that the regular methods of communication between Clans have been tampered with. Someone is trying to isolate the Clan."
"And targeting you, Third Granddaughter."
Dàilán grimaced. "We had thought… Second Uncle, trying to diminish Father's standing… but… maybe it was not his idea originally?"
Grandmother's eyebrows shot upward then drew downward in a frown and Dàilán felt a heavy pressure suddenly suppressing her. She bore the pressure stoically, looking at the older woman calmly.
"Your concerns are valid, if somewhat improper to express without direct evidence," her Elder said quietly as the pressure lifted. "Rest assured, I will be discussing your uncle's involvement in these events with him - at length."
"May I have leave to speak, Matriarch?" Chénli spoke up respectfully.
The Matriarch's face went still again, but she nodded.
"If relationships between us and the other Clans are normalised, it will undoubtedly prompt a response. How can we respond to an escalation if we do not know where the attack is coming from?"
Grandmother's lip twitched. "An astute question. Feel free to provide an answer if you have one." She waved her hand. "If there is nothing else, you are dismissed."
The three young girls bowed and backed out of the study, Chàng closing the door once they had exited.
---
"Well, that happened." said Chén'er once they were safely back in the Third Heir suite.
"Out of our hands now. Though I should try to talk to Second Cousin soon." responded Dàilán as she sorted through the things that had been flung onto the bed, "I want a bath before dinner, but I should plant those herbs in the Essence garden first."
Chénli nodded. "Go, we will have things ready for you when you get back."
Picking up the bag of herbs, the Heiress headed for the garden the Clan grew all their Essence plants in, hoping the rest of the day would be less stressful.