As the doors of the great hall creaked shut behind them, Gu Xiulan cast a glance up at Zheng Nan, her lips curling up in a smirk. “My, I have never seen you squirm like that.”

“Yeah well, the Ambassador’s intent wasn’t crawling under your skin,” Zheng Nan grumbled. “Feels like the lady wanted to skin me alive.”

“As if she could touch you, unless you asked for it,” Gu Xiulan huffed as they walked the small hall leading back to the entrance. “I am surprised it didn’t just excite you.”

“I ain’t into that,” Zheng Nan replied. “...Sides, even if I was, there wasn’t anything fun about it.”

“The Ambassador’s pretty intense, huh, brother?”

Gu Xiulan looked up as they entered the waiting chamber, the sound of another loud boisterous voice drawing her attention. And once again, to her annoyance, she found herself looking further up still.

The woman, the Zheng, for she could be nothing else, towered over her much as Zheng Nan did. Her hair was a long wavy curtain of red, bouncing about her shoulders and chest as she jogged up with a grin on her face. The only concession to styling were a number of pale white, blue and lilac flowers woven into her hair. She was a little less broad than her brother, at the shoulder but perhaps… morseso at the chest. Her garb was strange, instead of looking like a peasant vagabond, curling living vines wrapped her muscular arms, and the sleeveless midriff bearing vest she wore bloomed with its own living flowers, growing from the many many pockets filled with what must have been soil, stitched onto the thing.

…She was barefoot, beneath tight, vine wrapped leggings, treading dirt on a duke's waiting room floor. Where she had gotten soil on her feet like that, here in the wastes, Gu Xiulan did not know. She suspected it must have been a cultivation method.

“Eyyyy Sis! You don’t look half as dried up as I expected!” Zheng Nan grinned, his discomfort washing away as he stepped forward and clasped wrists with her.

“Hah, don’t you worry about me, I’ve been keeping watered!” the woman laughed. “If anyone looks dried out here it's you!”

Gu Xiulan’s expression twisted in horror. Ancestors protect her, there were two of them. Her eyes panned past the two as they laughed, The new woman seizing Zheng Nan around the shoulders to grind her knuckles on his scalp, asking about the campaign. Her eyes panned past to the much quieter set of footsteps approaching.

She could see the resemblance to the ambassador immediately, in the posture and expression, in the silhouette of the young woman's face. But… she understood better the woman's disdain for the Zheng. Her hair was properly styled back smooth and silky woven into the plaited braids common among the guo, but it was the same sort of ruddy orange-red as the Zheng to her side. She was also rather… muscular herself, despite being of a rough height with Xiulan. Her dark green dress was rather tight about the shoulders and waist, and certainly showed an unfeminine level of definition.

There was no shame in the other girl’s eyes, merely a cocked eyebrow, and a tilted chin, a look of mild challenge. She felt a touch of envy. “Greetings, scion of the Gu clan, my name is Guo Xinyan. My mother has asked me to be your guide and host during your stay.”

“I am most honored to be given such consideration,” Gu Xiulan replied, bowing at the waist. The Golden Fields and the Zheng had been… interacting for long enough that mixed blood was not as shameful as being born out of wedlock in other circumstances, so she was being given honors, having a member of the Ambassadors household guide her.

“And this here in Zheng Yang, my Bond Sister, since she didn’t bother introducing herself,” Zheng Nan said, having wrestled out of her grip. His knuckles rested atop her head, forcing a bow.

“Pfah, course I’d say hi to my little bro first,” Zheng Yang dismissed, pushing off his hand.

“I’m taller than you,” he retorted.

“But you weren’t for a real long time, little late bloomer you were,” Zheng Yang said, chuckling. She turned to Gu Xiulan and gave a quick duck of her head, clasping her hands. “Nice to meet you, daughter of the Gu, word of your Father’s canny defense is already spreading!”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Thank you,” Gu Xiulan said politely. “We are most pleased to serve our liege lords well, and protect the peoples of the land entrusted to us.”

“And we, the Guo, lords of the Golden Fields, appreciate this service,” Guo Xinyan said. “As I am sure my Elders have said. Where would you like to go?”

“They have,” Gu Xiulan agreed. “Wherever I may cleanse the road's dust. I have been riding for several days.”

“Of course,” Guo Xinyan said tersely. “Please, follow me.”

She turned on her heel very precisely, gesturing for Gu Xiulan and the others to follow

“You gonna take us over to the steam house Yan-Yan, or you thinking of something else?” Zheng Yang asked, a few quick steps bringing her up beside the Guo noblewoman.

“Honored guest. I request again that you do not be so familiar,” Guo Xinyan said cooly,

“Ah right, right. I always forget, nothing but air up here you know,” Zheng Yang said, tapping a knuckle against her temple.

“Well at least ya admit it,” Zheng Nan said wryly. He trailed a little bit to the side of Xiulan.

It occurred to her that this Zheng Yang may, in fact, have been worse. Guo Xinyan met Gu Xiulan’s gaze over her own shoulder. A gimlet glare that dared Xiulan to pity her.

She could respect the pride.

“But yes, the steam house will fulfill Miss Gu’s request, Unless you prefer a private room to do your washing?” Guo Xinyan asked, as they exited the keep. Outside the rumble of the scorpions movements under their feet was a constant vibration. The sand plume kicked up by churning legs kept out of a bubble of clean air around the keep on his back.

She wouldn’t be taken to a mere public house but one meant for the Guo and their vassals, so Gu Xiulan did not mind at all. “No, I would like to hear more of the Guo’s plans,” she replied. “Will you be going to Xiangmen with your mother, Lady Guo?”

“I look forward to viewing one of the wonders of the Empire, but not immediately, no,” Guo Xinyan said. “I have business in the south.”

“Huh, heard things are getting pretty hot down there,” Zheng Nan wondered.

“Your sources are outdated,” Gu Xiulan sniffed. “The war has settled into a chill period as Lady Cai prepares to treat with the foreigners from beyond the wall. The tribes have been quiet.”

Ling Qi’s last letter had told her so. She didn’t know what madness the girl was getting up to. A diplomatic summit with barbarians, really?

Guo Xinyan shot her a brief, interested look as they crossed the courtyard of the keep heading for a building on the south edge with steam rising from vents in its roof. “Interesting, perhaps you can tell me more, Miss Gu.”

“I would be amenable,” Gu Xiulan said. “What business do you have in the south?”

“She’s meetin the guy picked out for her,” Zheng Yang said. “Man you Fielders are weird.”

“Tell me about it,” Zheng Nan sighed.

Guo Xinyan pursed her lips, glaring up at the taller woman. “I am meeting with my prospective betrothed. The Han and Guo families believe it is best that we consider compatibility before going forward to avoid... incompatibility.”

Gu Xiulan felt color rise on her cheeks at the glance the other woman gave her. Of course, the breaking of her betrothal with Fan Yu would generate rumors. It was almost enough for the rest of the sentence to pass through her head seamlessly.

The Han, in the south of the Emerald Seas.

She stared at Guo Xinyan’s back. A stray hair, hanging loosely in her field of vision, caught fire, she felt sparks between her fingers, crackling, snapping.

And then it all snuffed out, and Gu Xiulan merely felt tired and cold. What was left to be angry about, really? He did not want her. All the talk of political realities, and the apologies were merely cover for that.

She swiftly became aware of her companions staring at her, and felt even more ashamed by her little display.

“Are you well, Miss Gu?” Guo Xinyan asked, turning fully around. They were near the steamhouse now, enough to feel the moisture in the air, wafting from the open doors.

“Yes, I am fine. Apologies. My journey must have left me with a minor qi deviation,” Gu Xiulan lied smoothly. She forcefully snuffed the embers still dancing in her hair.

“...I see. Then allow me to welcome you to the hospitality of my clan, and express my hope that you may smooth your circulation. “Come, I will have rooms prepared.”

“Why not one room?” Zheng Nan wondered.

He sighed when Gu Xiulan shot him a glare at the same time Guo Xinyan did. “Right, right. You wanna go with me sis, we need to catch up.”

“Fiiiine,” Zheng Yang said.

“Thank you, Lady Guo. I’ll be happy to speak about the south, once I’ve had a moment to clear my spirit,” Gu Xiulan said, inclining her head. She should be over this, damn it all.