The House of Falling Petals

Yuanzheng took her arm. "Don't bother with them. They're not worth arguing with."

He turned to the vendor and picked up two skewers of chicken livers impulsively. "Boss, I'll take two."

Putting one into Qingqing's hand, he smiled encouragingly at her. "Come on. Forget about them."

The aroma of meat soothed Qingqing's embittered feelings considerably. Allowing herself to be distracted, she took it and bit off the first piece eagerly, relishing the chewy savoriness.

"Thanks," she said grudgingly. Yuanzheng passed the vendor some coins and steered her away. "Let's not let it ruin our day," he said cheerfully.

"You can take things so calmly," Qingqing said suddenly. "If you weren't here, I might possibly have went after them. How can anyone stand that wretch? And those men. I wouldn't settle till I'd taught each of them a lesson, even if it took me days to track them down and catch them one by one."

Yuanzheng chewed meditatively on his skewer. "Getting insulted is part of one's lot being born into this station of life. You're not used to it, so you can't let it go, but it really does nothing for you. With my background, and this face, I've long been used as the butt of people's insults and jokes. Just forget it and get on with your own life. If you don't care about it, it doesn't hurt you. Come on, cheer up a bit."

He stopped short suddenly with a mortified expression. "I forgot about Physician Xu. I was supposed to wait for him outside."

Qingqing rolled her eyes. "He's not a child, he's a grown man who can take care of himself. Let's have some fun. It's been so long since we had an outing like this."

She cast away the skewer, swallowing the last morsel of liver, and caught his hand with a sudden mischievous gleam lighting up her face. "Come on! I'll take you to the tavern I work at. They often have shows, if you come with me they might let you watch too."

She flashed him a brilliant grin. "Or if they don't, I'll sneak you in somehow. So many people come and go, as long as you know the ropes, no one will notice."

Yuanzheng let her pull him along, laughing. "Is it a bad sign that every time I do something with you I'm risking the law?"

He glanced back guiltily at the medicine hall. "Wait. Let me leave a message for Physician Xu or he won't know where I went."

Qingqing snorted. "Is he going to think you got kidnapped if you're not there? For goodness' sake, can't you just do something spontaneous for once? Let him be. If anything he'll wait a bit then figure it out. He won't die without you. Now, come on. We'll be back before he realizes anything."

Breaking into a run, she dragged him after her before he could protest. "Thanks for the skewer just now. That was your treat. Now it's my turn to get you something to eat."

Yuanzheng looked uneasily at her. "I don't like the way you said that. Somehow I have a hunch that this will involve other people's food."

Qingqing tossed her head. "Stop thinking so much, you'll become just as bad as Xuxian."

Yuanzheng had to laugh. "Fine, I'll stop thinking. Now where is this place?"

"Right in front of your eyes, can't you see?" Qingqing pointed. They were standing across the street from a beautiful three-storey building with red pillars, hung with lanterns that gleamed like pearls. The sedans of rich people were halted before it, and well-dressed gentlemen strolled through the gates, fanning themselves elegantly with crisp white fans. Glimpses of fair faces and colourful silks could be seen within as women swept by gracefully, coyly hiding their faces behind embroidered fans and the flirtatiously fluttering ends of sashes. The clink of wine cups and the delicate twangy song of the pipa floated out. A large signboard proclaimed "House of Floating Petals."

Yuanzheng gaped at the sight. Qingqing glanced keenly at his rough clothes, and frowned. She pushed him authoritatively back against the pillar. "Stay here. I''m going to get something for you."

She was back shortly with a bundle of things under her arm. "Here," she ordered cheerfully, clearly pleased with herself, handing it to him and dragging him into a side alley. "Put these on."

Yuanzheng gasped at the rich deep blue brocade material, pulling his hands hastily away from it as it would burn him. "Where did you get that?"

Qingqing stamped her foot impatiently. "Hurry up and put them on, stop asking so many questions. You need to look like a gentleman to get inside or people will keep asking questions. I borrowed these from a friend, it's fine. We'll return it after we're done, so stop looking at me like that."

She discreetly did not mention that this friend was one of the maids cleaning the room of a wealthy young gentleman staying there, and that this friend had no idea what had just been "borrowed". Using the information she had heard from her, Qingqing had sneaked into the chamber of the young gentleman and chose an outfit from the bottom of the chest, where she was sure it would not be missed anytime soon.

Shaking out the robe, she handed it to him. Yuanzheng slowly took it, rather uneasy having to touch such fine material, let alone wear it. Losing patience, Qingqing pounced at him and there was a brief scuffle as she swiftly thrust his arms into the sleeves and took up the belt.

"I can do that myself," he said awkwardly as she was about to put her arms around him to fasten the belt.

Qingqing shrugged and tossed it to him. "Suit yourself. Move a bit faster, will you? The show will be over soon if you don't hurry."

She eyed him up and down critically. "Hmm. Hold your head higher, and don't look so sheepish. If I had remembered to snatch an embroidered band for your hair too that would have been perfect, but never mind. Now, just follow behind me and do your best to look supercilious and bored."

Noticing his blank expression she heaved an exasperated sigh. "Constipated. Look constipated."

They walked towards the gates trying to stifle snorts of laughter behind their sleeves.