Heaven's Golden Finger

A Late Night Visitation

Jinxing House was as fabulous and exquisite as its reputation suggested. The main hall was huge and open, with elegant young men and women dancing atop small stages set into the walls. Sliding paper-covered doors led to private dining rooms all around the edges, each one painted with different and brightly colored flowers. A set of stairs at the far end of the room led to a balcony wrapped around the main hall, where more doors concealed what Shun guessed were private dining rooms.

Led through the main hall to a smaller but still elegantly painted one below the staircase, Shun noticed the noise from the main hall faded to nothing once they passed a delicately carved archway. A silencing array, to keep the riotous noise from the constant party behind them from disturbing those beyond, no doubt.

The hall was straight, but it had several side passages, each with a half dozen unmarked doors. Further on, their guide led them up a set of stairs and into an open area where several dozen well-dressed men and women sat or wandered around, talking quietly amongst themselves.

"This is private function space," their guide told them, his voice soft and well-trained to be inobtrusive. "All those here are invited guests to the Grand Auction." There was a faint note of warning in the young man's voice. At a guess, he meant to remind Shun that these people were his rivals, not his friends.

"And which rooms are ours?" The hall beyond the open area had more doorways, these painted with stylized spirit beasts.

"Can I have the fox?" Liang Ren asked, before their guide could answer. "It'd be so appropriate."

"You may choose any empty room." The young man handed each of them a gemstone dangling from silver chains. "They will glow red if you touch a door to a room already selected. Blue if empty. Take it inside your chosen room and there'll be a statue of the city Guardian, Lord Tang Shi Jun, in an alcove. Set the gemstone in his hand and once it glows purple, you'll have marked the room for yourself."

"What if we wish to share a room?"

"There are two beds in each room, each big enough for two. If you wish more, I can send for an extra bed." The young man pointed to the gemstone in Shun's hand. "As for marking it yours, all you need to do is have everyone sharing the room repeat the process. Just be aware, once you've set your choice, you'll have to request assistance from the Head Keeper to change it."

That made sense. Shun looked at fake Shirong. "You and I share a room with Auntie Green. Master Tong? Young Master Liang? It's up to you." Truth to tell, he'd rather not be in the same room with either of these two. He wasn't sure he dared trust them yet."

"I prefer my privacy," Tong Si said and headed up the hallway to choose a room.

At the same time, Liang Ren grinned at Mo Qingshe, cocking an eyebrow inquiringly. She sneered, obviously amused but equally obviously not interested. "You're a thousand years too young for me, child. Go look for a fox kit your age."

Shun ignored the pair, leading fake Shirong down the hall until he found an empty room at the furthest end. Inside was as elegant as everything else in this place, too elegant for Shun, really.

"Reminds me of the rare bow.... Ah that's another of those words, isn't it? Flower language never comes out right. It keeps translating literally."

Shun reflected that he was going to have to learn some of whatever language it was fake Shirong used, if only to understand him better. "Try sounding it out."