The spirit concubine's way of enjoying mortal markets was by sitting in the inner courtyard pavilion while his maidservants presented the different robes and silks they had found after their trips.
Yun Tian stood to Qing Yu's right (who remained standing right behind his master) as Shang Wu took guard on his left. The spirit himself was seated on the floor in front of a low dark wooden table. He had one knee propped up, an arm resting on that knee as the other rested on his lap. Bai Li's head was slightly cocked, his stare unmoving as the maid servants hurriedly and efficiently placed chests after chests of clothes in front of him.
There was one maid however, who stood tall and held her chin high despite being in the spirit's presence. She did not dress commonly like the others but her clothes were adorned with patterns worn by nobility. Jewels and pins in her hair. Yun Tian recognised the crest pinned to her robes that belonged to the Lin family.
Lady Lin looked to be Shang Wu's age, which made Yun Tian believe that her confidence did not come from life experience but rather the pride of her bloodline.
"These silks were bought from the highest of qualities, worn by the nobles and high ranking officials." Young Lady Lin spoke. She had the grace and gentle voice most noblewomen taught themselves to have. But her eyes were determined and hardened, fierce as they met Bai Li's.
Yun Tian felt as if the Young Lady had prepared herself for war instead of the mere task of presenting clothing.
A maid servant stepped forward with a white robe in her hand. With swiftness she fluttered it against the wind and presented it to the spirit, holding the top of each sleeve with her hands so that the robe would flow down to its full length.
It was beautiful. Pure white complimented by the stitching of multiple dragons. The dragons themselves were grey, slithering across the hems. The material even looked thin and light, matching the ones the spirit was currently wearing.
"And where is the hair piece?" Bai Li asked, cutting the silence.
Lady Lin turned her sharp, demanding eyes towards a group of three maidservants at the back who were opening smaller chests and stacking them in ways that all the pins and jewels inside would be visible from the front. The maid in the middle quickly rummaged through the chest before straightening up and walking swiftly forward.
She bowed slightly, presenting the hair pin against her palm. It was stunning, a perfect match for the robes presented. A steel pin with white flowers, petals designed to look like snow and in the middle sat red gleaming little beads.
Bai Li took his arm off of his knee and reached forward. Yun Tian saw the maid's throat constrict in effort to not make a sound as the spirit delicately picked up the hair pin in her hand. Bai Li brought it closer, holding it by the tip and dangling the jewel in front of his eyes like a cat would do to a mouse.
Lady Lin did not need to hear any response, she turned back to the two remaining maids and signalled sharply with her hand. The two maids immediately started to dig for another hair piece.
Bai Li, either oblivious or unbothered, turned the hair piece in front of him curiously. "Such pretty things, it is a miracle to think this was made by the hands of a mortal." The spirit mumbled, before tapping the pad of his fingers against its point as if to test its sharpness.
Making out a small 'hm' like noise Bai Li wrapped his fingers around the hairpin before harshly stabbing it into the table in front of him. Yun Tian's hand reflexively went to the hilt of his sword and he saw Shang Wu stepped forward at the corner of his eyes. Even the maid servants jumped, some merely flincing as if they expected this. The only people unphased were Lady Lin and Qing Yu who remained poised in their positions.
"So frail." Bai Li commented in a small, harmless voice. The hair pin had broken off against impact, the sharper half scattering off the table.
"You are merely too strong, my Lord." Qing Yu stated. The blind swordsman pulled a napkin from his robes and walked forward, bending on one knee as he gently took his master's hand into his own. Yun Tian blinked in surprise when Qing Yu started to gently dab at the specks of blood on the spirit's palm. "Perhaps we should order one made from diamonds."
"And whose heart would I stab with it, yours?" Bai Li scoffed, already looking away to the other hair pins the new maid was presenting. "No, not these, get me one with a colourless gem."
The maid bowed and left as Qing Yu turned his cloth over, using a clean side. "Not the chest, my Lord, the eyes."
"Is he supposed to be saying that? Yun Tian, what is he saying?" Shang Wu furiously whispered at his side, eyes wide with concern.
Bai Li turned towards his swordsman and though Yun Tian could not hear them from where he stood, the slight excitement in the spirit's voice made his hair stand on end.
"Qing Yu, what a clever mind you have."
"Or perhaps you could use it to hunt, my Lord." Yun Tian interrupted. The two men's heads turned towards him at once. Qing Yu gave him an encouraging smile while the gold of Bai Li's eyes bore into his, uninterested.
No, irritated. Was it because he spoke?
But it was too late to stop now. "I heard there are many dangerous animals this time of year in the forest. Perhaps we could even hold a contest, if my Lord so wishes."
Silence stretched after he spoke and Yun Tian's body grew more and more tense as time passed by. Bai Li did not look away from him nor acknowledged he spoke at all, he simply stared. Golden inhuman eyes looked into his soul and suddenly Yun Tian felt bare, as if he was standing naked before them all.
Finally, the spirit turned away. Yun Tian let out his breath and, noticing that his hands were still on the hilt of his sword, he slowly pulled it away. Placing his arms down once more.
"Psst." Yun Tian turned to his left when Shang Wu called him. His friend had a grin on his face. "Nice save."
"You."
Shang Wu's smile fell immediately. Yun Tian had never seen a person move so fast as his friend snapped back into position, back straight and hands clasped tightly behind him. But Bai Li wasn't looking at him, he wasn't looking back at any of them.
The spirit had pulled his hand out of Qing Yu's hold, there was a new hair pin in his palm now. One with a colourless gem.
Lady Lin saw the expression the spirit and nodded proudly to herself once, face still hardened.
"Yes, I like these." Bai Li concluded, placing the pin on the table where the maid hastened to pick it back up. Along with the white robes, the two maids walked towards where a bleaming ruby chest laid, a smaller golden chest beside and as one they placed the approved items inside.
The spirit turned back towards the other maids just as Qing Yu returned to his spot behind. "All of you, get out. Leave the chests."
At once, all of the maid servants bowed to their waist. With the exception of Lady Lin who politely lowered her head, hands clasped in front of her before she silently signalled all her maids to gather and leave the pavilion.
"Is that all for today, my Lord?" Qing Yu asked, confusion heavy in his voice. It was clear this had never happened before.
"No. You, short hair." Bai Li beckoned and Yun Tian knew at once he was being summoned.
"My Lord."
"Find me a black robe next, with a red coloured jewel."
He felt himself frown. "A black robe, my Lord?"
"Do you not know what black means? Close your eyes and memorise that exact colour, now find it."
Bai Li's voice had an edge of annoyance that forced Yun Tian to move at once. He went to the nearest chest first and opened it, ruffling through the colourful clothing. When he couldn't find what he was looking for Yun Tian closed the chest neatly and moved onto another.
This one he was lucky with, there were a few greys and black robes. Relieved, Yun Tian pulled one of the robes out of the chest and presented it to his Lord. His presentation lacked the grace and elegance the maid servants had earlier. He tried to flatten the robe, try to keep it still as he held up its shoulders but the silk was stubborn against his rough calloused hands, blowing messily in the wind.
"No." Bai Li sighed, chin resting on his palm. "Find me another."
Yun Tian looked down at the black robes. "May I know the reason, my Lord?"
"It's not black enough."
He looked up towards the spirit who was still as statue, bored golden eyes disguising the irritation that brimmed underneath. Was this because he suggested they go hunting? A punishment of sorts?
Yun Tian merely placed the robe back into the chest. He opened another one, this time filled with red and black robes and he pulled out the darkest one he could find.
"Too black." Bai Li spoke before Yun Tian had even presented the robe. His arm halted, placing the robe back without even glancing up. He went back towards the previous chest and tried a dark grey this time.
"This one is quite easy on the eyes, my-"
"Are your ears unresponsive? I said black, not grey." Bai Li interrupted, not even bothering to look at the robe as he kept his eerie eyes on Yun Tian's. "Shang Wu, make yourself useful and go help your Lord. I can hear your bones quivering in fear from here."
"Forgive me, my Lord." Shang Wu bowed his head and rose before he froze, bowing again. "Yes, my Lord." He spoke before shuffling towards the stack of chests.
He and Yun Tian exchanged short glances before they started to rummage through the chest once more, presenting robe after robe towards their spirit master.
"No, that is hideous."
"Get another, a heavier one with designs."
"Whirlpools. You humans put whirlpools on robes? That is ridiculous. Qing Yu, are you seeing this?"
"Yes, my Lord."
Another robe.
"Birds, really? You want me to wear a robe with birds on them?"
"And what is that? That looks like my chewed up breakfast."
"It's koi, my Lord." Shang Wu started, bowing his head while still holding up the robe. "Considered to be one of the most beautiful national treasures, incredibly hard to find and costly to keep once found."
"I didn't ask" Bai Li raised a brow, making Shang Wu sweat. "Get me another, no fish."
Yun Tian pulled up a robe, the design on it expressing his own current feelings on his master.
"A serpent?" Bai Li all but hissed but Yun Tian was unwilling to back down. He held the robes up by their shoulders and presented the black silk proudly, stitched with a blue so dark it shimmered like crystals in the sun.
"What do you not like about this one, my Lord?" Yun Tian asked, straightening his back as Bai Li's eyes narrowed.
"I do not need a reason. If I say it is hideous then it is hideous."
Yun Tian lowered his head in agreement. "Of course. I am merely trying to help is all. I have no eye for silk, unlike you my Lord, who can recognise one of high quality in a matter of seconds. I fear I may be lacking with this task."
Bai Li made no move to relieve him from the task, but at least the seemed to have held its tongue. His master huffed.
"Find me a robe that resembles the beauty of smoke."
Yun Tian let out a breath, trying to think of what 'beauty of smoke' even meant. "Yes, my Lord." He spoke quietly before turning back to the chests.
He and Shag Wu spent the next few minutes under the glaring heat of the sun-or the spirit's gaze-rummaging through the remaining chests for whatever resembled smoke. They presented each robe and was sent back to the chests each time without fail.
Finally, a faded grey colour caught Yun Tian's eyes and he dug for the folded silk below. The robe was breathtaking, layered and fluttered in the wind like the bending trail of a fire's smoke. The hem of the robes were dark, almost black as the colour slowly blended into a lighter grey as it swirls higher and higher. The layers underneath a mix of grey and white.
Just like smoke.
Yun Tian felt a thrill go down his spine at his discovery. He closed the lid, certain he would not have to return as he walked towards the table Bai Li sat. Proudly, he presented the robe and this time, it did not hit his face with the wind.
"And this, my Lord? Does it meet your expectations?"
His heart thudded in his chest when Bai Li's face did not scrunch up in that annoyed way of his. Instead, the spirit's eyes seemed to shine against the sunlight as he lifted his face off of his pale hands.
Qing Yu, Shang Wu and Yun Tian all held their breaths as the silence stretched. Bai Li took his time in appreciating the beauty in front of him. From the dark hems of the robes to the wide sleeves, to the many layered underneath that gently fluttered against the wind just like smoke would. Yun Tian could hear his heart in his ears.
And then Bai Li frowned.
"Shang Wu, hold it."
His friend who stood behind him came forward, casting a confused glance his way before he reached for the smokey robe. Yun Tian felt it tug against his hands, the fists that refused to soften but then he remembered himself and opened his palm before he could damage the clothing.
Yun Tian watched Bai Li's face as Shang Wu held the robes up and presented it just like he had. The spirit hummed and leaned back at the sight.
"Yes." Bai Li started, nodding once more as he slowly rose from his seat. "Beautiful indeed, pack it up with the others I've chosen."
With that, the spirit turned his back on them and started to walk back into the central garden without another glance his way. Qing Yu spared them a glance before hurrying off to not be left too far behind.
"It's over." Shang Wu exclaimed, shoulders slumping as he held the robe carefully off of the ground. "Finally, my eyes were going to cross if I had to look at one more robe."
Yun Tian did not reply, his eyes still trailing after the spirit whose robes fluttered softly in the wind, his head slightly tipped back, eyes closed and enjoying the sun.
"Yun Tian?"
His eyes snapped back towards his friend who had moved to stand in front of him and Yun Tian's jaw throbbed. He'd been clenching it without even knowing.
"Yeah." Yun Tian breathed out, blinking to get the unexplainable annoyance off of his chest. Or was it disappointment? "Yeah, let's clean up."