Page 86 of The Blood Orchid

But I supposed it was considered a poor man’s meal, something an aristocrat probably wouldn’t buy plain, if at all. They were more likely to eat it when ill, in which case they’d order their servants to make it for them.

“Once I knew where you’d been, there weren’t that many inns to check, and the innkeepers could always be...persuadedto tell me if you’d stayed, or if they’d heard you talking about where to go next, or, at the very least, which direction you rode off in.”

“Did you torture them?” Wenshu said flatly.

“Only a little,” she said, shrugging. “Now, are you actually sleeping in this compost pile, or did you find somewhere to stay?”

Zheng Sili did not appreciate the unannounced return of the Empress.

He braced himself in front of Durian like a human shield and hurled a shoe at Yufei, who smacked it out of the air before spotting the pear slices on the floor and popping three in her mouth at once.

Zheng Sili froze, another shoe in hand, looking between me and Wenshu.

“If that really was the Empress, the first thing you would attack her with is ashoe?” I said.

He blinked, slowly lowering the shoe. “That’s not...” He shook his head. “Of course it’s not the Empress. I forgot you stuff people inside other people like human sausages.”

“Gross,” Yufei said through a mouthful of fruit.

I rolled my eyes, sitting down beside her. “This is my sister, Yufei.” She waved in acknowledgment, popping a grape in her mouth alongside the pear slices. “Yufei, this is Zheng Sili, who is supposedly an alchemist who can actually fight with stones instead of shoes.”

“This is so weird,” Zheng Sili said, dropping onto the bed. “You imprisoned me. You were hanged.”

“Nope, wasn’t me,” Yufei said.

“Yes, I obviously understand that,” Zheng Sili said, glaring. “Well, this is great. We’re walking around with the undead Empress, the Crown Prince, and the last royal alchemist. As if we weren’t memorable enough already.”

Yufei coughed, pulling a piece of grape peel from her mouth and casting it to the floor.

“You’re not supposed to eat the peel,” Zheng Sili said, angling away, like he thought she might eat him as well.

“I obviously didn’t mean to,” Yufei said, still chewing. “I’m hungry, okay? I didn’t get a chance to pack a ton of snacks before fleeing for my life.”

He tensed, his eyes brightening. “I don’t suppose you brought anything from the treasury with you on your way out?”

“Of course I did,” Yufei said, wiping her hands on her skirt. “I needed gold. You think anyone gave me passage north for free?”

“Did you bring any rings?” I said, grabbing her arm. Maybe we wouldn’t have to go all the way back to Chang’an after all.

Yufei shook her head. “Just some gold headdresses.”

My heart sank, my fingers loosening around her arm.

“You sold gold headdresses from the treasury?” Zheng Sili said, looking physically pained by the words.

“Notwhole,” Yufei said. “I’m not an imbecile. Everyone would think I was a thief. I broke them into pieces.”

Zheng Sili let out a strangled sound, turning his gaze to the ceiling as if asking the gods for help. “Those are pieces of history—”

“I can’t eat gold,” Yufei said flatly. “Well, I guess some people could, but not me.”

Zheng Sili looked to me as if I would object, but I only shrugged. “I’m sure the royal family still has plenty of gold.”

Zheng Sili’s lips pinched together. He pulled Durian into his lap and started stroking his back, like he wanted to think about absolutely anything else.

“We’re looking for a ring that is most likely in Chang’an,” Wenshu explained to Yufei.

“And you’re positive that Taizong didn’t happen to share thelocation of this ring with his precious grandson?” Zheng Sili said to me.

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