Yang Family Village, by the shore of Lake Yun, was closer to Yundu than the stone forest. By the time they returned to the city, it was dinner time. Smoke rose from every household’s chimney, and the streets and alleys were filled with parents calling their children home for dinner.0

Lady Calico sat atop the horse with a straight back. There were no packs on the horse now, only her alone. She followed the sounds with her gaze, head turning this way and that, her eyes flickering with thought. Whenever she saw a stray cat on the streets or in alleyways without a home, with no parents calling it back, she would pull a small fish from her pouch and toss it far in its direction, hoping it could at least have a full meal tonight.1

By the time they returned to the Zhu estate, there was only one fish left. And it was the largest one.0

Lady Calico quickly noticed that the Zhu residence was much livelier tonight than it had been that morning or the night before. People came and went at the entrance, and many of them were high-ranking officials or wealthy figures, most of them wearing somber expressions.0

Inside the house, there was the sound of ritual music. She sniffed the air, and there was the scent of incense and candles.0

Lady Calico sniffed again. Amid the heavy incense and the smells of many guests, she caught a faint whiff of death. At once, she understood: the young master of the...0