The first real sign that something was wrong appeared on the seventh morning.
Yang Mi and Ren had been discussing the ridiculous amount of money noble families spent on ornamental birds when two men entered carrying heavy wooden crates.
The owner of Everleaf, who normally remained behind the counter complaining about everything from charcoal prices to lazy servants, immediately hurried forward himself.
Yang Mi noticed because one of the men nearly collided with a waiter and still received an apology instead of being scolded.
Ren noticed because the small symbol burned into the bottom corner of the crate matched a symbol Yu had found on a seized shipment outside the southern gate.
"The spring leaves arrived earlier than expected," the owner murmured.
The taller delivery man answered, "The rain comes before the mountain wakes."
Yang Mi paused with her tea halfway to her lips.
Ren watched the men disappear toward the rear corridor.
"What?" he asked when he noticed her expression.
Yang Mi lowered her cup. "Nothing."
"You looked at those crates."
"So did you."
Ren's eyes narrowed slightly.
Yang Mi leaned back and glanced toward the corridor again. "Those are not tea crates."
"How do you know?"
"The sides are sealed."
Ren waited.
"Tea needs ventilation," she continued. "And the man carrying the second crate almost dropped it when he stepped over the doorway. Whatever is inside is much heavier than dried leaves."
Ren stared at her.
Yang Mi raised an eyebrow. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I thought you came here only for sesame cakes."
"I do."
"You know a surprising amount about trade."
"My family dealt with merchants."
The answer seemed simple enough, yet Ren sensed there was more she herself might not understand.
Before he could ask another question, something crashed behind the bamboo divider near the rear corridor.
A young waiter stumbled into the main room.
One of the delivery men followed immediately and grabbed him by the shoulder.
"I told you the rear rooms are closed."
"I was looking for the washroom," the waiter stammered.
"The washroom is upstairs."
Several customers turned toward them.
The delivery man's eyes swept through the room before stopping briefly on Ren.
Then Yang Mi.
Ren remained perfectly calm, but underneath the table his fingers shifted toward the hidden jade token at his waist.
At that moment another man entered the tea house wearing the robes of a traveling merchant.
Yu.
Ren did not look directly at him.
Yu deliberately bumped into a servant carrying a tray, sending several cups crashing onto the floor.
The sudden noise turned every head.
The frightened waiter used the distraction to pull free and hurry upstairs while the delivery man cursed and disappeared again behind the divider.
Yang Mi watched everything.
Then she looked at Ren.
"Your friend?"
Ren picked up his tea. "Who?"
"The man who just entered."
"I have never met him."
Yang Mi's eyes narrowed. "You are a terrible liar."
Ren almost smiled. "That is a dangerous accusation."
"You looked toward the door before he entered."
Ren's expression changed slightly.
For the first time since their strange friendship began, there was something sharper behind the gentle scholar's smile.
"You notice too much."
"So people keep telling me."
"Then perhaps you should notice less today."
Yang Mi followed his gaze toward the closed rear corridor.
"You know what is happening here."
Ren did not answer.
That was enough.
Across the street, Bai Jue had also stopped thinking about jealousy.
He had sensed the metal hidden inside the crates the moment the men entered.
"Da Yi."
"Yes, my lord."
"Find Chang Er."
Da Yi straightened when he heard the change in Bai Jue's voice.
"What did you notice?"
"Weapons."
"Inside the crates?"
"Enough for several dozen soldiers."
Da Yi's expression immediately became serious.
Bai Jue watched the rear entrance of Everleaf before glancing again toward Yang Mi.
"Send Chang Er around the back. Do not allow anyone to approach her."
"What about Scholar Ren?"
Bai Jue looked at Ren through the window.
The man was too calm.
Too observant.
And the stranger who entered moments earlier had moved according to Ren's silent signal.
"He is not a scholar."
Da Yi looked toward the tea house again. "Do you know who he is?"
"Not yet."
"But Your Highness has been following him for seven days."
"I was following my wife."
Da Yi pressed his lips together.
Bai Jue looked at him.
"Say nothing."
"I said nothing."
"Your face did."
Yang Mi had just reached for another sesame cake when the tea house door opened.
She looked toward it and immediately stopped.
Bai Jue stood there wearing a plain brown robe, apparently still convinced that changing the color of his clothing was enough to disguise the most recognizable man in her life.
Tan Qi immediately lowered her head to hide her smile.
Ren glanced between husband and wife.
Yang Mi sighed. "What are you doing here?"
Bai Jue looked around with exaggerated calm. "Drinking tea."
"You followed me."
"I happened to be nearby."
"Nearby where?"
"The market."
"You hate the eastern market."
"I have changed my mind."
Ren lifted his cup to cover the amusement appearing on his face.
Bai Jue noticed.
His eyes immediately cooled.
Yang Mi pointed toward the empty chair. "Sit down before everyone begins staring."
Bai Jue sat beside her instead of across from her.
Yang Mi shifted slightly.
He shifted with her.
She turned her head.
"What?"
"You are sitting too close."
"This is my natural sitting distance."
"You normally sit across the table."
"There was no space."
Ren looked at the completely empty chair opposite him.
Bai Jue followed his gaze.
"Is there a problem?"
"None at all, Lord Bai."
The title made Yang Mi look at Ren.
"You know him?"
"Everyone in the capital knows Lord Bai."
Bai Jue studied Ren carefully.
"And yet I know very little about you."
Ren smiled. "I am not particularly interesting."
"That remains to be seen."
Yang Mi looked from one man to the other. "Why does drinking tea suddenly feel like attending an interrogation?"
Neither answered.
A waiter approached.
"What would the gentleman like?"
Bai Jue looked at Ren's cup.
"What is he drinking?"
"Jasmine tea, my lord."
"Bring me jasmine."
Yang Mi stared at him. "You said jasmine tea tasted like boiled flowers."
"I have reconsidered."
Ren's lips moved.
Bai Jue immediately looked at him. "Did you find something amusing?"
"No."
"Good."
Yang Mi closed her eyes for a moment.
When the tea arrived, the three of them sat in a silence that became increasingly ridiculous.
Ren eventually opened the book beside him.
Bai Jue looked at the title.
"Bad book."
Yang Mi turned. "You have read it?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"A long time ago."
"You told me last month you never read romantic poetry."
"I do not read bad romantic poetry."
Ren looked at Yang Mi. "Your husband has strong opinions."
"He has strong opinions about everything."
"I only have strong opinions when necessary."
"You once argued with the cook because my soup contained two extra pieces of ginger."
"Too much ginger upsets your stomach."
Ren looked down at his tea.
Something about the exchange made him unexpectedly uncomfortable.
It was easy to imagine Yang Mi as the lonely woman he met each morning, but sitting beside Bai Jue she became someone else's wife in a very real way. Their irritation was familiar, their arguments too comfortable, and Bai Jue knew things about her that Ren never could.
Yang Mi reached for the teapot.
"More tea?"
Ren nodded.
Bai Jue answered immediately, "Yes."
Yang Mi poured Ren's cup first.
Bai Jue watched.
Then she poured his.
His expression improved slightly.
Tan Qi nearly laughed again.
At that moment Chang Er briefly appeared beyond the rear window and gave Bai Jue a subtle signal.
Three crates.
Weapons.
Hidden chamber.
Bai Jue's gaze hardened for only a moment before returning to Yang Mi.
Ren had seen the signal too.
Their eyes met across the table.
For the first time, the jealousy disappeared between them and something far more cautious took its place.
Ren now knew Lord Bai was investigating Everleaf.
Bai Jue knew Ren had men doing the same.
Neither intended to reveal anything in front of Yang Mi.
Yang Mi looked between them suspiciously. "What was that?"
"What?" Bai Jue asked.
"That look."
Ren smiled. "Perhaps your husband dislikes my tea."
"I dislike several things," Bai Jue replied.
Yang Mi put down the teapot harder than necessary. "If you two are going to behave like roosters fighting over the same courtyard, I am leaving."
She stood.
Bai Jue immediately stood with her.
Ren did the same.
Yang Mi stared at both men.
Then she turned to Tan Qi. "We are surrounded by idiots."
Tan Qi coughed into her sleeve.