Threads 484-Market 1

She noticed a few eyes sharpen and turn her way briefly.

Good security, that.

The first to really catch Ling Qi’s eye was a young woman in the heavy goods display areas, where makers of furnishings and other larger projects were showing their works. Around the space set aside for her were hand-carved benches, tables, and chairs in many sizes and colors. Each showed a preference for austerity, taking color only from the wood and varnish, and settings without any gaudy paints or polishes.

What caught her eye, in particular, was a tall shrine cabinet cut from dark wood, its facing carved with meticulous and lifelike figures of people lined up and posed in respect and celebration around the center. Split across the cabinet doors was a raised blank section, clearly meant to hold the characters of a clan name.

It made her think of the relatively plain cabinet that currently held the Ling family’s few ancestral tablets. The formation work hidden in the cuts of the frieze and fittings was nothing amazing—she had seen masterworks beyond anything an apprentice could do—but they were solid, almost flawless in their attention to detail.

The maker had bushy, tangled brown hair that looked like it had only recently had a comb dragged through it haphazardly, possibly for the first time in years. Her eyes were wide and owlish, giving her a frazzled air at odds with the austere theming and lines of her creations. Her gown was black and grey and cut very modestly, though Ling Qi could tell the woman felt twitchy in it. She probably wore workman’s clothes most of the time. Her name was Chun Huan, according to the maker’s marks on her products.

Chen Huan was glancing after another pair of young noblewomen who had passed her by with only a dismissive glance when Ling Qi approached her.

“I particularly like the shrine cabinet. Do you do much work on spiritual furnishings, shrine gates, and decor?”

Ling Qi only realized she’d forgotten to release her hold on her qi, which she’d been using to glide unnoticed through the crowd, when the poor second realm in front of her almost literally jumped at the sound of her voice. She spun around to face her as if she’d just been stung.

“Wh- What?!”

She sent annoyance toward Sixiang. Why didn’t they tell her?

“Cause this was hilarious and harmless.”

“Apologies, Miss Chen, I didn’t realize how quiet I was,” Ling Qi soothed.

“Oh… My deepest apologies, honored customer, it is my fault for being inattentive,” the carpenter said, recovering herself and bowing swiftly.

“No, I promise you it isn’t. So, shrines?”

Chen Huan straightened up, still smoothing her dress nervously, but didn’t try to contradict her. “The lady has good eyes. That is one of my finest pieces, but the final customizations still need to be done. I have done a significant amount of work on spiritual pieces. My master has been contracted to work on the gates, outer and inner, of several shrines in the cloud district, as well as numerous ones in the trunk.”

“I see. Is that where the style comes from? I know the local spirits of Xiangmen tend to favor austerity in their personal shrines, which is at odds with more current fashions.”

“The lady is correct. I find there is much beauty to be found by working more with the natural lines and colors of the wood than pigments. These can be complemented with chasing or inlays, but a subtle hand here is also best,” Chen Huan agreed, a note of excitement entering her voice.

“We are doing a great deal of work on our shrines at our settlement in the south. Do you have any experience working with higher realm materials?”

The woman peered at her curiously. She was clearly trying to place her and failing. “Some,” she allowed. “Master has allowed me to work with some third grade woods in preparation for my breakthrough, and he has allowed me to observe his work on fourth grade ones.”

“I am Baroness Ling Qi. My apologies for not introducing myself.”

Seeing recognition set in was oddly gratifying, and with it came surprise. Ling Qi didn’t know how to feel about the anxiety rising in the carpenter. “It is good to make your acquaintance. Yes, it beggars my imagination to think of how much work must be done in those chaotic lands.”

Ling Qi tilted her head to the side. “I do not think it does. You are on the edge of a breakthrough, aren’t you?”

“This one has made the attempt several times. I will not overestimate my chances.”

Ling Qi nodded at that. All the more reason to be working hard for funding. “Then, I will keep your name in mind, Chen Huan. I may have some projects for you in the future.”

Cai Renxiang could certainly get more skilled carpentry on contract, but there was some appeal to having in-house skill. That was the point of all this investment.

She stepped away, leaving the woman to speak to the next interested nobles, and drifted back into the crowd, letting her qi fade into the background once again.

It was, ironically, the bright, vibrant colors that next drew her in for a closer look.

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Oooooohhhhhh. Yummies, yummies, Papa’s dye pot yummies…!

Ling Qi cast an amused look down at her sleeves where ribbons of rustling lace were emerging like grasping fingers. No eating before she could buy anything.

Buuuuuut…!

She would buy something. Qiyi could pick any dye pot she liked.

Yay!

The young man near the glass and ceramic vials and swatches of color in cloth and other materials was as tall as her. Thin as a pole, and about as gangly, he wore a smudged and stained smock and bandana, and a pair of wide lensed glasses framed his eyes.

“Ah, welcome, welcome, miss. This humble Leng Shui is pleased to have caught your eye,” the man said as she approached. This time, she remembered to lose her hold on her qi before she came into his line of sight. “Ah! But I do not know that I do better than your current clothier. Such sublime work!”

Qiyi preened.

“I would not expect an apprentice to do better than Sir Lin,” Ling Qi acknowledged. “You are an alchemist of… colors then?”