Those East 725 District idiots didn't have a single one who knew how to get things done. So much damn nonsense.
And renting a venue was such a hassle, always having some kind of problem. If this place weren't one of Madam Shan Chuan's connections, this old man wouldn't even bother with it.
While grumbling inwardly, Mister Yu kept a stern face and said, "Be specific. What's the problem?"
His subordinate's mouth opened and closed twice before he finally found relatively clear words. "The venue—the altar in the venue—is on fire!"
"It caught fire early? Has it been put out?" Startled, Mister Yu no longer had time to scold him. He casually threw on a robe, led his subordinate out of the stuffy, damp, filthy side hall, and headed to the main venue where the grand ceremony was to be held.
The main venue was right next to the side hall, an open central courtyard beneath a transparent dome. Like the side hall, it had a shallow layer of water spread across the floor, with an old lychee tree enclosed at its center. It looked as though the great tree had grown straight out of the water.
After several centuries of growth, the main trunk had clearly forked, forming seven fairly thick branches. Though fruiting season had passed, its leaves remained evergreen. Supported by the twisting spread of its branches, they unfolded like a canopy, reflecting the light from all directions in an interweaving of brightness and shadow that was truly striking.
This was the most important support for tomorrow's "Atonement Tree" ceremony. Aside from the actual results, the wealthy clients who wanted to preserve their youth and vitality cared most about the grandeur of the occasion.
It was precisely because of such a layout that the association had chosen