Ice Platforms produced by Da Shun billowed with frigid mist, cashmere blankets from Northern Court were gathered into soft little nests, incense made by overseas nations burned in curling wisps, and a small plate was piled with Southern Border-style fried spicy Small Dried Fish.
A narrow crack stood open in the dark walnut window, letting in fresh air that had passed through the treetops without allowing too much heat inside. One gray and one white mouse stood on either side, holding a long golden-red peacock feather and gently waving it up and down.
"Click, click, click."
Awei lay on his back in the blanket nest, embracing two alluring golden centipedes. After finishing his Small Dried Fish, he raised his segmented limbs skyward, peeled away the wax coating of his after-meal pill, swallowed the pill, and flung the wax coating away along his limbs. The gray and white mice's eyes lit up. They threw aside the long feather in their paws and leapt forward.
Whoosh!
A yellow blur darted over, slammed both paws onto the ground, and sprang with all its might into a horizontal split in midair, kicking the gray mouse and white mouse away at once. It caught the half-circle wax coating in the air, rolled onto the ground, and stretched out its red tongue to lick it.
Delicious, delicious...
Medicine had its medicinal flavor, wax had its waxy fragrance.
A shadow fell.
A slender hand seized the back of the oblivious big yellow weasel's neck. Li Xianghan picked it up and tossed it aside, then gave the gray and white mice two pieces of malt sugar each. She patted their heads, had them pick up the peacock feather and continue fanning, then turned toward the little nest and respectfully requested permission from Heaven Centipede Awei.
"Great Centipede Awei,