A Birthday Celebration, Disciples of the Ye School

On the seventh day of the third month, dawn light was just beginning to show.

In Tianjin, where people cared about both appearances and what lay beneath them, today was a big day.

Qin Geng rose early.

He stood before a bronze mirror, arranging his clothes.

Today, he was attending a banquet at the Su Residence. He represented the Ye School, as well as the reputation of the newly minted Fifth Master Qin. He could hardly be careless about what he wore.

His usual short clothes, suited to fighting, were clearly inappropriate. But dressing like a sour-faced scholar or a merchant would cost him a martial artist's edge.

Qin Geng chose a moon-white silk gown. The first-grade silk had come from Hangzhou; its sheen was subdued, never gaudy, yet it carried an air of wealth.

Over it, he wore a plain jacket of dark blue satin. Instead of ordinary cloth fasteners, it had plum-blossom silver buttons specially polished by an old silversmith, giving him a crisp, capable look.

Below were navy balloon trousers, their cuffs bound tight with white cloth. They made him look sharp, and if a fight broke out, they would not tangle around his feet.

On his feet were quick boots of black cloth, their thousand-layer soles densely stitched. Their toes curved slightly upward, hiding stiff reinforcements. A solid kick from them could shatter bricks and split stone.

The Dragon-Guard Office's Black Iron Waist Token hung at his waist, half hidden beneath his jacket.

The outfit gave him the dignity of a young man from a distinguished family, along with a martial artist's forbidding Killing Intent that warned strangers to keep their distance.

Once he was ready, Qin Geng went out and headed straight for the Ye Residence.

Carriages and horses already crowded the entrance to the