Shen Fei was already standing in the Front Courtyard of the Sacred Family estate when the morning light first spilled over the courtyard wall.
He had slept well the night before, without any needless dreams. By the time he woke, the sky outside his window was already bright, and birds had chirped beneath the eaves for a while, their calls clear and ordinary.
He dressed and washed a little more slowly than usual, as though deliberately easing his pace instead of rushing toward anything. After fastening his belt, he stood before the bronze mirror for a while longer, looking at the face reflected there and confirming that he truly had nothing left to deal with urgently.
As he walked openly out through the courtyard gate, he saw several servants crouched beside the covered walkway, repairing a lantern the wind had knocked askew. One steadied a ladder while another passed wire up from below.
Hearing his footsteps, they glanced back and recognized him. They all stood, bowed their heads, and greeted him as "Patriarch." Shen Fei acknowledged them with a nod and did not linger.
While crossing the Front Courtyard, he happened to meet the old steward coming through a side gate with a stack of newly received documents.
The old steward paused at the sight of him and lowered his voice. "The Second Elder is discussing matters with a few managers over by the accounts office. If you're looking for him, now would be a good time."
"All right, I'll go over." Shen Fei turned and headed toward the side courtyard where the accounts office stood.
The Second Elder, Shen Kun, stood on the stone steps outside the accounts office with a half-unrolled ledger in his hand, his head lowered as he spoke to two managers.
His voice was quiet,