The two of them squeezed sideways out of the crowd and climbed the stone steps in front of the Red Moon Auction House. Passing feet had worn the edges of the steps somewhat round, and underfoot they could feel the fine layer of wear across the surface.
The guard at the entrance glanced at them. His gaze first swept over Shen Fei's clothes and the sword at his waist, then over the cloth bag hanging from Xiao Ning'er's shoulder and the subtle patterns on her cuffs. He stepped aside to clear their path.
They had barely crossed the threshold when someone came forward to greet them. He wore the auction house's standard short robe, made of dark gray cloth, with a small Red Moon Emblem embroidered on the chest. His sleeves were rolled above his wrists, revealing a thin leather bracer on one forearm. He looked neat and efficient.
He appeared to be under thirty, with a lean build and a professionally courteous smile. His bow was neither too deep nor too shallow, and his tone was respectful without being servile.
"Family Head Shen, Miss Xiao. Your presence brings splendor to our humble establishment. Is there anything in particular you would like to see today, or would you like to attend today's auction?"
Shen Fei paused. He had not sent a visiting card ahead of time, and this outing had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. He had informed no one. He glanced at Xiao Ning'er beside him, then at the attendant before him, and asked, "How did you know who we were?"
The attendant's smile remained unchanged. With his back slightly bowed, he spoke in an even voice. "The first lesson in our training is to memorize the appearances and physical characteristics of the important figures from each family, so we