The Five Great Kyoto Families were the Jing family, the Ming family, the Yun Family, the Chi family, and the Li Family.
Ming Wanci, young master of the Ming family, and Yun Zhiyin, young master of the Yun Family, were both friends of Jing Yiheng.
The Chi family had two brothers. The eldest, Chi Changyue, was highly capable, while the younger son, Chi Muchen, was said to be a wastrel and was much disliked by his family.
The Li Family was a rising power, having taken the place of one of the others.
If the Feng family hadn’t suffered that incident more than ten years ago, the Li Family wouldn’t have had a chance to take its place.
As it happened, when they were children, Jing Yiheng and the others had played with a few of the Feng family’s young masters several times.
But back then, the Feng family guarded its only daughter like a precious treasure. She wasn’t someone a bunch of mischievous boys like them could easily get near.
*
Jing Yiheng headed toward the reception room.
“Yiheng, the boys are going out for a drink!”
Ming Wanci had handsome features, with striking brows and bright eyes, and a broad, sunny grin.
“I know you’re not into the bar scene, but the Little Tavern Wanci told us about is something special. You’re guaranteed to like it!”
Yun Zhiyin’s peach-blossom eyes curved just enough to give him a roguishly handsome look.
“Let’s go.”
For once, Jing Yiheng didn’t turn them down. He readily agreed.
Mo Ke hurried to pick up his master’s coat from the side and followed them out.
*
Half an hour later.
Jing Yiheng and the others arrived outside the Little Tavern.
“Yiheng, the Nameless Tavern is no ordinary place. You can find any limited-edition drink you can think of here. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have spent years trying to get you to come experience it for yourself.”
That was right: Ming Wanci had “pitched” the Little Tavern to his friend dozens of times.
Jing Yiheng had never shown much interest, so Wanci hadn’t expected him to do him such a huge favor tonight.
It wasn’t easy! Who knew what had suddenly made the man decide he wanted a drink?
“The Nameless Tavern? I’m not so sure about that.”
Jing Yiheng’s gaze settled on the tavern’s wooden door, his dark eyes deep and unreadable.
The carvings on it were rather interesting.
“Either way, you can trust my recommendations.”
Ming Wanci didn’t pay much attention to Jing Yiheng’s comment about the place being nameless. He knew his way around and ushered everyone inside.
Jing Yiheng rarely went to bars or places like them, but this tavern was unexpectedly pleasant.
Ming Wanci and Yun Zhiyin were regulars. They’d booked ahead, and the staff soon led them to private room A on the second floor.
“Why don’t I see Xiaoxue?”
Yun Zhiyin had nearly stretched his neck into a giraffe’s trying to spot the person he wanted to see, and now he seemed rather distracted.
“That brat. In all her life, the only thing she’s ever taken seriously is probably standing around in this tavern! I’d sooner believe there wasn’t a single tree in the forest than believe she isn’t somewhere in here!”
Ming Wanci snorted.
He had a younger sister named Ming Xiaoxue, who’d been the sort of troublemaker who’d climb onto the roof if you didn’t keep her in line. Then one day, out of nowhere, she stopped causing trouble, got a job at a tavern, and threw herself into it.
The Ming family let her do as she pleased.
After all, compared with the havoc their young lady could wreak, having a tavern to keep her occupied felt like a blessing.
Ming Wanci had come along to keep an eye on her, but once he did, he fell in love with the tavern’s drinks.
“She’s your own sister. Why are you being so mean? I think Xiaoxue knows her own mind and lives honestly.”
Yun Zhiyin spoke up for her.
Jing Yiheng raised an eyebrow and went to sit by himself in a corner.
This was the tavern’s super-VIP private room. One wall was a one-way glass window, and from where Jing Yiheng sat, he could see the entire first floor.
Meanwhile, Feng Mingran had also learned the general state of affairs in Kyoto from Xue Ren, Xingchen, and Zilan.
“Look into the Feng family case from fifteen years ago.”
“Yes, Boss!”
“Also find out who’s been maintaining and repairing Yunlu Manor all these years,” Feng Mingran added.
“Boss, that’s no secret. Jing Yiheng has always had people maintain and repair Yunlu Manor regularly. The Jing family is the foremost of the Five Great Kyoto Families. What happened to the Feng family is baffling, but the Jing family isn’t afraid of it.”
Xue Ren replied.
“Jing Yiheng seems to be hoping to ‘draw out the fish.’ It’s quite possible he’s been secretly investigating the Feng family case all these years, too.”
Xingchen shared his own speculation.
“Jing Yiheng is young, yet he’s already the head of the Jing family. He’s unfathomable, keeps women at a distance, and seems to have almost no weaknesses. He’s suddenly gotten involved in the Feng family’s affairs, and we don’t know why. Boss, you must be very careful around him.”
Zilan thought that was the most important thing.
“Jing Yiheng…”
Feng Mingran rolled the name around in her mouth, lost in thought.
“You’re all dismissed.”
“Yes, Boss!”
“There’s a private room upstairs set aside especially for you, Boss…”
“No need. I’ll sit downstairs for a while.”
“Yes, Boss!”
…
Feng Mingran found a seat.
Xingchen soon brought his boss her second Mojithree of the night.
The glass stood still.
The drink inside had seven distinct colors, like a rainbow captured in a glass. Each layer was dazzling and mysterious in its own way.
Several colors formed the base at the bottom of the glass. A finger’s width of pale green sat at about one-third of the way up, followed by orange and yellow. The upper half of the drink was ice blue, and a thin layer of pale white crowned the top…
Anyone who knew Mojithree would understand: it held the winds that swept through the four seasons—the green of spring, the orange of summer, the yellow of autumn, and the white of winter, all in a single glass.
And that icy blue was the deep, mysterious wind of the sea.
…
“Hey, Wanci, you’re a genius! Look, isn’t that Xiaoxue?”
Yun Zhiyin’s eyes suddenly lit up. At last, he’d spotted that graceful figure beside the bar.
It took Xiaoxue’s brother to know her!
The sky could fall, but there was no way she’d leave the Little Tavern behind!
“Hmph. I knew it…”
Ming Wanci lifted his eyes and glanced over casually.
In an instant, his eyes shone even brighter than Yun Zhiyin’s.
“That brat Xiaoxue! How dare she keep this from her own brother!”
A cocktail so intoxicating in color alone suddenly caught Ming Wanci’s eye!
“Yiheng, you really were right to come! Better late than never—we’ve got to try that cocktail tonight!”
Ming Wanci turned excitedly toward Jing Yiheng.
Then he looked—and froze.
Jing Yiheng was also staring fixedly at a spot on the first floor.
Ming Wanci took a closer look. Jing Yiheng was looking in the same direction he was.
“Haha! Yiheng, I knew I understood you! Look at you—you can’t take your eyes off it! I’ll get that drink for you right away!”
“Shut up. You’re noisy.”
Jing Yiheng had indeed been drawn to what he saw.
But not by the mysterious cocktail.
By the woman holding the glass.
She was hidden in the shadows, her features almost impossible to make out. Yet, for no reason he could explain, she felt familiar to him.
He wanted another look, to make sure. But the woman seemed to know exactly how to conceal herself. Even sitting anywhere on the first floor, she could use the tavern’s shifting lights to create a little pocket of privacy around herself.
Could she… be her?