Date: Unspecified
Time: Unspecified
Location: Zhongguo (China), Liaodong Province, Shuntian Prefecture, Shenyang City
"So why are we staying at an inn if we are supposedly imperial guests? Shouldn't we be received at the imperial palace? Or is the custom here different from ours?" the princesses asked as they surveyed the room Martha had secured for them.
The inn was narrow and dim, its wooden beams stained by age and smoke. The bedding looked clean at first glance, but carried the faint scent of old incense layered over something less pleasant. The window shutters stuck halfway when pushed. Even the table bore knife marks from years of use.
Over the past four weeks, they had passed through roadside taverns, merchant hostels, and border lodgings of questionable quality. Yet this place, despite standing within sight of the imperial district, seemed the most neglected of them all.
