It seems it is my turn now to offer apologies for being slow. The tea is now served at the Pin Hua Pao Chien, and since we all possess the ability to pop up at different places at the same time, I suppose it is still hot by the time you raise your cups. *grins* And thank you so much for the gift - how did you find out that I would readily crawl over hot coals for a jug of this special jiāng? I hope rumours of this quirk of mine haven't already spread throughout the district ... *bows*

I can see you have successfully bribed gifted Genji into creating you a stunningly beautiful masthead, Shuai Tiao, and thank you so much, of course you are right about the priests. Awarded with the proper amount of bribes sacrifices they tend to develop an unerring eye for auspicious locations. *smiles sagely*

I'm still glued to the books Fei Xue has recommended (*bows deeply to the Lady Fei Xue*), and I agree that it would be best to 'head off blissfully into the unknown' (The 'unknown' as such must be a vast and wonderful space when taking into account that with all that is unknown to me we can fill countless libraries!) once all members of our little party are present.

I am sorry to disappoint you, Shuai Tiao, but I won't be summoning any djinni (at least I hope so); but I do tend to go into mystic trances and, even worse, at the most inconvenient moments too. *sighs* I am not much of a fighter, but being around trained swordsmen *bows to Genji and Shuai Tiao* I am sure you won't have to rely on me to save the day; instead I am able (and willing) to stitch you up if need arises.