Mo Xuemin received the letter from the fifth princess at night. She slipped out the back door and boarded an inconspicuous carriage by the road. The horses pulled her down several turns until she arrived at a store filled with exquisite jewelry. The cases inside the newest and best hairpins, bracelets, bangles, and earrings.
Even though it was late at night, there were still a few madams and young ladies in the shop.
A nanny in her late forties waited at the entrance. She looked at Mo Xuemin loftily and gestured for her to follow. She led her down a narrow alleyway and up a small, unlit flight of stairs. Mo Xuemin followed her up into the dark.
When she reached the top of the stairs and went around the turn, she was blinded by the sudden light.
