36

As they went inside the manor, Yan Sha could see it was much bigger on the inside than it seemed from the outside, a trick of the proportion and a steller architect who had spent time studying older designs.  Such a trick was not something that was known to the architects of Wei, but in Caiwong and Jungpi, such a thing was commonplace.  In her old life, when she had still been Bingquing, her father house was known to have many hidden places where she had liked to check out.  In this manor too there were in fact wings and many rooms.  This was a strange thing as it contradicted what the Master had said before.  Did the fortunes of the Guo family really go through such an upturn if such a large space could be well swept and well lit? 

Yan Sha wonder what other tricks were hidden in the strange curves of the winding stone walls.  Her thick outer cape felt too heavy now the heat from the indoors was starting to reach her.  She loosened the