The cook left with the tray.
Xie Jingchen walked back, with Little Black following alongside.
Just as they reached the garden, Xingxing ran over, panting, "Brother-in-law, there you are. Madam wants you and the young lady to offer incense."
Xie Jingchen thought it was to offer incense at the ancestral hall.
But Xingxing led him into the courtyard where Mrs. Tang and Marquis Dongxiang lived, and with Su Jin, they went to the small side courtyard.
Inside, the offering table held fruits and pastries, but what was enshrined were two wordless tablets.
Xie Jingchen was puzzled.
Su Jin was equally confused.
"Why aren't they inscribed with names? Who are we worshipping?" Su Jin couldn't help but ask.
Xingxing, holding incense, turned back and said, "I don't know either. Madam said these two wordless tablets were specially ordered by the Marquis, because there's no room to carve so many names on such a small tablet, so they simply left them blank."
