Cut-sleeve is almost never a word used in kindness, but Claudius looks so thrilled, and the informal use of his courtesy name alone is enough of a charming novelty, that Lan Wangji does not tell him that. At least not today. "Mn," he agrees. He will think on possible texts for that; poetry, most likely. The thought of Crowley sitting through a discussion of the Shijing is enticingly entertaining.

Now, though, he does give Claudius a briskly sharp look of assessment. "You encountered Jiang Wanyin?"