Claudius nods, sifting through his own memories. “I am still confident my dream was sent by Luo Binghe — I had it some days before her arrival, and it was filled with details only Luo Binghe could supply. It was not unreasonable of thee to conclude he might meddle with another’s. Aornis must have realized that herself.” After a moment’s hesitation, he says, “I considered conferring with Shen Yuan, and asking for his insight, when I still thought Aornis a jurisfiction agent. But he was so unable to understand what it was like to be a victim of Luo Binghe, rather than his best-beloved object .. when I questioned him, he told me Luo Binghe had no interest in making trouble for anyone. What happened with me, he insisted, was but one time, the subject a horse beaten well beyond death. He had no natural sympathy in him -- not for me -- and he had shown that. So I kept silent. I did not wish to share my other fears with him, and risk a fresh dismissal."