After a beat precisely long enough for Lan Wangji to realize that Claudius is going to say nothing, he answers, "At first, I sought an exit." They step outside. It is late enough in the spring now that the night is no longer cold at first blush. "Now I look for any abnormalities. Some are expected. The mansion grounds shift. Others are not. Anything malevolent: resentful energy, killing intent, stagnation of qi."