After the autumn imperial examinations concluded, rain fell in the capital for several consecutive days. However, the Shuntian Prefecture book market hadn’t quieted down with the end of examinations. As the weather cleared, candidates awaiting their results wandered the book market in small groups.
The East Street was bustling with carriages and horses, creating a lively atmosphere.
Yet the Qingbo House remained tightly sealed, its doors marked with official seals that drew crowds of onlookers and sparked discussions.
“Why was only Qingbo House sealed?” one candidate asked in surprise, staring at the seals on the door.
His companion replied, “I heard the Imperial Guards came to seal it themselves. They didn’t just close the shop—they took everyone inside away too.”
“Could this be another literary inquisition brewing?”
As they spoke, they walked together to a noodle stall at the entrance of East Public Street. Setting down their bundles, they poured two cups of tea. The warm steam moistened their noses as they held their cups and gazed at the frost on the ground. One suddenly asked, “There are still several days before the results are posted—did you bring enough cotton clothes?”
“I’m worried it won’t be enough. Even with sunlight, it’s cold.”
“Yes, and it’s dry. Who knows what this winter will bring?”
“Ah…” they sighed together.
One put down his teacup and said, “Even the annual allowance isn’t good anymore. All the academies in our region are struggling to stay open. Now even the capital’s bookhouses are being sealed without warning. Who knows where the money allocated for local education officials has gone—straight into some dogs’ mouths…”
“Shh!” his companion quickly cut him off. “Enough! Getting an official degree isn’t easy—watch out for loose talk that could bring trouble.”
They fell silent and each ordered a bowl of clear noodle soup from the vendor.
Qin Wende sat in the spot closest to the stove, finishing his noodles like a whirlwind. He turned to the vendor and said, “Another bowl, no toppings.”
The fresh noodles had just been dropped into the pot as other customers watched the vendor ladling out toppings.
The vendor glanced at Qin Wende while preparing to pick up noodles, “Captain Qin, this is your fourth bowl today.”
At this title, the two men who had been talking earlier grabbed their bundles and fled.
“Hey hey hey! What about your noodles?”
The vendor chased after them unsuccessfully and returned wiping his hands on his apron, “Just my luck.”
Qin Wende slapped some money on the table and said readily, “Give their two bowls to me.”
The vendor smiled helplessly, “I’m happy for your business, but don’t just sit here eating. Go patrol up ahead—at least look like you’re on duty.”
Qin Wende replied, “Come on, with my current position, I don’t need to patrol myself anymore.”
The vendor nodded with a smile and served two bowls of clear noodles without toppings, “Here you go, eat up.”
Just as Qin Wende was about to use his chopsticks, a shadow fell across his bowl. He looked up and scrambled to his feet, his chopsticks clattering to the ground.
“Oh my, Director!”
Deng Ying bent down to pick up the fallen chopsticks and placed them beside him: “Sit down.”
Seeing Deng Ying carrying a stack of books, Qin Wende wiped the oil from the table with his hand, “Director, you can put them here.”
“Alright.”
Deng Ying set down the books and rolled up his sleeves to pour a cup of tea.
Qin Wende asked, “Director, you bought quite a few books?”
“Mm, just picked them up along the way.”
As he spoke, he took a sip of tea. Qin Wende looked at the two bowls of noodles in front of him and quickly pushed one toward Deng Ying, “Please have a bowl.”
Deng Ying smiled, “Since it’s already served, you eat it.”
Qin Wende said, “Your subordinate has been keeping watch here and already ate four bowls.”
He punctuated this with a burp.
Deng Ying shook his head with a laugh and pulled the bowl toward himself, getting up to fetch chopsticks from another table.
The vendor came over with a large ladle of toppings, “Director, please eat—if it’s not enough, I’ll make more for you.”
Qin Wende suppressed a laugh as he slurped his noodles, lowering his voice to say, “Director, you’re so kind that even these people aren’t afraid of you.”
Deng Ying mixed the toppings into his noodles, “How’s the surveillance going?”
“Oh.” Qin Wende quickly put down his chopsticks and replied seriously, “That Pang Ling—yesterday he only left the palace once, didn’t go anywhere else, just came to Qingbo House. Watching the Northern Guard arrest people and seal the shop, he was scared witless, and nearly fell off his horse. Today at chen hour he came to look again, hiding in the crowd, not daring to approach the front. Director, the Northern Guard has Qingbo House sealed up tight as a drum—what’s in there?”
Deng Ying said softly, “Just keep watching Pang Ling, don’t interact with the Northern Guard about the Qingbo House matter.”
Qin Wende said, “By rights, our Eastern Depot should be monitoring them. This time with sealing Qingbo House, you told us to avoid them, and those Guard fellows are taking it as us being afraid of them—acting all proud about it.”
Deng Ying smiled, “Finish your noodles and head back to the depot.”
Qin Wende stirred his noodles and said, “You’re in such a hurry to get back? We’ve moved the furniture into your residence—won’t you go take a look while it’s still early?”
Deng Ying glanced at the sky.
“It’s getting late today.”
Qin Wende couldn’t have guessed that Deng Ying was rushing back to the palace to fix Yang Wan’s roof.
At Chengqian Palace, just past noon, though cold, the sun was bright.
He Yu stood under the tree canopy, shading her eyes to look up at the rigid roof ridge.
Deng Ying wore a gray short coat with tied sleeves and was speaking with the tile workers.