Qianhe Town.
Dawn was breaking, and the morning mist still shrouded the riverside town when a burst of urgent hoofbeats suddenly shattered its tranquility.
A lone rider came from the north, following the broad, straight official road to the town entrance before stopping in front of a tea stall.
Tea stalls beside official roads and marketplaces usually served breakfast as well. Early risers were already seated inside, eating freshly steamed buns with bowls of piping-hot savory tofu pudding.
At the sight of the fine horse halted before the stall, they all cast surprised looks its way.
Wang Chen leaped down from the saddle, tied the reins to a nearby hitching post, and said to the tea stall owner, "Shopkeeper, bring me a basket of buns and two bowls of tofu pudding. Make the tofu pudding savory. Also, feed my horse a bundle of fodder and some water—remember to add extra soybean meal and eggs."
The tea stall owner greeted him with a smile. "Certainly. Please have a seat. The buns and tofu pudding will be right out."
Having spent years doing small business with travelers from north and south, he had seen all manner of people and long ago developed eyes sharp enough to see through most of them at a glance.
Though Wang Chen was dressed plainly, this fine horse was certainly not something an ordinary person could own.
Moreover, the horse had clearly traveled a long way. It was panting heavily and drenched in sweat, yet it had not lost its spirited bearing!
The tea stall owner did not dare slight him in the least. He called over his wife to attend specifically to the horse while he personally brought Wang Chen a basket of buns and tofu pudding.
Wang Chen picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a bun,