Cao Gengxin arrived at a residence in a secluded, shabby alley of the capital. He took out a key and opened the courtyard gate. It was a small compound with two courtyards, the ground covered in dust and fallen leaves, and a stale, rotten smell rushing at his face. A house left unoccupied for too long aged all the faster.
This was still Cao Gengxin's first time stepping into the courtyard. On several previous occasions, he had passed its gate without entering, because someone had instructed the Supervisor Cao of the time in a Secret Letter: once someone succeeded to the position of Great Li National Teacher, he was to come here, open the courtyard, and convene a meeting. Yet the letter had not explained what was to be discussed or whom he was to summon. The other party had merely given Cao Gengxin a title that drew no court salary and was not recorded in the official register. There was even a small well in the courtyard. Cao Gengxin crouched by its mouth and peered inside for a while. It was pitch-black, with no sign of a corpse, nor did it look like an entrance to some Dragon Palace. Neither ominous nor lucky in wealth, and even less likely to bring a romantic encounter. Cao Gengxin tossed a stone inside. With a plunk, it struck water. Good—it could still be drawn from. After fetching water, Cao Gengxin went to the storage room for a broom and dustpan and began sweeping the courtyard. The main hall and the side rooms on both sides stood empty, utterly bare and poor. Nothing more than that.
After finishing up, Cao Gengxin sat by the well, removed the glossy purple little Wine Gourd from his waist, pulled out the stopper, and tipped back his