"Documents, documents! Why the hell do I need documents just to haul a cartload of grain I grew myself?"
"Yelling at me is useless. If you've got the guts, go yell at the Town Administrative Office. Rules are rules."
Su Han stepped through the inn's front doors and saw two men arguing at the counter. One was a farmer in short work clothes, his face flushed red, one huge hand clenched into a fist and pressed against the counter. The other was a middle-aged man with a long, thin face, dressed in a half-new blue cloth robe and holding an account book, his expression neither warm nor cold.
When the farmer saw Su Han enter, he glanced at him and lowered his voice slightly, though he was still fuming. "Either way, I have to haul this grain over today. Those families behind the mountain have been without food for three days already!"
The blue-robed middle-aged man slapped the account book onto the counter. "If they're out of food, go to the Town Administrative Office. What's it got to do with me? I run an inn, not a granary."
Su Han sat down on a long bench nearby without interrupting. The waiter brought over a bowl of tea and set it before him, then said quietly, "Sir, please don't mind them. Innkeeper Chen and Brother Sun are used to arguing. A small fight every three days, a big one every five. Once they're done, it's nothing."
Su Han nodded and took a sip of tea. The argument continued for a while longer. In the end, Brother Sun failed to win the quarrel and stormed off, flinging his arm in frustration. As he left, he slammed the door so hard it banged loudly. Innkeeper Chen stood where he was and sighed, rubbing