Early winter had arrived, and yellow and green mingled in the little courtyard of Chunfeng Residence.
On the courtyard's stone table, plates held sunflower seeds, peanuts, red dates, sliced rice cakes, and other snacks.
The massive Coward King sat in a reclining chair, looking at Li Qingxian, who sat opposite him dressed in white.
Li Qingxian poured a cup of tea and pushed it over. "Lord Chief of the Guard, forgive me for not coming out to welcome you."
"Was it Master Zhou who rooted you to the spot?"
Li Qingxian said helplessly, "He's never liked elaborate formalities. When I offered to see him off, a single word from him left me frozen at the doorway for more than a dozen breaths."
"Master Zhou is a man who follows his heart, too. Still, his temper has mellowed considerably over the years. Back on the Great River, what spirit and vigor he had! Those of us of the younger generation looked up to him."
"I've never heard the stories of Master Zhou defending the river. Tell me about them," Li Qingxian said.
The Coward King drank his tea as he recounted stories from those years, casually bringing up the past exploits of the Grand General King, Li Gangfeng, Zhou Spring Breeze, Liu Feijiu, Zhao Yishan, and others.
After talking for nearly two hours, the Coward King asked, "How is your cooperation with the Ministry of Revenue going?"
"Very smoothly," Li Qingxian said.
"The Patrol Bureau has landed in quite a predicament because of you." The Coward King stared into Li Qingxian's eyes.
"I'm an outsider. It's not my place to point fingers at how the Patrol Bureau conducts its affairs," Li Qingxian said.
"I hear the Prince of Chu intends to lay this matter out clearly before the court."
"His chief