"He shows no sign of resentment at all." Hu Huai'an came in and took another careful look.
It was a small room, furnished simply but elegantly. Expensive mulberry-bark paper covered the walls. A couch stood against one wall, and a bookshelf holding over a hundred volumes stood against another.
Eunuch Zhao showed none of his earlier dishevelment. There were still some injuries on his head, but his spirits were good. An inkstone, paper, brushes, ink, and several scrolls lay on the wooden table, while steam still rose from the teacup beside them. He waved a hand and said mildly, "Why have you suddenly come here? Aren't you supposed to be on duty?"
Hu Huai'an wore an ingratiating smile, seemingly no different from before. "Grandpa Zhao, I came to tell you something. This is what happened..."
He quietly recounted what had just occurred.
Eunuch Zhao's brows knitted as he listened. After hearing him out, he thought briefly and said, "I remember now. This concerns Chai Kejing, the prefect of Yulin Prefecture, doesn't it? What an unlucky fellow. He had only just taken office when fifty thousand shi of grain in the granary went moldy all at once. He was reprimanded over it."
All this had happened a month ago. Even Hu Huai'an, who was considerably younger than Eunuch Zhao and thought he had a good memory, would not have remembered such seemingly insignificant matters so clearly. He generally remembered more important things.
Before today, who could have imagined that this matter would be brought up again?
His visit here was unplanned, and the incident had only just occurred. No one could have tipped Eunuch Zhao off beforehand. The fact that Eunuch Zhao had recalled it after only a moment's thought could only mean that he had truly devoted himself to his