"Who's there?"
In the night, at a side gate of Prince Qi's Residence, the faint sound of a door opening woke the gatekeeper. No one answered, and when he listened closely, there was no further movement, only the patter of drizzle. Assuming he had misheard, he lay down and went back to sleep.
Wen Xunpeng slipped outside. A gust swept in, making him shiver. He felt for the slip of paper, let out a soft breath, and looked up at the sky. This corner was secluded, with only the occasional passerby, utterly unlike the bustle at the main entrance.
Guards were stationed not far away, yet, whether by coincidence or not, he had emerged precisely during the gap between shifts.
He carried no umbrella. Fine strands of rain drifted down, but the weather had long since ceased to be cold. Wen Xunpeng paid them no mind and let them fall on him. Reaching the street, he spotted a cart driver looking for fares and walked over.
"To the Duke of Dai's Residence."
"Please make yourself comfortable, sir!" The driver hurriedly ushered him aboard.
Once Wen Xunpeng was seated, the driver flicked his whip, and the old ox began pulling the cart slowly along.
The ox cart was rather crude, but Wen Xunpeng did not mind. After a long, swaying ride, he heard the driver call, "We're here," and only then stretched a little and climbed down.
He tossed the driver a handful of copper coins and looked up. Though it was night and drizzling, the residence before him was bustling.
More than twenty ox carts stood on the open ground. The vermilion main gates, studded with bronze, stood open, and four household guards flanked the two great stone lions. The steward was receiving guests and speaking with several men.
*Those