The next day, just as dawn broke, crystal-clear dew dripped from the corner of the half-open window. A cool breeze slipped into the room and woke Chen Qi.
He could not remember how long it had been since he had slept so comfortably.
The moment he opened his eyes, he felt refreshed and full of energy. The exhaustion from days of travel had vanished completely.
"Knock, knock, knock..."
A knock sounded at the door. Chen Qi called for them to come in, and Wei Xing pushed the door open and entered.
"Someone from the External Affairs Office came by just now. They said the Lord of Longwind City agreed to our request and wants the two of us to meet him."
Wei Xing was staying next door to Chen Qi, so he had come over immediately after receiving the news.
"I thought they'd stall us for a couple of days. I didn't expect them to agree so quickly." Chen Qi quickly fetched some water and washed his face.
"Longwind City isn't one of those Old Era municipal departments drowning in bureaucracy, where even a simple matter gets dragged out for a week or half a month," Wei Xing complained.
"That's true." Chen Qi nodded in agreement and draped the towel he had used over a wooden rack.
"Let's go."
As they spoke, the two left their room and found Zhou Qing waiting outside the inn with several External Affairs Office staff members.
Wei Xing was the first to greet them. "Sorry for the wait, everyone."
Zhou Qing glanced over Chen Qi and shook his head, indicating that it was no problem. "You two probably haven't had breakfast yet. How about eating at the cafeteria before heading to the Sacred Court?"
"This..." Wei Xing did not particularly care whether he was