The Purple Clay Teapot Comes to Light, Qin Geng Claims First Credit

The fifth day of the fourth month.

The sky was overcast, the clouds hanging low like old cotton wadding soaked with water, pressing against everyone's chest until they could hardly breathe.

In Tianjin, the sea wind drove a damp, salty reek right into the marrow.

Inside the main hall of the Wave-Quelling Bureau's headquarters, the mood was gloomier still.

Smack!

Remember the original publication site: ??????????.??????

A document stamped with a vermilion seal slammed onto the rosewood desk, setting the brush rack at its corner rattling.

Thousand-Household Commander Jiang Youzhi had just returned from the Dragon-Guard Office's headquarters in the inner city.

The genial smile he usually wore was nowhere to be found today.

His fair face had turned ashen, and his eyes were dark enough to devour someone.

Two other thousand-household commanders, several company commanders, and ten banner commanders, Zhou Dawei among them, stood below him holding their breath. None dared make a sound.

Everyone could see that the smiling tiger had truly lost his temper today.

"Have you all gone mute?"

Jiang Youzhi spoke quietly, but his voice carried a bone-chilling edge. "Nineteen days. Nineteen whole days!"

"Over a thousand of us in the Wave-Quelling Bureau eat the emperor's grain and draw military pay. We've sealed Tianjin's waterways tight as an iron barrel. And what have we got to show for it?"

He tapped a finger on the desk. Thud, thud, thud. Each knock seemed to land on their skulls.

"Just now, Lord Shen upstairs smashed his teacup at my feet."

Jiang Youzhi drew a deep breath and tugged at his tight collar. His gaze swept the room like a blade. "The higher-ups have issued an ultimatum."

"Three days."

"If we don't find the rat hole the Foreigners use to move their cargo, the Wave-Quelling Bureau might as