Two more people emerged behind the ghost-masked man. Unlike him, they wore pitch-black mantles with high collars that hid half their faces.
Their exposed eyes looked distinctly grim. Hearing the ghost-masked man's words, the one on the left said, "Gou Chen, don't forget why we came. This is not the time to provoke that man!"
"I don't need you to remind me, Zhi Fu." Gou Chen, the ghost-masked man, gave a cold laugh. "I know perfectly well why we're here. But tell me, if you encountered matters and people from your past, could you still keep up this strictly-business act?"
Before Zhi Fu could reply, the man on the right scoffed.
Zhi Fu frowned. "What's that supposed to mean, Teng She?"
"Don't misunderstand me," Teng She said. "I just find it amusing. For both you and Gou Chen, those so-called matters from the past have long since passed into history. They're stale sesame seeds and rotten millet, yet you keep digging them up to mutter over. It's tiresome."
At that, the other two went still, anger radiating from them.
But Teng She continued, "Don't get upset. We came to Chang'an on our lord's orders to investigate the situation and learn the Human Emperor's nature and resolve. If he proves useful, we can work with him. If not, we'll have work to do. There's no room for you two to stand here mourning old times."
"Hmph!" Gou Chen snorted. "You're a junior. It's not your place to tell us how to conduct ourselves."
Teng She smiled and said no more. His gaze swept over the pedestrians ahead, then settled on Chang'an's main gate. The soldiers there carried out their duties diligently, questioning people as they passed and scrutinizing the merchants coming and going.
Looking at that motley crowd, Teng She smiled.