The towering grandeur of the Education Ward made the county office gate directly north of it look rather low. The entrance to the Azure Cloud County Yamen spanned three bays, with a passage through the middle and the customary splayed walls on either side. This was where the old saying came from: "The office gates stand open wide, but without money, don't step inside—even with justice on your side." A pair of imposing stone lions flanked the gate, and a large drum stood to the east for plaintiffs to beat when seeking redress.
Two bailiffs guarded the entrance. They wore blue cloth robes with crossed collars, narrow sleeves, and densely pleated lower skirts, with red woven cloth sashes around their waists. Their clothes were neither new nor particularly old. Under the blazing sun of an early-summer afternoon, both men had flushed faces and sweat streaming down their backs. Each leaned on a Water-and-Fire Staff. As the public face of the county office, they had to maintain appearances. However deserted the entrance might be, they were obliged to stand there properly. It was an undeniably miserable assignment. Men in this role were generally called gatekeepers and occupied the lowest rung among the three divisions of bailiffs.
The two bailiffs initially assumed Hu Xiaotian and his companions had come to beat the drum and lodge a complaint, and immediately perked up a little. After all, not a single person had come of their own accord since morning. But they soon noticed something amiss. The three newcomers did not beat the drum; instead, they headed straight for the entrance.
Li Er, who stood on the right, called out, "Hey, hey! I'm talking to you! What do you think you're doing? If you want to lodge a complaint, you have to beat the drum