Yan Shouyun certainly had no fondness for the prison at the Heaven-Bearing Prefectural Office. Now that he was out, he wished he could grow two more legs and run away even faster.
Of course, he still had to take his belongings with him when he left. Although his wooden chest was broken, some things remained, such as his magic artifacts and the Four Treasures of the Study. They had been packed into a cloth sack, which Yan Shouyun took along.
Once he had left the prison courtyard and reached the street, Yan Shouyun glanced back toward the Heaven-Bearing Prefecture Prison, unable to help thinking about that old constable.
That chief constable was surprisingly kind.
Yan Shouyun hefted the silver in his hand and looked around. Lanterns and festive decorations already adorned the streets, every passerby wore a cheerful expression, and all the shops had put up Spring Festival couplets and blessing characters.
"Ah, it's New Year's Eve already!"
Yan Shouyun sighed. His couplet-selling business had been utterly dismal during the eleventh lunar month. If only he had been doing it a couple of days ago. Now, though, that opportunity was gone.
Toward evening, Yan Shouyun met with another rejection at an inn.
"Sir, we really don't have any rooms left!"
Yan Shouyun said helplessly,
"Innkeeper, any room will do. I don't mind squeezing in with someone else. Or the woodshed-the woodshed would be fine. I have no objection to making do there for a night!"
The innkeeper hastily waved his hands.
"Oh dear, you may have no objection, but I can't allow it! The authorities have issued these rules time and again lately. Besides, you don't even have a travel pass. We don't want any unexpected trouble cropping up. You'd better try somewhere else!"
Yan Shouyun frowned, but in the