Three days later.
In Judgment Hall, the hall where the Chief Inspector worked.
When Yi Yang arrived, Lu Quanan was already seated behind his desk.
He held an opened letter in his hand. The ink on the paper carried the rich fragrance of pine-soot ink, and judging by its texture, the paper was the silk stationery unique to Qing Province.
"You're here." Lu Quanan lifted his eyelids, set the letter on the desk, and said, "Sit."
Yi Yang sat in a chair below him and glanced at the letter.
He did not deliberately use his divine sense to read its contents, but Lu Quanan made no attempt to conceal them either.
"I summoned you here because there's something I need to inform you of."
"There's been a new development at court."
Lu Quanan came straight to the point, speaking at an unhurried pace.
"The bigwigs intend to establish a new government office in Qing Province, called the Trade and Commerce Office. It will be responsible for promoting and overseeing trade with the Southern Border Witch Kingdom."
Yi Yang rested his fingers on the armrest and tapped it once, neither hard nor softly, as a thought crossed his mind:
Here it comes.
He had been turning Lin He's words over in his head ever since their meal at Crane Tower three days ago. The three major strongholds in the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains, border trade between the two nations, the struggle between the court and Qing Province.
At the time, he had merely felt that the matter might concern him, but it should still have been a long way off. The first stroke of the character had not even been written yet.
He had not expected the news to land on his head after just three days.
"Half a month ago,