"What?"
Fang Ke, clad in his imposing Prisoner Ox Embroidered Uniform, sprang to his feet and exclaimed, "You said our lord returned to town in mourning and went to a coffin shop? Are you sure you didn't mistake someone else for him?"
The Junior Banner Officer below glanced around and lowered his voice. "I might mistake anyone else, but never our own lord... I went with you to the Welcome Inn back then."
At that reminder, Fang Ke immediately recalled that the fellow had indeed accompanied him to the Welcome Inn and seen their lord without his mask.
He paced anxiously back and forth twice, his first thought being how this would affect the wider situation.
Such a lofty phrase as "the wider situation" seemed to have nothing whatsoever to do with the life or death of an old, nameless fisherman.
But Fang Ke was certain that even Lord Shen would consider the corresponding implications first upon learning of this...
That old man had been one of only two ropes holding a fierce tiger in check!
Thinking of Shen Fa, Fang Ke turned and called loudly, "Messenger!"
A sturdy Strongman with a narrow waist and broad back strode inside and cupped his hands. "At your command."
Fang Ke snatched a command token from his desk and tossed it down. "Go to the capital immediately and seek an audience with Commander Shen. Inform him that Lord Yang Erlang's adoptive father has passed away... Take two horses. Let the horses rest, but do not rest yourself. You must deliver this news to Lord Shen before noon tomorrow!"
"Yes, sir!"
The sturdy Strongman accepted the order, turned, and dashed out of the office.
Fang Ke paced twice more with his hands behind his back, then slapped the desk and shouted, **"Pass on my