After spending several hours at the Gong Residence, Zeng Mu left at first light, before the servants woke, and headed alone to Felman's home.
It was only six o'clock, and the roosters' crowing had barely faded. Disturbing her at this hour clearly would not be appropriate.
Zeng Mu could only wait outside the courtyard gate. He sat on a two-meter-long block of bluestone, but within ten minutes, a chill crept from his backside up his spine to the back of his head. Unable to bear the biting cold, he moved beneath a tree and leaned against it for an hour.
During that hour, Zeng Mu saw many armored guards on the distant street, including armed soldiers. The emblems on their breastplates were neither white nor silver, but gold, marking them unmistakably as Imperial Guards. They marched in groups of four or six, though squads of eight or ten were more common, clearly patrolling on alert.
It looks like Feng Yue's death really has put the whole Royal City on edge, he thought. But who did it? That fellow stole my job. I don't know whether to thank him or blame him.
A little after seven, daylight had arrived, and pedestrians began appearing on the distant street. Only then did Zeng Mu approach the courtyard gate and knock.
Less than half a minute later, footsteps sounded inside. Felman opened the gate. She had just finished washing, her hair still half wet, with droplets lingering on her delicate face, clear and gleaming as pearls and gems.
"Oh, you're certainly early. Have you had breakfast?"
He shook his head to indicate that he had not, and that it did not matter. "Let's go inside first."
They entered the main hall, but Felman was in no hurry. She left him there alone and went