The duty room of the Censorate's Left Vice Censor-in-Chief.
The Duty Room was small and simply furnished.
On the desk stood a Duan inkstone, two Huzhou brushes, and a bronze lamp.
A painting titled Three Friends of Winter, bearing Kou Zhun's signature, hung on the wall.
Song Jing was still somewhat dazed.
At the hour of the Hare that morning, he had still been on duty at the Directorate of Transmission.
By the hour of the Dragon, an imperial decree had promoted him to Left Vice Censor-in-Chief in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
He had not even been given time to return to the Directorate of Transmission and gather his belongings.
An administrative officer from the Censorate had led him straight into this duty room.
"Strange. How strange."
Looking at the painting, Song Jing could not help smiling bitterly.
This Duty Room had probably been chosen deliberately.
A surviving work by Kou Laigong hanging here said everything.
The man occupying this position ought to possess Lord Kou's integrity and backbone.
But he, Song Jing, was no Kou Zhun.
Kou Zhun had dared point at Emperor Taizong's nose in the Golden Hall and call him a benighted ruler.
Song Jing had spent eight years at the Directorate of Transmission.
His greatest ability had been no more than forwarding the memorials that should go up and holding back those that should not.
Now he had been placed in this position to preside over a major Grain Reserves fraud case.
If he handled it well, he would become a leader of the upright officials.
If he handled it badly, he would be ground to dust, bones and all.
Song Jing let out a long sigh and murmured to himself,
"Though the precious blade is sharp, it is no easy thing to wield."