Cui Fu listened, still puzzled.
He was about to ask when the subject changed.
"Cui Fu, you did well this time."
"You're too kind, young master. I was only doing my duty, hehe."
"This time was different." Wei Nisheng looked at him.
"The idlers of Suzhou and those of the capital cannot be spoken of in the same breath.
They have their methods for fishing out information, their rules for moving about, with coded phrases and secret jargon in every little exchange.
No outsider can probe their ways; even old acquaintances have no means of knowing.
Haha, the depths of these streets and temple gates are no less profound than the heights of the imperial Court!"
Hearing his young master praise him for the very thing he did best,
Cui Fu suddenly felt uncomfortable all over.
"Please don't praise me like that, young master. I can't take praise."
"You'll have to take it anyway." Wei Nisheng rose and walked over to him.
"You've covered plenty of ground these past few days. Thank you for your efforts.
There's no need to investigate further. Ask Qu Niang for some money and go enjoy an opera in Suzhou Prefecture."
"An opera?"
"Haha, I'm no longer visiting temples, so naturally you have no reason to keep seeking temples and asking after the Buddha."
"That's true! That's true!"
Cui Fu nodded and turned to open the door and leave.
When the door opened, unexpectedly, Zhang Zai stood before him.
Their eyes abruptly met.
Cui Fu froze, then immediately stepped aside to make way, nodded, and left.
Once Cui Fu had gone, Zhangzi pushed the door open and entered.
"Zi'an, I heard you just now, out in the corridor."
Zhang Zai walked straight into the room and sat beside Wei Nisheng.
"Was that why