Xie Lin left the Prefectural Office and, instead of returning to his residence, headed straight for the south of the city.
The streets and lanes there were narrow, lined on both sides with tightly packed storefronts.
Teahouses and taverns, silk shops and cloth merchants, pawnshops and apothecaries.
Banners hung outside every business, and people streamed across every bridge.
The bustle of the market, the clamor of voices, and the creak of oars interwove-the everyday scene in Suzhou.
Deep in the lanes, the market noise faded.
Merchant residences stood in close rows, their high walls flanking the path. The farther he went, the quieter it grew.
Owner Shen owned several residences in Suzhou. This was one of them.
A single black-lacquered wooden gate stood at the entrance, small, plain, and utterly unremarkable.
Xie Lin stopped before it. Neither using the knocker nor calling for the gatekeeper, he curled his fingers and knocked on the door himself.
Three knocks.
Two short, one long.
Merchants were suspicious by nature. They kept numerous private residences, each with its own secret signal.
If a visitor failed to give that signal, the gatekeeper invariably replied, "The master is out."
No matter how distinguished a guest might be, he would not gain entry.
Soon after the knocking ceased, quick, light footsteps approached from within.
The door opened a crack, and a servant boy peered out.
Seeing Xie Lin, he hastily swung the door wide and stepped aside.
Xie Lin gave a slight nod, lifted his robe, and crossed the threshold.
The residence had two courtyards, elegantly arranged.
Several trees grew in the front courtyard, sunlight filtering through their leaves in faint, scattered patches.
Beneath them stood a stone table and stools. On the table sat a potted orchid, its leaves thick and lush, so green