Second Quarter of Shen Hour.
Wei Nisheng finished work and left the Ministry of Personnel.
Cui Fu had already driven the chestnut horse to the mouth of the lane and was waiting there. Seeing him emerge, he broke into a grin.
"Young master, back to the manor?"
"Mm."
Wei Nisheng climbed into the carriage, and the curtain fell.
Hooves clattered as they drove off down the long street...
But they had not gone far when Wei Nisheng lifted the curtain. "Cui Fu, why have we been taking this route home lately?"
"Huh?" Cui Fu looked back and gave a dry chuckle.
"Oh! I figured the road through West City was less crowded today. Easier going."
"Less crowded?" Wei Nisheng said.
"West City is where the market is. This is its busiest hour..."
"Uh..."
"Cui Fu." Wei Nisheng lowered the curtain, his voice unhurried.
"You've been acting strange lately.
Whenever you sell something, you insist on selling it in West City. Whenever you pick me up from work, you insist on detouring through West City.
Then, once we're home, you find some excuse to go through West City again."
"Don't tell me you've adopted some old Chinese scholar tree in West City as your godmother?"
"Young master!" Cui Fu grew flustered.
"It's because the rice in West City is cheap!"
"Rice in West City is three copper coins cheaper than in the eastern part of town," Wei Nisheng said.
"So you buy rice every day? Since when did you, Cui Fu, learn to count every penny?"
"I've always..."
"Tell me the truth."
The carriage stopped.
Cui Fu reined in the horse, his back to the carriage curtain. After a long while, he finally stammered out:
"Young master... if I tell you, don't laugh at me."
"Go on."
"I... I've fallen for