Pei Ye unfastened his sword, laid it across his knees, and sat on the steps for a while. The woods were sparse and silent, without a sound.
He lowered his head and opened the case file in his hands. Faded ink, its strokes somewhat joined, appeared before his eyes-the only account of this case.
At the head of the file:
"File on the assassination attempt against the Empress at Bright Moon Palace
[Time]: Spring, fourth year of Scale-Locking, night of the ninth day of the third month, a quarter past midnight.
[Scene]: Bedchamber of Bright Moon Palace, imperial inner palace.
[Persons involved]: Yue Muzhou, Wei Qingju, Ying Suyu, the assassin.
[Inspector in charge]: 'Crane Class A, Number One,' Yue Muzhou."
Main text:
"A little rain began falling just after the night clepsydra marked midnight. Fine as filiform needles. After roughly three quarters of an hour, it would wet the ground enough for horses to leave tracks; after roughly five quarters, the earth would soften enough for people to leave fairly complete shoeprints.
Ying Suyu sat a little over a foot to my left and said, 'Since coming here, I've hardly seen it rain.'
I answered, 'You just had to come in winter. Who was going to give you rain in that season?'
Ying Suyu answered, 'Because I wanted to see snow.'
No voices. Silence lasted twelve breaths. The rain grew slightly heavier, audible against the tiles. Outside the hall, a nightingale called three times, neither taking flight nor showing alarm. The smell of rain gradually reached my nose.
Ying Suyu said, 'And that season didn't have those "northern bugs" of yours.'
I did not answer.
Ying Suyu said, 'I heard at court today that the situation in the north has been tending toward stability. How wonderful. After so many years