Under the night sky, only scattered lights were visible in the border town. A few people of the martial world still traveled the streets, but the escort agency had already fallen silent.
A candle burned in the East Wing Room where Ye Jingtang had lived as a child. Several weapons leaned against the wall, while the luggage sat atop the wardrobe.
Dongfang Liren sat at the small writing desk, taking small bites from a bowl of mutton soup. Though she was not delicate by nature, she had grown up a daughter of royalty and had scarcely even dressed herself. Staying in this little borderland escort agency, which had nothing at all, she really did not know what to do.
Niao Niao crouched on the table, a little plate of freshly sliced mutton before him. His large eyes narrowed into slits, he looked thoroughly content, occasionally bobbing his head, clearly recalling the happy New Year celebrations of days past.
Behind the main room beside the East Wing was the kitchen, though it had rarely been used before. The escort agency hired a cook, and everyone ate communal meals outside with the escorts. The little kitchen had mostly been used to boil water.
Now, white steam billowed from the little kitchen behind the main room, accompanied by the bubbling of boiling water.
Dongfang Liren hesitated, then rose to take a look. But she had barely stepped outside when she saw Ye Jingtang leap down from the courtyard wall, holding a large wooden tub aloft as though carrying a great bronze cauldron.
Dongfang Liren stopped, puzzled.
"Where did you get that?"
"This was the tub I used for medicinal baths. When I sold the agency last year, nobody wanted it, so I left it at Old Yang's place. I just pried his door