That afternoon, near the Yanjing Twelve Offices.
The sky was overcast, and spring rain had begun falling again unnoticed, washing the streets in shades of blue-black.
Dressed in a guard's robes, Ye Jingtang stood outside the eaves along a small street, holding an oil-paper umbrella.
Beneath the eaves sat a gray-haired old woman on a little stool, a basket on her lap. She slowly braided decorative cords as they chatted:
"You're so young. Why aren't you out making your way in the world?"
"I used to escort caravans. Every day was wind and sun, never enough food or warm clothes, and a whole year's work barely left me any savings. Finding work in the city is much more comfortable..."
"That's true enough. How old are you this year? Have you got a wife?"
"Almost twenty. There's a girl I'm seeing, but we aren't married yet."
"Oh, you'd better hurry. When my old man was your age, our children were already running all over the place..."
"Heh..."
They had only chatted for a short while when a group emerged from the Twelve Offices outside the little street. Cao Aning led them in his official robes, with two junior attendants following behind.
Seeing this, Ye Jingtang took out five copper coins and accepted the finished Five-Colored Cord from the old vendor. He strolled to the street corner, cast a brief glance at Cao Aning, then walked over to a roadside notice board and studied its contents.
Though Cao Aning's martial skills could hardly be called exceptional, he was no ordinary man among common folk. Sensing someone watching him, he turned his head for a look. Upon discovering that Night Great Yama was actually waiting outside the yamen, he walked some distance without betraying anything before instructing his men:
"Oh, go back