Cui Jiuyang wore a wicked grin. "Look at that cook making noodles, the fat one with the big ears. One bite would drip with grease, two would burst with juice. Don't you want a taste?"
Master Tiger actually stared at the fat cook for quite a while, then suddenly seemed to come to his senses. He shoveled down another two mouthfuls of noodles and viciously bit into his chicken. "No! People can't taste as good as chicken!"
Cui Jiuyang merely grinned wickedly.
The two watched outside the County Yamen all day. Plenty of idlers lounged around the tea stall anyway, so the pair did not stand out.
Everything at the County Yamen appeared normal. Apart from the groups scattered through the streets hunting Cui Jiuyang all over town, everything went on as usual.
Clearly, Magistrate Chen still wanted to maintain an appearance of stability, to show that everything remained under control.
But... this pretense of normality naturally could not fool Master Tiger, who had served in the Public Security Squad and the Apprehension Squad for years.
That afternoon, Master Tiger pointed at a middle-aged man in civilian clothes leaving the County Yamen. "That's the Apprehension Squad's logistics officer, a lazy old hand. He's been in and out several times today. When he came back at noon, he was riding in a carriage belonging to a trading firm in town."
Master Tiger paused. "He must have been assigned some last-minute purchases. That means the Apprehension Squad is very likely preparing a major operation."
He added scornfully, "At a time like this, what else could it be? Escorting Chen Weimin and Old Daoist Sun to Jinan."
Cui Jiuyang raised his thumb. "As expected of the former captain. Nothing escapes your discerning eye."
Master Tiger waved a hand. "Stop making fun of me.