Zhang Xing and Bai Yousi did not want to disturb anyone. They simply took the gatehouse stairs up to the roof. The only person they disturbed along the way was, unexpectedly, Zhou Xingfan, who was just about to head downstairs and leave. Yet at the sight of them, he looked even more like a guilty thief and nearly fell down the stairs.
When they reached the gatehouse roof, the snow outside was not actually heavy, merely falling a little thickly. Looking out from above, they saw no grand vista of white stretching in every direction. Even when Young Master Zhou emerged through the side gate and rode away, his horse left black hoofprints-the main road outside the Temporary Palace had seen too much traffic that afternoon. Not only had the snow failed to settle, but the road had become excessively muddy and slippery. The flurries throughout the evening had merely covered its surface; as soon as people or horses passed, the dark sludge beneath was easily exposed.
One could imagine how much harder the road would be to travel once it froze the next morning.
"Is he going back to report?" Bai Yousi watched Young Master Zhou struggle somewhat along the road, her tone faintly teasing. "Was he the reason you didn't say anything earlier?"
Zhang Xing nodded, then shook his head. "I know what you want to ask, Inspector, but we can't say there was anything wrong with the explanation everyone arrived at tonight..."
"I know." Bai Yousi gazed at the snowflakes dancing across the sky. "But you promised to let me understand the root of this matter and make my own decision."
"Of course. That's what I came to discuss tonight." Zhang Xing answered earnestly. "It's just that the root of this matter... it might take only two