Clatter~
The iron cell door opened, and Shen Cang raised a hand in a courteous gesture.
"Please, Young Master Xie."
Xie Jinhuan straightened his robes a little and walked out of the cell, following Shen Cang to a duty room off the corridor. An oil lamp burned inside.
A middle-aged man in crimson official robes stood in the room with his hands behind his back. He was as pale and plump as ever, but had grown a beard, lending him a scholarly air despite his military background. His entire bearing was also quite different from before. Had they not lived together since Xie Jinhuan was a child, he would have been difficult to recognize.
The baby-faced, large-breasted young constable stood beside him. She had been flattering him with pleasant words, but hurried to make introductions when she saw Xie Jinhuan enter.
"Young Master Xie, this is Lord Guo Deng of the Office of the Director of Officials, a relative of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager. He's an upright, warmhearted man. If you have any grievances, you can speak freely."
Seeing Little Deng, who had grown into an adult and was almost unrecognizable, filled Xie Wen with countless emotions. But given his unusual identity at present, he still cupped his hands, neither servile nor overbearing, as a Northern Zhou official would when greeting a foreign envoy.
"Young Master Xie."
Xie Jinhuan returned the salute, then glanced around and said with a troubled air,
"The matter at Li Mountain is rather complicated. Too many people knowing about it could cause unnecessary trouble. Might I discuss it privately with Lord Guo?"
Naturally, Xie Wen nodded solemnly and gestured for Miss Xiao Biao to wait outside. Only after her footsteps had faded did a trace of excitement appear between his brows. He reached up