In the bitter cold of the twelfth month, Danyang City had already taken on a touch of New Year festivity.
Countless students made their way past the Chongming River toward the Academy at the end of Wencheng Street as usual, chattering along the way about news from the Northern Region:
"Hero Xie really did us Danyang folk proud. If it hadn't been for him this time, Northern Zhou might have seen a change of rulers-"
"Wouldn't a change of rulers in Northern Zhou be a good thing for us?"
"Uh-come to think of it, you're right-"
"Ah, Immortal Lin and Madam Wang have both left, and Old Man Li isn't here either. Even the Academy feels dull now-"
"It really does-"
At the Lin Family Clinic beside the street, the absence of its flower-beautiful proprietress meant that the familiar circle of noblewomen no longer visited. With Zisu gone, there were no students' parents coming to demand an accounting every few days either, leaving the clinic much quieter.
Only the maid Qinwen remained behind, leaning all alone at the window and gazing toward the Northern Region, missing her head proprietress, who had gotten to eat meat without letting her have so much as a sip of broth.
Outside Clear Spring Lane, meanwhile, the mutton shop was as packed as ever. County Commandant Yang Ting sat at a small table, chatting with the constables:
"I wouldn't quite call it fighting ten thousand single-handed. We just followed Nephew Xie in and out of the enemy ranks seven times-"
"That's still impressive. Da Biaozi has really made something of himself. Back when he was stuffing himself with food and drink here, who could have imagined he'd kill a First Grade greater demon all by himself,
"and protect Young Master Xie as he broke through