Beneath the ginkgo tree in the backyard of the Xuan'an Bureau, Pi Yanlin pulled his straw mat a little tighter around his shoulders.
The morning dew dripped from the grass onto the tops of his bare feet, but he didn't flinch. He simply squinted at the masons setting up a thatched shed in the corner—four bamboo poles supporting a tarp, with a layer of freshly dried straw spread on the ground. It was actually somewhat more comfortable than the servant’s quarters he had originally occupied.
"My Lord! A summons from the Court of Judicial Review!" A young bailiff ran over, stumbling, his heels clicking crisply against the bluestone pavement as he clutched the gold-leafed invitation.
Chapter 104