Chapter 162

The darkness of night can cloak many things. It was the middle of the night, and a torrential downpour was falling. Residents began to appear on the streets of Tongzhou, more than on usual days. Among them were many women and children, every one of them sallow and gaunt, their clothes patched and worn. At the Tongfu Inn, the government runners tasked with clearing ice were still hard at work. In such bitter cold, their hands were nearly frozen stiff. Yet, their superior had insisted that an important figure was staying inside and must not be delayed; even if they were to suffer frostbite themselves, they had to prioritize the guest.