...
...
The same night.
Within the Huai River, a black canopy boat sailed from the river, with a lamp hanging on a post at the bow.
An orange light shone from within the lamp, casting a hole in the curtain-like black night.
The black canopy boat docked at the pier, and about five or six people disembarked, heading towards a house with a solitary lamp hanging at its entrance, in the midst of a light rain.
Leading the group was someone in a raincoat, carrying a precious sword, with an official robe underneath that had not been changed for many days.
Governor Ning Zechen of the Cao Yun seemed to have lost weight, yet his whole presence was sharper than before. He walked along the slightly muddy road to the wooden house.
Before he could get close, someone hidden in the dark stopped him: "Who goes there?"
Ning Zechen took off the hat of his raincoat, revealing a determined face full of a blue-black stubble:
"It's me."
