The red silk hanging over the doorway, the Officials at their home to announce the good news—it was all proof. He hadn't been wrong about the massive gamble that no one had believed in!
The excitement surged for a moment before Yang Shouzhuo took a deep breath, wiped his face roughly with his sleeve, and forced down the sob rising in his throat.
He straightened his slightly hunched back and walked toward Cheng Wen and his retinue, leading them into the courtyard. "Lord Cheng," he said with a smile, "please, come in and have a seat."
They had just sat down on the stone stools when Liu Cui Ling came over with coarse porcelain tea bowls, the tea leaves within unfurling and steaming gently.
Her hands were still trembling slightly as she gently placed a tea bowl in front of Cheng Wen. "My lord, please have some tea," she murmured, then stepped aside, her eyes rimmed with red.
「At the old locust tree by the village entrance.」
