Blood of Deception [ON HOLD]

Chapter Twenty Six

Yuzhe was sorting out some clothes for laundry when Zhonghong stormed into his temporal bedroom. His was preoccupied by Kage.

"He's not in there," she said urgently, still in her nightdress.

Yuzhe dropped his shirt and followed her to his room. The bed was empty, sheets hastily tossed aside. Everything else was untouched. The thin mattress was already cold he felt it. Kage must have long been away since dark. Sunlight streamed through the window now.

"I've looked everywhere," Zhonghong said behind him. She picked up an ointment parcel meant to tend to his wounds from the low table.

Yuzhe contemplated the thought of an otherwise gravely injured man managing to throw himself over the gate wall. Considering its height and bareness, it certainly posed a challenge. No doubt that man was more than what he let out.

Yuzhe rearranged the sheets in order. "He could sneak out on his own, so maybe he's well enough now."

"But he shouldn't be out walking just yet," his sister claimed. "What if he comes across his pursuers?"

He doubted the possibility. "He'll be alright," he assured her. "He's tougher than he looks."

Zhonghong hovered by uncertainly. Then she relented and brought the medicines out of her brother's herbal scented room.

~~~

Officials slowly packed the department when Yuzhe headed toward his office. More of them recognized him because of the festival, the event in the arena more like. The banquet tents and every decoration had been taken off, making it seem like the party never happened in the first place. Gardens were rid of wastes and tended anew. The Second Division resumed its busy, monotone schedules of meetings and paperwork.

Yuzhe took out a record book along his way to the desk and saw Junqian was in there as well. The advisor was preoccupied with swooping some equipment into a cardboard box. He nearly tipped over an inkpot with his loose sleeve in the process.

"You're moving again?" Yuzhe asked him, setting down the book on his desk. There was a new stack of work brought to him at some point that sat at a corner.

"Yeah, the Chief is back," Junqian said.

"Whereto?"

"Education Bureau. The civil service exam is soon taking place and they need an extra hand for preparation."

The selected date was about three weeks away Yuzhe believed. He'd never thought to be taking one of those himself, but he perhaps could grasp an idea of what some fundamental questions might be asking now that he worked in the court. The process of taking it and waiting for the results, though, was time-consuming and rather dull.

"Xinku nile," Yuzhe said. The work hour didn't start yet, so he had some time to grab some drinks from the cafeteria. He skimmed over the documents first.

"I'm used to it," Junqian commented, dusting his hands. A collection of things piled up the little box before him. "Oh and, I heard something along my way here earlier."

Someone entered the room before Junqian could continue. It was his page, the young man Yuzhe knew from his first day at work, coming to handle his things. "Bring it to my new office," Junqian directed. His page bowed and silently left.

"What is it?" Yuzhe asked when they were alone.

"Seems like Meiyue was caught sneaking out last night," he said. "The guards said her mother demanded her flogged."

Yuzhe discarded the papers he was holding. "Is she alright?" he asked, alarmed. She'd told him that she had everything under cover when he walked her back.