Early in the morning, the city guards near the East City Gate huddled in the cold wind...
At this hour, there weren't many people coming in and out of the city gate, just a few scattered individuals.
Most were women from impoverished families, carrying baskets to dig up some freshly sprouted wild vegetables in the mountains. It's the time when spring is scarce, and some struggling families have already run out of food.
Not far from the city gate, in a small teahouse by the alley, Jie Daohan wore casual clothes and a felt hat, covering most of his face.
He ordered a pot of tea, a dish of peanuts, and was sipping slowly, occasionally glancing at the constables at the city gate.
He wasn't supervising those city guards; he didn't have such idle interest. He was sitting here waiting for Duan Rong to enter the city!
Not only was he waiting here himself, but he also instructed Yang Zhen to visit Liu's House daily to find Duan Rong, in case Duan Rong returned through other city gates!
