chime would sound the Hour of the Snake. The examination hall doors would swing shut.
Even if she could fly. Even if she could reach the administrative gates before the next double-hour, she had no way to locate Cheng’s benefactor. There were thousands of officials within the district. Offices and sub-offices. She knew nothing about Changan outside the confines of her own pond.
Her stomach dropped and her nails bit into the wood frame of the sedan. This was not sentiment, she insisted. This was anger. She expected such misfortune to fall on her, but Cheng didn’t deserve to be punished. He was a simple scholar who did nothing but sit in his room and study all night, hoping to bring honour to his family. He’d helped her when she’d been nothing to him.
The carriage rolled on and they passed another ward, moving like a winter river clogged with ice. Jia chewed her bottom lip in frustration. Even now she wasn’t being fair to Cheng. He wasn’t simple. He was good. Luo Cheng didn’t have a selfish act in him.
Cheng had looked at her so tenderly in the still hours of the morning. Whispering her name…No, not her name. She hadn’t even been true to him in that sense. He’d embraced her, called her beautiful, made her laugh. Made love to her. In return, she’d had him robbed and beaten and now he was in prison. There was nothing good or pure about her.
She knocked frantically on the side of the sedan. “Turn around.” She had to shout in order for the driver to hear her. “Quickly!”
Jia pulled the silk pouch from her belt. The paper note crinkled inside. She took it out and unfolded it in her palm. Paper felt so insignificant compared to bronze. Flying money, they called it, as if it would flutter away and disappear.
Looking at the inscription nearly did bring her to tears, but sentiment had no place in the North Hamlet. She’d allowed herself to indulge for one night instead of going directly to the troupe master, and look what had happened! She’d had plans. She was going to be free of all her debts and worries.
But Cheng had dreams and plans as well. A dream that was about to be taken away. She didn’t know if she could go on, feeling so ruined inside for the rest of her life.
Chapter Five
The door opened to his holding cell. The stern-faced guardsman at the door gave a brusque nod of his head which Cheng supposed meant he was free to go. Or it could mean that he was to be led outside for a public beating.
He was surprised to see Rose waiting for him outside the head wardsman’s office instead of Minister Lo. She had a bag slung over her shoulder and watched anxiously while they removed the chains from his wrists. Despite the mess of the situation, his chest puffed out at seeing Rose flustered over him.
As soon as he was free, she grabbed onto his hand. “Hurry!”
They ran from the building with Rose dragging him along with the force of a tiny storm. Vendors and pedestrians veered aside in her wake. Her robe whipped behind her like the tail of a kite. She was a wonder to behold.
“Wait, how did you get them to release me?” he asked when she stopped at a busy intersection.
“Your landlord claimed he saw you leaving the room.” Rose stood onto her toes, trying to peer through the crowd. “But that fool Guo didn’t have any real evidence against you.”
They were off again, swerving around carts, ducking through alleys. The morning air rushed by his ears. His muscles were on fire and his blood pumped in a fierce rhythm that propelled them ever forward. The imperial exams loomed ahead, the minutes waning away, yet all he knew was that Rose’s hand was clutched around his. Nothing could stop them.
Soon the examination hall stood ahead. Rose flew up the steps. Even with his longer stride, he could barely hold on. He swore she wanted to pass more than he did. Near the top, she finally stopped and swung around.
“Here.”
She pulled out his scholar’s cap from her pack and tried to
Even if she could fly. Even if she could reach the administrative gates before the next double-hour, she had no way to locate Cheng’s benefactor. There were thousands of officials within the district. Offices and sub-offices. She knew nothing about Changan outside the confines of her own pond.
Her stomach dropped and her nails bit into the wood frame of the sedan. This was not sentiment, she insisted. This was anger. She expected such misfortune to fall on her, but Cheng didn’t deserve to be punished. He was a simple scholar who did nothing but sit in his room and study all night, hoping to bring honour to his family. He’d helped her when she’d been nothing to him.
The carriage rolled on and they passed another ward, moving like a winter river clogged with ice. Jia chewed her bottom lip in frustration. Even now she wasn’t being fair to Cheng. He wasn’t simple. He was good. Luo Cheng didn’t have a selfish act in him.
Cheng had looked at her so tenderly in the still hours of the morning. Whispering her name…No, not her name. She hadn’t even been true to him in that sense. He’d embraced her, called her beautiful, made her laugh. Made love to her. In return, she’d had him robbed and beaten and now he was in prison. There was nothing good or pure about her.
She knocked frantically on the side of the sedan. “Turn around.” She had to shout in order for the driver to hear her. “Quickly!”
Jia pulled the silk pouch from her belt. The paper note crinkled inside. She took it out and unfolded it in her palm. Paper felt so insignificant compared to bronze. Flying money, they called it, as if it would flutter away and disappear.
Looking at the inscription nearly did bring her to tears, but sentiment had no place in the North Hamlet. She’d allowed herself to indulge for one night instead of going directly to the troupe master, and look what had happened! She’d had plans. She was going to be free of all her debts and worries.
But Cheng had dreams and plans as well. A dream that was about to be taken away. She didn’t know if she could go on, feeling so ruined inside for the rest of her life.
Chapter Five
The door opened to his holding cell. The stern-faced guardsman at the door gave a brusque nod of his head which Cheng supposed meant he was free to go. Or it could mean that he was to be led outside for a public beating.
He was surprised to see Rose waiting for him outside the head wardsman’s office instead of Minister Lo. She had a bag slung over her shoulder and watched anxiously while they removed the chains from his wrists. Despite the mess of the situation, his chest puffed out at seeing Rose flustered over him.
As soon as he was free, she grabbed onto his hand. “Hurry!”
They ran from the building with Rose dragging him along with the force of a tiny storm. Vendors and pedestrians veered aside in her wake. Her robe whipped behind her like the tail of a kite. She was a wonder to behold.
“Wait, how did you get them to release me?” he asked when she stopped at a busy intersection.
“Your landlord claimed he saw you leaving the room.” Rose stood onto her toes, trying to peer through the crowd. “But that fool Guo didn’t have any real evidence against you.”
They were off again, swerving around carts, ducking through alleys. The morning air rushed by his ears. His muscles were on fire and his blood pumped in a fierce rhythm that propelled them ever forward. The imperial exams loomed ahead, the minutes waning away, yet all he knew was that Rose’s hand was clutched around his. Nothing could stop them.
Soon the examination hall stood ahead. Rose flew up the steps. Even with his longer stride, he could barely hold on. He swore she wanted to pass more than he did. Near the top, she finally stopped and swung around.
“Here.”
She pulled out his scholar’s cap from her pack and tried to
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