"There's no need for a meal," Li Yan said. "Lord Supervisor, if there's nothing else, I shall take my leave."
Chai Xuan couldn't wait for Li Yan to leave, eagerly nodding his head in agreement.
Li Yan smiled at him, gave Cha Xiaodao a meaningful look, and the two left the Tea Horse Department's boat.
The cool breeze, heavy with the pungent smell of water and the buzzing sound of people, blew in their faces.
The port was bustling, with boatmen and their various straw boats crowding the docks. Coolies wearing sandals that exposed their toes scurried about with sacks weighing over a hundred pounds, while larger ships moored at the shore had seagulls perched on their ropes. Occasionally, they would leap down to peck at the rice grains spilled on the ground.
Cha Xiaodao picked his nose. "What are you thinking, eh? Dress up in the middle of the night, chop down this guy, and then lead the horse back?"
