Chapter 11: Nobody Saw Him

The Willow Inn's common room was full by the time Lanxin pushed through the door.

Merchants, carters, and two monks sat at the long tables, drinking morning tea and watching a show.

At the head of the room Du Wenyuan sat in a carved chair with a clerk at his elbow.

Before him on a plain stool sat Tan Bao.

The lieutenant's collar was crooked, his round face was pale, and four of the Censor's guards stood behind him.

"Lieutenant," Du was saying, in his soft voice, "you served three winters under Commander Lu's orders."

"Yes, my lord."

"Then you will have no trouble telling the court what he looked like."

"Tall, my lord."

"Or short?"

Tan Bao opened his mouth and shut it.

"I... never saw him, my lord."

"He was with the eastern army."

"We only had the letters."

"Ah."

Du let the word hang.

"A sergeant, then."

"A cook."

"A horse boy."

"Did any one of your two thousand men ever see this commander with his own eyes?"

"The general said..."

"I did not ask what the general said."

The room had gone quiet.

A carter set down his bowl.

"Nobody saw him, my lord," Tan Bao whispered.

Du let out a small, satisfied breath.

"Two thousand men," he said to the room, "and not one saw him."

"Remarkable."

Lanxin walked the length of the common room, her boots loud on the boards.

Shuyi followed three steps behind, with Mo Hanzhang limping at her shoulder.

"Lieutenant Tan is under my command," Lanxin said.

"He is under the Emperor's, General."

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