Chapter 6: The Chancellor's Study

The Chancellor's house stood in the north quarter behind a wall of white plaster and a gate with two stone lions.

Su Mian went over the back wall first and opened the postern from inside with a bent wire.

"Dogs?" Chu whispered.

"Two. Asleep. I fed them a pork bun with something in it."

"What something?"

"The cook's wine. They are very happy dogs."

Shuang had changed into dark traveling clothes and tied her hair under a black cloth.

She looked smaller that way, and younger, and far less like a judge.

She led them across a frozen kitchen garden toward a long low wing with one lit window.

She did not look at the plan Su Mian had drawn.

She walked straight to the study door, laid her palm flat against the lock and said, "He keeps a spring latch on the left side. Give me the wire."

Chu watched her hands.

The latch clicked at once.

"You have been here before," he said under his breath.

"I have studied the house for a year," said Shuang. "It was my duty."

It was a thin lie.

Her duty had been to the Court of Review for ten days, since her father signed the order putting her in the post.

Chu let it go by again.

He was starting to keep a list.

The study was a large room smelling of sandalwood and cold ink.

Shelves of bound books ran to the ceiling.

A desk stood under the window, with a seal-carver's lamp and a tray of fine knives, and a tall lacquer cabinet stood against the far wall.

"Search the desk," Shuang whispered. "I will take the cabinet."

She went to the cabinet and opened the second drawer from the bottom without hunting, behind a carved panel Chu had not even seen.

Inside lay a pile of paper tied with red cord, and a small black ledger.

"Boss," said Su Mian from the desk, very softly. "Look at this."

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