The Government Office was much quieter than usual today because many clerks and constables had been dispatched to the neighboring courtyard to supervise the examination.
Gatekeeper Qin knew Xu Qing, recognizing him as both the junior apprentice brother and student of Old Wang from the Morgue, so he did not interfere and allowed him to come and go freely.
The Patrol Office was neither large nor small. Xu Qing had walked through it several times and was already quite familiar with it. He would nod to familiar faces and managed to build relationships with those who controlled access—like Gatekeeper Qin, to whom he had previously brought a bottle of wine and a piece of cured meat to maintain their rapport.
Such networking is indispensable in the business world. If Gatekeeper Qin were to pass away, Xu Qing might need to preside over his funeral.
