“What's in there?”
“Cypress boughs,” LoBak replied. “That is the new treatment. I've just spoken with a colleague who swears that sleeping on them improves circulation.”
“Let me take a look.”
“No, no,” LoBak replied, hurrying back to the basket. “I'll get them for you. They are rather large and awkward, and—”
“I will do it myself!” HaiZhe snapped. “Do you think me incapable?”
HaiZhe pushed his chair away from the desk and leaned sideways, disappearing from view. A moment later, he reappeared on the floor, on his stomach. He crawled toward the basket using only his hands and upper body, his withered legs dragging behind him like wet noodles.
ShaoShu shuddered. He felt bad for HaiZhe.
As HaiZhe neared, ShaoShu turned his eyes away from the gap in the basket and held his breath. He heard HaiZhe grunt, and the lid flew off the basket. ShaoShu felt the branches being lifted off of him, followed by the saw.
“What is this?” HaiZhe asked, shaking the saw so hard its metal blade sang out. “You know better than to bring a weapon into my inner sanctum.”
“Sorry, sir,” LoBak replied. “I suppose I didn't consider it a threat against anything except trees. I won't let it happen again.”
“Don't get smart with me,” HaiZhe warned. He threw the saw back into the basket, and the impact caught ShaoShu by surprise. He managed to remain silent, but his mouse let out a tiny squeak.
ShaoShu held his breath.
Nothing happened. HaiZhe coughed with an authoritative dismissal and dragged himself away with the cypress boughs in tow.
ShaoShu breathed easy again.
“I should like to set those up for you,” LoBak called after HaiZhe.
“I will do it myself.”
“With all due respect, sir,” LoBak said, “I have knowledge concerning the correct placement. At least let me check to make sure they're arranged properly.”
“You certainly are a pest,” HaiZhe replied. “But your judgment is usually sound. I will summon you once I am finished. Wait here until you are called. Be prepared to spend the night, too. If this new treatment interferes with my sleep, I plan to beat you with the main ingredients.”
ShaoShu heard a door open and then close. The next instant, the blanket was lifted and LoBak was standing over him with a worried look on his face. ShaoShu suddenly didn't feel bad for HaiZhe anymore.
“I'm really sorry,” ShaoShu whispered as he stood and stretched. “I hope HaiZhe doesn't beat you.”
“He won't,” LoBak replied. “The cypress bough treatment is authentic. I've been meaning to have him try it for some time.”
ShaoShu glanced about HaiZhe's private office. He expected to see opulent surroundings, but the only furnishings were the large desk and chair and several oil lanterns along the walls to provide light in the windowless room. The only decoration was another jellyfish mural that marked the secret door. There were also two regular doors, one of average size across the room to ShaoShu's right and a larger one to his left, in a corner.
“I have to be honest with you,” LoBak whispered. “I don't like the way things are shaping up. I am not sure I can get you back out of here in that basket.”
“That's okay,” ShaoShu said. “I didn't want to have to squeeze in there again, anyway. I can find my own way out.”
“That is easier said than done. The hidden door we used to get in here is the only way in or out.” LoBak pointed to the small door. “That one leads to HaiZhe's private living quarters, while the larger one leads to the warehouse's weapons wing. Neither space has any windows or additional doors. I should never have brought you here.”
“I'll be fine,” ShaoShu said. “I'll just hide with the weapons and climb into something that is being loaded out. Are you sure everything passes through that one door?”
“Positive. HaiZhe believes it is more secure that way. Only his most trusted men are allowed to load and unload the stock, and the door is rigged with a trap that only he knows how to disarm.”
“I heard about the trap. I think—”
“LoBak!” HaiZhe called out from behind the small door. “Get in here and perform your inspection! I have work to do yet tonight.”
LoBak's expression changed to one of genuine concern, and ShaoShu whispered, “I'll be okay. Tell Hok and Ying I'll see them soon.”
LoBak mouthed, “Good luck,” and he headed for HaiZhe's private quarters. Once LoBak entered and closed the door behind him, ShaoShu carefully approached the larger door in the opposite corner.
The large door was hung so that it swung away from HaiZhe's office, into the weapons wing. It had been left slightly ajar, as if tempting a passerby to peek through it. ShaoShu looked high and low but saw no sign of trip wires. He reached up and took a small lantern from the wall, playing the flickering flame across the corner while watching from one side. In the sidelight, the silk threads showed themselves. They were woven together about two paces in front of the door, with only a small narrow space left open along the floor that no normal person could possibly pass through.