He recognized De'an, of course. Before the family had moved to the county seat, the boy and his younger brother attended a private academy and came home once a month.
Before heading home, he would always stop by the county government office to ask if Chen Song was returning that day. If he was, De'an would wait for his father, and the three of them would leave together after Chen Song finished work. If Chen Song was occupied with a case, he and his brother would catch a ride on a villager's ox-cart and head back first.
The old clerk had a very high opinion of Chen De'an. The boy was charming, silver-tongued, and savvy. His scholarship was said to be excellent, and he had a good chance of passing the exam to become a Scholar this year. 'If he really makes something of himself,' the clerk had mused before, 'I should try to match him with my own granddaughter.'
But as debonair as Chen De'an was, he paled in comparison to the other young man.
