"This is not a phrase of my own creation, but something I came across occasionally while browsing through various books."
"It still shows your extensive knowledge and impressive memory, and the ability to apply it in daily life." Magistrate He said with a light smile, yet he hardly believed it. He had read quite a few miscellaneous books himself.
All sorts of obscure novels like "Embroidered Couch: Anecdotes", "Night Chats by Lamplight", "Monk under the Oil-lamp" and such, he had read, but never did he come across the sentence Xu Qing mentioned.
In fact, he was quite interested in Inspector Wu's "Cave Thirty-Six Styles"; originally, the old fellow had intended to give it to him, but after the old dog Wu got promoted, he no longer mentioned it.
The cold reality of officialdom, the sycophancy, power-riding, trampling down, and other contemptible behaviors, just a glimpse can be enough.
