Climbing into the horse carriage waiting outside the side gate, the chief eunuch urged the coachman, "Quick, to the Pri Minister’s Mansion!"
As soon as the door’s curtain fell, the coachman leaped onto the driver’s seat and flicked the reins.
Under the faint moonlight, the carriage sped away from the imperial palace toward the Pri Minister’s Mansion.
Half an hour later, the coachman pulled the horses’ reins and stopped the horse carriage in front of the Pri Minister’s Mansion.
Jumping down from the driver’s seat, he took out the stepping stool hung under the carriage and placed it on the ground.
When he was done, he called out for the chief eunuch. "Gong Gong, we have arrived."
The chief eunuch stood up, lifted the curtain, and stepped down from the carriage with the coachman’s help. Without wasting any ti, he walked toward the closed double doors.
Grabbing the lion head door handles, the chief eunuch hit the heavy tal ring against the door a few tis.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
He waited a few seconds, but no one ca to open the door. Guessing that everyone must be asleep, the chief eunuch knocked a few more tis. This ti, the knocking sounds more urgent.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Just as he was about to continue knocking, a sleepy, annoyed voice sounded from the other side of the closed door.
"Stop knocking. It’s already midnight! Won’t you let people sleep?"
While the young servant was complaining, he opened the door. Through the small gap, he saw the chief eunuch, and instantly froze in his place.
Ignoring the servant’s reaction, the chief eunuch said, "I have co to announce Empress Dowager Wen’s oral decree. Go and inform your Master."
Hearing this, the servant snapped back to his senses and hurriedly opened the door wider. Stepping aside, he bowed and said, "Gong Gong, please follow this servant to the main hall."
Motioning with his chin, the chief eunuch commanded, "Lead the way."
Gesturing politely, the servant smiled and said, "Gong Gong, this way please."
Filled with shock and curiosity, he led the chief eunuch to the main hall.
When the servant was about to serve tea, the chief eunuch stopped him and urged, "Go and inform the Pri Minister now."
Seeing his tense expression, the servant didn’t dare delay any longer. "Yes, Gong Gong."
After the servant left, the chief eunuch was too anxious to sit down. He paced back and forth in the main hall, craning his neck to look toward the door from ti to ti.
anwhile, the servant rushed to the main courtyard where Wen Kang lived alone.
When the two guards stationed there saw him, they stopped him. "What are you doing here? The Master is resting. Leave imdiately."
Gasping for breath, the servant shook his head.
When he finally caught his breath, he quickly explained, "No, brothers. I’m here to inform the Master that an eunuch from the imperial palace just arrived with Empress Dowager Wen’s oral decree. He told to bring the Master to the main hall to receive it."
The mont the two guards heard this, their expressions changed.
"I will go inform the Master. You wait here," one said before running inside.
Glaring at the servant, the other guard scolded, "What’s wrong with you? You should have said so earlier! How dare you make the Empress Dowager’s eunuch wait? If you want to die, don’t drag everyone with you!"
Feeling wronged, the servant bit his lips but didn’t dare argue.
Inside the main bedroom, the guard bowed toward the bed, which was draped with a thin, soft cloth.
"Master, an eunuch from the imperial palace is here. He brought Empress Dowager Wen’s oral decree and asks that you receive it." He calmly reported.
Wen Kang imdiately opened his eyes when he heard this. Lifting the curtain, he calmly put on his shoes and got out of bed.
With the guard’s help, Wen Kang dressed and combed his hair. When he was ready, he left the room with the guard following behind.
Seeing him co out, the guard and the young servant clasped their hands and bowed. "Master."
"Mhm," Wen Kang responded. He then turned to the young servant and asked, "Where is the eunuch now?"
With his head lowered, the young servant answered, "Answering the Master. The eunuch is waiting in the main hall."
Getting the answer, Wen Kang nodded and went straight there without another word.
Seeing this, the young servant wanted to follow, but one guard stopped him. "There is no need for your help anymore. You should return to your room and get so more sleep."
Leaving those words behind, the guard quickly followed Wen Kang and the other guard to the main hall.
Looking at their backs, the young servant could only return to his room in disappointnt.
anwhile, in the main hall, the chief eunuch was almost digging a three-ter-deep trench with his pacing.
After waiting for a long while, he finally heard approaching footsteps. Pausing on his track, the chief eunuch stood in the middle of the main hall and stared toward the entrance.
Before long, he saw Wen Kang walk in and put on a polite smile. "Pri Minister Wen, this servant apologizes for disturbing your rest, but Empress Dowager Wen wishes to et you imdiately."
Knowing his younger sister’s fiery temperant, Wen Kang frowned slightly.
After a mont of thought, he asked, "Gong Gong, do you know why the Empress Dowager wants to et this Pri Minister at this late hour?"
The chief eunuch glanced outside cautiously, then lowered his voice and replied, "Half a sichen ago, a military ssenger arrived with an urgent military report from the western border."
"After reading the report, the Empress Dowager suddenly ordered this servant to bring you to the imperial palace. As for the reason, this servant doesn’t know."
The chief eunuch paused for a second, then added, "Pri Minister Wen, the Empress Dowager seed troubled after reading the military report. You should hurry and et her in case sothing urgent has happened at the western border."
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