In a short while, the guard who had just run inside returned and whispered a few words into the Deputy Captain’s ear.
The Deputy Captain nodded, then cupped his fists towards Lu Qing and the nephew of King Fan, saying, "Prince, and this young gentleman, the Holy Emperor invites you to the South Study Room for a conversation."
The nephew of King Fan was pierced by the phrase "this young gentleman," which exposed his current awkward situation without any title or status, causing his face to turn red and then pale.
However, he did not expect Emperor Jin to agree so easily to let him enter and have an audience, which set his mind at ease.
Lu Qing, however, remained calm. After being untied by the palace guards, he rely moved his wrists slightly. Upon hearing the Emperor’s summons, he showed no extra emotion, simply nodding slightly to the Deputy Captain, and then led Zhu Yu, Yan Daoxin, and the others through the palace gates.
The nephew of King Fan faintly felt that as the wronged party here to demand justice, he should walk at the forefront to appear more imposing.
But the attitude of the guards at the gate just now made him feel a wave of insecurity, and he dared not act out of line.
There was another thing he was unsure of whether it was his imagination.
The nephew of King Fan always felt that when he was helped off the prison cart, Prince Xiaoyao’s entire deanor seed different from how it had been on the journey here. Although he remained silent, with little change in his expression, there was an undeniable presence of authority that made it impossible to muster even a shred of defiance.
Inside the palace gates, eunuchs were already standing by.
Zhu Yu looked up from a distance and recognized that it was Mr. Gao, whom she had seen twice before when she entered the palace with Lu Qing, a familiar face serving directly by Emperor Jin’s side.
Mr. Gao stood inside the gate, and upon seeing Lu Qing from afar, a look of surprise appeared on his beardless old face. In quick succession, he stepped out from the threshold and approached a few steps: "Oh my, Prince, what has happened to you? How have you beco so haggard?
This old servant watched you grow up, yet I have never seen you in such a state!"
The nephew of King Fan, blocked behind the talisman, found these words unpleasant, but dared not speak up, feeling extrely uncomfortable inside.
He was clearly here to demand justice, with Prince Xiaoyao being the main culprit responsible for his uncle’s death. Why was everything now different from what he had been told initially?
Wasn’t it said that Emperor Jin was very displeased with this good-for-nothing adopted son? Yet now it appeared that even this seemingly extraordinary eunuch treated Prince Xiaoyao with utmost respect?
With such uneasy thoughts, the group followed Mr. Gao towards the South Study Room.
The talisman had accompanied Lu Qing into the palace many tis before, so there was no reaction now.
Yan Daoxin, being there for the first ti, naturally did not enjoy palace affairs, and thus remained with a deadpan expression, seemingly in a bad mood.
He could not be blad, as in usual tis he presented a celestial and refined deanor, but having been confined in a prison cart for several days, his clothes were already nearly unbearable, and the once unparalleled handso face was now scraggly with stubble.
However, he was different from Lu Qing, whose naturally rugged features were only accentuated by the stubble, adding maturity and a touch of weariness.
For Yan Daoxin, it was different. The stubble on his face looked awkward no matter how you viewed it.
He looked with so envy at the clean-shaven Zhu Yu, sighing.
Zhu Yu did not realize that Yan Daoxin, in his bad mood, was already envious that she was a woman and thus did not grow facial hair.
As she followed behind Lu Qing towards the South Study Room, she pondered internally.
The Imperial Palace of Emperor Jin was still large, but the South Study Room was relatively small. She did not believe there wasn’t a more spacious and comfortable study room for Emperor Jin to review morials, read, and rest.
Why was it just a coincidence that every ti Lu Qing was summoned, it was always in the South Study Room...
Thus walking along, they arrived again at the entrance of the South Study Room.
"Prince, everyone, please wait here for a mont while I go in to report." Mr. Gao, who had often benefited from Lu Qing’s favors, remained respectful and warm towards him.
Having said this, he left the others outside and went in alone.
After a while, he ca out again, his expression sowhat unnatural, furrowing his brow as he glanced at Lu Qing, then shifted his gaze to the nephew of King Fan, asking, "Are you the nephew of King Fan? The mos sent by the palace guards earlier, were they written and submitted by you?"
"Yes, indeed..." The nephew of King Fan was about to address himself as "this humble servant," realizing he held no official position and was not King Fan’s direct son, nor adopted under his uncle’s na, so he couldn’t even regard himself as an adopted son, nor could he address himself as "minister" before Emperor Jin. Thus he awkwardly gulped, forcing out two words, "commoner."
"Then please co in." Mr. Gao nodded coldly to him, opening the gate behind him.
The group entered one by one, kneeling on the open ground inside the gate.
Emperor Jin remained seated behind the desk, much as they had seen him the previous two tis here.
However, today he seed not in the best of spirits, sitting listlessly in the chair, one arm resting on the armrest beside him, supporting his head, looking rather fatigued.
Seeing them enter, his gaze swept over King Fan’s nephew, quickly moving from his face to Lu Qing, silently observing him from head to toe. It was unclear if he was dissatisfied with Lu Qing’s scruffy appearance, felt the attire was unbefitting, or perhaps the odor from their days in the prison cart was quite undesirable, tightening his frowned brow even more.
"You once told you wished to travel the world, and I permitted it." After a while, he finally spoke, clearly addressing Lu Qing, "I did not expect that my son would indeed grow up to be so vigorous, traveling all the way to Fan Country!"
"Your Majesty!" Before Lu Qing could speak, King Fan’s nephew interjected, knocking his head to the ground three tis, "I beseech Your Majesty to seek justice for my uncle!
My uncle governed Fan Country diligently, devoting himself wholly. He was a good prince celebrated by all in Bhutan! Benevolent to the people and loyal to Your Majesty, he certainly should not have been killed by Prince Xiaoyao and the quacks he brought along!"
Emperor Jin, upon hearing this outburst, seed even more pained, massaging his temples, forcing a more relaxed expression, and instructed Mr. Gao beside him, "King Fan’s nephew is like my own nephew, having co a long way, he is my guest. Shouldn’t we grant the guest a seat?"
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