Pan Yun carried the fifty skewers of lamb she had wrapped into the palace.
The Emperor and Empress were still bent over their work.
Each occupied a corner of the main hall, handling memorials separately. Directorate of Ceremonial eunuchs surrounded one, palace maids the other. Their boundaries were as distinct as the Jing and Wei Rivers, yet they shared the same space in perfect harmony.
Pan Yun had not expected to find them handling state affairs together, so she paused for quite a while.
The attendant guarding the door hurried into the hall and joyfully announced, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Preceptor has returned and is requesting an audience outside."
Not only Zhu Qiyu, but Empress Wang also abruptly looked up.
The Emperor hurriedly said, "Quick, invite her in."
Pan Yun entered with the lamb skewers. Both the Emperor and Empress rose to their feet, looking at her with delight. "The Imperial Preceptor has returned—"
The reason the two of them worked together, when all was said and done, was Pan Yun.
Ever since they had acquired the yellow talisman notebooks, the Emperor and Empress could contact Pan Yun in real time. Pan Yun had traveled all over South of the Yangtze; though they had never gone there themselves, listening to her descriptions made them feel as if they were there in person.
When Pan Yun traveled incognito, it was as though they themselves were traveling incognito.
That was why, although they needed Pan Yun greatly, they had not urged her to return. They merely kept in touch through the yellow talisman notebooks. Over three months, Pan Yun had sent them three such notebooks through the Imperial Guards.
Fortunately, she had enough primordial power and could draw talismans quickly enough. Otherwise, she would never have been able to make enough for