Ye Zhen was greatly astonished by the change before his eyes.
Eunuch Yu, who had just been lying on the ground, clutching his sunken cheek and howling over the several teeth he had lost, froze after receiving a talisman signal. Then, as if he had become a different person, he immediately stopped crying.
He first took out a blue handkerchief and meticulously wiped the blood from the corners of his mouth and face, then dusted off his clothes.
Then Eunuch Yu hurried over to Ye Zhen, bent his knees, and knelt before him.
"It was this lowly one's dog-guts that reached the heavens, offending Earl Ye. I beg Earl Ye to show magnanimity and spare this lowly one."
Having said that, Eunuch Yu respectfully kowtowed to Ye Zhen three times. Once he had finished, he rose without a word regardless of Ye Zhen's expression, then swiftly departed.
Ye Zhen did not believe that Eunuch Yu had suddenly changed his nature. There had to be some mystery in the jade slip he had received, but Ye Zhen could not make out what they were trying to do from this display.
At that moment, Captain Zhou, the garrison captain, also received a jade slip. After examining it, Captain Zhou blanked out briefly, then waved his hand and dismissed the guards who had surrounded Ye Zhen earlier.
He himself returned to his command tent, where an attendant promptly served him tea.
For a time, no one bothered with Ye Zhen, who had injured someone earlier.
Still puzzled, Ye Zhen took his entry inspection pass and approached Captain Zhou again. He cupped his hands toward him. "Captain Zhou, when may I pass through? Please give me a time."
Captain Zhou rose as well and answered Ye Zhen in a stiff, official manner. "Earl Ye,