Bu Xun, having received no answer, stood there in a daze. Then, seemingly deep in thought, he stared at the departing figure's back and let out a soft sigh, as though he understood Hu Yan Wuhen's difficulties.
He did not linger long. He did not even spend the time it took to drink a cup of tea before summoning his entourage and hurriedly taking to the air again.
Bu Xun's return to the palace made Qi Emperor Hao Yuntu feel as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
Having learned of Hu Yan Wuhen's secret battle plan, he finally understood that Hu Yan Wuhen had not deliberately defied the imperial decree, but had another grand plan for quelling the rebellion. The tension on his face at last eased.
"My in-law not only kept the entire court in the dark, he kept even me in the dark—sealed tight without a crack. But the General was right as well. Your Office of School Affairs truly bears responsibility. With the communications hub breached, military secrets could leak at any time. How could he possibly rest easy?" Hao Yuntu gave Bu Xun a thorough dressing-down.
Bu Xun smiled bitterly within. Hu Yan Wuhen could not be blamed, nor could His Majesty be blamed for misjudging the matter. The responsibility could only fall on him. He immediately admitted his fault. "This old servant handled matters poorly."
"To cooperate with the General in suppressing the rebellion, it seems I will have to endure some grievance for a while longer and keep shouldering the pressure while putting on this performance for him." Hao Yuntu's tone had lightened considerably.
Yet he had not been pleased for long before Tang Yi arrived, disguised as a man and posing as the attendant of Kang He, the Wei