Neither of them seemed to have expected Huai Shi's call.
Thanks to the Rainbow Bridge passage Huai Shi had opened for personal use, they soon traveled from Tamba to the Ivory Tower for a transfer, then arrived at Sword River.
Huai Shi's serious tone over the phone had made them both look rather solemn.
But on closer inspection, there was still a difference.
One was calm and relaxed, already prepared to give a report. The other was somewhat nervous, doing everything possible to act as though nothing had happened, with an especially ingratiating smile.
This familiar feeling...
Huai Shi glanced at a certain guilty fellow, picked up the fruit plate, popped two grapes into his mouth, and asked curiously, "So, what good deed has Little Nineteen done these past few days? Why is he trembling just from seeing his teacher...?"
The corner of Lin Zhongxiaowu's eye twitched. "Uh, ahem, it's a long story..."
"Then why don't you let Xiao Yuan make it short?"
Huai Shi looked toward the side.
The girl in the gray dress sat perfectly straight. She glanced at her "junior brother" beside her and revealed an expression of pity that said, It isn't that I don't want to help you. "This morning, Yingzhou's Left Minister died. I heard he was subjected to heavenly punishment by imperial loyalists."
"..."
Huai Shi paused, staring in astonishment at Lin Zhongxiaowu, who had begun to cough dryly. He hadn't expected that kid to be capable of this, then asked curiously:
"And then?"
"Then everyone from Lu Ming Hall was mobilized to investigate everywhere, but they found no clues. They could only conclude that the remnants of the Satsuma Domain had risen again."
"Is the Emperor Emeritus all right?" Huai Shi put down the fruit plate and asked seriously.
Yuan Yuan shook