At Crane's Cry Pavilion, Yaoshi Mo Ke sat on the steps, drinking his sorrows away. One cup followed another, as if he had suddenly aged a great deal.
"Duke, Duke! Someone from the palace is here!" The steward hurried in to report. Seeing Yaoshi Mo Ke haggard and sitting alone in the empty banquet hall, he asked, "Shall I send them away?"
"There's no need."
Before long, Yaoshi Mo Ke had regained his vigorous appearance. When he reached the reception hall and found a familiar eunuch waiting, he clasped his hands and smiled. "Eunuch Li, what brings you here so late at night? Does His Majesty have an imperial decree?"
"You give me too much credit, Duke." Eunuch Li hurriedly said, "It isn't an imperial decree. The Divine Marquis Manor's announcement just now startled the Empress Dowager awake. His Majesty was frightened as well, and hopes you can enter the palace to calm everyone's nerves."
"Oh?" Yaoshi Mo Ke stroked his beard.
Eunuch Li leaned close and lowered his voice. "The young emperor has grown increasingly timid lately. He was frightened awake by the Divine Marquis Manor's announcement and thought thieves would come to kill him. He hopes you can enter the palace and protect him."
Yaoshi Mo Ke found it both amusing and exasperating, because his daughter really was a thief.
"Has anything unusual happened recently?"
"No. The young emperor has been studying and practicing martial arts as usual."
He nodded, then went out and summoned Feng Qian, the senior secretary of Duke of Jin Manor, to question him. After confirming that nothing unusual had truly happened in the imperial palace, he agreed to accompany Eunuch Li inside. Even so, a squad of guards followed him into the palace.
"Brother!"
As soon as Yaoshi Mo Ke entered the palace,