"...Strip him of his princely title and confine him to the Imperial Clan Court. So ordered."
After the Director of the Imperial Clan Court finished reading the decree, he frowned when Liu Xun showed no reaction. "Liu Xun, accept the decree."
He had even dropped the "Your Highness."
So this was how quickly warmth turned to coldness, how fickle the world could be.
Liu Xun finally stopped what he was doing.
He raised his head and looked at the officials before him. They had once fawned over him, but now wore expressions of detached professionalism. A mocking curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.
He slowly stood and tossed his sword onto the table with a clang, the sharp sound grating on the ears.
"This prince... No, I, the guilty subject Liu Xun, accept the decree."
He walked up to the Director of the Imperial Clan Court. Rather than accept the imperial decree that would decide his fate, he leaned close and lowered his voice so only the two of them could hear. "Director, there's something I think you might find interesting."
The director froze. Instinctively, he tried to step back, but the wild, piercing light in Liu Xun's eyes held him in place.
"My good elder brother, Crown Prince Liu Qi, secretly met someone before he was placed under house arrest."
The director's pupils contracted sharply.
"A merchant." Liu Xun's voice was as eerie as a ghost's. "A righteous merchant from the south, named Gu Shen."
"What... did you say?" The director's voice sounded dry.
"Nothing." Liu Xun straightened up, his face once again settling into its carefree calm. "Something from the distant past just came to mind. I was only saying it in passing."
Then he turned his back on the director's uncertain expression and strode toward