"I had no idea Wangchao was so loyal to his lord."
Rhythmic applause rang out from the corner.
Chu Yao seemed only then to realize his lord was present. He turned around in "panic" and bowed deeply to Shen Tang. "Greetings, My Lord."
Gu Chi only realized Shen Tang was there when she spoke.
When he realized Shen Tang had unusually used "I" in the manner of a sovereign, his face turned deathly pale. He gave a guilty bow. "Greetings, My Lord."
Shen Tang's voice was stern. "Greetings? I'm not in a position to receive them."
In over ten years of serving together, this was the first time Shen Tang had truly lost her temper with Gu Chi. Her overwhelming authority made one's heart race. Gu Chi bowed his head even lower and offered no explanation, only biting down on his lip in secret. His silence only made Shen Tang angrier.
"Why don't you keep going, Wangchao? You came here early in the morning, murderous as a tiger, to see off your colleague—and you want to trade one life for another?" Shen Tang stepped forward, her immense authority pressing down until it was hard to breathe. Then she asked, "Since when were you allowed to make decisions for me?"
Seeing that Shen Tang was angrier than expected, Chu Yao had no choice but to step in and smooth things over for his colleague. He had gone to all this trouble so that a long-standing problem could be resolved peacefully, not to drive a wedge between lord and ministers.
Unfortunately, Shen Tang had already anticipated his anticipation.
"Wuhui, I'm asking Wangchao."
Chu Yao: "..."
Well, this was awkward. He had become the fish caught in the pond.
Gu Chi: "..."
Between other lords and their ministers, a question like that from