The rift between ruler and subject had finally closed. This was the perfect time to enjoy their newfound closeness.
It was already late, so Shen Tang simply didn't let Luan Xin go home. She had someone prepare a side hall for him. As a single person, she had plenty of guest rooms. When the workload was heavy, ruler and subjects would stay up late over strong tea, often working until the dead of night before they could call it a day. By the time they got home, factoring in the commute, a late-night snack, and a bath, they wouldn't even get an hour's sleep before having to get up and prepare for court. The back-and-forth was too much of a hassle. In such cases, Shen Tang would simply have them stay the night in the outer court.
As for the side hall—
Over all these years, only Gu Chi and a few others had ever stayed there.
The side hall was too close to the main hall. Unless someone was a trusted confidant of the ruler, they wouldn't be granted that honor. But Luan Xin said, "There's no need to go to such trouble. I still have many matters to report to you today..."
It looked like another sleepless night.
Shen Tang said, "Talking by candlelight is a refined pleasure in its own right."
She knew a little about what Luan Xin had experienced on this trip, but the letters contained only so much. She would have to wait for him to tell her the details in person.
Those were exactly what Luan Xin wanted to tell Shen Tang.
Though he had spent only a few days in the enemy camp, he had uncovered a great deal of intelligence. It could help them gain a foothold quickly at the outset