Tai'an Prefecture, the Imperial Palace.
Xiang Yuan stepped out through folded space, found a small pavilion, and sat down, then pressed two fingers together like a sword and pointed into the air. Ripples spread from his fingertips as he sent a voice transmission to Liu Che across the distance.
Senior Brother requests your presence. Come quickly.
The sun had already set beyond the western hills, and night had fallen.
Xiang Yuan waited at the Imperial Palace for half an hour before he saw Liu Che arrive at a leisurely pace. The latter had changed into a set of black brocade casual robes, dark gold patterns embroidered along the collar and cuffs. His belt was tightly cinched, and the hem of his robes hung stiff as iron, accentuating his broad shoulders and narrow waist. The latter looked imposing without sacrificing any of his regal, domineering air.
Putting himself in the other man's shoes, Xiang Yuan figured that since Liu Che had changed clothes, he had surely taken a bath while he was at it.
"Junior Brother, why did you bathe and change clothes?"
Xiang Yuan was not the least bit embarrassed. Xiang Yuan openly laid it out: "Was it to show respect for Senior Brother and observe every courtesy, or did you treat Senior Brother as a foreign envoy, put on a display of imperial majesty, and deliberately leave me hanging for half an hour?"
"Senior Brother, do not misunderstand. When a man encounters joyous occasions, his spirits soar. I have been somewhat unrestrained of late, and feared I might offend Senior Brother, so I bathed and changed to calm my heart."
Liu Che laughed heartily and sat opposite Xiang Yuan. "Certainly not because I regarded Senior Brother as a Western Chu envoy, did not wish to see you, and kept