At dawn, a streak of white gradually appeared in the east. The sky outside had yet to fully brighten, but candles had already been lit in the room.
Rising early to enter the court, Ning Chen donned plain clothes. Behind him, Xin Yu carefully arranged his robes, fulfilling her duty as a wife.
"I'm leaving."
The time had come. Ning Chen spoke softly, then stepped out of the room.
Within the Great Xia Imperial Palace, in the majestic and imposing Heavenly Edict Hall, all the officials had gathered, quietly awaiting the Son of Heaven's court session.
Like any ordinary morning court, there seemed to be little difference today. Yet an unusual tension hung in the air. The Northern Mongol Emperor had been attacked in the Great Xia Imperial City, and Northern Mongolia was exerting pressure. Relations between the two dynasties had once again grown strained.
The earth-shaking war between the two dynasties forty years ago remained vivid even now. Several veteran ministers at court clearly remembered the terror of that war. Great Xia, then in the full bloom of its strength, had relied on several Martial Marquises fighting bathed in blood to bring peace to the realm. If war broke out between the two dynasties again, countless lives would undoubtedly be plunged once more into misery.
As the officials waited in silence, Xia Chi, clad in an emperor's Dragon Robe, emerged from the right side of the hall. His eyes swept across the assembled ministers below, but he said nothing.
"Your Majesty, it is time to hold court."
Beside the dragon throne, an attendant stepped forward and reminded him in a low voice.
"Wait."
Xia Chi answered blandly, his tone calm.
The ministers below were startled, yet none dared speak. They could only continue waiting patiently.
Just then, at the