Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Open the gate! Open it!"
Zhongli Yan, his face battered black and blue and several shredded armor leaves hanging from his body, roared outside the imperial city and hammered furiously on the gate.
Xiang Zhaohuai, commander of the imperial city guards, was on night duty today. Clad in armor with a saber at his waist, he stood atop the gate tower with a terrible headache. "Brother Zhongli, in the middle of the night like this, how can you force your way into the imperial city?"
Only after smashing the gate several more times did Zhongli Yan step back from the gate passage. Looking up at that damned general above, he shouted, "Xiang! Report to the Son of Heaven that Great Chu's number one prodigy, Zhongli Yan, seeks an audience!"
Xiang Zhaohuai did not dispute his self-proclaimed title, lest he earn the man's resentment. He merely said, "It is late, and His Majesty's spirit is weary as well. It would not be proper to disturb him. Whatever it is, Young Master Zhongli, why not return tomorrow morning?"
"It can't wait until tomorrow!" Zhongli Yan swept out a hand. "This is a matter as enormous as the heavens! I want an audience with the Son of Heaven! I want him to uphold justice!"
Xiang Zhaohuai could neither laugh nor cry. "Brother, you must be joking—who would deny you justice?"
"You're denying it to me right now!" Zhongli Yan pointed at him. "I'll count to three. If you still refuse to announce me, I'll go beat the Drum of Hearing—I'll sound the drum and cry out my grievance!"
This kid meant what he said and did what he threatened.
Xiang Zhaohuai leapt directly down from the gate tower and warmly caught Zhongli Yan by the arm. "Brother,