Li Yukun made his way forward with an anxious, unsettled heart.
Following closely behind, he passed through corridor after corridor before finally arriving outside the imperial study.
Standing before the doors of the imperial study, Li Yukun took deep breaths and quietly waited for Emperor Kuntai's summons.
Second by second, time slipped away. Standing outside the imperial study, Li Yukun's emotions were a tangled mess.
Countless thoughts flickered through his mind, and his face shifted from green to white, changing without cease.
A eunuch slowly emerged from the imperial study. Looking at Li Yukun, he said in a low voice.
"Your Highness the Ninth Prince, His Majesty summons you."
Li Yukun nodded slightly, drew a deep breath, cast aside all the thoughts in his mind, and followed the elderly eunuch into the imperial study.
Upon entering the imperial study, Li Yukun kept his head lowered. Then he kowtowed to Emperor Kuntai. "This son greets Father Emperor. May you live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"
After kowtowing, Li Yukun remained motionless and waited quietly.
Emperor Kuntai's voice sounded by his ear. "I hear you wish to present a treasure to me."
"What is it?"
Emperor Kuntai's voice was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger, yet Li Yukun's heart trembled.
The authority Emperor Kuntai had long planted deep within him left him not daring to utter a single unnecessary word.
He swallowed faintly, gathered his words, and said softly, "Father Emperor, there is more to this matter."
Emperor Kuntai fell silent for a moment. "Chief Eunuch, have everyone else leave."
At his side stood an aged eunuch, Wu Derui, one of Emperor Kuntai's four closest eunuchs.
Wu Derui nodded slightly. "Yes, Your Majesty!"
Wu Derui waved to all the palace maids and eunuchs, dismissing every