Dawn broke, and the mist gradually dispersed.
The pitch-black carriage passed through layer after layer of palace gates before finally stopping on the white marble plaza before Chengtian Hall.
The plaza was broad as a mirror, already filled with civil and military officials arranged in neat formations according to rank. Not a sound could be heard, save for the faint rustle of wind stirring the hems of their court robes.
The carriage came to a halt, its curtain lifted, and Jiang Ning, clad in a black robe with the Dongling seal at his waist, slowly stepped down.
The moment his feet touched the ground, two young female officials in palace attire came forward to greet him. Both were delicate-featured and dignified in bearing.
The leading female official was just over twenty, with a straight posture and slender waist. Her every movement clearly bore the mark of professional training.
She gave Jiang Ning a graceful bow, her voice bright and clear. "This servant has come by His Majesty's decree to welcome Marquis Dongling. Marquis, please follow this servant. Your seat has already been prepared."
Jiang Ning nodded slightly and followed the female officials toward the front of the plaza.
As he passed, many among the solemnly standing civil and military officials quietly turned their gazes toward him—some with awe, some with curiosity, some with scrutiny.
Those gazes seemed tangible as they converged upon Jiang Ning, only to quietly scatter beneath his tranquil presence, none daring to linger for long.
The events at Heaven-Bearing Hall a few days ago had, after several days of fermenting, spread to nearly every corner of the royal capital. Even the common people had heard of them, let alone these civil and military officials, whose channels for news were far more sensitive.
"Marquis Dongling has arrived."
"He's