The procession soon reached Ning'an City, where the Empress Dowager summoned the assembled ministers to the County Academy for a grand assembly.
Besides Jing Kingdom's civil and military officials, Great Scholars, Grand Academicians, and Hanlin Academicians from every nation were welcome to attend.
It was already deep into the night, but the many lanterns hanging above the academy, together with the Literary Star Light, kept the place well illuminated.
In the square before the County Academy's Temple of Sages, the Empress Dowager occupied the seat of honor. A curtain hung before her, and in front of it stood a vermilion desk bearing an Imperial Jade Seal wrapped in bright yellow silk.
Jing Kingdom's officials sat in two ranks on either side. Behind them were the scholars who had come from other nations to lend aid, including people from the Sacred Academy's various halls and institutes.
Fang Yun occupied the first seat on the left, followed by Jing Kingdom's Great Scholars in order. Liu Shan, the head of the officialdom, sat behind all of Jing Kingdom's Great Scholars.
Liu Shan had originally had only a little white hair and looked barely over fifty. Now his hair and beard were white as frost, and wrinkles covered his face, making him look like an old man past eighty.
The scholars from other nations kept glancing at Liu Shan with varying expressions. Some were full of contempt, some wore cold smiles, some gritted their teeth, and others looked utterly disgusted.
Liu Shan's infamy had already spread throughout the world.
In the past, no matter what Liu Shan did, someone would inevitably make excuses for him on the Discourse Ranking. Now, however, not a single person on the entire Discourse Ranking spoke in his defense.
With the appearance of the two works of War Poetry,