Court Deliberation

Fang Yun had expected the Empress Dowager's voice to be full of majesty, or aged and stern, but instead it was crisp and pleasant, no different from that of an ordinary woman in her twenties.

The Empress Dowager's words were merely polite formalities. Fang Yun waited for the Palace Examination court deliberation that would follow.

"Your subject has a matter to present!" someone suddenly called out loudly.

The voice sounded familiar to Fang Yun. Following it, he looked over and saw that it was Tong Luan, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.

Rumors in the streets said that although the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War had longstanding ties with the Left Prime Minister, their relationship had been merely ordinary. After Tong Li and Fang Yun's wager to shatter Literary Guts had failed, Tong Luan had tried to enter Jade Sea City to question Fang Yun, only to be stopped by Li Wenying. Afterwards, he had thrown in his lot with the Left Prime Minister, becoming the highest-ranking follower of the Left Prime Minister within the Ministry of War.

At a time when the Left Prime Minister's reputation had suffered, this man had been somewhat wavering. Yet today, he had suddenly stepped forward before all the civil and military officials, making Fang Yun feel that something was amiss.

Like most others, Fang Yun glanced at Tong Luan, then immediately looked toward Left Prime Minister Liu Shan. Yet Liu Shan sat properly upright, his expression utterly unchanged.

"What matter does Minister Tong wish to present?"

"Your subject has heard that next year the Grass Barbarians will send a great army south. I have been unable to sleep night or day. Resisting the barbarians is a matter of national importance; the Palace Examination is secondary. I request that