A yellow-robed attendant greeted them. "His Majesty has decreed that Prince Yun enter the palace!"
Prince Yun nodded lightly. "Are you entering the palace as well, Marquis Su?"
"His Majesty summoned every official of fifth rank and above today. Naturally, I am among them."
"Then... shall we go together?"
"After you, Your Highness!"
The two boarded the imperial carriage together and entered the Desolate Capital side by side.
Inside the taverns, discussion ran rampant...
"He really came!"
"Would he dare not come? His Majesty issued an imperial decree..." Someone else wore a complicated expression.
"Once he enters the palace, I fear..."
At those words, countless eyes turned toward the speaker. He immediately fell silent and lowered his head to drink his tea.
Almost everyone could guess what would happen after Prince Yun entered the palace, but such things could not be said carelessly.
Wenling Hall was packed with court officials.
Almost every official of fifth rank and above in the Capital City had arrived.
There were fully a thousand of them.
Lin Weiyang had arrived. As a fourth-rank official, he stood in the rear rows.
Lei Tianlun had arrived. Long illness had kept him from court, but today he had come. As a first-rank official, he stood in the foremost row.
Chancellor Li Lie watched him closely, but however vigilant he was, he could detect nothing unusual about Lei Tianlun.
Song Lifu had arrived. He stood among the second-rank officials, his face betraying neither sorrow nor joy. That was his customary expression, especially since the new emperor's accession. No one could hope to find the slightest irregularity on his face. It was as though his entire being had been sealed inside a casing.
The ministers beside him were quite excited, though who knew what they were so excited about.
His