"Then you must hurry and report this to His Majesty," said Zhao Xu with a sharp change in expression, issuing a command.
The guard hesitated slightly and spoke tactfully, "My lord, please consider this. The palace gates are already locked and palace regulations are strict. There is only one hour left until the gates open. Unless it is a matter of paramount importance, please wait!"
"If it is truly reported up level by level according to palace regulations, this amounts to an extraordinary matter of state and military. Forgive your humble servant's presumption, but will you bear this responsibility?"
Zhao Xu hesitated. He was well aware of these rules, but was this truly an extraordinary matter of state and military? It seemed not; it was merely a malpractice case, and one intercepted ahead of time at that.
Yet without an imperial decree, he could only wait another hour. An hour was normally of little consequence, but the situation feared a messy ending that would be hard to wrap up!
Zhao Xu keenly caught the scent of something amiss. For a moment he hesitated, irresolute, but right at that instant he heard a voice from behind, "Lord Zhao, this humble official feels this matter is urgent and His Majesty must be made aware of it immediately. This humble official has a method to have His Majesty know at once."
Zhao Xu started, turned around, and saw Liang Yuyin.
A short moment before, Liang Yuyin, who had also ridden in the oxcart toward the imperial palace, had sat without a word. He had seemed lost in thought, but in truth his mind had been spinning through a thousand turns. He was now thoroughly terrified; anyone with clear eyes knew this matter was fishy.
Regardless of whose trap it was, as long as