The wind had risen outside, and black clouds shrouded everything in gloom. It should have brought some cool relief to those beneath the covered walkway, but for anyone with worries weighing on his heart, it might only have made things more oppressive and stifling.
"Eunuch Ma, His Majesty summons you." The eunuch who came out spoke quietly to a man waiting outside.
The man had stood like a wooden carving or a clay statue. Only upon hearing those words did he tremble slightly and come "alive."
"How are things inside?" Ma Shunde lowered his voice as he questioned the eunuch sent to summon him.
The eunuch knew him well. Seeing his dejected expression, he could not help sighing inwardly. From riding high on the spring breeze of success, to overbearing arrogance, to this-it had taken only a few months.
The eunuch had personally experienced his intimidating power before. Now he merely glanced at him and said, "Mind how you answer, Eunuch Ma!"
He might as well have said nothing.
Still, it did convey one signal: the emperor was probably in an exceedingly foul mood, and he would have to tread carefully once he went inside.
"Thank you."
Ma Shunde knew that, with the affair becoming public and such a disturbance erupting at court, the emperor's mood had to be terrible.
And as the agency responsible for monitoring both the common people and the officials, the Imperial City Office had failed to obtain advance intelligence of the officials' "rebellion." That was another grave failure!
Ma Shunde truly feared what he was about to face. Terror flickered in his eyes, but he knew he had no choice. He could only steel himself and walk inside.
Thud!
No sooner had he entered in trepidation than he dropped to his knees and began kowtowing