"Eunuch Ma, could it be... you knew that Huo Lianqi?"
Nominally, he was a subordinate. Thousand-Household Commanders and Hundred-Household Officers held military posts and were not like the agents, so with matters of such importance, even the slightest responsibility could be too much to bear. After thinking it over, Thousand-Household Commander Gong decided to ask directly, casting Ma Shunde a furtive glance.
"Huo Lianqi?"
Hearing Thousand-Household Commander Gong's question, Ma Shunde came back to himself and glanced at the cautious commander. He immediately understood what was on his mind.
To be honest, in the past, he might have made a note of it and found some shoes too small for him to wear.
Did he really think a Eunuch Ma was not an official?
But now, Ma Shunde held a cup of tea in his hand and let out a long sigh, remaining silent. An irrepressible despondency enveloped the grand eunuch.
Seeing the astonishment on Thousand-Household Commander Gong's face, he closed his eyes as though recalling something. After a moment, he gave a bitter smile. "I have indeed heard this name before, but I cannot remember it for the moment."
Yet his tone was far gentler than usual.
Thousand-Household Commander Gong had not expected that Ma Shunde, a grand eunuch serving at the Emperor's side, had truly heard the name extracted from the informant.
However, judging by this, Ma Shunde probably did not know the man well. It might even have been a name he had heard long ago. Otherwise, with the memory of a grand eunuch who served before the Emperor, it was unlikely he would need to search his recollections and still fail to remember who the man was.
For someone from long ago to have left their name in the grand eunuch's mind, there had to be