"Wronged?" The eunuch gave a cold laugh. "Save that for the eunuch in charge when you reach the Imperial City Office!"
With that, he waved a hand.
Duan Qin, already restrained, was marched straight out. The remaining armored soldiers dragged out Steward Chen, who had collapsed beside the table, too terrified to move.
The sudden incident had long since silenced the teahouse. Everyone held their breath, afraid to look toward the door yet unable to resist. Only after both men had been dragged out, the armored soldiers had withdrawn, and the eunuch had swept them with a warning glance before leaving did conversation resume.
"What happened? One of the men they took away just now-I remember him. Wasn't he the steward of the Duan Residence?"
"The Duan Residence? Which Duan Residence?"
"How many Duan Residences are there in the Capital City? Lord Duan's, of course-the one who commands the Imperial Guards!"
"Hiss! I heard Lord Duan enjoys the emperor's trust and favor. How could this..."
Indeed, as the steward of an official so trusted by the emperor, even if Steward Duan had committed an offense, the matter would usually have been left to the Duan Residence to handle. A eunuch from the palace should not have dragged him away outright.
What could warrant such a massive show of force?
It was not that Duan Yanxing's steward could not be charged with a crime, but how could a mere servant warrant the dispatch of a eunuch and so many armored soldiers?
Unless something had happened to Duan Yanxing, and his steward had been implicated through his master?
At that thought, everything that had seemed inexplicable suddenly made sense.
Something must have happened to the Duan Residence!
But the teahouse was no place to discuss such matters at length. The patrons spoke