Naturally, the Wild Daoist had taken away mostly the wavering household guards on the outer fringes. He had not taken a single one of the dozen or so men surrounding Su Ziji.
Both Ma Shunde and Huo Wuyong noticed this, but even Ma Shunde thought nothing of those dozen men. He feigned ignorance, wearing only a cold sneer as he waited for everyone in Prince Dai's Residence to assemble.
As time passed, the rain gradually eased.
Apart from Su Ziji and the others with people holding umbrellas over them, and Ma Shunde, Huo Wuyong, and their companions, who were likewise sheltered, most of those present had been battered by wind and rain and were soaked through.
A light breeze in the dead of night made someone shiver at once, but no one dared utter a complaint. In this atmosphere, everyone tried to make themselves as inconspicuous as possible, lest they attract attention.
No one knew whether, once they drew someone's notice, they might become this supposed "master thief" or "sorcerer."
Standing beneath his umbrella, Su Ziji schooled his expression and surveyed them coldly, taking in the faces of everyone in the residence. He could not help sighing inwardly. The majesty of the imperial throne lies not only in force, but in its hold over people's hearts. At the mere mention of an imperial decree, even the dozen men sworn to die for their lord tremble in their boots, never mind the rest.
It isn't death they fear, but the moral authority behind it. Heh, what a fine essay in moral instruction.
Luckily, I had the foresight to order Zeng Nianzhen to recruit soldiers among the overseas pirates and tribesmen. Once trained, they won't fear this moral authority.
Otherwise, I might not even have the strength to resist.
Su Ziji could