Du Lengning was upstairs when he heard the uproar below. He looked down. Why were there so many people, and why were they dressed so strangely? Just then, someone rushed in from outside and cried, "Young Master Du, this is bad! That chief steward or whatever he is wants to seal our store!" Du Lengning froze. "Does he now?"
Far from angry, he was delighted. Between the girl next door and Qian Qiuluo, he had been run ragged these past few days. Now something had come up, giving him the perfect excuse to avoid them both.
"Come on. Take me down to see." Du Lengning swept out a hand. His subordinate found it odd. Why was Young Master Du smiling?
No one knew where the young eunuchs had found the chair, but when Ha Dehai lowered his backside onto it, the whole chair vanished from sight. Anger sent beads of sweat as big as beans rolling down his plump, pale face. Several young eunuchs rushed to fan him and flatter him at once. "Oh, Chief Steward, please don't get worked up! You're the pillar holding up our Celestial Palace! If anger ruins your health, what are we supposed to do..."
Du Lengning happened to hear that and nearly threw up. If this fat pig of a eunuch was the pillar holding up the Celestial Palace, what did that make the Supreme Pure Emperor—a stray scallion?
Du Lengning planted himself before Ha Dehai, his stance loose and steady, every inch a master. Looking down at him, he asked, "Who are you?" The young eunuchs and palace guards wanted to seal the doors, but Luo Company's bodyguards were no pushovers. The two sides stood facing off, swords all but drawn.
Ha Dehai snorted. "You've got some nerve, obstructing an imperial envoy!" Du