"His Majesty arrives!"
Inside the Golden Throne Hall, Great Heng's civil and military officials had gathered. As the eunuch's shrill voice rang out, they turned toward the entrance.
Zhang Yuan concealed his face with [Severing Past and Present, Leaving or Staying]. A white-and-gold imperial robe covered his Sun-Moon Daoist Robe, and an emperor's crown rested on his head. His bearing was extraordinary, with an air of nobility beyond words.
Where was the Great Heng Empress?
Zhang Yuan surveyed the hall.
Almost all the civil and military officials were present, but he saw no sign of the Great Heng Empress. And unless his senses deceived him, several unusual presences were concealed in and around the Golden Throne Hall, some radiating hostility, others goodwill.
Tan Chengcheng followed behind Zhang Yuan and said, "You'll be presiding over this court session yourself. The Empress Dowager won't be coming."
To put an end to the rumors in Great Heng's court that the emperor had died, the Great Heng Empress could not be the only one speaking at this session. Zhang Yuan had to take part as well. Thus, the Great Heng Empress had simply stayed away and sent Zhang Yuan alone.
The corner of Zhang Yuan's eye twitched. He transmitted his voice, "Why didn't you tell me something this important earlier?"
No wonder they had sent him to the Golden Throne Hall the moment he emerged from seclusion. It was not that the Great Heng Empress had calculated when he would emerge; whenever he emerged, that was when he would come to the Golden Throne Hall and hold court.
Tan Chengcheng blinked.
You never asked. I thought you already knew, seeing how confident you were.
Ugh.
Another unreliable one.
Fine. It was just a fake emperor holding court. To Great Heng's people, the dynasty's civil