Lu Yao stood proudly in the imperial court, blocking the ministers' questioning gazes with an unyielding stance, like a towering wall.
Lu Yao thought with no small measure of pride.
I, Lu Yao, took on a dozen civil officials in a battle of tongues. My record speaks for itself.
Up on the Golden Terrace, Jiang Yingcheng, who had watched the entire exchange, shared in that pride.
[Oh? Nobody has anything to say now?!]
[Why aren't you uncles smiling anymore? Were you born not liking to smile?!]
Then Jiang Yingcheng alone laughed with the force of a thousand troops and ten thousand horses: [Hahahahahahaha-]
The assembled ministers had been argued into utter disgrace. Though some still looked unconvinced, none dared provoke Lu Yao over this matter again.
But Zhang Ding'an's case was hardly something that could be brushed aside with a little banter.
"Does any other official question our Embroidered Uniform Guard's ability to gather intelligence?"
Lu Yao calmly surveyed the court. Wherever that gaze landed, the ministers all avoided its edge. Even the officials who could hear the little one's thoughts had to be wary of that gossip-loving girl, the Embroidered Uniform Guard's finest unofficial intelligence agent.
Lu Yao was thoroughly satisfied with this state of unrivaled victory. "In that case-"
"Official Lu!" A sudden shout cut Lu Yao off.
Everyone turned toward the voice.
Under everyone's suspicious or admiring gazes, Du Boshan felt far from comfortable.
He did not want to be the bird that stuck its head out first, but as someone whose interests put him in the same boat as Zhang Ding'an and the others, he could not simply watch those ahead of him fall.
"Though what you just described proves that your Eastern Depot is brimming with talent, it seems to have no direct bearing on