Liu Yuzhang frowned. "Who?"
Ji Feihua said, "Yesterday afternoon, Eunuch Wei brought someone to the Palace Gardens Bureau to visit you, Eunuch Liu. For some reason, he never returned, and there's still been no word of him."
Liu Yuzhang was taken aback, then shook his head. "I've never seen any Eunuch Wei."
Ji Feihua said, "How strange. Could Eunuch Wei and his companion, two living, breathing men, have vanished into thin air?"
Liu Yuzhang snapped angrily, "Ji Feihua, what are you implying? Are you saying I hid Wei Hualin?"
Ji Feihua chuckled. "Why get angry, Eunuch Liu? I'm only looking for someone. If you haven't seen him, you haven't seen him." His eyes swept over Liu Yuzhang's legs, then settled on Hu Xiaotian's face beside the bed. "Have you seen Eunuch Wei?"
Hu Xiaotian shook his head. "No. I've never seen him."
Liu Yuzhang said coldly, "Ji Feihua, do I need to remind you that this is the Palace Gardens Bureau?"
"Eunuch Liu, the Palace Gardens Bureau is part of the imperial palace too. Am I forbidden from coming here?" There was steel beneath the softness of Ji Feihua's words. Clearly, he thought little of this old eunuch and his years of distinguished service.
Liu Yuzhang raged, "Since when did my Palace Gardens Bureau fall under your Directorate of Internal Affairs? Shall I drag you before His Majesty and demand justice?"
Ji Feihua covered his mouth with his sleeve and let out a strange, rasping laugh. A cold gleam suddenly shot from his alluring eyes, cutting toward Liu Yuzhang like a blade. "Since you wish to take me before His Majesty to argue your case, Eunuch Liu, very well. Let's go before His Majesty. Men, escort Eunuch Liu!" Two eunuchs behind him strode forward, heading straight for Liu Yuzhang's bed.