Yuchi Chong waited outside Tianfu Palace for a full hour before he was granted permission to enter for an audience. He slowly approached Xue Shengkang from behind and sank to his knees. "Your guilty subject, Yuchi Chong, pays his respects to Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty, ten thousand years, ten thousand upon ten thousand years!"
Xue Shengkang did not turn around, keeping his back to Yuchi Chong as he said coolly, "Why have you come to the palace so late at night, my venerable minister? Has something urgent happened?" By not immediately permitting the distinguished old marshal to rise, he had already expressed his displeasure in a veiled manner.
Yuchi Chong said, "Your old subject has come concerning the incident at the Red Mountain Guildhall."
Xue Shengkang nodded, then slowly turned around. His keen gaze fixed on Yuchi Chong like a blade, and his sovereign majesty bore down so heavily that Yuchi Chong felt his breath catch. Xue Shengkang said coldly, "Do you acknowledge your guilt?"
Yuchi Chong replied calmly, "I do not know what crime I have committed."
Xue Shengkang gave a short laugh and took a step toward Yuchi Chong. "Wanyan Chixiong, the Fourth Prince of Black Hu, has been killed. Everyone at the Red Mountain Guildhall can testify that Huo Shengnan did it! Did you know about this or not?"
Yuchi Chong said, "Your old subject knew nothing of it!"
Xue Shengkang said, "News of Wanyan Chixiong's murder has caused an uproar, yet you claim you knew nothing? You just said you came because of the incident at the Red Mountain Guildhall. Have you grown senile?"
Yuchi Chong said, "Your old subject knows that Wanyan Chixiong was killed. But as for Your Majesty's claim that Huo Shengnan killed him, I have neither heard of it nor