Luoyang, Purple Tenuity Palace, Imperial Study.
"Bastard!"
Emperor Xiping slammed his palm down in fury, making the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone on his desk jump. "That dog has gone too far in bullying me!"
Standing below, Shen Fa and Wei Heng immediately lowered their heads further, eyes on their noses, noses toward their hearts, neither daring to make a sound.
After venting some of his anger, Emperor Xiping picked up the letter again. His own daughter's familiar handwriting lent the simple words "Pay me back" a teasing, threatening edge, as though they were saying, If you don't pay, I'll kill the hostage!
The more he looked, the angrier he grew; the more he thought, the angrier he grew. In impotent fury, he pounded the imperial desk with repeated bangs. "You dog! I will kill you!"
The two men below thought, Heh...
After stewing alone for a long while, Emperor Xiping finally could not help asking, "What exactly does that stubborn mule mean? Surely he can't blame me just because his money went missing? Does the law count for nothing?"
He fixed the two men below with a tiger's glare.
Sensing his gaze, Wei Heng promptly turned toward Shen Fa. Hey, he's asking you!
Shen Fa stared vacantly at the floor, counting the tiles one by one. You can't see me. You can't see me. You can't see me...
Bang!
Emperor Xiping slammed the desk, his beard bristling and eyes bulging. "Have you both gone mute? Speak!"
Wei Heng stole another glance at Shen Fa. Seeing that he remained rigidly silent, he could only brace himself and bow with clasped hands. "R-reporting to Your Majesty, this happened so suddenly that your servant has yet to receive any useful intelligence."
"Useless fools!"
Emperor Xiping snatched up a memorial and hurled it