Within the Heavenly Palace, wine and women filled the air with fragrance, while song and dance celebrated the peace.
The military officers had been "resting" for a while, but their energy was still far from spent. From time to time, the sounds of them frolicking and playing with women drifted over from the Heavenly Pool.
In a jade chamber on the second floor, Pan Lianrong sat quietly on a couch, strands of hair hanging beside her cheeks. She unconsciously swung her legs as she studied an account ledger from the Treasure Origin Bureau.
She was busy socializing every day, leaving little time to handle official business herself. Yet in this brief respite amid her busy schedule, she had already checked and calculated all the accounts from the past dozen or so days.
Good looks were certainly an advantage for a woman, but if she wanted greater ease and more choices, that still depended on her abilities.
Tap, tap...!
Light footsteps sounded, and a woman with an intellectual air walked in. "Chief, the person sent to fetch them is back. He's outside."
"Did he get them all?" Pan Lianrong asked without looking up.
"Yes."
"Mm. Have him come in," Pan Lianrong instructed mildly.
"All right."
The intellectual-looking woman turned and left. Before long, Tan Pang walked in alone.
His face looked rather pale, his lips were purple, and blood stained both his clothes and his cheeks. "Sister, your subordinate has fulfilled his mission. All ten people in black robes have been brought back."
At his words, Pan Lianrong closed the ledger, gently set it aside, then rose and walked toward him.
Tan Pang was in terrible shape, and the Star Source aura throughout his body was unstable. Although outsiders could see no external injuries, they had no idea he had just