Drums and horns shook the city; the imperial guards marched to war.
Inside Yanchang Hall, the Son of Heaven stood with his hands tucked into his sleeves, gazing at the two Fuxi Gold Statues in the brocade box. The more he looked, the more he liked them! Clicking his tongue in admiration, he said:
"Old Hu is a lucky general. He really did manage to make a pair!"
Smiling delightedly, he turned to Qian Ruo'er.
"Do you know who sent these?"
Qian Ruo'er knew little of court affairs. All he could do was infer from the surname and rack his brains for a name.
"Your Majesty said his surname was Hu, and called him a lucky general, so, so..."
"I am not asking who presented these gold statues to me. I am asking who gave this gold statue to the person who presented it to me."
Qian Ruo'er could not tell whether the emperor was merely chatting or testing him. If this was a test, it was far too difficult. How was he supposed to know that? He could only answer somewhat uneasily:
"Well... this humble servant knows even less about that..."
The emperor was utterly unconcerned.
"Neither do I."
Qian Ruo'er: ?
"But I can guess."
Hu Xiezhi was an old retainer of the emperor's. When the emperor had commanded Jiangzhou, Hu had served on his staff and enjoyed considerable favor. After ascending the throne, the emperor had specially sent several palace servants to live at Hu Xiezhi's home and teach his household proper pronunciation and etiquette, so that he could marry a woman of better pedigree. Two years later, the emperor asked how his studies were progressing. Hu Xiezhi answered with a bitter smile, "There are many people in my household and few palace servants. Not only have