At the end of the Xu Hour, brilliant lanterns had just been lit, and the night was still young.
Jia Huan left the Eastern Palace.
Besides the Imperial Edict appointing him, he carried another ordering an execution, drafted by the Retired Emperor.
The various government offices had long since closed. The Imperial Path through the Imperial City lay silent, save for the footsteps of patrolling Golden Guards.
Four figures stood at the Duan Gate.
Jia Huan stared at them expressionlessly.
The four approached with faltering steps, the lamplight illuminating their aged faces, furrowed with deep creases. Two were the Ancestral Hall eunuchs from earlier that day; the other two had white hair and were also nearly a hundred years old.
"Greetings, Lord Jia!" Following proper etiquette, the four elders respectfully cupped their fists.
"What is it?" Jia Huan scrutinized them.
Their leader smiled and said:
"This old servant is called Jiang Si. He is Jiang Wu, and Lord Jia already knows those two, Jiang Liu and Jiang Qi. For servants like us to be granted our master's imperial surname is an honor as vast as heaven."
Jia Huan offered no response.
These old creatures came from the Ancestral Hall!
As sovereigns of the State and Altars, the Jiang Family ruled over all their subjects. Naturally, they possessed the highest tier of martial force.
Beneath the night sky, the five walked one ahead of the others.
Jiang Si's eyes were deeply sunken, his wrinkles like earth cracked by half a year of drought. He spoke unhurriedly:
"In the Court Deliberation Hall, Lord Jia showed a measure of disrespect toward His Majesty."
Jia Huan abruptly stopped. Rather than grow angry, he laughed.
"On what grounds do you say that? None of the Grand Secretariat Ministers thought me disrespectful. What are you scheming?"