The Golden Throne Hall was silent as the grave.
Jia Huan slowly entered the hall.
After paying his respects, he stood below the vermilion steps.
Four Feudal Princes approached.
Two carried purple jade trays.
The other two carried the Commanding Commissioner's Official Seal, cast from a corner of the Heirloom Imperial Seal.
High above on the Imperial Throne, Emperor Jingde remained expressionless, forcibly suppressing the fury in his heart.
If he alone held supreme power, if that old bastard had departed for the Western Paradise, if every civil and military official at court upheld his sovereign commands, he would never have stood by and watched this happen.
He wanted to heap humiliation upon this treacherous wretch who defied his sovereign. He longed to have him killed on the spot. What emperor had ever suffered such stifling indignity?!
Chief Grand Secretary Yang of the Grand Secretariat surveyed the packed hall and proclaimed in a ringing, measured voice:
"Don the Flying Fish Uniform and take up the seal!"
The four Feudal Princes withdrew, and the well-trained Palace Ladies approached Lord Jia with light, soundless steps.
They carefully removed his Purple Python Flying Fish Uniform and dressed him in the Golden Python Flying Fish Uniform tailored to his measurements.
At that moment, the brilliant gold dazzled every eye, even stinging Emperor Jingde's eyes.
The assembled ministers breathed faster, staring fixedly at the figure below the vermilion steps.
Gold was already a color of flawless nobility, but on Lord Jia, it shone like the blazing sun. Not a trace of twilight lingered about him, only a radiant halo illuminating all four directions.
Astonishment flickered in the eyes of several veteran ministers of the realm. They had witnessed Jiang Wuyuan first don the Golden Python Flying Fish Uniform. He had possessed ample dignity and imposing