At the very moment Wei Nisheng was writing furiously in the Examination Hall,
a very different scene unfolded within the high walls of the Imperial Clan Court.
Prince Ning, Jiang Zhang, sat in the seat of honor, holding a copy of a document just delivered from the palace. He had been reading it for nearly half an hour.
Jiang Yu sat below him, idly fiddling with the lid of his teacup, making faint clinking sounds.
Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door.
Both men turned their eyes toward the entrance.
The door swung open, and Wang Cheng entered with only two junior eunuchs behind him, one on either side, their hands lowered and heads bowed.
Seeing that the visitor was Wang Cheng, the emperor's personal attendant,
Prince Ning hurried to his feet, and Jiang Yu rose as well. Father and son went forward together to greet him.
"Eunuch Wang." Prince Ning cupped his hands. "Why come in person in such hot weather?
"If you have a message, you need only send someone."
Wang Cheng stood just inside the threshold, neither answering nor returning the greeting.
"Prince Ning," Wang Cheng finally said, his voice neither shrill nor hoarse, but perfectly flat. "His Majesty's verbal decree."
Prince Ning's expression changed. He lifted his robes and knelt.
Jiang Yu followed half a beat later.
Wang Cheng stood before the father and son, looking down at them, and began slowly.
"His Majesty says: Uncle, have you been keeping well during your recent stay in the Imperial Clan Court?"
The question sounded courteous, but a chill ran down Prince Ning's spine.
He prostrated himself, his forehead almost touching the bricks, his voice taut.
"I... I am in tolerable health. I thank Your Majesty for your concern."
Wang Cheng nodded and continued, "His Majesty also says: