"Officials already came to check once before. I never expected someone from the city to come too. The Imperial Court truly treats us common folk well."
As she spoke, she moved to welcome Liu Xie inside.
Liu Xie did not refuse and went straight into the house.
The house was exceedingly bare.
Apart from a few tables, chairs, and stools, there was nothing else. Liu Xie took in all its furnishings at a glance.
What drew his attention most was the object on a table on the north side: a spirit tablet.
Upon seeing it, Liu Xie stepped forward and solemnly paid his respects, bowing deeply to the ground.
The old woman and Zhaodi watched the scene before them.
Zhaodi looked up at the old woman curiously and asked, "Grandma, is Young Master Liu a friend of Daddy's? He looks so sad."
"I don't know. Where would your father have found such a distinguished friend? Wait... what did you say his surname was?"
The old woman trembled at those words and looked at Zhaodi.
Zhaodi did not know why her grandmother had reacted so strongly. Cautiously, she said, "His surname is Liu..."
The old woman abruptly looked up at Liu Xie as he straightened, her eyes filling with even greater disbelief.
Though old, she was not muddleheaded.
Liu was the imperial surname. Anyone bearing it must belong to the imperial family; this distinguished young gentleman before her was certainly no ordinary official.
And lately, she had heard rumors that the Son of Heaven occasionally visited the countryside incognito to understand the people's hardships. Could the man before her be...
"Are... are you perhaps..."
Seeing that the old woman might have guessed his identity, Liu Xie said softly, "I am the emperor."
At that imperial form of address, the old woman's