This was Pu Yuan's first glimpse of Luoyang.
At the sight of the majestic city before him, for some reason, Pu Yuan felt a bitter ache in his heart and could not even lift his head.
Pu Yuan had received exceptionally fine treatment throughout his journey.
After he set out from Hanzhong, officials had received him all along the way and escorted him toward Luoyang with the highest honors. The armored guards had also taken his age into account and never hurried him, proceeding slowly toward Luoyang. There had even been a physician accompanying them.
In all his long life, Pu Yuan had never experienced such respect.
He had never received treatment like this even when Chancellor Zhuge was still alive.
This left Pu Yuan deeply conflicted.
At last, he arrived in Luoyang.
Several people had come specifically to welcome him outside the city gate.
At their head was a young man, with two older men standing beside him.
Pu Yuan recognized one of them: Li Zhuan, the Right Central Gentleman of the Household.
With several armored guards supporting him, Pu Yuan stepped down from the carriage, and the young man hurried forward to pay his respects.
"Am I in the presence of Lord Pu?"
Pu Yuan looked at him. "Indeed. And you are, sir?"
"I am Du Yu, Minister of Works."
Du Yu gave his name.
Pu Yuan was astonished. Although he did not know what the Ministry of Works was, he certainly knew what a minister was.
The ministers in the Imperial Secretariat were the men who actually governed the court. He had never imagined that this young man before him, despite his youth, was a minister of state-and that he would even salute first and introduce himself.
Pu Yuan hurriedly returned the salute.
Du Yu helped him