After Gao Wuyong entered the hall, he did not so much as glance at Qing Chen. He simply walked straight to Emperor Jingtai, bowed, and lowered his head.
"Your old servant is here."
His voice was steady. His crimson python robe spread like a blood cloud, its cuffs embroidered with intricate python patterns. His brows and eyes were lowered meekly, yet he possessed the soft, sinister authority of one who had long dwelled deep within the palace and wielded power over life and death.
Emperor Jingtai stood before the Mars Illusory Void Dream Record, his gaze still resting on the third image, as though everything he had just said to Qing Chen had been no more than a casual stirring of a wisp of dust within a dream.
Yet what he said next caught Qing Chen by surprise.
"Personally escort the Azure Abyss Marquis out of Jade Capital Mountain, all the way to his residence."
Gao Wuyong paused almost imperceptibly.
But Qing Chen's Divine Sense was so keen that he still caught the flicker of surprise in the eyes of this brush-holding eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial.
Who was Gao Wuyong?
A Principal Second Rank brush-holding eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, concurrently Circuit Inspector of the Eastern Depot, and a true trusted retainer at Emperor Jingtai's side.
Even the heads of the Six Ministries and the Governors-General of the nine circuits had to keep a low profile before him.
Wei Jin, who had brought Qing Chen into the palace earlier, was merely a Principal Fourth Rank Assistant Director, and that had already been a considerable honor. Yet now Emperor Jingtai was ordering Gao Wuyong to personally escort him out of Jade Capital Mountain, and all the way into his residence.
This was no longer ordinary imperial favor.
But