"What has you so flustered?"
Zhang Lanhe frowned. Why were there so many problems in the Capital City, always interrupting things between them?
"Is everyone in the Capital City freeloading? Does every little thing require my personal attention?"
After handling court business for so many years, Zhang Lanhe was deeply irritated by these tedious, complicated matters rife with scheming.
His subordinate reported, "His Majesty has issued a decree ordering the Ninth Prince to accompany the Minister of Rites in seeing off the Northern Border envoys at sunset today. However, our investigation suggests the Fifth Prince is behind this."
Xie Huizhou said, "That's all?"
He felt such a minor matter hardly warranted this much panic. Did the scout have something else to say?
"It's still early. Let the Ministry of Rites handle it first." Zhang Lanhe remained unmoved. "When it's nearly time, they'll head over."
Whenever Zhang Lanhe remembered the astonishment and covetousness in the Northern Border Prince Wuzi's eyes upon seeing Xie Huizhou, his murderous intent toward his rival only deepened.
Perhaps, once the Northern Border Prince Wuzi left the Great Xia Dynasty's territory, he should have the Shadow Guards pose as bandits and kill him along the way. A man would only behave once he was buried in the earth, asleep forever.
More and more people coveted Xie Huizhou, intensifying Zhang Lanhe's sense of crisis.
He wanted to leave more marks on Xie Huizhou, so everyone would know this man was his.
The subordinate glanced at Xie Huizhou, looking conflicted. "There's more..."
When gathering information to report, they investigated both public and covert affairs. Besides the Ministry of Rites' official work, they also monitored the private movements of imperial relatives, nobles, and court officials.
With someone else present, the cautious scout tentatively asked Zhang Lanhe whether they should speak