234 Untitled (2/2)

Yet, she did not know that the one who caused it was herself, loneliness had always been temporary and just in the neighboring country, a certain someone's black pupils were gazing in the direction of Xuanyuan as he headed closer towards her…

Under the heavens, every person had their own way of living their lives. The manor of Xuanyuan's Regent King was filled with deceit and danger, and thousands of miles away, there was another nation whose renown city should already have fallen under the flames of war, but due to the contribution of a certain someone, it managed to overcome its tribulation smoothly and peacefully. Of course, this was also due to the diligence of the emperor, whose room light remained burning late into the night—ever since a certain unscrupulous someone had left, Emperor Zhan had forgotten to sleep.

On the twenty-sixth day of the eleventh month, on the first year of the Dahan Eternal Progress era, at night.

The Qinzheng Palace was, as usual, lit up with lanterns. Ji Yu had personally taken the night shift, and he was staring at the flame in one of the lanterns, as well as the black shadow that was cast against the window, and let out a long, melancholic sigh.

Up ahead, a eunuch was rushing over, bringing with him the one in charge of communications. Ji Yu noticed that the man's face held a terrified expression and couldn't help but feel wary.

The man handed over the two letters and lamented, ”One of the letters had been hidden at the bottom of the pile due to me not knowing the importance of it, and only today did I read it… Hope that you would help me appease His Majesty…”

Ji Yu received the letter silently and nodded. His Majesty had not been in good spirits recently and would probably reluctantly agree to hear him out.

He entered the palace with the secret letter.

”Your Majesty, there's a secret letter via homing pigeon.”

Zhan Beiye, who had been deep in thought, suddenly lit up and immediately opened the letter. He quickly read through its contents and placed it heavily on his armrest and remarked, ”What has Xuanyuan selecting an empress have to do with me? Why does this also have to be reported via homing pigeon?”

Ji Yu realized… It seemed as if the movements of all the nations were reported within the contents of the letter…

”Your Majesty, there's another letter,” Ji Yu reminded after seeing Zhan Beiye throw the letter aside. Zhan Beiye frowned and reluctantly opened the letter. He glanced at the date, and his frown immediately deepened as he asked, ”Why was this delayed for so long before finally being handed to me?”

Without waiting for Ji Yu's reply, his expression turned doubtful, and he read the letter again swiftly. He stared at the words intently as if he wanted to carve each word onto his heart, and after a long time, he finally shifted his gaze.

The palace fell into a suspicious silence.

Bang!

The letter was suddenly thrown across by him, and it mercilessly landed on Ji Yu's face!

Zhan Beiye's roar resounded through the entire Qinzheng Palace.

”How was this delayed for so long!”

The same question, yet the tone it was delivered with was entirely different; Zhan Beiye's eyes were bloodshot, and veins were visible on his forehead, while his entire body was trembling.

Such an important report was actually delayed for a full month!

Ji Yu silently fell to his knees. He had already seen the contents of the letter, and as the one who had caused the letter to be delayed, it was hard for him to avoid blame.

He cowered on the ground in anguish as he lamented, ”I… am not fit to be your spy any longer, may Your Majesty punish me and strip me of my duty, I accept my punishment…”

Zhan Beiye was stunned for a moment. He turned and glanced at Ji Yu's empty sleeves spread out on the floor, his shoulder blades extremely prominent and streaks of white in his hair. He suddenly remembered Ji Yu back in the past, a handsome, brave man, the most dashing leader of the Black Wind Calvary, worthy of the ladies' praises. Even the Fufeng Shaodang clan's most beautiful lady, Mu Zhenzhen, had gifted him a priceless dragonfly pearl… The passage of time kept flowing, and in an instant, he was no longer in the peak of his youth.

And the reason he had overlooked this was because after Fuyao left, he was afraid that he might do something stupid due to his broken heart, so he remained by his side day and night, hence abandoning his role as the head of communications. In a short few months, Ji Yu had become even frailer than him.

”Get up…” Zhan Beiye's heart winced slightly as he said tiredly, ”It is but an unlucky twist of fate from the heavens…”

However, Ji Yu remained on the ground and bowed again as he said, ”Your Majesty, whether you punish me or not, please strip me of my position as head of communications.”

”Even you want to leave me now?” Zhan Beiye looked at him bitterly and turned away. His broad and long silhouette was reflected against a painting of Dafujiang Mountain, and it looked extremely lonely.

Ji Yu gazed at his back view, finally unable to withhold his tears, he stopped himself from sniffing as he mumbled, ”The imperial court is a place of utmost honor and discipline, there shouldn't be any tolerance for a crippled official. I am also not willing to let my beloved emperor receive mockery because of me…”

”Who would dare mock you?” Zhan Beiye suddenly turned back around. ”You are a hero of the nation, and your contribution is exceptional. Your name will travel down in history, and if anyone dares to mock you, may their brains rot!”

”Your Majesty…” Ji Yu said lightly, ”I would like to go to the sealing grounds of the King of Han.”

Zhan Beiye suddenly froze after understanding this old servant's predicament. He stared at Ji Yu and retreated back into his seat. After a while, his eyes had already become red.