*
Gao Zheqi merely shot him a faint smile, and the official immediately fell silent.
*
*
「Upper Monarch Hall.」
A servant added some incense to the burner and was about to withdraw. From behind the beaded curtain, a lazy voice sneered, "What now? Has that old coot Gao Zheqi arrived?"
The servant, slightly startled, quickly lowered his gaze. "A messenger just reported that Mr. Gao is already on his way to the Imperial Palace."
"I am tired. If he arrives, tell him to wait," came the careless, laughing reply.
The servant hastily agreed and backed out of the room.
*
*
The wind picked up.
The Dayong Dynasty's territory was vast. The farther west one traveled, the more arid and desolate the landscape became.
Great scars and gullies crisscrossed the land, as if the heavens had lashed the earth with a whip. The path was rough and uneven for the horses and carts, and occasional gusts of sand would spring up, forcing people to shut their eyes.
