*
Gao Zheqi shot him a faint, smiling glance, and the official fell silent.
*
*
「Upper Monarch Hall.」
A servant added some incense and was about to retreat. From behind the beaded curtain, the master leaning lazily within scoffed, "What's this? Has that old coot Gao Zheqi arrived?"
The servant, slightly startled, quickly lowered his eyes. "A messenger just reported that Mr. Gao is already on his way to the Imperial Palace."
"I am tired. If he arrives, just have him wait." The voice was casual, tinged with a laugh.
The servant hastily agreed and retreated.
*
*
The wind picked up.
The Dayong Dynasty's territory was vast, and the farther west one traveled, the more barren and desolate the landscape became.
The land was crisscrossed with massive gullies, as if the heavens had lashed the earth with a whip. The ground was uneven and pitted, making travel for carriages and horses difficult. Sporadic gusts of yellow sand would rise up, forcing people to squeeze their eyes shut.
