Steam rose from the boiling tea, and sunlight slanted through the eaves, drawing a sharp line.
Sweat seeped through the strands of hair, trickling along the temples, itchy and tingling.
Everyone paused, looking at the grinning Liang Qu. The Heavenly Feather Guard dared not wipe their brow, simply bowing their heads, sweating profusely.
Silence.
Complete silence.
On June 1st, even the cicadas had not begun their song, and the whole hall was deadly quiet.
The Five Kings, Su Guishan, Yang Dongxiong, Lanzhou Prefect, six scholars, nine high officials, Chief, two Heavenly Feather Guards—all twenty-seven pairs of eyes, no more, no less, neatly fixed on Liang Qu.
The Holy Emperor laid down the ledger, picked up the teacup, turning his wrist to lightly skim the froth, the sound of porcelain clinking unusually prominent.
Sipped once.
"Shi Fan, Luo Feng!"
At the call, the Heavenly Feather Guards instinctively responded, kneeling on one knee.
"Here!"
"Expel King Huai!"
