In a short while, the guard who had just run inside returned and whispered a few words into the Deputy Captain's ear.
The Deputy Captain nodded, then cupped his fists towards Lu Qing and the nephew of King Fan, saying, "Prince, and this young gentleman, the Holy Emperor invites you to the South Study Room for a conversation."
The nephew of King Fan was pierced by the phrase "this young gentleman," which exposed his current awkward situation without any title or status, causing his face to turn red and then pale.
However, he did not expect Emperor Jin to agree so easily to let him enter and have an audience, which set his mind at ease.
Lu Qing, however, remained calm. After being untied by the palace guards, he merely moved his wrists slightly. Upon hearing the Emperor's summons, he showed no extra emotion, simply nodding slightly to the Deputy Captain, and then led Zhu Yu, Yan Daoxin, and the others through the palace gates.
