*
Gao Zheqi merely shot him a faint smile, and the servant fell silent.
*
*
「Upper Monarch Hall.」
A servant added some incense and was about to withdraw. From behind the beaded curtain, a lazy, reclining voice chuckled. "What's this? Has that old bastard 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, just tell him to wait." The voice was casual, still laced with amusement.
The servant swiftly acknowledged the order and backed out of the room.
*
*
The wind picked up again.
The Dayong Dynasty's territory was vast. The farther west one traveled, the more barren and desolate the landscape became.
Massive gullies crisscrossed the land like scars from a divine whip. Carriages and horses jostled over the uneven, pitted ground. Occasionally, a gust of yellow sand would rise with startling suddenness, blinding travelers.
