The Nanyue emperor was short and fat; sitting down, he looked about nine months pregnant.

He glared at the panicked eunuch, his face dark. "You dog of a slave, what nonsense is this? You dare spout gibberish in the hall of state... Drag him out and club him to death."

The eunuch, already terrified, was scared clean out of his wits. His legs gave way and he sat down hard on the floor.

Only when the guards of the imperial presence came to drag him out did he come to his senses. He wailed, "Spare me, Your Majesty, spare me... This servant is telling the truth! The Great Xuan's troops have broken in! Mercy, Your Majesty!"

The Nanyue emperor waved a hand impatiently. "Drag him out. Have him beaten to death under the rod!"

The Great Xuan's troops had broken in? What kind of crazy talk was that?

The eunuch had to be out of his mind to say something so absurd.

"Spare me, Your Majesty! This servant is telling the truth! Run, everyone! The Great Xuan's troops are about to break into the city..."

One of the court ministers said sharply, "Hurry up and drag him out! Wild talk that leads people astray is an unpardonable crime."

Another official said with contempt, "This minister thinks he's simply gone mad. Nothing but crazy talk... The Great Xuan's troops have broken in? It's absolutely ridiculous."

"Exactly. Isn't that something out of the Arabian Nights?"

Just then an elderly official stepped out of line and bowed. "Your Majesty, something about this is strange. Perhaps we should send someone to look into it?"

The Nanyue emperor looked thoroughly displeased. "Beloved Minister Hu, he's gone mad, and now you have too? This is our Nanyue imperial city. How could the Great Xuan's troops possibly show up here, unless they can all fly through the sky and burrow through the earth?"

"Could the eunuch have given his madness to Lord Hu just now? Otherwise why would Lord Hu be talking hooey too?"

Someone said it as a joke, and the court roared with laughter.

Boom,…