Early the next morning, when the city gates opened, Ning Chen and his party left Lingzhou.

Before he went he left ten taels of silver with the manager of the inn for Mu Anbang and Jiang Zhengyang, to buy them a drink and to beg their pardon.

After all, Mu Anbang had come to call on him and had never even laid eyes on him.

Ning Chen had also written several letters when he got up that morning, to send back to the capital.

They were nothing important, only letters of greeting to the Ninth Princess and the rest.

On the road, Pan Yucheng turned his head and asked, "Ning Chen, where do we go next?"

"Mangzhou."

Lingzhou was not far from Mangzhou. Hard riding would cover it in five days; at a sightseer's pace, about ten.

Several days on, Ning Chen had covered only half the distance.

But Jiang Zhengyang's memorial had already reached the capital.

In the Golden Hall, the Xuan Emperor sat squarely on the dragon throne.

The civil and military officers stood in ranks on either side.

The Xuan Emperor's face looked a lot better than it had the day before.

"Whoever has business, come forward. If no one has business, the court is dismissed!"

Eunuch Quan's thin, high voice rang through the Golden Hall.

The Xuan Emperor looked at Li Hanru.

Li Hanru caught the look and took the Xuan Emperor's meaning at once. He stepped out of the ranks, made his bow and said, "Your Majesty, your subject received a memorial from the Governor of Lingzhou yesterday... The hour was late by then, and it was not sent into the palace in time for Your Majesty to look over. Your subject asks Your Majesty's pardon!"

The Xuan Emperor gave a grunt. "What does it report?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the traitor Prince Rui has set himself up as emperor and made Qiu Qiyi, the Army Supervisor of the northeast, his Prince Who Holds the Realm. It is an outrage beyond bearing!"

The Xuan Emperor gave a cold snort.

"Prince Who Holds the Realm. So…