Meili placed the Emperor's tea and pineapple cakes beside him, careful not to disturb her Lord as he received a report.
"Majesty," said the senior guard who knelt before him, "the Crown Prince and Captain Shan gathered all of the Imperial Guards who could be spared from patrols at Dacheng Gate. They're now scouring the Forbidden City for Prince Haoran, starting at the Maninsan Wall and moving northwards. We'll keep you closely informed as soon as he's found, or if we discover any clues."
"Hm," the Emperor grumbled in agreement, dismissing the man. "Come back when you have something to report."
"Yes, Majesty," said the soldier, sweating profusely as he practically ran backwards out of the study.
Moments later a commotion could be heard from beyond the sliding doors to the room. Men were shouting, and the clang of metal on metal rang out.
Meili looked up with alarm, wondering what was going on. She moved towards the servant's entrance to take a peek outside.
