After quickly reading the imperial decree in his hand, he turned to the assembled court officials with a smile and said, "Come, the decree has been read. You can all accompany me to see His Majesty. If you have any questions, you can ask him directly."
With that, Wang Lin didn't wait for their questions and hurried towards the door.
The court officials exchanged bewildered glances. What was going on?
Despite their confusion, the desire to see His Majesty and clarify the situation propelled them to follow.
Sima Han and Yi Zhiye trailed behind the crowd. Not long after they started walking, the people ahead suddenly stopped.
"Isn't this the Imperial Garden? What are we doing here?" Sima Han asked, surveying their surroundings.
It was nearly the Mid-Autumn Festival, and chrysanthemums bloomed everywhere. The vibrant colors were a feast for the eyes.
However, the atmosphere was far from pleasant due to the presence of countless guards.
Yi Zhiye's gaze swept over the guards, his brows furrowing. Sima Han, turning to him, noticed his expression and asked with some curiosity, "What's wrong?"
Yi Zhiye shook his head. "I can't quite explain it. These people just seem… strange."
"Strange?" Sima Han also looked at the guards. After a careful examination, he found nothing unusual.
Seeing Sima Han's perplexed look, Yi Zhiye shook his head. "Never mind for now." Whatever felt wrong, he decided, he would wait and see. He didn't believe that Sima Zhu had gathered everyone here just for a flower viewing and wine tasting.
"Eunuch Wang, you said His Majesty was here. Why don't we see him?"
Wang Lin's face finally showed a hint of impatience at the repeated questioning, but he replied, "My lords, please don't be anxious. You'll see him soon." With that, Wang Lin stepped behind a glazed screen.
"This…" The official who had spoken earlier was about to say something more when two guards stepped forward and slowly moved the screen aside.
As the screen was moved, what lay behind it was gradually revealed. It wasn't an object, but rather, sitting there was the very person they had been eager to see: Sima Han.
"Your… Your Majesty?" The court officials were astonished.
Although there was no morning court today, they had seen Sima Zhu at the morning court the previous day. In just one day, Sima Zhu had undergone a radical transformation. While other parts of him were as expected, his belly had swollen to the size of a large water vat.
They finally understood why Sima Zhu had refused to attend morning court today and why he had skipped the ceremony for enfeoffing the Crown Prince. It was because… he couldn't move. Judging by his current size, even just sitting there, let alone moving, would likely exhaust him.
Yi Zhiye and Sima Han exchanged a glance, both a little surprised. They hadn't expected the downfall to be so swift. Just yesterday, they were contemplating how to counter him, and overnight, Sima Zhu had rendered himself incapacitated.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, what has happened to you?" Finally, a court official recovered from his shock and asked in disbelief.
Sima Zhu, however, remained remarkably calm, grinning at them. Unfortunately, the flesh on his face had distorted his features so much that his smile looked rather terrifying, or rather, nauseating. The thought of a lump of flesh sitting in front of you and smiling was a truly disturbing image.
"Are all my esteemed officials here?" Sima Zhu said, his eyes, almost invisible, sweeping over them. "Is the Grand Tutor and the Fifth Prince present?" His gaze then fixed on Yi Zhiye and Sima Han.
Yi Zhiye and Sima Han had no intention of standing by and watching. Upon their arrival, they had already sensed that they were to be central figures in today's drama. As they stepped forward, a sharp glint appeared in Sima Zhu's small eyes.
"It has been a long time. Grand Tutor and Fifth Prince, you both remain as distinguished as ever."
Yi Zhiye chuckled. "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. This Grand Tutor, however, has a most vexing problem. I can't seem to gain weight no matter how much I eat. It truly troubles me. If only I could be like Your Majesty, that would be such a blessing."
Sima Han, listening to Yi Zhiye's infuriating words, had to stifle a laugh. Yi Zhiye was clearly provoking Sima Zhu deliberately.
Sima Zhu was indeed infuriated, but his expression of anger was unusual. His face, due to the excess flesh, barely showed any emotion. However, when he got angry, the flesh on his body visibly jiggled up and down, indicating his mood.
"The Grand Tutor is still as forthright as ever," Sima Zhu said after a long pause. Although his tone was not particularly pleasant, this response surprised both Sima Han and Yi Zhiye. When had Sima Zhu's temper become so good? And to possess such forbearance suggested he had a grander scheme.
Without waiting for Yi Zhiye to respond, Sima Zhu instructed Wang Lin, "Hurry and have my esteemed officials take their seats. How can they stand around? As for the Grand Tutor and the Fifth Prince, sit at my sides. That way, I can converse with you properly."
The officials had no objections to Sima Zhu's arrangements. Soon after they were seated, palace maids and eunuchs entered in an orderly fashion, carrying various delicacies.
Sima Han looked at the food before him with no appetite. Undoubtedly, the palace cuisine was exquisite, with ingredients and cooking methods far superior to anything outside. Yet, for some reason, looking at these dishes made Sima Han feel an urge to vomit. He subtly turned his head and saw that Yi Zhiye wore a similarly indifferent expression, showing no inclination to eat.
Sima Zhu had been observing their reactions. Seeing that neither of them touched their food, he stirred slightly and said, "Why aren't the Grand Tutor and Fifth Prince eating? Do these dishes displease your palate? If not, I shall have the imperial kitchen prepare something else that you prefer."
Yi Zhiye looked at Sima Zhu, his ink-black eyes fixed on him until Sima Zhu became uncomfortable with the intense gaze. Then, Yi Zhiye spoke, "Mu Zhong instructed this Grand Tutor not to eat indiscriminately when outside, lest I consume something unclean that might upset my stomach."
"Grand Tutor, how can you say that? Is there any food in this world better than that served in the Forbidden City?" Wang Lin reprimanded. Yi Zhiye was unfazed. He simply said, "Since Eunuch Wang puts it so, you must be very eager to eat. This Grand Tutor has always been generous. Please, take these dishes. Consider it a reward for your years of loyal service and tireless dedication to His Majesty."