The wildman leader stiffened. His eyes darted nervously for a mont before he explained:
“On the way back from the Western Regions, we encountered a massive sandstorm and lost our guide…”
[What a euphemism. Lost the guide? More like the guide abandoned them to save himself, even leaving the cals behind to flee on foot.]
As he spoke, the leader paused, sensing sothing amiss.
Wait… Why did his colleagues look at him like that? Oh, it must be his current wildman appearance—unkempt, with short hair.
But he had no choice. In the deep mountains, keeping long hair without a hairpin was asking for trouble.
He continued, “My n and I didn’t know the way, so we kept heading east, hoping to return to the central plains. But then…”
Everyone understood.
They walked east, stumbled into the mountains, and got lost.
The Minister of Revenue looked at him sympathetically.
How unfortunate.
He sighed, “General, now that you’ve seen the royal army, you can finally return ho.”
Hearing this, the wildman leader’s eyes reddened again. “Yes, I never thought I’d see His Majesty and my old colleagues again in my lifeti!”
The old emperor noticed the leader’s gaze and imdiately gave a warm smile, nodding gently.
Inwardly, he chastised himself:
I’m truly awful.
He had been loyal to the empire, thinking about the emperor even while living as a savage, yet here the emperor had forgotten him completely!
—Even just rembering his surna would have sufficed! At least he could have addressed him as “My dear minister” to show so closeness!
“By the way,” the savage officer asked, looking at the Minister of Revenue, awkward yet polite, “What is your na, sir? I have been away from the capital for so long that I no longer recognize many people.”
The Minister of Revenue was stunned and instinctively responded, “By the grace of His Majesty, I, Yuan Zheng, serve as Minister of Revenue.”
“The Minister of Revenue? Are you newly appointed?”
“I have been the Minister of Revenue from the beginning.”
“From the beginning?” The savage officer thought for a mont and seed to understand. “Minister Yuan, by ‘beginning,’ do you an when His Majesty ascended to the throne and personally appointed his ministers? You are the first?”
Huh? Did this really need such a detailed explanation? He had been managing finances for the emperor since the day the empire was founded.
The Minister of Revenue nodded in confusion and asked, “And how should I address you, General?”
The savage officer laughed heartily. “I left within six months of His Majesty’s ascension. It’s no wonder you don’t recognize .”
The Minister of Revenue was bewildered.
Was this an old veteran? But… who was he? Could he have forgotten one of the emperor’s original comrades?
“My surna is Li, and my given na is Shihu. I don’t have a courtesy na, so you can just call Shihu.”
“Li Shihu?” The Minister of Revenue was startled. Oh no, he really had forgotten.
The Minister of Revenue scolded himself internally: How could you forget sothing so important!
Both the emperor and his ministers thought, had they really beco so arrogant as to forget the nas of their loyal subjects and comrades?
Xu Yanmiao fretted: [Ah! He’s already made it so clear! Why haven’t they realized it yet? Li Shihu! Li Shihu!]
The emperor and his ministers felt even more ashad.
Even Xu Yanmiao, who had only joined the court recently, rembered him! Yet I, his battle companion, have forgotten him!
Li Shihu said cheerfully, “Your Majesty! Would you like another bowl of soup? I’ll serve it for you!”
“Oh… Hmm… Okay.”
The old emperor absentmindedly agreed, wracking his brain to recall: Li Shihu… which general under was he? From Xu Yanmiao’s anxious expression, could he be soone unforgettable? Was he one of the commanding generals stationed in the Western Regions? Or perhaps a deputy general?
He couldn’t recall. But the na did seem vaguely familiar…
“Your Majesty! Can you eat wild boar at?”
“Hmm…”
Li Shihu got up to fetch a clean knife for carving. As he passed the Minister of Rites, he stopped abruptly, a smile spreading across his face. “Zheng Lang! Long ti no see!”
His eyes scanned the Minister of Rites’ current dining position—close to the emperor but below the ministers—indicating a third-rank official.
By contrast, as soone who had been stranded, he was still only a fifth-rank officer.
Mixed feelings overwheld him. “You’ve been promoted, I see.”
The Minister of Rites was completely dumbfounded.
From the looks of it, they had known each other before. But he couldn’t recall this colleague at all! His face seed vaguely familiar, but… how? Since His Majesty’s ascension, he had abandoned his forr laziness and worked diligently. He was sure he hadn’t forgotten any colleague!
Awkwardly, he cupped his hands. “Long ti no see.”
The old emperor snapped out of his reverie just in ti to hear this hero, who had co to save the court, longing for a promotion. He quickly set aside his mories and, in a display of humility, grabbed Li Shihu’s hand. “Dear minister, your contributions in saving the court and your unwavering loyalty over the years are comndable…”
[He’s indeed loyal, never forgetting the court even after so many years, truly one of the most devoted ministers.]
Hearing Xu Yanmiao’s words, the emperor felt a sense of relief.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the young man covering his eyes with both hands, clearly unable to bear watching what was about to unfold.
[But he’s loyal to the previous court!]
The emperor: ?
What other court could there be?
The emperor didn’t imdiately grasp the implication and continued addressing the expectant Li Shihu, “Your loyalty over the years has been truly admirable. I hereby appoint you as—”
[He’s an official of the previous dynasty!]
[He’s been living as a savage for decades and doesn’t know there’s been a change of dynasty!]
The emperor: ?!?
The Minister of Rites quickly covered his mouth to avoid spraying soup everywhere.
What… what on earth?!
Li Shihu continued to look at the emperor with anticipation, tears welling up.
“Your Majesty… I…” He choked, “I have been away for far too long.”
“When I left, Your Majesty was a young hero, only fifteen years old. And now, look at you! I barely recognize you anymore!”
What a bittersweet mont!
He looked around at the table full of “colleagues” and let out a long sigh.
Ti had passed, and the world had changed. He couldn’t recognize a single one of his forr comrades.
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