Chapter 100: These Are Loyal Subjects of My Great Xia! (2 / 2)

The wildman leader stiffened. His eyes darted nervously for a moment 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 camels behind to flee on foot.]

As he spoke, the leader paused, sensing something 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 men and I didn’t know the way, so we kept heading east, hoping to return to the central plains. But then…”

Everyone understood.@@novelbin@@

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 home.”

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 lifetime!”

The old emperor noticed the leader’s gaze and immediately 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 remembering his surname would have sufficed! At least he could have addressed him as “My dear minister” to show some closeness!

“By the way,” the savage officer asked, looking at the Minister of Revenue, awkward yet polite, “What is your name, 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 moment and seemed to understand. “Minister Yuan, by ‘beginning,’ do you mean 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 me.”

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 surname is Li, and my given name is Shihu. I don’t have a courtesy name, so you can just call me 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 something so important!

Both the emperor and his ministers thought, had they really become so arrogant as to forget the names 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 ashamed.

Even Xu Yanmiao, who had only joined the court recently, remembered 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 me was he? From Xu Yanmiao’s anxious expression, could he be someone unforgettable? Was he one of the commanding generals stationed in the Western Regions? Or perhaps a deputy general?

He couldn’t recall. But the name did seem vaguely familiar…

“Your Majesty! Can you eat wild boar meat?”

“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 time 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 someone who had been stranded, he was still only a fifth-rank officer.

Mixed feelings overwhelmed 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 seemed vaguely familiar, but… how? Since His Majesty’s ascension, he had abandoned his former laziness and worked diligently. He was sure he hadn’t forgotten any colleague!

Awkwardly, he cupped his hands. “Long time no see.”

The old emperor snapped out of his reverie just in time to hear this hero, who had come to save the court, longing for a promotion. He quickly set aside his memories 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 commendable…”

[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 immediately 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 moment!

He looked around at the table full of “colleagues” and let out a long sigh.

Time had passed, and the world had changed. He couldn’t recognize a single one of his former comrades.