The Prime Minister dared not be negligent and quickly bowed in reply:
"Your Majesty, Duke Wu has been on his journey for many days and must have already ventured deep into the heart of the snow-capped mountains in search of that rare snow lotus."
"Given the long and arduous journey, coupled with the recent devastating floods, it is understandable that the transmission of information has been hampered."
"I believe that good news will arrive in a few days!"
No sooner had the prime minister finished speaking than a military general with a full beard jumped out impatiently.
He was a die-hard fan of Jin Xuanming and had unwavering faith in Jin Xuanming's abilities.
At this moment, he confidently echoed loudly:
"Your Majesty, rest assured! Duke Wu is invincible; a mere snow mountain is nothing to him!"
"He will surely return in triumph with the snow lotus, and Princess Aisha's illness will definitely be cured!"
The flattery was so loud that it only made the king more agitated.
Aisha is his only sister. She has been frail and sickly since childhood, and is now bedridden.
The imperial physicians were at a loss, only hearing that Tian Shan snow lotus was needed to prolong his life.
He placed all his hopes on Jin Xuanming, but how could he feel at ease with no news from him?
Just as the king was extremely anxious and the atmosphere in the hall was heavy.
Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall, growing louder as they approached, shattering the silence inside.
Immediately afterwards, a high-pitched shout pierced the stagnant air:
"Urgent! Urgent!"
The sudden sound, like a thunderclap, resounded throughout the hall.
The previously noisy discussion abruptly ceased, and everyone's gaze turned to the palace gate.
The ministers looked at each other in bewilderment.
Is this urgent report a blessing or a curse?
The bearded general was the first to break the silence.
He rubbed his hands together excitedly, his face flushed, as if the snow lotus was already within reach:
"Your Majesty, it must be good news! It must be the Duke of Wu returning in triumph!"
His voice was loud and confident.
It was as if I could already see Jin Xuanming leading the snow lotus into the main hall.
Another minister quickly echoed:
"Yes, it must be good news! It must be that Duke Wu has returned with Snow Lotus! Princess Aisha is saved!"
He was overjoyed, already seeing Princess Aisha's smiling face after her recovery.
A glimmer of hope also ignited in the king's heart.
But he tried to control his excitement and, feigning composure, gave the order:
"Quickly! Let the messenger in!"
The palace doors slowly opened, and a scout rushed in, looking travel-worn.
His armor was covered in dust, and his face was covered in sweat.
His breathing was rapid, clearly indicating he had run all the way.
He knelt on one knee and presented a letter with both hands:
"Your Majesty, an urgent report from Tiger Crouching Pass!"
The king took the letter, his brow furrowed, and said in a deep voice:
"Check the envelope, and once you've confirmed everything is correct, read it aloud!"
The scout nodded, carefully opened the envelope, and took out the letter.
However, when his gaze fell on the first line of the letter.
His face turned deathly pale instantly, and his lips trembled, as if he had seen something terrifying.
"What's wrong? Read it!"
The bearded general urged impatiently, his voice trembling.
It seemed as if they had a premonition of something ominous.
"What are you waiting for? Read it now!"
Other ministers also urged him to hurry.
The scout's face grew increasingly pale, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.
His lips trembled as he spoke in a voice barely audible:
"Hai... Haixia Pass... has fallen..."
"What?!"
The king suddenly stood up, and the golden dragon pattern on his dragon robe seemed to tremble as well.
The scouts' voices grew fainter and fainter until they were almost inaudible.
"Haixia Pass...was...taken by Lu Yan..."
"Boom!" The king felt a deafening roar in his head, his vision went black, and he fell straight backward.
"His Majesty!"
"His Majesty has fainted!"
Chaos erupted inside the hall, and the festive atmosphere was instantly replaced by panic.
The royal physicians made a flurry of activity, but finally managed to revive the Javanese king from his unconscious state.
The king slowly awoke, feeling a splitting headache and seeing stars before his eyes.
He struggled to sit up, his eyes glazed as he scanned the surroundings, vaguely recognizing that this was his own bedroom.
"What...what's wrong with me?"
The king's voice was hoarse and weak.
An old physician quickly stepped forward, bowed, and replied:
"Your Majesty, you fainted due to the stress earlier, but you are now fine and will recover after a few days of rest."
"A sudden surge of anger?"
The king frowned, trying to recall what had happened before he fainted.
Haixia Pass... Lu Yan... A flash of lightning struck his mind.
Suddenly snapping out of it, he grabbed the old doctor by the collar and roared at the top of his lungs.
"Haixia Pass! How's Haixia Pass?"
The old physician was so frightened by the king's sudden action that he stammered and replied:
"Your Majesty... Haixia Pass... Haixia Pass has fallen..."
"Bang!"
The king suddenly slammed the teacup in his hand to the ground, shards flying everywhere, and tea soaked the expensive carpet.
His hair stood on end in fury, his eyes were bloodshot, and he roared through gritted teeth:
"Jin Xuanming! That good-for-nothing! I sent him to find the Snow Lotus, but he abandoned his post, causing the fall of Haixia Pass! He deserves to die! He deserves to die!"
The king's roar echoed throughout the palace, and the maids and eunuchs trembled with fear, not daring to breathe.
With the help of palace servants, the king managed to get up and staggered back to the palace.
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