Fighting for His Majesty's Favour

For the next few days, Ning Fu's heart was assaulted by stormy waves. He knew he couldn't talk about what had happened that day with anyone else or it would spell doom for everyone involved. However, thinking about it made him feel guilty.

The Unit Commander dearly wished to make amends with the emperor. However, he didn't know how to go about it.

As his mind tangled itself due to these thoughts, he felt even more restless and irritated. He had additionally noticed that His Majesty never seemed to call upon him in the morning assembly.

It wasn't as if the military officials were called upon daily during the assembly but whenever His Majesty wanted reports regarding military matters, he would invariably direct his gaze and queries at the other three Unit Commanders or the few high-ranking military officials who were present in the Imperial Court that day.

The emperor never asked for his input in such matters. It was as if the monarch was trying to erase Ning Fu's existence from his mind or was it that he was being slowly sidelined by His Majesty?

No, he couldn't go down that road of assumptions again.

Once was enough.

How could he still doubt His Majesty?

Ning Fu felt entangled thanks to all these thoughts encircling his mind, day in and day out.

At the end of his tether, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

He had to make certain that the incident of that ill-fated day didn't become a thorn within the monarch's heart.

This way another absurd thing was added to The Unit Commander's to-do list.

He tried to catch His Majesty's eyes in court every day and when it failed, he would surreptitiously follow His Majesty to the Imperial Study.

Ning Fu was sneaky in his endeavour, however, not sneaky enough to evade the eyes of His Majesty's shadow guards and that was intentional on his part. He hoped that perhaps in this manner, he would be allowed to have a private audience with The Son of Heavens.

When The Head Commander of The Shadow Guards saw Ning Fu slinking noiselessly after His Majesty the first time around, he went to the emperor to report that the Unit Commander was sneaking around the Imperial Complex.

The Head Commander of The Shadow Guards knocked on the door of The Imperial Study and once he was allowed entry, he bowed to his liege and said, "Your Majesty, this official has a matter of great importance to report to you."

Su Li thought that something serious and noteworthy must have happened for this reticent person to come and talk to her. He never seemed to speak much if it wasn't anything of importance. Therefore, she gave him her full attention and nodded her head for him to continue.

"Your Majesty, I saw The Unit Commander of The Devil Snare Army follow you from The Heavenly Hall to The Imperial Study. Afterwards, he tried to hide in a shrubbery but I have great prowess, thus I noticed his sneaky behaviour."

It wasn't exactly hard for Su Li to grasp what Ning Fu was trying to do. She had noticed his furtive glances at her in The Heavenly Hall and had ignored his silent plea for an audience.

If he had been so eager to clarify himself, he could have waited until her mood stabilized.

However, it seemed that he couldn't put his mind to rest.

She understood that he couldn't wait to wash clean any and all misunderstandings of that day.

Nonetheless, Su Li wasn't sure that why had he tried to hide in a shrubbery instead of taking cover behind a pillar or something else, even if he was paradoxically trying to hide as well as seek her out.

It was already summer and there would be mosquitoes buzzing around in the greenery.

Wouldn't Unit Commander Ning Fu have mosquito bites all over him in this way?

What if someone mistook them for love bites?

In this age, wouldn't he be labelled as a licentious man?

Was he ready to bear with such shame simply to have a chance to speak with her?

Meanwhile, Ning Fu had complete faith that with the brilliance of His Majesty, he would instantly perceive the reason behind his actions.

He was only worried that His Majesty might think that he had crossed the bounds of proprietary in following him. Anyhow, no matter the result, Ning Fu still gritted his teeth and didn't leave his unofficial post.

If His Majesty vented his anger upon him, he wouldn't say a word of complaint. He knew in his heart that he utterly deserved censure for being sceptical of such a benevolent ruler.

However, what was taking so long that he still hadn't been called inside the study? Was the monarch so disappointed and angry at him that he refused to grant him a few minutes of his day?

If Unit Commander knew what was happening within the study and had strained his ears to hear the conversation inside, he would have positively cursed The Head Commander of Shadow Guards because the scene inside was this:

Head Commander thought that His Majesty was worried about his safety. They all had been present when the so-called God of War had tried to force His Majesty to give up on his pre-arranged plan to send him off the mortal coil.

His Majesty had ordered them not to listen to any of his conversations if they wanted to serve him, so they never paid attention and acted deaf when their sovereign was speaking to other officials. Therefore, they hadn't heard what words had been spoken between the monarch and that man outside.

Nonetheless, all of them had clearly witnessed how that man had forced His Majesty to spare his life.

His Majesty was so soft-spoken and nice to all of them. He had even abolished slavery.

How could such a tender-hearted person endure killing someone when that person had pressured His Majesty with that false act of smashing his head.

That act could pull the wool over the emperor's eyes since he was new to these dirty politics.

However, he had served in this place for so long. How could such blatant lies miss his experienced eyes?

If that hypocrite had really meant to give up his life to prove his innocence, why had he stopped at the last moment?

Hump! If that man had the guts, why didn't he fight him - The Head Commander of Shadow Guards face to face.

What was all this cloak and dagger business of sneaking around like a scullery maid?

Thinking up to here, he solemnly spoke, "Your Majesty, you don't need to be concerned about that person. As long as this servant and his shadow guards have a single breath of life left in us, we won't allow that Ning Fu to harm your precious dragon body. You can rest assured, I just came to inform you. I'll go back and take care of it."

Before Su Li could reply, he had already turned his back towards her and was rushing out the door without waiting for his dismissal.

Su Li really wanted to stop this person but his speed was too fast and she wasn't in the right frame of mind to meet the person outside, therefore, she let it be with just a low order of not harming the other person physically.

When those words reached The Head Commander's ears they turned into His Majesty not wanting to shed blood in his own place.

How could His Majesty be so oblivious to the danger posed by that God Of War? However, puzzling over it, Head Commander realised that His Majesty was the ruler and the other one was the subject. Ning Fu definitely wouldn't be so silly as to do something untoward to His Majesty in broad daylight.

While thinking all of this, The Head Commander had already reached the place where Ning Fu was hiding.

Nung Fu gave a sigh of relief once he saw that The Head Commander had walked towards his direction after coming out of the study. His Majesty must have surely called him inside after some thought.

His Majesty was truly magnanimous.

Though he had committed such a horrendous mistake of misreading the monarch's heart, he still had called him in for an audience.

Standing up from his position, Ning Fu smiled amicably at the person standing in front of him. He started, "Has His Majesty called me in for an audience?"

Even if he already knew the answer, it was only common sense to extend such a courtesy of asking questions to the people who were in the inner circle around that seat of power.

The Head Commander was completely stunned.

He realised that the other person had gone completely mad.

Was The Unit Commander drunk or trying to act funny?

Did Ning Fu think that he didn't know about his nefarious plot to harm to His Majesty?

Was he trying to act innocent even when caught red-handed?

It was really true that some individuals wouldn't cry till they saw the coffin.

He wanted to beat this man who had designs on the supreme seat of power in the dynasty.

However, The Head Commander of Shadow Guards would never go against his liege's words and he had been ordered not to physically harm this person.

This Ning Fu really didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth.

The Head Commander looked at The Unit Commander with a contemptuous look in his eyes and replied, "What? Does the high and mighty God-of-War think that His Majesty is free and leisurely enough to meet you at your convenience? His Majesty has to govern everything under the heavens and has to take care of matters of national importance. The esteemed emperor doesn't have time to waste upon the likes of you."

Ning Fu hadn't thought that the reply His Majesty sent back would be barbed enough to draw blood at first contact. He stood uncertain and glued to his spot.

However, thinking about it on a deeper level, the message sent by the monarch was cordial enough for his position and the mistake he had made.

Had it been someone else in His Majesty's place, they would have really shown him his place in the assembly, in front of all the ministers of the court, at least, His Majesty had spared him that indignity.

Ning Fu gave himself a self-deprecating smile and turned around to leave. However, The Head Commander held his arm and with an ice cold glare said, "Please take care, Unit Commander."

Ning Fu didn't know what His Majesty had said to The Head Commander, however, he had a faint inkling that the other person was trying to vent anger on the emperor's behalf.

How could The Unit Commander not notice this?

He could clearly see that The Head Commander had his hands clenched into tight fists and he could even hear the other person grinding their teeth in repressed fury.

It seemed he wouldn't obtain the monarch's forgiveness easily.

However, that was between him and His Majesty, what was The Head Commander trying to say and show with his actions?

Was he trying to prove his loyalty towards His Majesty?

Was he trying to use him as a stepping stone to get closer to His Majesty?

Humph! If that man had any such thoughts, he was more simple-minded than he had realised, Ning Fu thought uncharitably.

Did he have the misconception that being The Head Commander of The Shadow Guards was the be-all and end-all of everything?

Ning Fu was the one who had shed sweat and blood in His Majesty's name on the battlefield, therefore, on his merit alone, he was a much more helpful subject to the monarch than that idiot who only knew to jump around like a clown in front of him.

Wait and watch.

He'll show him.

He'll become the sovereign's most trusted official and then he won't have to exchange pleasantries or make small talk with this person when he was called by His Majesty for an audience.

If The Head Commander and Unit Commander knew what the other person was planning and plotting, it would have saved them a lot of trouble.

Alas, each of them had their own thoughts and henceforth, would hate even the sight of each other for quite some time to come.

In this manner, the fight for winning His Majesty's favour started between two stalwarts without anybody else being the wiser.