Two Imperial Designs Separated by One Thousand Years

With each line spoken by the three chief stewards, the corresponding place on the map lit up. Each point of light had a different level of brightness.

Tang Thirty-Six stood in a corner and listened, his expression growing increasingly solemn. He did not understand the numbers being reported, but he could sense the atmosphere.

The Tang Second Master gazed at those points of light as they gradually appeared on the map. He did not seem at all nervous, nor did he grow more relaxed with the passage of time.

To him, this seemed to be a very ordinary job.

After some time had passed, the three chief stewards finally concluded their report. The Tang Second Master gazed at the map and slightly creased his brow, somewhat dissatisfied. "Progress is still rather slow."

The clacking of abacus beads continuously rose up from outside the room. The simultaneous clacking of several hundred abacuses mixed together was truly not a very good sound.