At this moment, all eyes were collectively focused on the slim figure who suddenly stepped out of the line, a person whose very silhouette exuded a sense of hardship.
This was none other than the venerable official Pei Xu, who had been previously exiled to the South and only recently returned to Daxing to resume his official duties.
Shang Ruyi had long heard of him by reputation. This Left Director of the Imperial Secretariat, whether in appearance or demeanor, bore a striking resemblance to Shen Shiyan in the sorrowful concern for the nation and people evident in his eyebrows. However, his hair was whiter, the wrinkles on his face more numerous, and his back somewhat hunched, clearly showing the indelible marks left by more than a year of exile.
At the sight of him, a slight shadow immediately clouded the small face of Chu Chengfei, while the courtiers displayed a variety of expressions.
