Xia Shanhe stepped forward over the fractured tiles, his dark silk robes embroidered with golden pythons shimmering in the sunlight. The jade belt at his waist chimed with every crisp step.
Seeing him, the crowd bowed as if parched earth had finally met rain. Cries of "Elder Xia" and "Prime Minister" echoed across the courtyard. Some struck their heads hard against the ground, while others bowed low, as if only such gestures could convey their awe.
Xia Shanhe had deliberately donned his former official attire. The sun, moon, and mountain patterns on his wide sleeves swayed with his stride, and the twelve jade pendants hanging from his belt jingled, radiating the absolute authority of a man who had once stood at the pinnacle of the state.
Chapter 106