As the final word faded, a heavy silence fell before the city gate, broken only by the wail of the wind sweeping across the battlements. Wu Tingyu maintained his pose with the imperial edict held high, his arms already beginning to tremble slightly, yet he stubbornly refused to lower them.
"Lord Xia, why do you not receive the decree?" Wu Tingyu's voice echoed before the city gate. He held the bright yellow imperial edict aloft, his arms aching more and more from maintaining the posture for so long. The sunlight struck the gilded silk, casting a dazzling glare, but it failed to illuminate his increasingly pale complexion.
He shouted three times in succession, yet no one around him made a move. Only the "Xia" banner atop the city wall fluttered noisily in the wind. Beads of sweat seeped from Wu Tingyu's forehead, sliding down his temples to soak the collar of his official robe.
Chapter 167