When the bird carrying the initial message of Qing Xue’s safe return reached the palace, the Emperor was still sleeping off all the alcohol he had consumed the previous night.
More scared of what he’d do to them if they didn’t wake him up for this, his officials roused him so he may hear the good news.
After that, in certain regards, it was as if the last few days had never happened.
The corpses still hung from the palace complex's gates, but by the time the longer report of what had happened to Qing Xue during the days he’d been missing reached the capital as well, a celebration was already underway.
Establishments in the town had practically been forced open in order for the citizens to join the Emperor in his celebration.
From this move, not to mention from how harshly he had punis
