Chapter 978: The Collapsing Liu Hong and Zhang Rang! [2]

Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong walked side by side toward the palace gate.

The word "anxiety" was clearly written on their faces.

The Lesser Huangmen Eunuch Zuo Feng had keen eyes; seeing the expressions on Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong's faces, he immediately hurried forward to greet them.

"Where is His Majesty?"

Before the Lesser Huangmen Eunuch Zuo Feng could even ask, Zhang Rang, still two steps away from the stairs, asked: "Is His Majesty in the palace? Has he woken up yet?"

The Lesser Huangmen Eunuch Zuo Feng nodded quickly and said: "Replying to Foster Father, His Majesty is in the palace, but he had a hangover last night and has not yet woken up."

Zhang Rang's brows, already streaked with white, knitted tightly together.

"Take us over. The matter is urgent; we cannot worry about such things for now."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Feng knew that some earth-shattering event must have occurred.

Otherwise, why would Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong be so anxious?

Therefore, Zuo Feng did not block them but led the two directly into Liu Hong's sleeping quarters.

The sleeping quarters were in a state of utter chaos.

Various wine vessels and toys used by Liu Hong during his revelry were scattered on the floor.

On the path leading to the bedroom, various colorful garments were strewn about.

Drunken palace maids and concubines lay in the bedroom in various postures.

Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong both kept their heads lowered.

"Go and announce us," Zhang Rang said, head bowed.

The Lesser Huangmen Eunuch Zuo Feng could only bite the bullet, nod, and stand before the door.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Middle Regular Attendants Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong request an audience, saying they have an urgent matter to report to Your Majesty."

Standing before the door, the Lesser Huangmen Eunuch Zuo Feng did not enter the bedroom but stood at the entrance and announced loudly.

On the dragon couch.

Liu Hong was wearing only a transparent white gauze robe.

Four or five beautiful concubines lay on their sides on the massive dragon couch.

Liu Hong, rising in a daze, rubbed his forehead with one hand, his eyes not yet open.

"What is it?"

Liu Hong asked, shaking his head with some annoyance.

Hearing Liu Hong's voice, Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong, standing at the door, immediately knelt and prostrated themselves.

"Your Majesty, this old servant has a matter to report. It concerns the Liangzhou Shepherd, the Marquis of Ji, Duan Yu," Zhang Rang said.

Duan Yu?

Liu Hong opened his bleary, sleepy eyes.

The whites of his eyes were filled with bloodshot veins left over from his hangover and debauchery.

Before Duan Yu left Luoyang, he had handed over five hundred million coins in one go.

This sum of money had saved Liu Hong in a time of need.

Building a new army, constructing palaces, and indulging in extravagant pleasures—which of these did not cost money?

Although the Huang Jin Rebellion, the greatest threat to Jizhou, had been resolved.

But in Yanzhou, Qingzhou, as well as Xuzhou and Jingzhou, there were still Huang Jin bandits of various sizes.

The Five Colonels of the Northern Army had all been wiped out and needed to be rebuilt.

Weapons and armor needed to be forged.

If not for Duan Yu, he wouldn't have known where to get this money.

After rising from the dragon couch, Liu Hong grabbed a wine pot from the side and took a gulp.

Then, dressed as he was, he bypassed the concubines and palace maids lying on the floor and walked out of the bedroom.

"It's news about my Mighty General, is it? What is it? Have the bandits in Liangzhou already been pacified?"

Liu Hong asked as he walked out of the sleeping hall.

Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong, kneeling at the door, hurriedly moved their bodies to avoid him.

"Your Majesty... it is... it is Duan Yu... Duan Yu has perished," Zhang Rang said, his voice trembling slightly.

Liu Hong's footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

Then, his eyes widened instantly as he looked down at Zhang Rang kneeling behind him: "You... you..."

"What did you say?"

"What happened to Duan Yu?" Liu Hong asked, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Replying to Your Majesty, Duan Yu has died in battle."

"The news just reached the palace."

"It has already spread throughout Luoyang City."

The Lesser Huangmen Eunuch Zuo Feng, hearing this, also raised his head abruptly.

His expression was one of astonishment.

Duan Yu... dead?

"Nonsense!" Liu Hong took two steps to Zhang Rang's side, grabbed his clothes, and with a burst of strength from who knows where, lifted the kneeling Zhang Rang directly off the ground.

"Say it again, what happened to Duan Yu?" Liu Hong asked with reddened eyes.

"Your Majesty, Duan Yu... Duan Yu has died in battle."

Zhang Rang looked at Liu Hong with a bitter face.

At this moment, Zhang Rang could fully understand Liu Hong's feelings.

Duan Yu was a money tree.

A money tree that couldn't be any bigger.

Let alone Emperor Liu Hong.

Even Zhang Rang had been planning to rely on Duan Yu to make a fortune again.

The Huang Jin Rebellion had swept through Yingchuan, wiping out all the wealth Zhang Rang had accumulated over many years.

Last time, when Duan Yu left Luoyang, he had sold the rights to sell white paper and snow salt in Nanyang to He Jin. ===== CHAPTER 980 =====