Marquis Wuping and his men acted swiftly. Overnight, the rumors about the Emperor mistreating his meritorious officials vanished completely, and no one discussed the matter again, as if it had never happened.
Early the next morning, many ministers were surprised to see Marquis Wuping and his group at the palace gate. They thought to themselves that Marquis Wuping and his men had only been ill for a few days, yet they were already back at court. It seemed they had been frightened by the rumors.
Originally, Marquis Wuping and his men had planned to be 'ill' for a few more days, but the rumors of the Emperor's harsh treatment scared them into resuming their duties. If they continued their 'illness', they risked not only losing their positions but their lives as well.
When Prince Chu and Prince Wei saw Marquis Wuping and his group at the palace gate, a hint of mockery flashed in their eyes.
