"How peculiar..."
"Is something stirring your thoughts, Spring's Regent, Sheng Jiayi?"
"Have you ever not noticed? The Patron of Winter has not arrived yet. He is usually earlier than us."
The three individuals who gathered in a large hall set their gazes upon the sole chair facing the south, and with the north on its back.
"Indeed. The meeting is about to start. Don't you think he is being disrespectful? Time is privilege." The Summer's Chancellor, Yan Zhiqiang, seems to run out of patience. His brows were furrowed and lips curved tight. This is the first time that the Patron of Winter is late, yet he act like the latter usually lousy.
"We cannot do anything. How can we point out someone's minor mistake when it is our major? That is nothing but hypocracy, don't you think?." The Autumn's Consort, Qiu Duanzhu, picked up his teacup and brought it to his mouth. "Hmm… This tea tastes better than before."
The hall's door burst open and a man came in. He was panting and sweating. From the look of his face, surely, he bears unfortunate information.
"Pardon for my intrusion! I have crucial news to tell! The Parliament of Winter has met its tragedy!"
———
"What should we do about this?"
"The Patron of Winter is dead! The Divine Beast has weakened! And the only heir who just took his very first breath has gone! What will winter become?"
"Who would do this? This will affect the seasonal cycle!"
"Is there any replacement for the dead Patron?"
"The winter's main family only consists of three. The dead Patron, his wife and the missing child. The wife has not woken up yet! Nobody could tell what happened!"
"Why? Is there no other witness?"
"The members of the parliament were wiped out. The parliament was drenching in blood."
"Head Judge, what should we do?"
"No. What will the heavens do!?"
In a large hall of court, judges and court officials held a meeting, immediately after the tragedy in the winter's parliament. Punishments can be done but no one dares to execute. They have no culprits and evidence to prove who was guilty and who is not.
The head judge, who was sitting in a high platform, looking at the court officials throwing assumptions and accusations on who was the possible perpetrator.
He could feel that these people were siding with their benefits and not virtue. After all, defending a parliament could gain one's trust and will raise opportunities rather than advantages…
"Silence!"
The court grew quiet.
"This time, the court will not intervene in the parliamental cases. In this matter, we will let the heavens unravel their propositions. Let the heavenly emperor be the judge of his creation. After all, the heavens are absolute."
Murmurs filled the court like a bee.
For some reason, the court officials had different expressions and opinions about the declaration.
"Are there any objections?"
The court fell quite once again.
"Well then…"