Chapter 24
Beside the study hall, there was a small room where a group of children stood.
On the left side, three of them had bruised and swollen faces. Among them, a boy named Xiong Haizhi stood out—he had even lost a front tooth, making him whistle slightly whenever he spoke.
On the right side, three other children stood. Xu Ming stood straight and calm, Xu Pangda looked nervous, while Qin Qingwan held her head high, her fair chin raised proudly. Her small hand gripped Xu Ming’s sleeve tightly, her expression practically declaring, “Who dares to touch my brother Ming!”
In front of the children sat Mr. Xiao and a man dressed in a mangpao robe.
Xu Ming glanced up at the man in the mangpao, observing him.
The man smiled gently, and noticing Xu Ming’s gaze, he nodded at him.
If Xu Ming remembered correctly, the Law Codes of the Wu Dynasty stated that the mangpao was a ceremonial robe bestowed by the emperor. Wearing it required a jade belt.
Though similar to the emperor’s dragon robe, the mangpao was not officially part of the standard official attire. Instead, it symbolized imperial favor, making it a rare and significant honor.
This man clearly held a high status, deeply trusted by the emperor of Wu.