“Lord Yuan, His Majesty has heard that you obtained the Imperial Jade Seal. Is it true?”
Yuan Shu slammed the table, his voice stern and indignant. “I don’t have it! Stop spreading such nonsense! There must be treacherous ministers at court sowing discord between us!”
Sweat beaded on the envoy’s forehead as he pressed on despite himself. “...You really don’t have it?”
“A ruler never jokes!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, his expression softened. He strode forward and clasped the envoy’s hands. The cold gleam of gold and silver in the chest flashed beneath his sleeve. His tone was so heartfelt it seemed he was baring his soul, yet every word carried the boldness of a usurper. “I have always been a loyal subject of the Great Han, but I’ve suffered repeated slander at the hands of petty men. When you return to the capital, please speak well of me before His Majesty.”
His fingertips tightened slightly. His smile never reached his eyes, and his tone suddenly turned icy. “If any more traitors dare spread lies and sow discord between ruler and subject, do not blame me for personally leading three hundred thousand troops to purge the court and punish them for deceiving the emperor!”
I don't know what to say. I can't fault it for the time being, but if I say it's good, it always feels a bit awkward, so I'll leave it at that (personally, I think it's a bookmark).