Sueño de Jiangshan

Capítulo 5

The other palace servants who were cleaning also stopped what they were doing and watched the foolish empress's crazy antics as if it were a show. Seeing that she couldn't stop the empress alone, Qing'er quickly turned to a young eunuch watching for help:

"Don't just stand there! Quickly help stop Her Majesty! She's just recovered, running like this will be too much for her."

"You're not allowed to interfere. Let her run away. It would be better if she ran herself to death! Look at what we've been eating with her these past few days at the East Palace! If she runs herself to death like this, who knows, the Emperor might be so pleased that he'll transfer us to his Dragon Palace!" Qiu'er, who was watching the commotion, spoke up to stop the eunuchs who were about to step forward to intercept the foolish empress.

“Qing’er, Sister Qiu’er is right. Look at Her Majesty, she suffers just living. We’re bullied by people from other palaces because of her. Yesterday, when I went to collect my monthly allowance, the head eunuch, seeing I was from the East Palace, deducted half of my allowance. But when he saw the person behind me was from the West Palace, he chuckled and respectfully offered the full amount with both hands. He even gave him a share of the money he’d deducted from me,” a eunuch said with a mournful face.

"Sigh! Who told us to follow such a foolish master!"

The other palace maids also nodded in agreement.

Qing'er glanced at the Empress, who was running faster and faster, and then at the crowd watching coldly. Her nose stung, tears welled up in her eyes, and she was about to burst into tears. Miraculously, her poor Empress stopped in front of her, snatched the clothes from her hands, and used them as a handkerchief to wipe away her tears.

The idiot queen's action startled everyone; it wasn't the behavior of an idiot at all, but clearly the action of a normal person. However, her next move, while bringing a sigh of relief, also shattered their hopes.

After wiping Qing'er's tears with her phoenix robe, the silly empress wiped the sweat from her own brow. Then, she stroked Qing'er's tear-stained round face and said coquettishly:

"Don't cry, Your Highness. Be good. Let Qing'er rub it and it will feel better." As she spoke, she imitated Qing'er's rubbing motion and gently touched Qing'er's shoulder.

Qing'er was amused by the Empress's silly actions and burst into laughter through her tears:

"Your Majesty, this is your only intact phoenix robe. How can you use it to wipe my tears? Look how dirty it is now!" She snatched the robe back from the Empress, wiping the soiled areas on her own clothes before helping the Empress put it on. A smile played on her lips as she added:

"Your Highness must be tired from running around! Come back with Qing'er and after you've washed up, I'll treat you to something delicious, okay?"

"Eat, eat, baby wants to eat something delicious," Leng Jie said naively.

Qing'er was happy, but Leng Jie was quite depressed. They'd only reached halfway through their kilometer goal. However, Qing'er's anxious expression warmed her heart. She thought back to when she first started physical training, when all she heard were the coach's roars and her classmates' groans. Even when the blisters on her feet from running burst, even when she broke her arm falling while rock climbing, as long as she had a breath left, she'd crawl to continue the grueling training. Compared to that time, this new life, where she only needed to pretend to be crazy and have someone wait on her hand and foot, was much more comfortable. However, having grown accustomed to hardship, this sudden life of being waited on hand and foot was quite bothersome for Leng Jie.

Qing'er was like a wet nurse, following Leng Jie around all day, making it impossible for Leng Jie to do any difficult poses. Helpless, Leng Jie had to change her strategy. She practiced yoga in her room during the day. Seeing that Leng Jie's movements were gentle and wouldn't hurt her, Qing'er let her practice.

That night, she would hypnotize Qing'er and let her sleep peacefully. Then she would practice some difficult movements. Of course, this good thing of hypnosis was only for the lovely Qing'er. Leng Jie wasn't so kind as to use hypnosis on the other palace servants in the Eastern Palace. You see, hypnosis is not only harmless to the human body, but it also improves sleep and allows the brain to rest better, thereby improving sleep quality.

Leng Jie's guiding principle has always been: treat others with respect, and they'll repay you with equal force. For those who dare to insult or despise her to her face, she'll naturally use something even more suitable to achieve the same effect. For instance, the fox-spirited physician's bewitching drug is now playing a crucial role. As the saying goes, every medicine has its side effects; if someone is frequently given bewitching drugs, it goes without saying that it will cause significant harm to their body.

[Main Text: Chapter Sixteen: Qingfeng Medicine Hut]

In the Imperial Medical Academy, in Physician Hu's private medicine hut, Qingfeng was diligently working on his new antidote.

After returning from the Eastern Palace, Qingfeng developed serious doubts about his medical skills. He was determined to concoct an antidote for the arsenic poison, first neutralizing the poison in the Empress's body, and then investigating the nature of the internal energy within her.

An old eunuch paced anxiously at the entrance of the pharmacy, craning his neck to peer inside and then looking up at the sky, from noon until dusk. He was still undecided whether to go in or go back.

This old eunuch was none other than Eunuch Liu, who served the Empress Dowager. He was currently acting on the Empress Dowager's orders, summoning Imperial Physician Hu to treat Consort Shui's illness. However, everyone in the palace knew that Imperial Physician Hu's temperament was so eccentric that even the Emperor couldn't handle him. The most terrifying thing was that anyone who dared to disturb his alchemy practice would become one of his medicine subjects. Eunuch Liu shuddered at the thought of the agonizing screams and gruesome appearances of those medicine subjects.

However, the Empress Dowager was the head of the harem; neglecting her affairs would lead to the same tragic end. Faced with this predicament, beset by dangers from both sides, the cowardly Eunuch Liu broke out in a cold sweat. Just as Eunuch Liu decided to risk his life to become a guinea pig for Physician Hu, he heard Eunuch Fu's desperate cry for help from behind:

"Eunuch Liu, why aren't you serving the Empress Dowager? What are you doing here?"

"Chief Eunuch Fu, it's so good to see you. This servant is here on the Empress Dowager's orders to summon Physician Hu to treat Consort Shui. However, Physician Hu is currently preparing medicine, and I dare not disturb him. I have been waiting here for more than two hours, and Physician Hu has not come out even once," Eunuch Liu hurriedly replied.

"I think you won't be able to wait for Physician Hu today. The Emperor has important business to discuss with Physician Hu. You should go back and report to Empress Dowager Lin truthfully. However, you can go and summon Physician Li to go back with you first. As the chief physician of the Imperial Medical Academy, Physician Li is highly respected and has superb medical skills, which are no less than Physician Hu's. He is fully capable of treating the Imperial Concubine."

"Yes, I will go back and report immediately. Thank you for your guidance, Steward!" Eunuch Liu knelt down and thanked him with tears of gratitude.

Watching Eunuch Liu stumble and hurriedly leave, Eunuch Fu's lips curled into a meaningful smile. Then, he turned and walked towards the medicine hut. He had barely stepped inside when a strange object flew towards him like an arrow. Eunuch Liu swayed, dodging it, and with a "whoosh," the object embedded itself in the doorframe behind him. Looking down, he saw a licorice root half-exposed outside the doorframe. Cold sweat broke out on his brow.

Hu Qingfeng's mocking voice then rang out:

"Eunuch Fu, do you also want to come in and be my medicine mannequin? But looking at your fair skin and plump body, you are quite suitable to be my medicine mannequin."

"Young master, imperial physician, please have mercy! Considering how much I've cared for you, please don't make fun of me! My broken heart can't withstand such a shock, and my old bones can't take the torment of your miraculous medicines." Eunuch Fu said with a fawning smile, deliberately feigning fear. "Are you blaming me for taking your medicine man earlier? Don't worry, I will find you a more suitable one. That old man still has some use."

"Eunuch Fu, what are you saying? Why does becoming my medicine person sound like going through hell and high water? Well, let me tell you about the benefits of becoming my medicine person. First, it strengthens the body and makes one immune to all diseases. Second, one is not afraid of poison or insects. Third... Fourth... Fifth... Sixth..." Qingfeng patiently explained the benefits of becoming his medicine person to Eunuch Fu.

Eunuch Fu knew that Young Master Qingfeng was just spouting nonsense to discourage him and prevent him from revealing his true purpose. However, he couldn't disobey the Emperor's orders. Young Master Qingfeng was the Emperor's most trusted confidant and the only one without any vested interests in the imperial power. At this critical moment, if he didn't help the Emperor, who else could the Emperor turn to? Therefore, fearlessly, he interrupted:

"Young Master Qingfeng, if you can help the Emperor solve his immediate crisis, this old servant will risk his old bones to serve as your medicine subject. What do you say?"

"Hmph! You're quite loyal! But to be honest, you're not qualified to be my medicine man. Do you know what kind of good stuff I'm making?" Qingfeng's expression changed drastically as he pointed at the newly made pills and asked dangerously.

"Yes, yes, this lowly servant's body, if I were to serve as your medicine subject, wouldn't that defile your medicine? But Your Majesty..."

“Go back and tell your master that the three-year term is up, and I have done all I could to help. As for his struggle with the Shui family and the Empress Dowager, that is their family matter, which I neither want to nor can interfere with. The reason I am still in the palace is to refine the antidote for the arsenic. Once I find out what is wrong with the true energy in the body of the fool, I should follow my master's orders to go out and practice medicine in the countryside to save people. I also ask him to honor the agreement and allow me to resign from my official post.” Qingfeng interrupted Eunuch Fu, directly and preemptively stating his refusal.

Eunuch Fu was speechless, taken aback by Qingfeng's sharp retort. Qingfeng had guessed the Emperor's thoughts perfectly. And the Emperor, in turn, knew Qingfeng's temperament intimately. If the two of them joined forces, they would be invincible, just as they had three years ago when they single-handedly fought their way through a massive army to return to the capital and ascend the throne. However, when they disagreed, they were like two stubborn oxen, neither willing to give an inch.

Take this incident, for example. Ever since the day he left the Eastern Palace, the Emperor and the young master discussed the Shui family and the Empress Dowager's affairs, hoping that Qingfeng would return to court and help him reclaim military power from the Shui family. However, after hearing this, Qingfeng only angrily said, "You're going back on your word again!" and turned away. After that, he hid in this medicine hut, ignoring everyone sent by the Emperor and Empress Dowager to bother him.

For the past five days, the Emperor, in court, was pressured by the Shui family and other ministers to consummate his marriage with Consort Shui, under the guise of ensuring he would produce an heir for the Jinghe Dynasty. In the inner palace, Consort Shui had already awakened, and if the excuse of illness prevented him from going to the West Palace, he wouldn't be able to get past the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was practically stationed at the West Palace, waiting for the Emperor to come. These past few days, the Emperor had been overwhelmed by this situation, his anger nearly reaching its breaking point. Therefore, he once again sent himself to request Qingfeng Gongzi's assistance.

However, judging from Qingfeng Gongzi's words, he was determined to no longer concern himself with court affairs. What Eunuch Fu didn't expect was that the young master had been hiding in the medicine hut these past few days to prepare an antidote for the Empress. Eunuch Fu suddenly thought, if Qingfeng Gongzi could cure the Empress's dementia, wouldn't the situation in the harem be completely different? Of course, he immediately dismissed this naive idea.

"Eunuch Fu, what are you thinking about so intently? If you're trying to persuade me to come out of seclusion, then forget it! I'm going to the East Palace now. Are you going to give a reply, or are you coming with me to see the effects of my new medicine?" Qingfeng said, waving his hand in front of the dazed Eunuch Fu.

"Uh! This old servant should go back and check on His Majesty. By the way, His Majesty has been suffering from internal heat these past few days. Could you prescribe some medicine to calm his mind and reduce his internal heat?" Eunuch Fu came to his senses and used one last trick to test the waters.

Sure enough, Qingfeng was somewhat moved and said:

"Is he really that upset? Is it that complicated? It's just about leaving an heir, right? If he doesn't want to have a child with her, just find someone else to have one for him." After saying that, Qingfeng realized he had said too much again, and quickly grabbed the pills and hurried to the East Palace.

With a smug grin on his face, Eunuch Fu returned to the Dragon Palace to report.

[Main Text: Chapter Seventeen: A Windy, Moonlit Night]

He fled from the medicine shed as if escaping, and just as he reached the Imperial Garden, he unfortunately ran into the Empress Dowager and her entourage, who were storming out of the West Palace in a rage. He was about to turn away when the Empress Dowager spotted him from afar and called out to him sharply. It was too late for him to hide. He had no choice but to follow the Empress Dowager back to the West Palace to take Consort Shui's pulse. While taking her pulse, he had to think of ways to prolong the Emperor's life for a few more days. He also had to endure the Empress Dowager's incessant nagging, though he didn't hear a word she said.

When Qingfeng arrived at the East Palace, the bright moon hung high in the sky, and the stars twinkled. Stepping into the palace, Qingfeng was immediately struck by its deathly silence; not a single living person could be seen. The few palace lanterns swaying in the wind seemed particularly glaring. He couldn't help but wonder, last time he came there was even a dozing eunuch, but now even the eunuchs had been removed? It seemed that Li really, really hated this foolish empress.

Qingfeng couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the foolish empress. However, when he immediately recalled her appearance, he got goosebumps all over. This time, he felt sorry for his brother, Xuanyuan Yunlu. He thought that if his master forced him to marry a woman like that, he would definitely rather become a monk at Yuntai Temple on Tianmu Mountain.

Qingfeng had never held any concepts of propriety, morality, or the distinction between men and women. In his eyes, there was only the distinction between good people and the sick. Just like now, he brazenly and arrogantly pushed open the door to the Empress's palace. He completely disregarded the palace rules, which stipulated that no male being other than a eunuch was allowed to enter the Empress's palace without the Emperor's permission.

Qingfeng suddenly noticed some changes in the Empress's palace. For example, it was cleaner and tidier. For instance, next to her phoenix bed, there was a small stool with a cute little palace maid sleeping peacefully on it.

The foolish empress on the phoenix bed seemed to be sleeping soundly. In Qingfeng's opinion, the sleeping empress was much cuter than the one who grinned and gnawed at people. Qingfeng bypassed the palace maid and came to the other side of the empress's bed. He took her hand and began to take her pulse.

"How could this be? How could this be possible?" Qingfeng frowned, staring blankly as he muttered to himself.

Then, seemingly disbelieving his diagnosis, he took the other hand of the woman with the mental disability to check her pulse again. The same result made his brows furrow deeply.

Qingfeng shook his head in astonishment, then went to take the little palace maid's pulse, which made him even more unable to accept it.

How could this be? The idiot empress wasn't asleep at all; she had been drugged with the mind-altering powder he had prepared for that "Little Qingzi" last time. What surprised him most wasn't this, but rather that he discovered the toxins and that strange inner energy within the idiot empress's body had vanished. Yet, this little palace maid hadn't been affected by the drug; she was truly asleep naturally.

Qingfeng couldn't understand what Xiao Qingzi's purpose was. If she had seduced Consort Shui to prevent her from gaining the Emperor's favor, what about the Foolish Empress? The Foolish Empress had always been a thorn in the Emperor's side. This was common knowledge throughout the palace and even the entire Jinghe Dynasty. In Qingfeng's view, while the Foolish Empress was unlikable, it seemed she didn't need anyone besides the Emperor.

Even more strangely, Xuanyuan, who always tolerated no danger around him, didn't go all out to capture the fake Xiaoqingzi. Instead, he immediately sent the real Xiaoqingzi and Xiaomingzi, who knew the truth, out of the palace. He initially suspected it was a play orchestrated by Shui Rong'er or the Emperor. But judging from Shui Rong'er and the Emperor's behavior these past few days, things didn't seem to be like that. But what did this have to do with the poison and internal energy in the Empress's body?

Qingfeng felt increasingly confused. Yet, the more confused he became, the more interested he became. His master had said that his insatiable nature, his desire to explore everything, meant he couldn't be a carefree hermit. That's why he'd banished him from the mountains, leaving him to struggle and fend for himself in this mundane world!

Meanwhile, on the chilly autumn avenues of the palace, a listless eunuch led a bald, disheveled palace maid on a leisurely stroll under the moonlight. They walked from the East Palace, where the Empress resided, to the West Palace, where the Imperial Concubine lived; from the Empress Dowager's Cining Palace to the Emperor's Longteng Palace; from the Emperor's study to the Xinhe Hall, where the Emperor and his officials conducted state affairs. They toured the entire palace grounds.

They finally stopped in front of an antique pavilion, exuding an air of scholarly elegance and poetic charm. The three characters "藏书阁" (Library Pavilion), carved in gold with a flowing, elegant style, shimmered in the moonlight, appearing grand and imposing!

Seeing this, the palace maid excitedly led the way into the pavilion. The pavilion had three floors, each neatly lined with rows of bookshelves. The bookshelves were filled with various ancient thread-bound books, categorized by subject. The maid cautiously peered around the pavilion, observing carefully. She found only an old eunuch dozing off. The maid turned and gestured for silence to the younger eunuch behind her. The younger eunuch listened attentively, standing there waiting for her next instruction.

The palace maid quietly moved to the old eunuch's side and swiftly delivered a chop to the back of his head, causing him to fall into a deep sleep. She then moved him behind a hidden bookshelf and had a young eunuch sit in the old eunuch's former seat. Only after doing all this did she feel safe enough to browse the books on the shelf.

These two were none other than Leng Jie, the foolish empress disguised as the palace maid Qiu'er, and Xiao Chunzi, who had been hypnotized by Leng Jie. Having learned from her previous experience of getting lost, Leng Jie found a free guide this time and spent two hours exploring the entire palace. The location of each palace was now etched into Leng Jie's mind.

Leng Jie, displaying her ability to read ten lines at a glance, began to peruse history books. To gain a comprehensive understanding of a dynasty, history books are undoubtedly one of the most direct and suitable methods.

Leng Jie learned from the latest history books that this was an era not recorded in Chinese history. It was called the Jinghe Dynasty, and the book recorded events from the ascension of the thirteenth emperor of the Jinghe Dynasty, Xuanyuan Yunlu. From the very first page, Leng Jie was certain that this Xuanyuan Yunlu was the same cold-hearted and unfaithful emperor husband of the foolish empress. Because the first page clearly stated...

"On the third day of the ninth month of the thirty-seventh year of Jingcheng, Emperor Xuanyuan Juncheng, the twelfth emperor of Jinghe, passed away. On the eighth day of the ninth month, the second prince, Yunli, ascended the throne, changing the country's name to Xuan, and on the same day, he made the simple-minded Leng Shi his empress..."

After reading this relatively thin history book, which only covered three years, Leng Jie finally gained a basic understanding of the emperor and the dynasty. She then read many folk travelogues and books about local customs and traditions, discovering that the political and social customs here were very similar to those of China's Tang Dynasty.

Leng Jie found some more books she thought would be useful and prepared to pack them up and take them back to the East Palace to read at her leisure. Just as she was about to leave, she accidentally triggered a mechanism, revealing a hidden door. Out of professional habit, a secret agent would not miss any opportunity to explore classified information.

[Main Text: Chapter Eighteen - Retrieving Treasure from the Secret Chamber]

Last time, we talked about how Leng Jie discovered a hidden door in the library.

Leng Jie put down the book in her hand, casually took a palace lantern from the wall beside her, and stepped into the hidden door. The moment she entered, the hidden door behind her closed again. Leng Jie raised the lantern high, scanning the room as if it were a machine, instantly gaining a complete understanding of the situation.

In reality, the darkroom was empty except for the four walls and twelve portraits of men dressed in dragon robes hanging on the walls. Not a single item could be found.

Leng Jie held up a lamp and carefully examined each of the portraits on the wall, noticing they all shared a common trait: they were all remarkably handsome. Finally, her gaze fell upon the newest portrait, for it bore an uncanny resemblance to the monstrous emperor. Except for appearing more mature and charismatic, they were almost identical. Without a doubt, this must be Xuan Yuan Jun Cheng, the twelfth emperor of Jinghe, who had forced the foolish empress upon the emperor.

Leng Jie thought, if he hadn't insisted on marrying the fool to the emperor, perhaps this fool would still be peacefully living at home as the daughter of a high-ranking official. In that case, she might already be in heaven or reincarnated. Why would she need to pretend to be crazy and live this life in the dark?

The more she thought about it, the more she felt the person in the portrait was the culprit behind all this. She couldn't help but feel intense resentment towards him. Leng Jie made a face at the portrait, muttering under her breath:

"It's all your fault, you meddlesome old man! You've made her so miserable, and now I have to pretend to be stupid to save my life! I, Leng Jie, have lived for twenty-six years, including eight years as a secret agent. I've played all sorts of roles, but when have I ever suffered such humiliation!" Saying this, she moved the lamp to her left hand and flicked the portrait's forehead hard with her free right hand to express her dissatisfaction. However, this flick felt like hitting cotton; her fingers didn't feel anything hard at all. Her agent's keen senses immediately told her there must be a trigger mechanism on the wall.

Leng Jie placed the lamp on the ground and carefully peeled back the portrait with both hands. Inside was a piece of leather stretched against the wall, and beneath it, without a doubt, was another hidden compartment. Leng Jie carefully tore off the leather, and as she suspected, there was indeed another hidden compartment inside, containing an exquisite iron lever. A similarly intricate brass lock was attached to the lever. Leng Jie carefully removed the lever; for Leng Jie, who could freely enter foreign countries and heavily fortified areas, unlocking this brass lock was undoubtedly a child's play.

Removing the copper lock, Leng Jie took out the contents and slowly unfolded them. What was revealed left her speechless with astonishment. It was another painting, an enormous leather painting—no, to be precise, a leather map. A map of the Jinghe Dynasty. The map clearly marked all of Jinghe's towns, mountains, rivers, and other territories. For Leng Jie, who had just arrived in this strange world, this was undoubtedly a godsend.

Leng Jie had always thought that such detailed maps could only appear after the Qing Dynasty, but the local customs and systems were closer to those of the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, she never imagined she could find such a complete map. Now, having obtained such a precious item without any effort, how could she not be excited and happy?

Leng Jie smiled faintly for a moment, quickly suppressing her excitement. She carefully folded the map again and tucked it into her bosom. Then, as she was about to put the bamboo basket back, she noticed a book inside. She picked it up and flipped through it; it contained words and illustrations, clearly a martial arts manual often mentioned in novels.

Leng Jie felt another surge of excitement and eagerly took both items for herself. She suspected there might be mechanisms behind the portraits, so she peeled them open one by one to examine them. To her disappointment, the other portraits were backed by solid walls.

Leng Jie restored all twelve portraits to their original state, touched the things in her arms, and smiled with satisfaction. She blew a kiss to Xuan Yuan Juncheng's portrait as a thank you gift. The moment she entered, she had already pinpointed the location of the exit mechanism. Turning around, she placed her hand on a slightly protruding spot on the doorframe; sure enough, as she suspected, this was where the mechanism was located.

Imperial Study

"Your Majesty, the imperial concubine selection is scheduled for the fifth day of next month. All the candidates have been chosen according to palace regulations. Does Your Majesty have any special requests? Furthermore, according to accurate information from the Imperial Observatory, tomorrow at midnight will be the optimal time for Your Majesty and the Imperial Concubine to conceive a son. I have instructed Chief Steward Fu of the Imperial Household Department to remind Your Majesty to go to the West Palace at that time." Minister Wu of the Ministry of Rites knelt on the ground, trembling as he addressed the Emperor, who was focused on his memorial.

The emperor's expression flickered slightly, but he continued reviewing the memorials, ignoring the kneeling people below and paying no heed to his words.

Seeing that the Emperor ignored him, the already terrified Lord Wu was now drenched in sweat and his face was deathly pale. He knew that the Emperor was currently most averse to hearing about the imperial concubine selection and offspring, but his duty was to choose concubines for the Emperor so that he could have more offspring. Most importantly, the Empress Dowager and the Shui family's coercion and enticement had forced him to become the unfortunate first to step forward. Now that there was no turning back, he could only pray for divine protection while kneeling and waiting for the Emperor's wrath.

Time ticked by, and despite kneeling countless times every day, his knees had long since grown accustomed to it. But this kneeling lasted an hour and a half; how could a civil official over fifty years old endure it? Lord Wu could no longer bear it, and mustering his courage, he spoke again, his voice trembling:

"Your Majesty! This old minister, this old..."

"Lord Wu, you mean to say that you are getting old and want to resign and return to your hometown to enjoy your retirement, right? Considering your years of hard work for the country and the people, I grant your request." Xuan Yuan Yunli took over Lord Wu's words and said with utmost gentleness.

At first, Lord Wu was delighted by the emperor's sudden change in attitude, but after hearing the rest, he froze completely. Even the phrase "struck by a thunderbolt" wouldn't adequately describe his shock. After a long pause, the imperial physician swallowed hard, cold sweat dripping down his face, and slowly composed himself.

The emperor's sudden edict caught him completely off guard. However, he was well aware of the saying, "Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger." Therefore, although he couldn't accept that his hard-earned second-rank official position, which he had struggled for most of his life to achieve, had been revoked by the young emperor with a single sentence, he had to feign deep gratitude and prostrate himself in thanks.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"