“What does it feel like to be an emperor?” Lin Zhao typed, the corners of his mouth lifting. The topic was setting off a heated discussion online. “An emperor of the Ming Dynasty? All the beautiful women you could want!” A reply from user Jia Yi made Lin Zhao laugh out loud.
“The Qing Dynasty had it rough, with ugly women everywhere,” another netizen chimed in. “Just look at Guangxu’s wives. Zhenfei could barely get an 80, and the rest...” Lin Zhao couldn’t help imagining it. Ancient emperors may have had boundless power, but they were also constrained in many ways. A scene came to mind: himself in imperial robes, surrounded by a crowd of bizarre-looking palace maids, with no way to escape.
“Heh, great. The harem’s turned into a horror movie,” Lin Zhao said with a self-deprecating laugh. Then he suddenly got a craving for a cigarette.
He searched every pocket, but his cigarette pack was empty. Lin Zhao sighed and decided to go downstairs to buy some.
As soon as he reached the street, Lin Zhao suddenly spotted a strange streak of fire in the sky, hurtling straight toward him. His pupils shrank, and his mind went blank. “Could this be the legendary meteor from outer space?” The absurd thought flashed through his mind.
The fireball drew closer and closer. Lin Zhao instinctively closed his eyes. In the final moment of his life, the question from earlier surfaced in his mind once more: “What does it feel like to be an emperor?”
