“Who is it?”
“It’s me.” The emperor wrapped his arms around An’an from behind, clasping his hands together.
“Your Majesty!” An’an was startled and tried to wrench himself free in a panic.
“Your Majesty, please behave with propriety.”
“Oh? What exactly should I behave with propriety about, my dear An?” The last three words were lingering and tender, flowing melodiously from his lips.
“When your younger brother comes, if I’m there, you’re not allowed to ignore me. When you talk to him, you have to look at me too. Otherwise, I’ll make sure you never see your brother again.”
An Da thought he was hilarious, like a little child fighting over a friend. He knew he wouldn’t really do it. He treated him so well.
“I won’t ignore you.”
“Good. Hurry up and eat!” Zabu picked up a piece of angelica root that had been boiled until it was nearly falling apart and put it in An Da’s bowl.
“This is a little bitter.” An Da’s face crumpled up like a bun. The medicine he’d taken before hadn’t seemed that bitter. Why was everything he ate getting more and more bitter?
“It’s good for replenishing your blood and energy. Eat a little more. Once you’re better, you won’t have to eat it anymore. By then, you’ll wish you could, and if you don’t eat it now, we’ll just have to throw it away.” Zabu coaxed him. An Da hated wasting food most of all.
