On the day of the army's triumphant victory, the emperor took away my tiger talisman in front of all the civil and military officials. I kowtowed calmly, and the next day I packed up and returned to the countryside. They all thought I would end up depressed in my hometown or plot a rebellion. It was not until three months later that urgent military reports from 800 miles away flew into the capital like snow, and the border was at war. The emperor was sitting on the dragon throne, looking at the results of the new grain trial planting that I presented, his eyes were red for the first time.
