He has been dependent on his bamboo horse since he was a child. He returned from the army and was already a ninety-five-year-old man. After the first imperial decree sealed the deal, I refused; when the general came to greet him in person, I refused again. He finally came to the door in person, wore a dragon robe, and threatened me with the lives of my entire family. I was forced into the palace and became a caged bird trapped within the palace walls. He promised me the phoenix seal and the six palaces, but I knew that behind this deep love were shackles that I couldn't break free from. I kept a secret decree to abdicate and waited for the opportunity, hoping that one day I could regain my freedom.
