Rumor had it that the Prince Regent was greedy, lecherous, and debauched, living far better than the young emperor by a country mile.
The young emperor, forced onto the throne before he was ready, respected and resented him. He had never imagined the man would die in his arms, much less that he would spend the rest of his life longing for him.
Others thought the emperor's boundless favor toward the Prince Regent put him in the line of fire. Their relationship was already irreconcilable, and a reshuffling of the court seemed imminent.
One year passed, and the foreign enemies were driven out. Three years passed, and peace reigned across the land. Five years passed, and the country was prosperous and its people at peace.
The young emperor, who had once nearly become a puppet, now held power firmly in his grasp. Yet the blade hanging over the Prince Regent's head still had not fallen.
The ministers were beginning to think they'd guessed wrong when word came from the palace: the emperor had drafted an edict concerning the Prince Regent. They were so delighted they couldn't sleep all night, expecting him to be discarded once his usefulness was over. The next morning, however, they could only pinch their philtrums to keep from passing out at court.
"Minister Xie has rendered such great service that there's no higher title to grant him. Why not make him Empress?"
A renowned minister who brings peace to the realm, the one dearest to the emperor's heart, is hereby installed as Empress.
* Gentle but sharp-tongued top x aloof, sickly bottom
Theme: Communication can bring people closer
