Bab 51: 3.18: PLOTTING AGAINST

Yujun rolled uneasily on the plush bed, half-expecting the sensation of a broad, sturdy body to stop his movement. When his fingers only grazed the silken sheets, devoid of the familiar warmth he anticipated, a flicker of confusion passed through his mind, causing his eyes to flutter open. 

The dim light of the lanterns illuminated the room just enough for him to see the Emperor. There he was, seated with an aura of regal determination, lost in a sea of paperwork that seemed to command his undivided attention. The soft scratching of the Emperor's quill was the only sound that pervaded the vast chamber.

Drawing a steadying breath, Yujun greeted, "Your Majesty." His voice was tinged with respect, albeit still sleepy.

The Emperor, without lifting his gaze from the papers, acknowledged him with a soft, noncommittal "mmm," the weight of the empire evident in his demeanor.