Standing before the fence, facing the most powerful man in the Empire — Joen felt a surge of tension in his chest, yet it was slightly different from the “trembling before an Emperor” he had imagined.
There wasn’t much fear or worry; instead, there was a sense of flustered embarrassment, like being scrutinized by an elder.
It felt just like during the Festival of Winter Sacrifice when he was ten years old.
The old Village Chief would squint his small eyes, sipping light rice wine while asking him, “How are your archery lessons with your Uncle Barn? Have you caught any prey yet?”
Joen had been too embarrassed to answer then because he lacked patience.
He could never lie in wait for days and nights like Uncle Barn; he often failed to catch even a single rabbit.
It was strange.
Yet, facing the Emperor, that was truly the only emotion bubbling up inside him.
The elder from the Army he had heard so much about — First Prince Caesar — turned around.
He gave Joen a cold, calculating look, his gaze sharp as a blade, though it didn’t linger for long.
He nodded slightly, perhaps acknowledging Joen or responding to the Emperor’s previous words.
Regardless, after that small gesture, he departed with long, purposeful strides.
As they brushed past each other, a chilling wind swept over Joen’s face, feeling like a dusting of snow.
Joen took a deep breath and walked before the Emperor.
The Emperor slowly spoke.
“Sit, sit first.”
The Emperor pointed to a spot beside him.
His expression was kind, similar to the village elders in Joen’s childhood memories.
Before Joen could speak, the Emperor initiated a topic.
“I recall you are from the Tulip Territory?”
“Yes.”
Joen nodded.
Without much hesitation, he sat down as instructed.
Anthony stood not far from them, his hands clasped neatly in front of his stomach.
He was as straight as a pillar, as if his body were carved with solemn, respectful patterns.
The Emperor’s tone was casual, devoid of pretension, as if he were truly engaging in small talk.
“The Tulip Territory… that is a good place. My imperial brother has always managed it. Constantine — you have likely heard his name. He is a very capable man. Unfortunately… he seems to have some misunderstandings regarding me.”
“Misunderstandings?” Joen asked in surprise.
“He is my dear cousin, yet he hasn’t returned in twenty years.”
The Emperor showed a hint of melancholy.
“He is hiding from me.”
“The Duke once lived and died with you, fighting side by side. Shouldn’t your relationship be excellent?”
Joen frowned slightly.
“But why? Between Your Majesty and the Tulip Duke…”
“He likely suspects I will kill him,” the Emperor said softly.
“Though I don’t understand why he would think that. Even if he had the power to rebel or if he overstepped his bounds, I have never doubted him.”
The Emperor sighed, reminiscing with a weary yet nostalgic tone.
“In my heart, he has always been that upright, beloved cousin.”
Joen didn’t know how to respond for a moment.
To be honest, he envied even this kind of suspicious brotherhood.
After all, he had never had siblings; he had always been alone.
“Let’s not mention these frustrating matters.”
The Emperor looked at Joen, his eyes turning more serious.
“On this journey, you have seen the scenery of other lands. How do you feel? Is it quite different from the Tulip Territory where you grew up?”
“Uh…”
Joen was momentarily at a loss for words.
The Emperor’s question disrupted his plans.
It was perhaps too direct, leaving him unsure whether he should speak the truth — for instance, by denouncing the reality of the deep-seated corruption and the lazy, negligent officials of the Qianhe Domain.
While he hesitated, the Emperor suddenly continued, “For example… do you find it terrible? Utterly abysmal? So bad that you wonder why it’s so much worse than the Tulip Territory? Do you perhaps have a fleeting thought — ‘Why can’t the one sitting in my position be the Tulip Duke?'”
Gentle words, a tone as warm as a spring breeze, yet every word exceeded Joen’s expectations, striking like a terrifying thunderclap.
Anthony, however, seemed long accustomed to this.
He remained smiling as before, standing straight in front of them.
His voluminous robes fluttered slightly in the wind, revealing thick, sturdy legs beneath.
“I never thought of that last part,” Joen said honestly, shaking his head.
“Hahaha!”
The Emperor laughed.
His fingertips unconsciously tapped the table a few times.
He took a deep breath, adjusted his posture, and sat upright with a hint of seriousness, exchanging a few looks with Anthony.
“I like chatting with young people. Young people are blunt; they don’t like to lie.”
He sighed and looked toward the Grand Tutor.
“Anton, do you remember when you were young? Back then, you didn’t understand any rules. Unlike now, where you know how to brush me off with pleasant words.”
“Is that so?”
Anthony looked bewildered.
“Isn’t every word your subject speaks the truth?”
The Emperor pointed at the Grand Tutor, his eyes squinting as he laughed.
“See? The Grand Tutor is a master of playing dumb. But you… you are like the Grand Tutor of the past; you are truly oblivious.”
Joen’s thoughts were momentarily thrown into chaos by these words.
He stammered, unable to respond.
“Let me answer your confusion,” the Emperor said.
His aged voice was as steady as the sea as he spoke slowly.
“Ruling a country is not the same as ruling a territory. Do I not wish for every Lord or Governor to be as incorruptible and wise as you and Constantine? But there is no way. In forty years, I have only met a few people like you, and none of them lived long.”
“Others either have immense talent and an even greater appetite. They say the Grand Tutor’s belly can hold a shipload of gold coins. I think even that’s not enough; it would need at least a mountain of gold and a sea of copper.”
The Emperor deliberately glanced at the Grand Tutor.
“Then there are those who only speak well. If you actually ask them to do something, they can’t accomplish it. Empty talk ruins a nation. Do you think I can give such people a chance?”
Joen was about to say something, but the Emperor pressed his hand down, speaking with a heavy heart.
“I know you have a ledger in your hand. I also know you want to give it to me so I can bring those people to justice. That matter — it cannot be done.”
“Actually, you could kill them yourself without me. Who could stop you, right?”
“But in the end, you didn’t kill them. Because you are a clever child. You know that killing them is only the beginning; what matters more is what comes after. You came to find me simply to seek an answer. But as for that answer, I can only tell you — there is no way.”
“While they are there, they only crave money. But if they were gone, they would be replaced by forces even darker and more evil, managing those places I cannot reach.”
“What forces?” Joen’s voice was dry.
“Gangs, noble families, and religions,” the Emperor said slowly.
“Gangs will do anything for money. Families will exhaust all their strength to exclude those with different surnames. As for religion… ha, don’t think the Four Orthodox Churches are anything good. It’s only because I’m suppressing them!”
“If Black Magicians are allowed to run wild and collude with practitioners of the evil arts, they would dare to do what they did before the Empire was founded. The Black Magician harms people, and the Goddess’s Priest saves them. One collects souls, the other collects faith. Isn’t that a perfect collaboration?”
“That is how they operated 1,000 years ago. Now — believe it or not — they would still dare to do it.”