In the northwest corner, looking over the city from atop a hill, stood the Imperial Palace. Home to the Emperor, it was the grandest building in the entire city. White and gold, it looked as if it had been freshly painted that very morning. Brightly colored birds flew over its gate, landing to nest in the branches of the many trees that surrounded the building. From a distance or up close, the palace was made to inspire peace and confidence.

And it did both. Usually.

Inside the throne room, the Chancellor looked up at the Emperor, who sat on his throne, his face unreadable. He felt, as he always did in the massive space, dwarfed and a bit insignificant. But he knew that he wasn’t. After decades of working at the Emperor’s side, he was the man’s most trusted advisor. Which meant he knew that the news he was about to deliver was going to upset the Emperor greatly. 本章未完，请点击下一页继续阅读！ 第2页/共10页