Volume 1, Chapter 40: The Empress Dowager

Xue Wu was slightly startled.

Zhao Yuanzhuo lowered his voice and said, "Since Your Majesty can listen to Your Ladyship's advice nowadays, I must beg Your Ladyship to persuade him to cultivate and recruit as many capable and virtuous men as possible. As for myself..."

Pausing for a moment, Zhao Yuanzhuo continued, "Please, Your Ladyship, do not trouble yourself on my account anymore. I will not remain by Ziqi-ge's side, at least not for now."

"Although in my heart, Ziqi-ge has always been a great hero, I chose to follow him so that one day I might be able to catch up with his strides, not to seek shelter beneath his wings. Furthermore..."

Zhao Yuanzhuo raised his head, looking directly and earnestly into Xue Wu's eyes. "While I was recovering from my injuries in the Weiyang Palace, I had plenty of leisure time and read quite a few books. Because of that, I have come to understand a truth: if a country is infested with parasitic worms, there is no pure land left in the world, and it is the same everywhere you go. I shall neither fear nor retreat."

Shen Ran accompanied the Empress Dowager back to the Cining Palace.

Wreaths of curling incense smoke drifted through the hall, hazy and blurred.

The fragrance was rich, sweet, and intoxicatingly heavy.

The moment the Empress Dowager stepped into the palace, a youth dressed in white crawled forward on his knees.

The youth appeared to be no more than fifteen or sixteen years old. He was exceptionally handsome, with eyes full of amorous charm.

Golden bells were tied around both his wrists and ankles, chiming crisply with his every movement.

The sound was clear and melodious, remarkably pleasant to the ear.

Yet Shen Ran frowned slightly.

Though both possessed good looks and were of a similar age, Zhao Yuanzhuo radiated the bright, upright spirit of a noble youth without a trace of effeminacy, whereas the youth before him was the complete opposite.

If dressed in women's attire, he might easily pass directly for a girl.

Even though the Empress Dowager herself was a rare beauty, she still harbored a partiality for this particular type of delicate youth.

By now, the youth had crawled on his knees close to Shen Ran and the Empress Dowager. He kowtowed in salute and said, "This humble slave pays respects to the Empress Dowager, and pays respects to Your Majesty."

His voice was equally captivating.

Unfortunately, at this moment, the Empress Dowager felt a oppressive tightness in her chest and was hardly in the mood for appreciation. Before Shen Ran could speak, she lashed out with her foot, kicking the youth, and said in a deep voice, "You blind and clueless dog, get out of my sight!"

In her youth, she had been a plaything of the late Emperor, and naturally, these youths were merely her playthings now.

The youth was startled.