Culinary Chronicles of the Court Flower: Volume 11 [Parts 1 to 8] by Miri Mikawa

Author:Miri Mikawa
Language: eng
Format: epub

III

After departing the rear palace, Shohi returned to his chambers. It was the first time in a while that he was able to spend some time there. He had a servant bring tea and poured some for the Quinary Dragon as well. The dragon stuck its head into the teacup, blew on the tea to cool it, and began to happily lap the liquid up.

Shohi sat for a while, watching the dragon drink. Jotetsu didn’t seem to be around, and while the emperor wondered where he might be, the Hall of the Rising Dragon was safe, so he didn’t pay it much mind.

Three days.

They had set the date for Shusei’s execution the night before.

The lord of the Ho House needed to be executed so they could declare the insurrection officially ended. They couldn’t afford to delay it, either.

Kojin looked stoic, but he couldn’t possibly be so calm about things.

The man had personally decided the day his son, whom he’d loved and raised, would die. Shohi knew he was distraught because Kojin had made it clear he would not be present at the execution. A criminal had committed grave crimes against the empire, and as the highest bureaucrat in the empire, it was important for the chancellor to be present for the execution. But Kojin had firmly refused. In the end, they decided to have To Rihan, Minister of Revenue, stand in his place.

I don’t even know how to put my feelings into words.

The Shusei currently sitting in a cell was the gentle young man he’d known so well. Though he hadn’t said a word, Shohi could recognize his tender expression and the conflicted look in his eyes.

It was like a terrible spirit had been purged from his old friend. Shohi genuinely wondered if Shusei had been possessed.

But no, he was certain that Shusei had stood against the emperor by his own free will. When asked if he had truly been trying to force Shohi from the throne, he’d silently nodded.

The anger Shohi held at being harried for so long hadn’t faded, but he suddenly began to wonder if killing Shusei was absolutely necessary. Perhaps it would be enough to have him exiled or imprisoned in a remote fortress.

But as emperor, Shohi needed to deliver a harsh punishment. There could be no leniency for insurrectionists. Shusei’s execution would tell the people that the chaos had ended, and the emperor’s reign remained unshaken.

And so, Shohi decided to make the imperial decision.

He hadn’t managed to sleep at all the night before. The war raging in Shohi’s heart between his love for his friend and his duty as an emperor kept him awake. Yet for some reason, he still didn’t feel sleepy. He doubted he’d sleep tonight either.

“I wonder if Rimi could help,” Shohi mumbled to himself.

Even on the eve of war, he felt at ease when she was in his bed for some reason. She was surely shaken over the matter with Shusei as well. Maybe being together and understanding each other’s worries was the reason why being with her was so soothing.

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