Demon

Beyond the city walls, war drums boomed, and smoke from the fires blotted out the clouds.

Within the ancient capital, the blue-stone avenues had lost their former bustle. A tavern near the Ministry of War had been booked in its entirety. The pavilion was lavish, painted beams soaring amid clouds, jade-green railings, and latticed windows hung with emerald curtains. Soldiers below stopped diners from entering. In the entire tavern, only a single table of food had been set.

The soldiers were not there to protect the guests dining atop the tavern, but to protect certain nobles who liked to throw their weight around and stir up trouble.

The banquet upstairs was for the Demon Emperor, lest someone ignorant provoke a savage beast...

The five-story pavilion with its carved beams commanded a broad view, and the towering imperial palace could be seen in the distance. Its golden hue was especially vivid in the rain, the only splash of color amid countless gray tiles and bricks. Yet it stood empty. The Son of Heaven had fled south with his sons, daughters, and consorts, leaving this ancient capital of a thousand years to an old man whose nose had been broken.

Pipas and zithers played as the entertainers stared wide-eyed at the waiter, who ran up and down the stairs drenched in sweat.

Demonic beasts had enormous appetites. The exquisite dishes had barely reached the table before the plates were empty.

Bai Yujun stuffed her mouth full of food until her cheeks puffed up like buns. Her eyes curved into slits as she wore an expression of bliss.

For a moment, Minister Zhe considered whether delicious food might be used to buy off this demon. She ate through the tavern's ingredients like some gluttonous giant beast, and now chefs and dishes were being