Lotdan scratched his hair, a hint of helplessness crossing his face. "With the state of our treasury these days, I doubt there's anything left that would catch your eye."
"But after such an enormous contribution, if I can't reward you with anything at all, I'm afraid I won't be able to win people over."
Lotdan looked troubled as he rose languidly from his wide chair and descended the steps one at a time, the gold ornaments on his body chiming with every step.
Lu Cang could tell that these ornaments were powerful magical artifacts.
They probably wouldn't be of any use to him, though.
"Come to think of it, you were just a child back then. Now you've grown so much. When I think about it... I never did ask what happened to you all these years."
"Lord Lu Cang, would you mind speaking privately?"
Lotdan had reached him and extended an invitation with a warm smile.
Lu Cang had no reason to refuse. "Of course."
"Then come with me." Lotdan personally led Lu Cang toward the back of the hall.
They walked side by side.
Behind them, the assembled ministers whispered among themselves, their thoughts a jumble.
"That Lotdan actually got down from the throne?"
"I've never seen Emperor Luo leave the throne in all these years..."
"Exactly. Ever since I joined the palace, I've never once seen him get down from the throne. Even when he went on a campaign in person, he had people carry that broken chair along with him."
"Hmph. If he hadn't always managed to turn danger aside under his protection... With a temperament like his, we should have overthrown him long ago!"
Not everyone standing in the hall was loyal to Lotdan.
Quite a few among them harbored resentment toward him.
And there