Bai Su looked at Shen Tang, and Shen Tang looked back at her.
Their prolonged eye contact made Bai Su doubt herself. "My lord, did I say something wrong?"
"No, you didn't. I just suddenly realized something—why did so many founding rulers grow muddleheaded as they got older? There were simply too many temptations. No matter how disciplined and restrained they were, they couldn't withstand the unchecked privileges power gave them." If someone caught your eye, you could have anyone you wanted. Who wouldn't be dazed by that?
Money, power, beauty—all within easy reach.
That was probably the root cause of dragon-slaying heroes turning into dragons themselves.
Bai Su, however, broke into a cold sweat. She wasn't worried that Shen Tang was criticizing her. She feared that her words had "opened Shen Tang's eyes," and that Shen Tang might sample the delights of a life of luxury and pleasure, gradually forgetting her original intentions. If that happened, Bai Su would deserve to die ten thousand deaths!
She hurriedly tried to clarify. "My lord, what I meant was..."
Shen Tang smiled and gestured for her not to overthink it.
"Shaoxuan, don't read too much into it. I didn't mean anything by it; it was just a passing thought." Shen Tang imagined herself letting loose and wallowing in pleasure, then sighed. "...In theory, after all these years of fighting, it'd be perfectly reasonable for me to indulge myself for a few days now and then. But—I can't picture it."
Bai Su saw that Shen Tang seemed a little dejected.
"You can't picture it?"
Shen Tang nodded. "Mm. Just imagining it gives me this inexplicable sense of guilt, as if there's a voice in my head reminding me: Has Hanzhang paid off the enormous debt she owes? Do all the common folk under