Soul Shifting, Dream Alteration

Great Yu's capital was draped in white.

In the 476th year of Yuanfeng, Zhang Shi, the Grand Secretary, had toiled for half his life before dying of illness at home.

This Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet, whose accomplishments were illustrious, was destined to leave a bold and vivid mark in Great Yu's histories.

The court historians wrote that Zhang Shi and his sovereign had been of one mind, launching sweeping reforms and becoming a model for the Prime Ministers of later generations. They also wrote that brilliance too great must bring harm; thus, though he had reached the Celestial Realm, he had lived for only a little over five hundred years.

Of course.

He was already the longest-lived Prime Minister since Great Yu's founding.

For that reason, most people mourned him without much grief or indignation.

By common folk reckoning, it counted as a joyous funeral.

With Chief Zhang's death from illness, the Holy Emperor of Yu Kingdom had lost a kindred spirit and was overcome with grief.

He decreed a three-day general amnesty, even suspending the morning court for three days—a court that had not been interrupted for three hundred years.

Everyone assumed it was merely the deep bond between ruler and minister.

"Your Majesty, your health is paramount. Please do not grieve too deeply."

Outside the bedchamber.

An old eunuch anxiously paced in circles.

This eunuch's surname was not Zheng.

Eunuch Zheng had died sixty years ago.

This little eunuch who had once followed behind Eunuch Zheng had naturally become an old eunuch in turn.

The old eunuch was sweating profusely with anxiety.

Then he suddenly heard footsteps.

He turned his head.

Two middle-aged men appeared before the bedchamber.

At the sight of them, delight immediately filled the old eunuch's eyes. "Lord Liang, Prince Yuan, you have