Black clouds pressed down upon the city. High in the heavens, fierce winds howled amid flashes of lightning and crashes of thunder. Not a glimmer of light remained between heaven and earth. Torrential rain poured from the sky almost without pause, its unbroken beads forming a continuous curtain of water.
Amid the overwhelming downpour, a magnificent city loomed indistinctly, like a silent giant beast, or the abode of deities. It was Chang'an City, the imperial capital of Great Han.
The daytime clamor of Chang'an City had been washed clean away by the rain, and its countless undercurrents had fallen silent.
Only within the residences of the Thorough Marquises could voices be heard, their words full of worry. Listening closely, one would find that they concerned the regent and Grand Chancellor, Luo Xin.
"Ever since Marquis Ying and the Marquis of Anyang passed away, the Grand Chancellor has become so unpredictable. One glance from him, and I thought he was going to kill me. Absolutely terrifying."
A group of Thorough Marquises sat casually in a room, having a few drinks to ease their oppressive mood.
"Ah, tell me about it. I truly don't want to attend court anymore. A few days ago, I slipped up and got a thorough dressing-down. With Marquis Ying gone, he really doesn't spare our dignity. These days are hard to get through."
"How much longer until His Majesty's coming-of-age ceremony?"
The Marquis of Wuyang asked the crucial question, and the atmosphere in the room instantly froze. Liu Heng's coming of age was not the issue. The crux was that afterward, Luo Xin ought to return power to him.
Of course, Luo Xin could also choose not to return power. After all, returning power when the emperor came of age was an unwritten rule, not a requirement.