Chapter 479: The three-year term was up, and hearts were stirring!
Night hung dark and heavy, with not a trace of moonlight over the land. An autumn wind swept past, swirling up a few fallen leaves that settled on a somewhat dilapidated roof. A lamp burned inside the house, its light wavering as several furtive figures gathered around a table.
"The emperor killed Tian Lin without cause. He must have grown suspicious."
"I said before that Liu Bingyi was a very clever emperor, and there's that terrifying woman, the Empress Dowager, too. Bewitching him would be far too difficult."
"Hmph. No emperor is free of suspicion. The cleverer an emperor is, the more suspicious he becomes. Liu Bingyi is no exception, or he wouldn't have distanced himself from the Jingnan Feudal Lords."
"Let's wait for now. Tian Lin has only just died, and the emperor is at his most vigilant. The slightest rustle of wind or grass will put him on guard. Don't provoke him again, or we might get caught in the crossfire."
"I agree. We shouldn't meet for a while. Let's watch how things develop and wait for an opportunity. I don't believe the emperor and the Luo Clan can truly remain so close that not a sliver can come between them. Even fathers and sons can't manage that, let alone a sovereign and a powerful minister's family whose interests clash."
The voices sounded in succession. The black-robed figures left the house, scattering in different directions. Only the faint crackle of the lamp remained. It burned a while longer, then went out, leaving everything in utter darkness.
To make it easier for the common people to observe the naming taboo, Liu Bingyi had changed his name to Liu Xun.
He had matured further, completely shedding the greenness