In the morning light, a faint glow shone from Changle Palace onto the mottled palace walls, making it look utterly forlorn. Though it was the imperial palace of a mighty empire, it lay heavy and still, with scarcely a trace of life.
Many of the unoccupied halls within the palace were even somewhat dilapidated, nothing like the dazzling imperial palace of legend.
Even Changle Palace and Weiyang Palace, where the emperor and Empress Dowager lived, had undergone constant repairs, but perhaps this was an inherent flaw of wooden buildings.
Damage caused by earthquakes and scorch marks left by accidental fires remained faintly visible.
Over nearly two hundred years, the masters living here had changed again and again, and edicts that shaped All Under Heaven had issued from here. Now its master was named Liu Yun, a monarch who had risen abruptly from poverty among the common people!
The Palace Attendants and palace maids entering and leaving the halls walked without a sound. In the presence of the new emperor, everyone in the imperial palace behaved very quietly.
Because Liu Yang had had no empress, Liu Yun did not have to face a powerful Empress Dowager. This was his greatest good fortune.
He had enough time to appoint his own trusted followers and gain complete control over this vast country. Until then, all he needed to do was follow the Grand Chancellor and learn to handle affairs of state.
Luo Yi entered the imperial palace. Whether they were the Palace Guards on duty or the palace maids and court eunuchs, all lowered their heads to show their respect.
Though Luo Yi was neither regent nor assistant regent, as the man known throughout All Under Heaven for choosing the emperor, his prestige had reached an unimaginable height, even greater than during the