“He enjoyed himself gambling at the red-light district at Kankyuu, and got all his money scraped off. His ride was taken to pay off his debt, and would only be returned after he cleaned the garden. When I caught him, he was still holding his broom.”

Syukou laughed loud.

“That is really what Syouryuu can do. So you paid off the debt for him?”

“What can he be possbily be thinking, working like a servant until they give his ride back, just because ‘I can’t possibly skip the debt?’ I can’t even tell them honestly to forgive him because he is the emperor. If those guys know he is their emperor, I'm afraid they will cry mournfully out of disappointment!”

The kingdom of En had once been so desolate that it is no exaggeration to say the kingdom has already been exterminated once. The coronation of the new emperor is the biggest wish of the people. If they know that their biggest wish turns out to be that kind of person, some of them would definitely drop tears.

“How easygoing he is!”

Syukou gave a bitter smile. No one never use such abusive language towards the emperor like Itan.

Itan was originally a tenryou(田猟), who oversees the population and sets up the records for taxation purposes. After the revolution, he was promoted to the position of suijin (chief of land affairs). Also, the king granted him the other name Tyototsu, together with many privileges. Itan could enter the emperor’s bedroom freely, use the Forbidden Gate, get deep into the inner palace without needing to get off his ride, be exempted from bowing to the emperor... Though he shouldn't have the privilege to scold the emperor.

“But your majesty is so generous that you can still have your head safe on your neck. Am I right?”

At the coronation ceremony, all officials came to Genei Palace to gave their congratulations to the new emperor. At the middle of this honorable ceremony, Itan grabbed the population records and threw it at the emperor’s legs.

Syukou spoke, and Itan showed an annoyed look.

“... Don’t pull out old stories.”

***

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