(4)

That able but irresponsible Emperor of En became the target of earnest admonition from a group of four at his private room at the inner palace.

“... I understand what you all are saying.”
Syouryou compared the four people surrounding him. Itan stared at the emperor with a discouraged look.

“You only understand?”
“I have reflected on myself.”
“It is the first time I feel so embarrassed. This is a grudge I would hardly ever forget.”
“That’s right, that’s right.”

There were clapping hands of agreement behind Itan, but Itan didn’t care. “That’s true,” Syukou said with a sigh.
“What does your majesty think about his own position? How is the emperor, the sail of the whole kingdom, supposed to rule over all officials like this? It is inappropriate for your majesty, the role model of all people, to act like this. I just cannot lift my face straight to the people.”

A guy who wore an emotionless face and rarely opened his mouth began to speak.

“I cannot close my mouth that is open wide with amazement. Even to me, whom an emperor this stupid uses, this is very humiliating.”

“Suikyou (酔狂, lit. drunk and mad), even you are complaining about me aren’t you?

Suikyou’s original name is Seisyou (成笙). He is a young man with dark skin and a small, thin stature, but he is daiboku (大僕), an official under shiba (司馬) the administer of military affairs and the head of the emperor’s bodyguards. Kyou-ou arrested him because of his criticism against the emperor, but even such a tyrant felt sorry of killing him and just put him in jail. After Kyou-ou passed away, the officials would like to release him from prison. However, Seisyou insisted that he must be released by an emperor, since he was imprisoned by the emperor. As a result, he stayed in the unlocked prison for nearly fifty years before the new emperor released him. Seisyou was as a strong-willed person as that.

“...I would prefer not be referred to by such a trashy name.”

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