Although I fell asleep under the influence of alcohol, I still tightly hugged my sword. The Crown Prince also whispered to the Emperor about how sharp my sword was. However, the Emperor indicated that they should not touch my sword. Looking at this fellow, hugging it so tightly even in his sleep, it was obviously impossible to get it.
In the end, the two of them were also pondering this question: whether they should foster a few more corrupt officials. Yet, in the end, they could not make up their minds and both said, "Let's talk about it tomorrow." They would probe further to see if they could get me to speak in greater detail. Having existed for so many years, the Imperial Dynasty's treasury was indeed running rather tight, especially over the past hundred years or so. Frequent disasters had left the current treasury living beyond its means for a long time now, so they really had to find a way to make money.
The next day, the Crown Prince came to find me as usual and took me to tour the garden within the Imperial Palace. It was said that the lotus flowers there bloomed exceptionally well, so I followed along eagerly. When we reached the pavilion, there was already no one else around.
Chapter 164