Eunuch Liu stood beside the Retired Emperor, feeling very uneasy, not for himself, but for the Emperor. The end of an Emperor's reign, even if not desolate, made him even more distressed.
The Retired Emperor, Yuguang, saw this and chuckled, "I am happy."
Certainly, there was a sense of loss, but joy was the predominant feeling. The successor he had personally nurtured was about to embark on a new chapter today, and anticipation was what filled his heart now.
He was looking forward to seeing the empire grow stronger under his son's rule, and to witnessing the golden age that would belong to his son.
The Emperor, standing on the high platform, could see farther, raising his head to look at the sky that seemed much closer. The sky was vast and endless, just like his son's ambition. The Emperor, no, now should be called the Retired Emperor, chuckled softly to himself.
At this moment, the sound of firecrackers could be heard in the capital, faintly audible even within the Palace.
