"Lu Sheng, have you seen the design of the new palace?"

In the grand hall, the emperor put down the bamboo slip in his hand and looked at me, standing at the lower end.

"Not yet." I was dressed in a linen robe and straw sandals, appearing like a Taoist priest. I bowed and replied.

The design mentioned by the emperor was the blueprint of the new palace that was about to be constructed, presented by the Ministry of Works.

After unifying the six states, this man was no longer satisfied with imitating the styles of those six palaces.

Now, he planned to build a new palace east of Xianyang.

"No problem, I have seen it. Just follow the design and carry it out."

The man in front of me concealed his expression within his deep eyes, revealing no trace of strangeness.

His right hand was hidden beneath the wide sleeve of his robe, and the scars from before were no longer visible.

"Yes."

I lowered my gaze as much as possible, avoiding looking at the black dragon circling behind the emperor.

The healed scar on my right hand, concealed within my sleeve, was throbbing faintly.

Indeed, the curse did not dissipate after losing my right hand.

Yet, the emperor had never asked how I lost my right hand.

In fact, I am increasingly unable to see through him.

Despite having numerous Taoist priests surrounding him, he often summons me.

And after creating the emperor, he began to call himself the "Ancestral Dragon."

Can he actually see the black dragon by his side?

I don't know.

The reason I still risk my life to stay by his side is because he personally brought out Hu Hai, his and Lady Hu's son, for the courtiers to see.

It's as if he's telling me that Lady Hu is still here.

I have already sunk into the quagmire, clinging to this last thread of hope, staying here.

Even if I have to constantly face the black dragon by the emperor's side.

Even if the cannibalistic impulse that I can barely suppress with my qigong techniques always stirs in front of this black dragon.

I still remain in the Qin Palace.

I'm probably already mad.