183 On His Side

 "Long live our emperor for ten thousand years!" 

 Liu Yao took his seat on the dragon throne and looked down upon the sea of officials that kowtowed before him, signalling the start of morning court. 

 Long live their emperor? He had to laugh at that. If that was what they truly wished for, they would stop going out of their way to drive him to an early grave. 

 His thoughts flickered briefly over to his conversation with Ah Yun earlier in the morning. The young man had stirred awake as Liu Yao started getting dressed in his court regalia, those beautiful fawn-like eyes still bleary with exhaustion from staying up all night discussing the troubling situation they were in. 

 Ah Yun had taken over from Cao Mingbao, deft fingers making quick work of Liu Yao's belt now that he'd become an expert at donning and doffing the dragon robe for his husband. 

 "Go back to sleep."