The first rays of dawn sprinkled onto the earth. Zhou Shuren, who had rested for only four hours, opened his eyes, stretched his slightly stiff body, and got up from the couch. After a simple face wash, he waited for the palace maid to come in to help with rinsing his mouth and brushing his teeth before walking out.
He had come to rest here in the latter half of last night. It wasn't that he wanted to leave on his own; not considering his loyalty to the Retired Emperor, he had to maintain his composure in front of the Emperor. The Retired Emperor treated him so well that he didn't want to leave.
Finally, the Emperor got up to rest and took him along, leaving the Crown Prince, Rongchuan, and others to keep watch.
After only a few steps, his stomach growled with hunger. He hadn't eaten since midday yesterday, having only consumed quite a bit of water. His grief required him to stay hydrated.
