Sky-Crown Civic Square was packed from the palace steps all the way to the southern river canal.
Over a hundred thousand citizens stood shoulder-to-shoulder under bright red paper lanterns. The aroma of steamed scallion buns, roasted peanuts, and rich mutton broth rolled across the open plaza in thick, mouth-watering clouds. Brass kettles boiled on every corner, serving free ginger tea to dockworkers, farmers, and city elders alike.
On the central wooden stage, Gu Changsheng adjusted his apron straps. He looked out over the massive sea of upturned, smiling faces.
A few weeks ago, half this crowd was freezing in dark alleys, Gu Changsheng thought. *Now they’re sharing hot tea and laughing at royal decrees. People don’t need divine emperors.
They just need a full belly and someone who won’t rob them blind.*
Beside him sat the newly appointed members of the Great Qian Warm-Hearth Council.
Old Marshal Tie sat in full iron armor, his broadsword resting flat across his knees. Beside him was Prime Minister Lin, holding a stack of clean parchment laws rather than imperial edicts. Master Dan-Chen, the kingdom’s greatest alchemist, sat with his yellow dishwashing apron tied neatly over his scholar robes.
Next to Master Dan-Chen sat sixty-eight-year-old Former Emperor Qian Long—now happily retired as Honorary Senior Advisor of the Imperial Botanical Park. Sipping a cup of Grandpa Yao’s sweet osmanthus tea—alongside First Prince Qian Ba, who wore the leather boots of Captain of the Commonwealth Cavalry Stables, and Academy Dean Kong. Rounding out the council were…
