All Those Years Ago

"To what does this servant owe the honour of an evening summons by Your Majesty?" 

The young man seated behind his desk in Tianlu Pavilion raised his head. 

"You know why this sovereign called you here tonight." It wasn't a question and Liu Suzhi knew as much. He supposed he could count as a loyal eunuch who had served for two generations in the inner palace and for rather personal reasons, he had a far better gauge of the temperament of emperors than most. 

Emperor. The ultimate symbol of power, prestige, and luxury in the eyes of the ignorant fools who craved to be near to them, as wives, as concubines, as trusted officials and confidantes, believing that the sanctity of the supposed 'dragon spirit' would rub off on them too.