Qiang Bao and Luan Desheng

Qiang Bao sat within the magnificent hall of what had once been the former palace of the Sui Kingdom’s royal family. Much of the original decor had been burned in the fires that raged during his battle to overthrow the monarch, and he had done his best to remove all traces of the original owner’s personality; the palace had long since been refurbished to suit his pallet.

The once understated columns and marble floor were now plated with gold. Everything shimmered as though it had been touched by the sun. He had also expanded the hall, making it much larger than it had been, and the elevated throne upon which he sat was even higher than before. This new elevation allowed him to look down on anyone who entered. This was what it truly meant to rule.