Zhou Shuren entered the government hall, trembling as he bowed. When he heard the Emperor tell him to rise, he seemed to lack the strength and instead sat down on the floor.
The Emperor, "..."
The Crown Prince, "..."
Silently, Zhou Shuren confessed it was not an act. Today had been one fright after another, from the drama at the palace gates to the long walk to the hall. For him, who was usually bound to his office desk, he had indeed exhausted his energy. "Your Majesty, I may need to sit for a while."
The Emperor, looking over Zhou Shuren's disheveled appearance—now even more an eyesore with his unkempt beard and puffy red eyes—shifted his gaze away, "Shuren, you may sit as long as you need."
Zhou Shuren, "... Your Majesty, I have just cried, and now I feel incredibly empty. I fear I must sit for a long while."