The sun had barely risen when the Whisper Bowl exploded into noise.
The moment the last bowl of porridge was finished, Empress Lian An, her best friend Yao Qing, the twins Lin and Lian, the new man Wei Jie, and forty newly freed workers gathered inside the main hall.
Today was the first day of full training.
Today was the beginning of a new empire.
Today was chaos.
The restaurant was closed for the next seven days, the doors locked, posters pasted outside. The main hall was cleared. The tables were pushed aside. A long wooden bench had been set up for writing lessons. The kitchen flames crackled.
But the people—not so obedient.
Fumbling hands. Nervous feet. Blank stares.
The freed slaves, still wearing the new winter clothes, sat stiffly, unused to comfort. The fifteen stall vendors who accepted the job offer stood in a line behind them, unsure if they should breathe loudly or quietly.
And the scholar Han Shi…
Well…
