Chang'an City, Zhang Mansion.
The sun was setting in the west, curfew was approaching, and Chang'an City was gradually quieting down. Now and then someone noticed dark clouds massing over distant Zhongnan Mountain, but took it lightly, merely thinking it was "sunrise in the east, rain in the west." The guest courtyard of Zhang Mansion was all the more tranquil at this hour.
Donggong Ruoshu, in her capacity as a maid, was staying here alone. The room was not large, the furnishings simple: one bed, one table, one chair, plus a small bookshelf.
Spread out on the table were several Taoist classics with yellowing pages, all left by Yin Weiyin before she departed, saying they were for her to "flip through in idle moments, perhaps you may gain something."
