「Shangjing City.」
Before dawn, the sky was still dark. Snow like goose feathers had fallen all night and showed no signs of stopping. On Yumen Street, near the Imperial Palace in the Upper City District, a grand procession in magnificent attire braved the snow, slowly descending the steps that wound down the mountain toward the West City District.
This was the Emperor's procession. Today, the second day of the new year, the Emperor had to leave the city to worship Heaven and Earth. The Civil and Military Officials, along with their families, had long been waiting on both sides of Yumen Street for the procession to arrive.
On both sides of the main street in the West City District, the Imperial Guard had already formed a human wall. Behind the wall knelt countless commoners, piously praying for their new year's wishes. The smoke from incense filled the air above the entire city, and golden streams of light descended from the clouds, converging into dazzling vortexes.
