章 668: A Cleaning Rag

Book 5: The Yellow Blooms of the Battlefield

_Man ages_ _easily while the heavens do not,_

_The Double Ninth comes year after year,_

_And the Double Ninth has come again this year,_

_ The yellow blooms of the battlefield particularly fragrant._

_The autumn wind blows fierce each year,_

_Unlike the spring sunshine._

_Surpassing the spring sunshine,_

_The frosty river and sky vast as the universe._

—Double Ninth, Mao Zedong, 1929

Three days later, the capital had already returned to peace.

The Imperial Palace was heavily guarded by the Imperial Guard, their expressions as cold and resolute as ever. Only the most careful of observers might be able to notice the exhaustion and slight frustration on the faces of these soldiers. Under strict orders, the soldiers of the City Gate Department constantly patrolled the markets of the city, arresting many traitors who wished to take advantage of the chaos to rebel, so there was no problem with regards to safety and security.