Over the scorched flat stone slabs of the Meridian Way, the iron-banded wheels of the heavy supply wagon ground slowly.
Ahead, the massive stone dark shape of the Meridian Gate rose like a mountain of dried blood into the morning sky.
One hundred and twenty paces of sheer vermilion brick soared upward, crowned by five towering gatehouse pavilions with upturned roof edges like perched birds of prey.
For three hundred years, that huge crimson castle wall had stood as the unbending barrier between mortal commoners and the Son of Heaven.
Now, its massive shadow fell across the avenue like a slab of cold tombstone.
Above the capital, dozens of bronze temple bells and royal alarm gongs continued their wild, dissonant clatter.
The death of High Eunuch Wei in the eastern tomb hall had torn through the ancient occult arrays of Tianjing.
Columns of greasy black smoke and pale green corpse-fire rose from the courtyards of the noble estates along the grand boulevard.
