131 The Emperor's Funeral

The next morning, the sun had just risen when the melodious sound of a bugle horn came from within the imperial palace and was soon followed by the dull and somewhat sorrowful ringing of a bell.

It was as if the slumbering imperial city had woken up at that moment. The lights of each and every household all lit up and many citizens walked out of their houses wearing thick layers of cotton overcoats. While exhaling clouds of white breath, they headed toward the Gate of Heavenly Mystery with their shoulders hunched up and heads tucked in.

On this march toward the Gate of Heavenly Mystery, the citizens were silent and the mood among them was sorrowful.

They were lamenting the ruthlessness of time and mourning the atrophy of life. The regretful demise of a mighty leader was a tremendous loss to the entire Light Wind Empire.