As long as he could chop off the boy's head before him, he would receive a reward of one hundred taels of gold.
For a child, such a reward seemed somewhat excessive.
But if one recalled his father—the former dynasty's imperial guard, who had stood alone before the palace gates and slain nearly a hundred Imperial Guards—then it was only natural that his son's head would be offered for the lofty price of one hundred taels of gold by the reigning emperor.
As for whether that former emperor's guard had truly slain nearly a hundred Imperial Guards by himself...
No one knew whether it was true or false.
However, this black-clad captain believed those rumors were entirely fabricated.
Three years ago, this captain had also been a squad leader in the Imperial City garrison.
When the enemy army had attacked the city walls, he too had stood atop them, preparing to meet the enemy.
At that time, the garrison commander stood upon the walls, gazing at the army surrounding the Imperial City. He remained silent for a long while before leaving behind only seven words:
"The tide has turned."
Those were the first four words.
After speaking them, the commander turned and began walking down from the wall:
"Open the city gates."
Those were the final four words.
In that war, neither side lost a single soldier.
On this land, where dynasties had already changed hands six times, such a thing somehow seemed only natural.
Not long afterward, the captain heard news from the Imperial Guards who had betrayed the Imperial City.
Whoever obtained the former emperor's head would be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold and granted the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households.
Those men had charged into the palace like madmen, all for the sake