Tonight, many people were destined to lie awake.
You Province City, White Tiger Platform, the provincial governor's study...
It was deep into the night. Dressed in a plain robe, Zhang Taixuan stood alone in his study, holding his breath and focusing his mind as he wielded his brush, ink flowing freely, the strokes dancing like dragons and snakes.
The closer one came to great events, the more one needed a tranquil mind. This was what many people sought, and Zhang Taixuan had achieved it.
During the day, Zhang Taixuan had spent the entire day handling government affairs. That evening, he had met with an elder from the Gu Family of East River Commandery, as well as several representatives from the You Province Steel Industry Chamber of Commerce. They had talked until ten at night before Zhang Taixuan finally had some free time and came alone to his study. He knew what would happen tonight. In Golden Light City and Golden Crow City, many people would die tonight. What happened tonight would also shake all of Great Xia. Yet Zhang Taixuan was not nervous, because he had already done everything to the utmost.
He had calculated every step and every detail of tonight's events. He had considered the choices those involved would most likely make, according to their personalities and under those circumstances. He had considered what would happen if certain people lived, and what would happen if they died. Only after countless rounds of deliberation and study had he made the final decision on tonight's operation. To Zhang Taixuan, success tonight was inevitable. If it failed, then that too would be Heaven's will.
Sometimes, success depended on luck. But more often, it depended on perseverance—and even more on patience.
If Zhang Taixuan said that he had prepared for tonight's operation