Before dawn had even broken, Divine Capital was already abuzz.
Every city gate, along with every grand gate in the imperial palace, had been thrown open by two in the morning. Brilliant lights made parts of Divine Capital seem as bright as day.
This was destined to be no ordinary day. Many people in Divine Capital had not slept at all that night. Even Li Tonghai, advanced in years as he was—though Zhao Cheng, mindful of his age, had not entrusted the Heaven Sacrifice to him, the chief minister, but instead had assigned it to his student—could not calm his heart.
Though it was time for sleep, he sat on his bed and listened to the wind for half the night.
The wind stirred the leaves with a rustling crash, but to his ears, it sounded like a storm about to break.
The Dao Nation had remained unrealized for ten years. Anyone who knew the inside story understood that there was a problem, but in the past, everyone had deliberately chosen to overlook it.
After all, in an age of peace and prosperity, it was sometimes best to muddle through.
Yet some matters had to be faced in the end.
Thinking of the Dao Nation, and of the imperial edict Zhao Cheng had written before everyone that day, the sorrow in Li Tonghai's heart would not cease.
At around three in the morning, Li Tonghai left home. It was undoubtedly early, yet some people had risen even earlier than he had.
Before the city gates had even opened, they were already waiting beneath them for the gates to be unbarred.
There was certainly no benefit in arriving early for the Heaven Sacrifice, but if some mishap caused one to arrive late, there would definitely be consequences.
If nothing else, one's