North and South Pacified, Mayflies Born at Dawn and Dead by Dusk!

Kyoto, Great Qing. Early spring.

Inside a tavern, a storyteller held his wooden clapper and brought it lightly down upon the table.

Crack!

The sharp sound rang through the hall.

Far from falling quiet, the tavern erupted with excitement!

Upstairs, downstairs, even the stairs and threshold were packed shoulder to shoulder. Heads bobbed everywhere amid the din.

Last night!

Military news had arrived from North Wind, and today the Vast Heaven Tavern would be the first to hear it.

The reason was simple: the tavern belonged to Xie Chun'an, Great Qing's former chief minister.

And this storyteller was said to be a famous performer invited especially for the occasion.

He had come to recount the war in the north and south.

The storyteller wore a tall hat. His back was slightly bent, yet he carried himself with uncommon presence.

He cupped his hands and bowed to the crowd.

"My lords, I'm deeply grateful you've come to listen!"

The tavern rang with voices.

People all around shouted, "Old man, stop keeping us in suspense! Get on with it!"

"Tell us! Tell us!"

The old man in the tall hat smiled. He raised a hand to still the uproar, then slowly began.

"Listen closely, everyone. Last time, we reached Junior Guardian Lu's plan for the great fire at the Great Granary, and Zhou Tiancheng's panicked glance northward."

"Junior Guardian Lu carved his deeds in stone, while Tuoba Shuyi went to meet him at Cloud Mountain."

As the old man spoke, the tension in the tavern mounted.

The room fell silent at once!

Everyone held their breath, afraid to miss a single detail.

That fire at the Great Granary!

It had left everyone in the tavern sick with worry. Yet it had made the storyteller's tale all the more gripping. They listened, entranced,