Zhong and drums sounded in unison, and music swelled to a great crescendo. Compared to an imperial envoy, the Imperial Grandson's traveling procession was even more grandiose, falling short in no way at all.
Xie Hongdao had previously witnessed the Imperial Grandson traveling out, but looking upon it today, his state of mind was quite different.
Zhang looked out, and yellow parasols and banners blotted out the sky as they approached. The crown prince's silver carriage sat in the middle, escorted by over a hundred guards with their hands on their waist sabers clearing the way. To the left and right, men held dragon banners, stirrup drums, great broadswords, bows, and arrows. Every single one of them was robust and sturdy, and one could tell at a glance that they were elite troops.
Aside from the ceremonial guards and estate soldiers, there were also thirty male and female servants swarming around, proceeding at a leisurely pace. Wherever they arrived, everyone retreated to the roadside so as not to cause a collision.
Out of awe for the imperial family, even though the men responsible for clearing the path within the procession did not forbid clamor, when the silver carriage passed by, the surroundings became completely An—silent. Only the sound of people breathing could be heard, and some even dropped to their knees in unison, shouting with the force of a landslide and tsunami, "Long live the Imperial Grandson, ten thousand years!"
Xie Hongdao did not step forward, nor did he speak. He merely watched from behind his window, yet his heart was full of heavy thoughts.
*Logically speaking, when the Imperial Grandson goes on tour, having such protocol cannot be considered overstepping bounds, but usually it is not on this grand a scale. Could it be that he has been ordered