Great Sui, Capital City.
The stories of the past seemed to exist only on storytellers' lips.
Gentle sunlight spilled among green tiles and red walls, and every tranquil, contented smile reflected the city's prosperity.
Even after a thousand years had passed, the afterglow the Female Emperor had left for Great Sui remained.
Jing Yu had already resigned from office.
In his view, the era that belonged to them had passed as well.
Know that in youth, his ambitions had soared to the clouds; he had once vowed to stand among the finest in the world.
Now, his favorite thing to do was carry his birdcage out for tea and a show, and bask in the sunshine.
Or listen to a tale from a storyteller's lips.
Without realizing it, he had even lost his taste for drinking with courtesans.
He no longer wanted to travel far, preferring to stay somewhere familiar.
Jing Yu felt that he might truly have grown old, though by the lifespan of the Nine Realms of Immortals, he was not old at all.
He was, in fact, very young.
Yet he wondered whether those great battles at Demon-Suppressing Pass had drained every last bit of his vitality.
Leaving him unable to muster any enthusiasm for anything afterward.
As usual, he carried his birdcage to the teahouse.
A theater troupe was performing at the teahouse today, so it was especially crowded.
Jing Yu had reserved his seat well in advance.
He had heard that this troupe was immensely renowned in Jiangnan. Many high officials and distinguished patrons in Capital City had offered them fistfuls of silver to perform, only to be refused.
Apparently, the teahouse owner had some ties with the troupe, and had thus secured this favor.
Jing Yu had not chosen a private room on the