"Evening snow fell thick before the Camp Gate; the wind tugged at the red flag, frozen too stiff to flutter."
Jinghe Year Fifteen, the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month. The Grand Court Audience.
The cold was bitter.
The night's snow had just cleared, but the wind was sharp as a blade, piercing flesh and bone.
Before the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the court's purple-and-scarlet robes stood with necks drawn in like swans, all warming themselves with their breath.
It mingled with the lingering haze before the hall, flowing like mist.
The colder the sky, the tighter the hearts.
Kou Yuan stood at the head of the Ministry of Revenue's ranks, his court robe motionless, his breath steady and his gaze intent.
Behind him, the censors among the upright officials all held their heads high like swords, as though waiting for their moment to ring out.
Above the Imperial Throne, the emperor took his seat.
A few routine reports were finished in moments.
"Your Majesty!" Kou Yuan stepped slowly forward with his court tablet, his voice shaking the hall.
"I have a memorial to present."
"I impeach Zhou Quan, Commander-in-Chief of Ningxia! Ordered to carry out Land Clearance, he acted without proper order: first seizing the old soldiers' fields, then indulging the military families' concealed holdings.
"The old soldiers were alienated, fire broke out at Zhang Family Market, and a mutiny nearly erupted, shaking the Frontier Garrisons.
"Zhou Quan's crime lies in provoking a popular uprising!"
Before he had finished, the censors among the upright officials stepped forward together. "We second the motion and request an investigation into Zhou Quan!"
"I have another memorial." Kou Yuan advanced again. "The Land Clearance policy has been in force for barely half a year, yet disorder has appeared time and again.