Outside the Imperial Capital's north gate.
The Second Prince, Li Yuanrui, was returning from a hunt at Great Wilderness Ridge with a group of noble friends from the Imperial Capital, along with their personal guards and attendants.
Their large party had returned with a rich haul today.
He himself had even killed a rare Golden-Horned Elk with a single arrow and was eager to have its antlers worked.
At the victory banquet Emperor Xuan was hosting tonight, he would present them to his imperial uncle, the Sea-Calming King.
The several hundred riders hurried along and finally reached the nearest gate, the Imperial Capital's north gate.
But they found what appeared to be a large force entering the city ahead.
Zhang You, the son of the Minister of Personnel who accompanied them, immediately suggested speeding up to cut ahead and enter first.
The Second Prince was already eager to enter the city, and with his exalted status and all his companions being sons of the Imperial Capital's powerful families,
he agreed, since cutting ahead to enter first was hardly a big deal.
Unexpectedly, that force also sped up to enter the city.
The vanguards of both parties collided, forcing the large parties to halt abruptly and throwing their ranks into confusion.
Surrounded by the crowd, the Second Prince, Li Yuanrui, was startled to hear angry curses from up ahead.
Just then, Zhang You squeezed his way back from the front and said anxiously, "Your Highness, someone up ahead is fighting us for the right of way!"
"Hmm...?"
Li Yuanrui froze at those words. This was the first time he had encountered such a situation.
Just then, an Imperial Household guard who had investigated the situation up ahead rode back.
"Your Highness, it is the Futu Army, returning from the Northern Territory