The night was like a curtain, the moon hidden and nowhere to be found.
Since his assassination two days prior, the Emperor, Ji Xuan, had remained within the bedchamber behind the Council Hall, never once stepping outside. Xiao Qianyue, Commander of the Imperial City Bureau, personally led a detachment of Imperial City Bureau guards to stand watch in rotation with the Imperial Guard outside the Council Hall. The Secret Guards and Shadow Guards remained hidden in the darkness, their focus absolute as they monitored their surroundings. The entire Council Hall was fortified layer upon layer, sealed tight against any intrusion.
After Grand Eunuch Xia finished attending to the Emperor’s medication, the Emperor summoned a Shadow Guard before retiring for the night.
Chapter 49