When Yang Yi arrived at the Tongzi River, the soldiers beneath the palace walls already had their spears pointed at him.
Yang Yi looked at them, and for a moment he remained silent.
He had the Token given to him by the Empress, and there were guards assigned by the Empress behind him, so even without the Emperor's order, it would be easy to enter.
But at this moment, his heart was blocked by a bundle of nerves. On the other side of these towering walls lived his father and mother. By rights, this was his home, and he should be happy, yet once he stepped through this city gate, he would no longer be able to turn back.
A path he hadn't considered for decades now lay before him, at his feet. Involuntarily, a sense of caution surfaced, along with a somewhat inexplicable timidity.
It was a feeling akin to returning home after years of wandering, afraid to face everything that was once familiar—"near to home, yet fearful."
