A week after the meeting in Tianjin, the French delegation entered the outskirts of Beijing under full escort.
The journey north had been controlled from the moment they left the port. Riders stayed on both flanks of the convoy, rotating in shifts while supply carts appeared at regular intervals without slowing their pace. Orders clearly moved ahead of them. By the time they reached the main roads leading into the capital, the route had already been secured.
Villeneuve remained inside the carriage for most of the final stretch, seated across from Remy. He did not speak much. When he did, it was brief and direct.
Remy pulled the curtain aside as the outer walls of Beijing came into view. They were built high and thick, reinforced with packed earth and stone, with watchtowers placed at even intervals. Banners hung along the top, unmoving in the still air. Guards stood at the gates in full formation, their posture rigid as they watched the convoy approach.
