Perhaps because it had rained for several days straight, the air in Shu State Prefecture City felt exceptionally fresh.
On Kangning Street in the North City, the road was paved with slabs of bluestone, each clearly etched with a lotus flower. The design symbolized the auspicious saying, "a lotus with every step."
Scholars were particularly fond of such omens, whether they sought success in the imperial examinations or wealth and power as an official.
In any case, Kangning Street was the most refined and scholarly area in all of Shu State City.
This was a stark contrast to South City's Yanhua Lane, where the flagstones were carved with images of beautiful women, as if afraid people wouldn't know what sort of business was conducted there.
Chen Yi, however, paid little attention to such details. To him, even the finest decorations in the city only warranted a single comment: 'Quaint and antique.'
