Night. The streets of Huanglong City.
"Midnight, the third watch. All is well."
"DONG—DONG, DONG!"
It was the third watch of the night.
The saying, "ghosts come knocking at the witching hour," was about this time of night.
Aside from a few spots still glowing with warm, red light, most of Huanglong City was pitch-black, especially the southern district.
Ordinary folk had no nightlife to speak of; they simply pulled up their covers and went to sleep early.
Only the patriarchs and young masters of wealthy families would still be out and about at this hour.
In the eastern district, before a grand and imposing vermilion gate, a pair of male and female stone lions stood with exceptional dominance. The culture of the Xuan Yang Dynasty was liberal, not as rigidly hierarchical as the preceding one. Under the strict rites of the former dynasty, only imperial relatives would have been permitted to use such lion-shaped drum stones.
