The eastern sky slowly brightened as dawn spread across the capital.
A thin layer of mist hovered above the ground, and the cool morning breeze carried the smell of damp earth. Outside the northern gates, thousands of people had gathered with their families, belongings, and hopes for a new beginning.
Today, the journey to the north would finally begin.
It would take approximately three months to reach their destination.
Three months of walking, resting, eating, sleeping beneath unfamiliar skies, and facing whatever difficulties the road brought them.
For some families, the journey was frightening. They had never traveled so far from their homes. For others, it was an opportunity to escape poverty and build a better life.
And among these travelers was a rather unusual group of people.
A former imperial family traveling without revealing their identities, the Empress and her companions, several military officers, Yao Qing's family, the twins, and Lady Chen.
