The morning sun climbed higher as the Emperor's group finished preparing for the journey.
After bathing, everyone felt considerably fresher. Their clean clothes, damp hair, and refreshed faces made them look less like exhausted travelers and more like ordinary people who had finally managed to get a proper night's rest.
The makeshift bathing tent had already been dismantled.
The Emperor himself had helped remove the ropes and fold the bedsheet. The wooden poles were tied to the cart, while the remaining heated water was used to wash their basins and utensils.
Nothing was left behind except a few footprints and the ashes of their small fire.
Across the resting ground, the other refugees were also waking up. Some were rolling their blankets, some were packing their belongings, and others were searching for something to eat before the day's journey began.
The officials had already started organizing everyone into groups.
"Everyone, gather your belongings! We will depart shortly!"
