114 Here and There, Whats the Difference? 1 (1/2)
Jiang'an truly stood as the capital city of Great Yong.
The city of wealth, the city housing the Imperial Palace, but most importantly, it was known as the unreachable city of the empire.
The rumors of Jiang'an astounding defensibility could be confirmed with a single glance, and many envied it for the safe haven it provided for the citizens.
From within the city, Jiang'an appeared as nothing more than a prosperous, well-flourishing Imperial City of an empire.
Millions of people perpetually resided within its gates, giving rise to generation after generation of scholars, officials, warriors, and of course, cultivators.
However, Jiang'an was a completely different story when observed from outside of its perimeter.
When the three maidens had opened the windows of the carriage the instant they were permitted to do so, the first glance of the world outside was enough to terrify them to their wits.
Be it the energetic and close-to-earth Zhang Yuewen, the calm and reserved Luo Xi, or the perpetually fatigued An Fei, none of them could sit straight upon glancing outside.
Their fingers clutched tightly to the wooden rip, daring not to let go.
Jiang'an… stood atop of a massive pillar that towered for several thousand meters into the air.
The ground appeared to be ever-distant, the vast strips of land a mere smear of greenish color in their vision.
The city walls loomed over their heads akin to mighty goliaths forbidding entry to the final sanctuary, loyal guardians of the slumbering tomb of the emperor.
Not even the Imperial Palace, the highest building within Jiang'an, could be spotted from outside of the city walls.
The pillar's surface expanded outwards for several kilometers at the very least, extending in a pattern not unlike the branches of a sturdy acacia tree.
The imperial carriage and others continued to traverse at their mighty speed, forcing An Fei to be unable to make out any clear details regarding the material of the pillar.
The green blobs of color to the left and right of the carriage… were they farms? And the white plumes soaring even higher into the sky… what were they?
The young girl's body swayed against the blazing wind, her hair flowing in all directions from the sheer speed.
Eventually, feeling that her body would give and fall onto the ground of unknown material, An Fei pushed herself back into the safe confines of the carriage, her countenance behind the veil deathly pale.
”Heavens…” Zhang Yuewen murmured with trembling lips.
”We were living in a city several kilometers in the air… and we didn't even notice?”
Luo Xi and An Fei remained mute whilst the belle in the begonia spring dress sought comfort from nearby blankets to forcefully quell her shivers.
With a peal of laughter, Feng Yu Xin steadily stood to close the windows of the carriage, dampening the somber atmosphere within.
”Enough moping, ah,” the empress shook her head with a wry smile.
”If this is sufficient to surprise you, what wouldn't scare the three of you to death later on when you explore the world?”
”Who said I was… I was… going to explore the world?” the belle swung her head from side to side in consternation.
”I-I-I'm content here,” Luo Xi finally stuttered, her fingers nearly crinkling her robe from stress.
”I'll… r-return to Jiang'an right after v-v-visiting the Taiyi Sect…”
”Oh?” Feng Yu Xin raised an eyebrow in amusement. Fixing her gaze onto the young girl, the empress rested her chin onto her palm, a lazy expression portrayed to its fullest potential on her countenance.
”And you?”
”…Father told me to come back the instant I visited the Taiyi Sect,” An Fei finally murmured, her eyes quickly fluttering in a silent yawn.
The empress' eyebrow twitched at the mention of Wei Xuan's name, her fingers clenched tight to prevent herself from reaching over and throwing the girl out of the carriage.
Forcefully releasing a heavy breath of air and shaking her head with a wry smile, Feng Yu Xin quelled her words with a piece of candied fruit.
One day, just one day! She was going to force words out from this little girl, words that did not begin with ”Father's orders”!
”Esteemed driver,” Zhang Yuewen calmed her shaking hands with a cup of tea.
”How does one usually… descend from Jiang'an?”
There was a momentary pause as the driver appeared to have fallen into contemplation. However, a rough hand knocked thrice onto the inner carriage door, and the driver's voice rang through.
”Young Miss Zhang,” the middle-aged driver paused for a breath.
”Descending from Jiang'an can only be done from the government-mandated bridge, which we should arrive by midnight. After then… the Young Miss should experience this for herself, this old fellow, hehe, have promised not to divulge!”
A bridge?
A bridge connecting this massive city that stood thousands of meters in the air to… where, exactly?
The thought rang in the minds of the three young women, equally puzzled auras filling the atmosphere of the carriage. With a collective sigh, they soon returned to laze around the couches, consuming small slivers of candied fruit and nuts whilst complaining about their growing weight, or surprisingly, not returning to sleep.
The young girl could only continue to direct glance after glance towards the blocked view that portrayed an astounding Jiang'an.