The area near the city gate was already crowded with people. Xiao Jin did not order the guards to disperse the crowd because he wanted them to see with their own eyes that Su Ying was still alive.
The Imperial Guards solemnly lined up into a human wall, segregating the onlookers from the street.
Su Ying sat on the phoenix carriage and gazed down at the people who had surprised, puzzled, or even resentful expressions. She slowly stood up from the phoenix carriage and swept her gaze across the faces of those people. She even pushed away the beaded veil covering her face. When the convoy reached the spot with the highest concentration of onlookers, she ordered the Imperial Guards to stop.
The sun hung high in the sky. It seemed to have absorbed all the rays of golden light to shine on Su Ying's body, covering her entire body in a layer of golden light. The sight was so dazzling that one could not look directly at her.
