Zheng Capital's streets had not bustled this much in years. Hezheng Avenue, leading to the Imperial Palace as well as the most thriving alleys of the Zheng Capital, welcomed nobles from outside the city. Each aristocratic family's procession occupied most of the street, with hundreds of servants and dozens of carriages for carrying gifts, drawing the attention of civilians and teahouse patrons alike, who peered outside eagerly.
This was just the beginning, with the Empress Dowager's birthday still nearly a month away. The peak of arrivals had not yet been reached. These families had sent servants a month in advance to clean the courtyards and purchase necessities, all in preparation for their arrival, when they would reside in ancient mansions or villas within the Imperial City.
