The carriage crossed the bustling Chessboard Street, bypassed the densely crowded Lamp Market, and turned into a relatively quiet alley near Chongwen Gate in North City.
Here, the streets were much neater, the blue stone slabs swept clean, flanked mostly by high walls and deep courtyards, their vermilion gates tightly shut. Occasionally, a carriage would enter or exit, quietly and without disturbance.
The earlier clamor at the city gates, the roar of factories, the chugging of Flint Wheel Cars, and the screams of brawls—all vanished, as if entering another world within the city.
Finally, the carriage stopped in front of a residence.
The black lacquered gate had a modest lintel but was solidly built, with gleaming copper rings.
The surrounding walls were made of blue bricks, extending and occupying most of the street.
A pair of modest stone lions stood at the entrance, their craftsmanship simple yet exuding a sense of stability.
