Xu Pingzhi of the Great Feng Dynasty

My name is Xu Pingzhi, an ordinary night watchman in the Great Feng Dynasty, living a mundane life. I live in a dilapidated alley in the capital, its walls weathered by time, the plaster peeling away like the wrinkles on an old man's face. The houses of the surrounding neighbors are also dilapidated, leaning precariously together, as if supporting each other against the storms of life. Every night, darkness, like a giant curtain, envelops the entire capital. I pick up my somewhat worn-out clapper and wander through the streets and alleys. With each step...