The Night Watchman of Xuanwu Gate

On the third day of the sixth month in the ninth year of Wude, the night before the Xuanwu Gate Incident, Old Hu the night watchman struck his clapper as usual, only to stumble upon a secret deal: gold, a coded letter, and a child who should not exist. The moment he picked up the Eastern Palace jade token stained with blood, his ordinary life came to an abrupt end.

The Crown Prince was executed, a new emperor ascended the throne, and Chang'an was swept by a change of power. Old Hu became a living witness hunted by every faction: the Crown Prince's remnants wanted to silence him, the new dynasty's powerful officials wanted to use him, and a mysterious eunuch wanted to reclaim the bloodline of the former court. From fleeing through dark alleys to navigating prison intrigues, from vanishing at a desolate ferry crossing to returning to the night patrol, he was forced to play a crucial hidden piece in Du Ruhui's game.

The night watchman's calls continued as always, but the nights in Chang'an had changed completely. Every clack of his clapper asked the same questions: Just how far-reaching were the consequences of the military payroll that vanished that night? What secrets lay in the bloodline of the seven-year-old child? And could an insignificant man who had seen too many secrets seize control of his own fate amid the tides of history? The truth lay dormant in street rumors, the ashes of an old residence, and behind every closed door, waiting for a night watchman to strike out the final answer before dawn.