A wilderness of tombstones.
Xu Qing gazed at the communal graveyard, eroded by wind and sand for centuries, now dilapidated beyond recognition, and sighed softly.
As the fate of Dayong was exhausted, the once-noisy cemetery now truly became a desolate grave.
Having spent many days in the communal grave, Xu Qing followed the old paths in his memory and walked deep into the burial grounds.
On a mound of earth, a skeleton marshal with tattered cloak and corroded armor was observing the spot where the former banner stood.
Following his gaze, Xu Qing saw a flagpole that had broken due to decay on the tallest grave mound.
The banner with the word 'Yong' inscribed on it had long since vanished.
At this moment, the Eight Banner Marshal sat alone on the grave, as if he were a defeated general.
Beneath him, Xu Qing was followed by a funeral procession of papermen.
A hundred twenty-eight bearers for the emperor, eighty for the princes, and sixty-four for a nation's marshal.