The Ruins of Steel
The sun rose slowly over the ancient Field of a Thousand Banners, an esplanade marked by centuries of military training, symbolic battles, and victory cries. The stones were worn, the spears rusted, and the banners, now torn, hung like ghosts of a relentless past.
But that day, the wind carried petals instead of war dust. Cranes crossed the sky in low flight, as if making sure to gently touch every memory the terrain held. Suwei walked barefoot on the disturbed earth, feeling every texture beneath his feet, every crevice of memory that the sand and iron preserved. Behind him, hundreds of workers and orphaned children followed with respect, curiosity, and a glimmer of hope.
The court architects frowned, unable to understand the Consort's vision.
"Here, where princes forged their cruelty?" they asked, with a hint of disbelief.
"Here," replied Suwei, "where violence learned to grow, peace can also flourish."
