After the two of them stood up, they added some offerings to the incense box and left the palace. They strolled through the temple, admiring the scenery.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted by their ears, mixed with the cries of a child and the frantic screams of a woman.
The two exchanged a glance and walked toward the source of the noise.
Turning a corner, a clearing came into view. Not far off from the clearing was the temple's back gate.
Nearby, three factions stood locked in a tense standoff.
On one side was an injured man holding a boy of about six or seven.
The man's bloodstained hand gripped a dagger, its sharp edge pressed against his own neck.
Opposing them were several temple monks wielding thick wooden staves.
The third group consisted of a scholarly man in his forties and an elegant young woman. They stood in the middle, surrounded by a dozen men who looked like bodyguards flanking them protectively.
