grip tightened around the bamboo sticks. The sound of his men climbing from the other side came closer. They
were adding extra mortar as they came up. The Wall was finally going to be safe!
Smiling, Wang Jing started his climb back. He had great satisfaction in his heart. Hundreds of feet below
him, a crowd of labourers stood cheering. He turned to wave to them. Suddenly a gust of wind came and
knocked him off the scaffolding ladder. His feet struggled to stay on the wet pole, but the wind was too strong.
In a flash, Wang Jing fell deep into the ravine.
Wang Jing was buried with full state honours under that very section of the Great Wall, which was named
Wangjinglou after him. The Emperor himself came to his funeral and declared that the Great Wall will always
be remembered as a monument to Wang Jing’s bravery. He would never be just another brick in the Wall.
* * *