Drawing her own conclusion that the Lord, Lady, and Heir of Wang Royal Manor wanted to speak with her. Liu Tián Qǔ nodded and said, "I understand. Liu Tián Qǔ then excused herself and bade farewell to the family before quickly making her way out of the guest courtyard where Lady Wu Yǐn Rán was staying.
The butler waited until they were halfway to Liu Tián Qǔ's courtyard before he said, "The Heir of Wang Royal Manor, the Grand Prince, Elder Wang, and the Emperor are here to see you. They are having tea in the lounge of your chambers as they wait for you."
Liu Tián Qǔ feet suddenly seemed to tangle up, and she tripped and almost fell on her face. After regaining her balance she turned and looked at the Butler in utter shock. Liu Tián Qǔ involuntarily exclaimed, "Shouldn't he be sitting in the Imperial Palace doing Emperor things? Why is he here?"
"Young Master Liu," the Butler cautioned in a heavily censuring voice while quickly looking around to see if anyone was nearby and overheard the Young Lord.
Inwardly Liu Tián Qǔ thought 'Shit! Don't tell me that a black-belly smiling face tiger is here to get revenge on me for milking him dry! He is the one who ran away with my carriage first?! And why is he coming here so often?!This is the second time in as many days he came to my residence. My Residence sign does not say Imperial palace! Why is he coming so often? Ah?!'
"Don't worry, the Emperor came in disguise," the Butler said, cutting into her thoughts.
"Well, at least that is something," Liu Tián Qǔ grumbled under her breath in a disgruntled manner.
"They visited with the martial families for a while. I had dismissed all the servants, and Zhou Yu, my wife, and I attended to them. I wanted to keep their identity and the presence of Elder Wang and the Emperor in Liu Residence hidden as long as possible. However, I don't know how successful I was in doing so. After visiting with the martial families, the Grand Prince, Elder Wang, the Emperor, and Wang Fèn Yǒng began to stroll all around the residence. Many people have seen them. So I doubt if my effort were of much success." The Butler reported.
"You did well, Uncle Zhou, thank you very much for the thought and the effort." Liu Tián Qǔ immediately understood that the powerful men of the Imperial family came to check out the energy and aura being released by the Knell Stones and to stealthily carry away some of the Knell Stones.
In no time at all, they arrived in Liu Tián Qǔ's courtyard. Liu Tián Qǔ and the Butler quickly removed their boots before entering Liu Tián Qǔ's chambers. She arrived in her lounge to see Zhou Yu waiting in attendance on the Grand Prince, Elder Wang, the Emperor, and Wang Fèn Yǒng. Butler Zhou had sent Sōng Hé Píng back to stay with her brother for the night.
"Sorry for keeping everyone waiting, I was helping my new guest to get settled in the outer courtyards, so I just learned of your presence in my Residence." Liu Tián Qǔ bowed deeply and held it until the Emperor beckoned her to rise and join them at the long low table in her lounge.
Liu Tián Qǔ waited until Zhou Yu finished serving tea and retreated. She then turned to the Butler and Zhou Yu, who stood next to him and said, "Zhou Yu, Butler Zhou, you may retire for the night. Go ahead and extinguish all the stone lanterns on the pathways for the night as you go. Everyone may retire for the night, I can take it from here. We will use garden lanterns later when I escort our guest out." Liu Tián Qǔ had an inkling of an idea the moment she found out the Emperor was in her residence. She was deciding on whether she should use this opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.
The butler hesitated before he bowed and escorted his daughter from the chambers of the Master's courtyard.
After the butler and his daughter left, Liu Tián Qǔ turned back around only to meet the questioning gazes of the powerful men who sat at the table. Liu Tián Qǔ met the eyes of each person before saying, "If I am not mistaken, everyone is here to retrieve Knell Stones and to feel the dense energy it's releasing into my residence, correct?"
"Yes," Elder Wang spoke for everyone. It was only yesterday at the memorial of the four martial families Liu Tián Qǔ learned the identity of the grandfather who prescribed her strengthening potions. She had almost fallen off the raised platform when she first found out hit true identity.
Liu Tián Qǔ smiled at the elder and said, "This morning, my agricultural manager showed me something that he discovered in Liu Residence. If you are interested in the energy that the knell stones are releasing, then you definitely must see what I am going to show you grandfather...uh...I mean, Elder Wang." Liu Tián Qǔ casually corrected her mistake that wasn't quite a mistake.
Of course, it wasn't a mistake. It was partly because she wanted to see how he would react, and to silently chide the Elder for hiding his identity.
Elder Wang was in the process of taking a sip of tea. The cup froze midway to his mouth, and his eyes flicked up from his cup of tea to meet Liu Tián Qǔ's eyes. Ignoring the side looks of his grandchildren and great-grandson. Elder looked at her with a deep penetrating look for a heartbeat or two. His look silently seemed to convey that it was not his fault if the young lord didn't know who he was. It seemed to say, 'Instead of running around finding trouble in my medicine shop and blaming me for your ignorance, go investigate.'
However, Elder Wang only calmly said, "You may call me, grandfather."
"Um...Uh...Okay," Liu Tián Qǔ inwardly cursed the Emperor and simultaneous kick herself for saying okay. She started to say, 'I dare not.' but when she glanced over and saw the mocking look in the eyes of the black-belly emperor. The word okay popped out of her mouth.
Liu Tián Qǔ ignored the raised eyebrows of Elder Wang and the grinning Grand Prince and almost buried her head in her cup tea as she took a sip of tea.
Naturally, Elder Wang had expected her decline. He wasn't sincere anyway. He was just polite at Liu Tián Qǔ 'mistake'.
The Grand Prince who witnessed the entire silent exchange between Liu Tián Qǔ and the Emperor didn't bother repressing his mirth. He casually took a sip of tea as his gaze flickered back and forth between the Emperor and Liu Tián Qǔ. He watched them as though he was watching a good show on T.V.
Wang Fèn Yǒng came to Liu Tián Qǔ's rescue breaking the awkward silence by asking, "Who are your new guest? Should you be taking in more guests at a time like now?"
"Oh! That reminds me," Liu Tián Qǔ said, setting her cup of tea down. She immediately recalled she wanted to ask Wang Fèn Yǒng about the Wu family. She got so caught up in getting an answer to satisfy her curiosity. Liu Tián Qǔ failed to realize she never answered Wang Fèn Yǒng's question.
With expectant eyes, Liu Tián Qǔ unconsciously leaned towards Wang Fèn Yǒng and asked, "Have you ever heard of the Wu family of Leandore Border Garrison's City?"
Liu Tián Qǔ never noticed the shock and perplexity that flashed through the eye's of everyone's seated at the table. Everyone sitting at the table knew Wang Fèn Yǒng's character and personality. Although they were aware that Wang Fèn Yǒng and Liu Tián Qǔ claimed each other as friends, they never expected that Liu Tián Qǔ would be so natural, casual, and comfortable around Wang Fèn Yǒng. Liu Tián Qǔ treated him as a normal person would a friend. No fear or discomfort was detected in Liu Tián Qǔ eyes, face, or body language. They had all watched as Liu Tián Qǔ actually leaned towards Wang Fèn Yǒng.
Wang Fèn Yǒng was not an easy person to be around much less communicate with. Even within the Imperial Family, very few were comfortable with Wang Fèn Yǒng.
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Although everyone ignored it, they were aware that even Wang Fèn Yǒng's younger brother slightly feared him. They were also aware of how Wang Fèn Yǒng was always careful to treat his younger brother gently and was always extra careful when dealing with his younger brother.
However, this Young Lord popped out of nowhere and knew Wang Fèn Yǒng for less than one month. Yet, he was obviously more comfortable and casual around Wang Fèn Yǒng then some of his family members. Yes, that was shocking, but what was all the more shocking was that Wang Fèn Yǒng allowed it. Everyone couldn't help but look at the young lord more carefully.
Finally, Liu Tián Qǔ's question actually registered on the Emperor. However, again his reaction was lost on Liu Tián Qǔ. Liu Tián Qǔ was focused on Wang Fèn Yǒng, waiting to hear his answer. Although Liu Tián Qǔ missed the Emperor's reaction, Wang Fèn Yǒng did not.
A slight frown marred the Emperor's face, and his eyes grew extremely sharp as he focused his gaze on Liu Tián Qǔ.
The Emperor's Shadow Dragoon Deputy Commander had yet to return from the Leandore Borders with the report of the investigation the Emperor ordered the Deputy Commander to do. News of the events that happened on the border had yet to reach the Imperial City.
Other than the event that happened with the Wu Family's uncle and nephew. Could there be another reason someone was inquiring about the Wu family of Leandore Border? The Emperor decided to wait to hear Liu Tián Qǔ's reason for inquiring first.
"Yes, I have," Wang Fèn Yǒng answered before asking, "Why do you ask?"
"Lady Wu Yǐn Rán of the Wu family of Leandore Border Garrison City and her three children are my guest. They will be staying with me for a while." Liu Tián Qǔ then began to explain how she ran in the family of four and how they were dressed in rags and dirty clothes. She told them of how Lady Wu Yǐn Rán married at fourteen against her brother's will. How she lived and was treated by her husband. She also explained how Lady Wu Yǐn Rán and her three children were quickly expelled from her husband's family when they received word of her nephew being accused and killed for being a traitor and news that her brother committed suicide.
"Lady Wu Yǐn Rán is still in denial. She refused to believe someone of the Wu family could possibly be a traitor to the country or Emperor. Her condition is terrible. She is skinner than Wēi Wò Yàn. She looks like a walking talking skeleton. However, I am 100% sure that if it weren't for her children, she would have immediately gone to investigate. Even if she had to crawl all the way to the Leandore Border, so I offered to see if there was anything I could find out concerning the matter."
"Did she tell you which Wu family of the Leandore Borders she was from? There is more than one Wu family on Leandore Borders." Wang Fèn Yǒng asked on behalf of the Emperor. He knew that the Emperor had left someone behind to investigate.
"Lady Wu Yǐn Rán told me her ancestor was named Wu Jiàng Xióng. She said he was once a General and the Commander of the Leandore Garrison."
"Wu Jiàng Xióng!" the emperor exclaimed. His teacup made an audible clunk as the Emperor set the teacup on the table.
Elder Wang's gaze snapped over to the Emperor. The Emperor met the gaze of Elder Wang and he immediately said, "I didn't know. The last that I heard, Lord Wu and his wife had died without children."
The Emperor looked over to Liu Tián Qǔ and asked in a sharp voice, "Who did Lady Wu Yǐn Rán say her parents were?"
"Lady Wu Yǐn Rán told me that her father was Lord Wu. However, her mother was the maid of Lord Wu's wife. In a fury, his wife banished the maid from the manor. Lord Wu set up a house on the outside for the maid. The maid bore him three children, twin sons, and a daughter. Before Lord Wu could make the maid his concubine, he and his wife died in a carriage accident. According to Lady Wu Yǐn Rán, her father left no will. However, no one in Leandore Border Garrison's City contested the children moving into Lord Wu's manor or taking possession of all he owned."
The Emperor listened with a heavy frown on his face. "There was never a report sent to the court concerning this matter. Nor was a memorandum of a Claim of Inheritance from his heir ever sent to the court."
"I don't know about all of that. Maybe you should send someone to question the magistrate of Leandore Border Garrison's City. If someone had tried to claim Lord Wu's property and title using foul means, I am sure the magistrate would have been the first to report it to the Imperial court. Maybe everyone assumed that the Heir reported to the courts already. As to why the Heir never reported, I could inquire about this matter from Lady Wu Yǐn Rán."
"No need," The Emperor replied. "I sent someone to investigate this matter. That person should be returning soon. There is, however, something else I wish to discuss with you."
The Emperor paused briefly before saying, "I had a discussion with the Grand Prince regarding your house guards and your reason for hiring guards of the martial world and not from the armies of the Tolling Lands. I agree with your opinion, as well. To fix this problem, within the next five to seven years, I wish to have all the armies of the Tolling Lands reorganized, retrained, armored, and armed with melded ore weapons, armor and gear. To do so, I will need to borrow your Commander." Liu Tián Qǔ felt her heart jolt in her chest.
Liu Tián Qǔ inwardly wailed, 'You stole my carriage now you are coming to steal my commander. Your majesty, isn't this a bit too much bullying?'
As if he read her thoughts, the Emperor said, "I will wait until the Commander finished building and training your army before I mention this to him, to compensate you for commandeering your commander for a while. I will grant you the authority to build a larger army." The emperor said in silent agreement to Liu Tián Qǔ previous proposal of an alliance.
Liu Tián Qǔ felt slightly mollified. However, it was the Emperor's following word that bought her agreement.
The Emperor gave Liu Tián Qǔ a serious look and said, "War is coming to the Tolling Lands. Fortunately, the timely discovery of the melded ore mountain has bought us more time. I wish to give our warriors the best fighting chance. If the Tolling Lands enter a war in the condition it is in now, we will be hard-pressed to win, and much would have to be sacrificed."
"That is not the only issue. The biggest problem is that I am quite sure all the information regarding the Tolling Lands military was compromised. Prime Minister Peng had access to all of that information. That means that everything has to be scrapped. The good thing is we had a little time yet. Since we have this time, I am sure if we all work hard, we can forge something even better.
"I understand your majesty. I will just have to build a bigger garrison to hold a bigger army. I will also talk to Commander Jiang concerning this matter. He and I also had conversations regarding the same issue. For now, I will mentor him and his wife in my manor while the Commander simultaneously build my garrison and army." Liu Tián Qǔ inwardly smirked as the Emperor scowled at her.
Elder Wang's gaze was on Liu Tián Qǔ throughout the whole conversation. However, even he was slightly caught of guard at the daring Liu Tián Qǔ.
Wang Fèn Yǒng carefully observed the Emperor's expression for several heartbeats before relaxing. The Grand Prince displayed visual utter shock.
Liu Tián Qǔ's comment of mentoring Commander Jiang was to inform the Emperor that she found a loophole around his five-hundred warrior decree and that she will be having more than five hundred warriors in her residence.
The scowling, displeased emperor looked at the Young Lord and asked rudely. " And just what could you possibly mentor Commander Jiang in?"
"It's not that I necessarily have something to teach him, Your majesty. It's that I will have no choice but to find something to teach him." Liu Tián Qǔ countered.
The scowl faded from the Emperor's face, and understanding dawned in his eyes. The emperor nodded and said, "I understand. Alright, I will allow it."
"The next thing I would like to discuss is the carriage you designed. I've turned the carriage over to the ministers of transportation. They're currently researching the technology of the carriage. I wish to upgrade the travel wagons that travel between all the major towns and cities. I also wish to upgrade the military travel wagons that transport our warriors. If we can manage to do so, it would provide for faster travel and a more comfortable journey for the citizens traveling between cities and towns. It will also assist us in upgrading and proving the military. This will be a great benefit to the Tolling Lands," The emperor began to explain.
However, Liu Tián Qǔ already knew where this was going and said, "I still have the sketches of the plan and design I created for the carriage. Would you like a copy of it? I can also give you the names of the woodworker, blacksmith, artisans, and craftsmen who construct it."
"Good," the Emperor said. "What are your terms and conditions?"
"I've already ordered two new carriages to be made. Please allow the woodworker, blacksmith, artisans, and craftsmen to complete it before you pull them away." Liu Tián Qǔ requested.
"Deal." the Emperor agreed.
Liu Tián Qǔ, the Emperor, Grand Prince, Elder Wang, and Wang Fèn Yǒng, talked a bit more. Elder Wang warned Liu Tián Qǔ to avoid handling the Knell Stones for now until he returned from his journey. Elder Wang also informed Liu Tián Qǔ of the special team of warriors he would be sending to inspect her residence.
A short while later, Liu Tián Qǔ led the four powerful men through her Garden residence. In the dark of the night, everyone carried a garden torch to light their path as they followed the Young Lord who led them to the rear of the residence.
Garden torch:
Garden torch: [https://em.wattpad.com/631f7e6903a5792c3feec33fb74ca45125cb1337/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f6b3639597a67727653536c3930773d3d2d3831353738393933312e313565303661343064353363326361363837393931333039363238302e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]