The Imperial Palace of The Tolling Lands
"Your Grace as of twenty minutes ago we were able to uncover eleven warehouses full of melded ore. Both inside and outside of the Imperial city under the control of smugglers and outside forces."
Wang Fèn Yǒng head snapped over to the Commander of his Shadow Warriors, "Outside Forces?" He questioned in a freezing ice-cold voice. Intense killing intent exploded out of him. Mixing with the aura of deadly bloodlust emanating off of the emperor.
"Yes, Young General."
"Who?" Wang Fèn Yǒng demanded to know.
"Josper and Leandore," his commander said before continuing, "We have verified and have evidence of three major officials involved. Nine minor officials, city gate guards, city patrol, and border guards on the borders of two separate countries. The situation keeps getting bigger and bigger. We will need much help if we are to control and contain the situation. The Shadow Warriors cannot contain this situation alone. This net is too vast" Sharp silence rang out in the room. Every single person was deeply stunned. No one expected the negotiations of Veiled Mountain to turn into a stealthy invasion of outside forces.
"As I expected," the emperors' voice, eerie, cold, soft and calm voice floated in the silence sending chills down every spine. "A mountain of the most precious ore that we know of is sitting outside the gates of my city, and I know nothing of it. Big mining operations are being carried out on this mountain, and I know nothing of it. The ore from these mountains is being bought into my city, and I know nothing of it." The poor Commander of Wang Fèn Yǒng Shadow Warriors felt his hard pound at the end of each of the Emperor's sentences.
"So plentiful is the ore being removed from this mountain, and I know nothing of it. How can there not be outside interference and traitors involved? I see where I have erred. I have been much too lenient. I see it very clearly, indeed." By the time the emperor finished speaking some of the people in the room had broken out in a sweat. The naked boiling bloodlust in that eerie calm, soft voice he spoke in was more terrifying than if he had been yelling in rage.
"From the beginning to the end give us a full detailed report missing nothing. I want to know of even the most insignificant of details." The First Lady of Wang Royal Manor finally spoke in a voice of undisguised anger and rage.
"Yes, but before I do so, Your Majesty there is something urgent I must report." The shadow guard said.
"Speak," the Emperor commanded.
"Of the warehouses found, in six of them on the outskirts of the city. A swift operation is being carried out to empty them as fast as possible. Heavy Wagons leading from the warehouses are traveling on three secret roads. There are Shadow Warriors all along these roads and following each group of wagons. Two of these roads lead to the borders of Josper and the other to the border of Leandore. It's been confirmed that forces are waiting on the opposite side of the border for these groups of wagons. Our Shadows Warriors are already stationed all along the border. The quandary is if we wait for them to get to the border we may lose some of them. However, if we act now, some of the traitors stationed on the border may slip through our net. But that is not the real problem. The real problem is Prince Jing of Josper is travel with one of those groups of wagons."
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"What!" the Grand Prince, First Lady of Wang Royal Manor and even Wang Fèn Yǒng cried out in shock.
However, a deadly beautiful smile blossom on the face of the Emperor. The people in the room forced themselves not to shudder under the weight of that beautiful cold, deadly smile. "Of course, but of course. How could this matter be so simple? Prince Jing, Prince Jing how naive of him to come yet think I will allow him to leave. Humph. How much longer before they reach the border?"
"Even with hard riding. No less than four to five days."
"Good, very good. Are there any signs of the Minister of War or the Prime Minister being involved?" Emperor asked
"The operation is ongoing Your Majesty, as of now there has been no sign of the Minister of War being involved. However, over two hours ago. A delivery boy from a smuggler warehouse located in the Imperial City delivered a large package to the house of the Prime Minister. Who then immediately left his Manor to pay a visit to the minister of justice carrying a smaller package. We have stationed Shadows Warriors it the houses of both Ministers. It's been verified by the Shadow Warriors stationed in both houses that both packages contained ore and a large number of gold certificates of 1000 gold. We have taken no further actions regarding the Ministers."
"You are not to take any further action regarding the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has access to too much military might, as well as his own elite army of warriors." The Emperor informed the shadow Warrior commander
" Cùn Yīn,"
"Your Majesty," the Emperor's personal Shadow Warrior appeared.
"The Prime Minister should be arriving shortly. Along with the Grand Prince, First Lady of Wang Manor and the Minister of War, we were supposed to discuss the sending out of the scouts. Have two platoons of my Imperial Dragoon Warrior report to the throne room. When the prime Minister report he is to be taken there. They are to contain him there until I arrive. If he insists on leaving kill him. Tell them to be vigilant the prime minister is also a general and an expert martial artist. I will not accept failure. Have the Minister of War escorted to the side waiting room and serve him tea and food if he is hungry. Tell him I will be him shortly to please wait. Station Elite Imperial Guards around the courtyard of the side waiting room. If he insists on leaving kill him. We will leave no room for error. These to men have too much access to military might. If they are guilty and we allow them to leave. The rivers of blood they will leave in there wake will not be small." The bloodlust in the air was almost tangible as the emperor spoke.
"Before you leave to carry out my commands. I have one more command." The Emperor said with a weird little smile on his lips that contrasted sharply with the atmosphere in the room and the eerie voice he spoke in.
"Call back my Imperial Grandfather, Elder Wang. Let him know I have need of his presence." Following the emperor's final command, there were echos of multiple people sucking in a breath of cold air. Everyone knew for sure now. It was a certainty that the rivers of blood will paint the Imperial City red.
"Commander" The emperor finally turned and said to the commander of the shadow guard. "Let us have that report now so that we can close this net."