"Good," Facing the assembled warriors and servants, the Emperor projected his voice out into the courtyard to be heard by everyone in the abnormal silent calm night. Everyone gathered in the massive courtyard of the castle knew that it was the calm before the storm.
"Several nights ago, a letter was seized. It was a letter written in the Duke of Rong's own hand. The letter was addressed to outside forces who had stealthily invaded the Tolling Lands. In the letter, he offered to grant the fleeing outside forces safe passage out of the Tolling Lands." The cold hard voice of the Emperor rang throughout the massive courtyard.
Upon the Emperors' announcement, an inaudible ripple undulated through the gather warriors and servants that were forced to gather in the massive courtyard. Terror exploded in its wake. Servants begin to cry and shout their innocence. The warriors also started yelling and screaming their innocence. The Gòu, Shā Qì, and Shadow Dragoon Warriors stood at ready just in case anyone tried to break out of the courtyard to escape.
Before the gathered warriors and servants could get out of control. The Emperor roared, "Silence," with a force that seemed to slam into the very being of those gathered. Instantly silencing everyone before he continued.
"All who are involved in conspiring with outside forces and betraying their country will pay with their lives. Those who knew of it and failed to report it will pay with their life. Those who stand convicted of dereliction of duty will also pay with their lives. There is no room in my country for traitors. There is also no room on the border for warriors who stand as traitors, accomplices to those guilty of treason, or are guilty of dereliction of duty. The letter will now be read."
The Duke of Rong was lost in a daze as Deputy Commander of the Shā Qì Warriors came forward and read the letter at the command of the Emperor.
After the letter was read, no one needed to ask if the Duke of Rong was guilty. His telling reactions announced his guilt to everyone gathered. The Emperor once again addressed the gathering. "I have no time to waste here. The Truth Tellers will now come forth to question each person. Those who are found guilty will immediately be granted death. Those who are caught lying will also be granted death. Truth-Tellers come forth and begin." The Emperor commanded.
Out of the thousands of warriors encompassing the courtyard, one thousand warriors came forward. Some were Shadow Dragoon Warriors, and some were Shā Qì warriors. Truth tellers were people who were gifted with the ability to tell when a person is telling the truth or telling a lie.
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The one thousand warriors began questioning each person one by one. Those who were found innocent were sent over to a different side of the courtyard to assemble. Those found to be involved immediately was beheaded. Several people were caught in lies and were also beheaded. The Truth Tellers moved fast, working their way through the assembled warriors and servants.
The Shā Qì warriors followed in the wake of the Truth Tellers. Quickly and efficiently silencing the cries, screams, and pleadings of the convicted. Blood splattered all over as the condemned were swiftly beheaded where they stood. The thick heavy scent of blood in the air became second to the gruesome butchery of thousands.
The harden warriors were able to stand the sight and scents of the outright butchery. However, the servants of the castle begin to vomit and faint. Some held to their consciousness, fearful that they would somehow be found guilty if they fainted. Bodies began to pile up and were thrown in the corner of the courtyard to later be thrown in a mass grave.
The last to be questioned was the Duke of Rong and his family. The Duke already knew he was doomed. Lost in a daze, he showed no remorse or care for his family. He was only regretting getting caught. The Duke of Rong refused to answer any of the questions the Truth Tellers asked him. However, that didn't absolve him of his guilt. The Emperor immediately order the Duke of Rong and all nine generations of his family to be put to death. The screams and wailing of his wife, children, grandchildren, and parents were immediately gruesomely forever silenced.
The end of the whole matter left the surviving warriors and servants, shaken and terrified. Some would forever have nightmares of the mountain of dead bodies in the courtyard of the Fief of Rong castle. They would forever know the true meaning of surviving the wrath of the Emperor.
An hour before dawn, the Emperor dispersed the Shadow Warriors who had infiltrated the garrison, and some of the Shadow Warriors the Emperor reassigned to carry out special tasks
The Emperor rode away from the Fief of Rong after repeating the whole process at the garrison outside of the castle were more warriors and servants were garrisoned.
After departing from the Fief of Rong, the Emperor immediately headed for the other garrisons that bordered Josper to repeat this process over and over again. Leaving behind Gòu, Shā Qì, and Shadow Dragoon Warriors to clean up and secure the garrisons.
He was determined to purge his borders of traitors and warriors who stood convicted of dereliction of duty. The Emperor left behind a mixed combination of over eight thousand Gòu Warriors, and Shadow Dragoon Warriors to oversee the cleanup and to secure the castle.
There had initially been twenty thousand warriors that guarded the fief of Rong and the area bordering Rong to the boarders of Josper. However, in one night, the Duke of Rong and all nine generations of his family were exterminated along with nine thousand warriors of Rong and ninety-two servants.