Imperial City
The Imperial City had maintained a strongly enforced curfew upon sealing the city. Anyone found on the streets before dawn, and after dusk, first-time offenders were jailed. Second-time offenders were beheaded. There were no third chances for anyone. Be it, commoner or noblemen, all were punished equally in this matter.
All places of entertainment were commanded to close. All the Music houses, brothels, gaming dens, theaters, and troupe houses were commanded to close. As long as it was a place of entertainment, they were commanded to halt all business and close their doors immediately.
Of course, you had a few places of entertainment owned by noble houses that thought they were an exception and secretly still opened to do business. However, when these entertainment houses were reported to Elder Wang. Elder Wang personally dispatched Shā Qì warriors and his Qiú Fàn Warriors. He commanded the warriors to raze the entertainment houses that disobey the royal command, to the ground instantly, and to grant death to everyone found in the buildings.
Seven entertainment houses were razed to the grounds, and all the occupants found in the opened houses of entertainment it didn't matter who they were. They were immediately beheaded. After that, no one dared to disobey the royal command. Elder Wang's and the Emperor's wrath was apparent to everyone.
In only one night, in the Imperial City of the Tolling Lands, that carried a population of over two million people. Over 293,780 people were exterminated. Complete families annihilated. It was said that the stench of blood and death permeated the Imperial City so heavily it took weeks to dissipate.
The Melded Ore Blood Storm shook the very foundations of the Imperial City. The number of wagons of dead bodies leaving the city the morning following the blood storm was too numerous to count. The wagons were taken outside of the Imperial City. The bodies of the dead in the wagons were dumped into a mass grave. The empty wagons were then taken back into the Imperial City, refilled with more bodies only to repeat the process over and over again.
No one, not even the elders that lived in the Imperial City, could ever recall a purge this massive. This shook the heart of the people. The Emperor was known as an Emperor of peace and prosperity, not an Emperor of war. However, in all the history of the Tolling Lands, he was the only Emperor to do a purge this massive.
With that said, the truth was the people of the Tolling Lands were a hearty people. The innocent continue on with their daily lives. Businesses opened for business, and the market opened as usual. Although the city remained sealed and was heavily patrolled. The street was flooded with people. Everyone was seeking answers as to what caused the massive purging.
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Liu Residence
Liu Tián Qǔ had called for everyone in her residence to gather in the huge meeting hall. After everyone had assembled in the meeting hall. First, Liu Tián Qǔ introduced herself to all the new servants of her residence.
Liu Tián Qǔ stood in front of the huge meeting hall on a raised platform facing the new members and servants of her household. Liu Tián Qǔ, clasped her hands behind her and stood straight. She brought out that old air of authority and command she acquired from her past life from when she took over her father's company.
"Welcome one and all to the Liu Residence. I am the master of this residence. My name is Liu Tián Qǔ, and as everyone already knows, my residence is called Liu Residence. You may address me as Young Master or Young Master Liu.
For those that work hard and remain loyal, I will not mistreat you. First, I will inform everyone that my house will be run in alinement with the rules of the Imperial Palace. I will reward and punish equally. Our housekeeper, Housekeeper Gao, worked in the Imperial palace for many years. She is fully acquainted with all the rules of the Imperial Palace.
When I am finished welcoming everyone, Housekeeper Gao will then come up. Housekeeper Gao will inform everyone of the rules of my residence and the punishment you will receive if you break them." Liu Tián Qǔ spoke in a voice of authority and command matching the aura that emanated from her.
"Although my residence will run off of the guidelines of the palace. There are a few things that I will do differently here in my residence. First, I will ask a question, by raise of hand who here can read and write?" Although Liu Tián Qǔ knew that in ancient times, slaves and most servants weren't taught to read and write. It shocked her to her core when only seven of the over one hundred people gathered raised their hand.
The people that raised their hand were Butler Zhou. His wife, Housekeeper Gao, their daughter Yu'er, Commander Jiang, and his wife, who had insisted on coming to the meeting, although she was in poor health. The last two who raised their hand was the agricultural supervisor that Housekeeper had specially bought in and Hou Dou, the woman who claimed to have experience as a nurse. No one else raised their hand.
"In my residence, I will not tolerate illiterate servants. With in the week, I will be hiring tutors. These tutors will come three times a day, once to teach a morning class. Once to teach a noon class, and once in the evening to teach an evening class. So no matter what time of day your duties begin, everyone will have an opportunity to learn how to read, write, and learn sums." As Liu Tián Qǔ spoke, what began as a murmur of the servants whispering their disbelief. Soon turned in to cries of happiness, shocked, and disbelief. Liu Tián Qǔ waited several moments, allowing the gathered servants to exclaim their joy.
With a raised of her hand, Liu Tián Qǔ called for silence from everyone, "I think everyone understands the opportunity that all will be granted in my household. It is a requirement that all in my household learn to read and write. I will not tolerate illiterate servants. I don't care if you are a slave or not. That doesn't matter to me. All will be given an opportunity to learn." Liu Tián Qǔ Looked at the complete astonishment on the faces of the servants gathered before her.