The Imperial City
The Gòu Army that replaced the Imperial City Gate Guards remained vigilant over the city. Tons of people were turned away from the six gates of the Imperial City of the Tolling Lands. In the afternoon the day after the Melded Ore Blood Storm. Shadow Warriors began to gather outside all of the city gates.
They were tasked with turning way everyone from the gates and receiving the wagons of ore sent back to the Imperial City. The Gòu Army Archers had to keep their eyes on the skies above and around the Imperial City. They could ill afford any distractions.
So The Elder tasked the Shadow Warriors with the duty. The Elder himself was tasked with another duty the emperor asked of him. The elder took command of the throne room. Dozens of desk filled the throne room behind each desk was an Imperial clerk. The Elder presided over them as all documentation retrieved from the houses of the traitors and the message of all the birds shot down was reviewed.
The Elder already knew the Emperor's intentions when the Emperor asked him to oversee this task. The Emperor already foresaw another Blood Storm that would come about as he read a letter that a pale face trembling clerk just handed to him. It was a letter retrieved from the house of the prime minister.
The letter gave proof to the sad tale of a country shaking conspiracy that caused the annihilation of what was once four of the greatest military clans in the Tolling Lands. However, going by the letter the Elder was reading, there was conspiracy. However, the conspirators were not the four military families that were condemned and annihilated. These four families were frame by the Prime Minister and three other ministers. This was not a matter the Elder could just overlook.
This matter involved the death of the previous Emperor, who was also his son. It also involved the rule and authority of the Imperial Family. The Elder felt a bubbling rage begin to well up in his heart. The country lost four strong pillars and an Emperor. Yet some of the perpetrators and traitors that were involved in his son's death and the death of the four Military families were still alive and living well.
The Elder sat on a special customized throne that was specially made for Elder Wang by the previous Emperor. That customized throne was placed below the second raised platform of the Emperor's throne. The Elder looked up at the Imperial clerk that stood before him. Imperial Clerk Fu stood trembling in fear. The Elder asked in a soft low voice, "Do you value your life and the lives of your family?" The Imperial clerk head rattled up and down.
"Then seal your mouth, and I will give you a chance to live. Only you and I know of this letter, let's keep it that way until I say otherwise. However, if you fail to guard your lips, not only will you be granted death. But so will all nine generations of your family, and as punishment for breaking my trust, it will be the harshest execution that I could think of. Do you understand?" The clerk was dripping sweat as terror emanated from him. So full of terror was he that his throat felt clogged. However, he managed to croak out, "Yes Elder Wang, I understand and will guard my lips."
Giving him a piercing cold look, the Elder told him, "You many return to your desk, keep reviewing all the letters and messages. If you come across any more letters like this one or similar, immediately bring them to me."
"Yes, Elder, I will do so." The trembling sweat-drenched Imperial Clerk Fu croaked out before returning to his seat and collapsing in his chair. He thought to himself, 'I think I better start looking for another job. I thought being an Imperial clerk was a cushiony simple, and easy job. But this is the second time in one week I almost lost my little life. I just started this job and almost died twice! If I don't lose my head on this job, then this stress is going to give me a heart attack, and I'm going to die anyway. What kind of situation is this?!? I am going to kill that distant cousin of mine that recommended that I get this job. I see that good for nothing bastard was trying to kill me off with a borrowed knife!"
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
The Tolling Land; The Grand Prince
In the Grand Prince's opinion, he had the easiest job of them all. All he did was consult with the Shadow guards to confirm the movement and locations of the wagons of ore. Tracking them down one by one, the Grand Prince immediately killed off the smugglers escorting the wagons. He then would assign some of his warriors to bury the dead smugglers and escort the wagon back to the city along with the shadow warrior's that shadowed each wagon. He gave all the Shadow Warriors the order to report to Wang Fèn Yǒng's Shadow Commander upon returning to the Imperial City so that the Shadow Commander could tell them which warehouse to take the ore back to and reassigned their duties.
That was pretty much all that he did. Track, kill, snatch the wagon, bury the dead smugglers, and send the wagons back to the Imperial City under the guard of his warriors. Then it was on to the next wagon. He worked fast because he refused to allow even one wagon to slip through his hands. He divided his men into teams. They covered all three roads that the smugglers were using to escape the Tolling Lands.
Within a few days, he had recovered all the wagons. After he recovered all the wagons, he contacted the Shadow Warriors to find out the location of his wife so he could go and help her. However, he was informed by the Shadow warrior that she had already retrieved all the wagons assigned to her and had already returned to the Imperial City.
The First Lady of the Wang Royal Manor wasted no time on diplomacy when retrieving the wagons except with one group. It turned out that that particular group was under the command of a general from the Sunken Lands. However, the First Lady of the Wang Royal Manor surrounded them all the same.
Surrounded by Twenty Thousand Qǔ Army Warriors and five thousand Shā Qì Warriors the general and warriors of the sunken Lands cooperated. As politely and as diplomatic as she could, the First Lady of Wang Royal Manor relieved the Sunken Lands General and warriors of the wagon of melded ore. When they tried to bargain and cut a deal, she kindly informed them of the royal command she was under to retrieve all the wagons.
She informed the General that the Emperor might be open to negotiations. However, they would have to negotiate with the Emperor, not her. She diplomatically explained to them she was only carrying out the orders she was given. Although they were upset. They were too heavily outmatched. They could only angrily watch as the First Lady of the Wang Royal Manor snatched their wagon of melded ore from them and quickly ran away with it.
The rest of the unidentified groups, the First Lady of the Wang Manor, just surrounded them and kindly informed them in diplomatic words to either give her the wagon of melded ore or give her their lives. Only one group refused and uselessly tried to fight at the cost of their lives. She informed all the groups that if they wish to purchase melded ore from the Tolling Lands then all negotiations must be made with the Emperor. She also warned every group that they won't so easily leave with their lives the next time that they trespass into the Tolling Lands to illegally smuggle out resources of the Tolling Lands.
When The Grand Prince arrived back in the Imperial City, he immediately went to consult with Wang Fèn Yǒng's Shadow Commander to confirm that every single wagon had returned to the Imperial City. The Grand Prince was told the First Lady of the Wang Manor just returned with her last wagon.
The First Lady of the Wang Manor happened to bump in the warrior's who were escorting back Prince Jing's wagon. As per the Emperors orders, Prince Jing's wagon was to be taken to Wang Royal Manor. So she escorted that wagon back to the Wang Royal Manor. With Prince Jing's Wagon, all the wagons were accounted for.