“Those filthy pyeanchi slaughtered my student and his guards in broad daylight. Right in the middle of the camp! He was WEARING my banner, what was I supposed to do? Let them go free!?”

“No Tsea-gong. I had every right! Yes, I ordered every last one of them hanged, until not even the Taker would have them.”

With only his five Primes, a few of their Disciples and his personal Inner Elders who Tsea-gong trusted completely, it was a far different crowd than earlier. The sharp hisses of disapproval let loose, did a far better job of reminding the Prime Elder of his place than the Shoguns blade could. It was economical. After the Watch’s losses, Tsea-gong had no choice but to be conservative with his numbers now.

Still, it was open defiance by a man he utterly loathed and the struggle he fought was very real, as his hand inched towards his Kyu belt of its own accord. Before he could reach the sword tucked there, he was mollified to mercy by the humorously desperate look his Arch-tenant was giving him.

It was enough for the Salamander to hold his breath a moment, soothing his Cultivation.

By the Wraith, he hated these open reports. He was absolutely convinced, no other Shogun had ever suffered the indignities he must. The only thing more galling than listening to an ungrateful Elder, was being in a position where he was forced to listen.

Nor was he ignorant of the fact that a significant majority of all Elders secretly sided with this pathetic excuse. Talentless, they found no place within their Noble compounds and so left. Turning to the Watch as a last resort for Cultivation resources.

Dregs was what he got. Dregs able to pay their way with desperately needed metal, Kwon. And Choa-peng alone just happened to bring in almost a third of it. Tsea-gong did not see a Prime Elder when he looked at this pot-bellied pyeanchi, he saw his replacement. Infact both men saw it.

What he alone knew, was that Heaven would bar its gates to him should he die and lets this wretch take over.

Shifting his gaze to the cup his Arch-tenant had placed before him, Tsea-gong reached for the calming effects of the hot brew. A common enough green tea, it had come to be relied on heavily by the Watch due to its purifying qualities of Ki residue. A necessity after their battles, he reflected on a time when it had been exclusively for the Seniors.

“I have noted your occasional loss of restraint this day, Honoured Prime Elder Choa-peng. This Student of yours, you must have highly favoured him?”

“Forgive me Shogun, yes. He was most promising. But it is the loss of his purse where we will hurt most. Now I have to fabricate some underworld tale of bravery for his family. My only regret was I didn’t get to flog his murders as they were strung up.”

Tsea-gong finally awarded the creature a worthy point and looked him in the eye.

At least the fool was honest.

“Why didn’t you?” Tsea-gong whispered over the hot brew.

“Shogun? They were already dead. The honourless dogs refused to come voluntarily.”

“Truly? Then I take it more besides these criminals and your student were lost in settling this matter?”

Tsea-gong already knew all this.

His diligent Arch-tenant had informed him of the suspicious death of a Sergeant whose men blamed on one of Prime Elder Choa-peng’s followers. A razor quarrel gone awry in the heat of battle and a perfect kill shot to the back of one of the most heavily armoured veterans.

But Prime Elder Sol-fae had already stepped forward and filed a report of his own, mentioning nothing of this. It was now impossible to bring up the Arch-tenants report in a formal setting. Tsea-gong had destroyed it himself, but only after noting each of the ‘discrepancies’.

As with all things civilised, the dictates of honour ruled civilisation. With strong suspicion holding little sway. There were however, other ways of handling these matters. Ways of blood and metal, the way of the Sacred Artist.

“A trivial matter, Seo-sang. Yes, blood was spilt, but such is the price we must pay for Honour.”

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The tea in Tsea-gongs mouth soured. It was permitted that Inner and favoured could use the honourific title. But that a wretch like this should think it within his rights to call him so was a calculated slap in the face. Still, he managed to finish it smoothly, allowing its properties to go to work.

“The corpses then, why did you not flog them?”

“Flog their… Shogun? The Pujukan butchers were occupied.”

Tsea-gong eyed the Elder flippantly. “I should think they were Tempest, considering there was a Beast Wave. I’m asking why YOU, did not flog the corpses?”

Taken aback, the Prime Elder was finally at a loss for words, glancing over at his personal entourage for some support. He found none but the worried glances of more than just his entourage.

“Tsea-gong,” the Prime Elder spoke in hushed tones. “You ask too much. The soldiers would never follow such a command and it would be wrong to force my Disciples to it.

“For the last time…”

“I WOULD BE SHAMED!” Choa-peng burst out in frustration. His face flushed red with fury. “To stand their whipping a corpse would be a stain upon my honour. Who would even think of such a thing?”

Kido and Hansu reacted immediately. Stepping forward and gripping their swords with an audible click, waiting on their master’s signal.

It never came.

Instead Tsea-gong let loose a derisive snort of humour, strangely pleased at the man’s disgraceful outburst.

“Yes,” Tsea-gong nodded. “You understand the difference when it’s your hand committing the deed, honoured Prime Elder Choa-peng.”

“My hands are clean. I passed sentence on laws that were already in place, Shogun. Someone had to step up and take control of the situation.”

“Be very careful of your next words, Tempest.” Tsea-gong warned “You are driven to wrath at the thought of shaming your hands, but think nothing of shaming my Watch’s hands? That whipping the flesh off the back of a Cultivators corpse, gives you more pause than stringing it up and having it rise anew as an undead creature. An act so depraved that if it were it not written in law, you would be burned as a heretic.”

The old war dog, wise to Tsea-gongs tongue, shot back immediately in defense of his Judgements.

“But it IS written in the Law, Seo-sang. And only those who seek Righteous order in life are awarded eternal Peace in death. Hanging until dead, deader, Deadest, might be an ancient custom, but it is one we were all taught of.”

Tsea-gong smiled viciously.

If this fool calls me Seo-sang once more…

“It is one thing to use a bound Oni as a warning, Tempest. It is another entirely to unleash it in judgement. Just two days prior, I had a visitor deigning to inform me of ancient practices, Choa-peng. And like you, he too got it horribly wrong.”

Elder Choa-peng leapt to his feet, but before he could launch another tirade both Preafects had their swords drawn and resting on his shoulders.

“You cannot do this! You cannot treat me this way! I am a Prime…”

Prime Elder Choa-peng’s eyes widened as he felt the blades suddenly cool on his neck as Ki was channelled through them.

“His tongue has offended me one too many times this day.” The Salamander spoke with calm detachment. “If he so much as dares to use it again in my presence, cut it out and nail it to his head.”

Both Preafects gripped their Doa daggers, fully entertaining the possibility. Choa-peng glared back with pure venom, not saying a word. Although he did remain standing as his Preafects sheathed their blades.

The Inner Elders sat at ease, but Tsea-gong could see they were rattled. To threaten a Prime in such a manner and one who had technically broken no law, it was unheard of. Judging by the pounding of their hearts and tightening grips on their swords, all it would take was a single robe to ripple the wrong way to set everyone off.

“I agree your student was wrongfully murdered, Choa-peng. I acknowledge the grievous dishonour of striking a man under a Primes banner. With the evidence presented in Prime Elder Sol-fae’s report, death was an acceptable verdict. You, however, went further.”

“A death sentence is a direct loss for any army. Its sole use is to impart righteous order upon the living, lest they be given to anarchy. So when you sentence a criminal to death, you make sure you have considered the men. And as for a punishment that even the god of Death abhors, you make damn sure EVERYONE is in agreement!”

“It should be a wretch, that none would want to return to the great cycle beside! A wretch, whom mothers would faint from fright, at the mere thought of facilitating his rebirth! A wretch, so far removed from honour that the permanent destruction of his soul sits well with all.”

Tsea-gong turned on the Inner Elders in his wrath. “Is there even one of you arrogant enough to say these men were such?”

Each held their tongues and looked away as Tsea-gongs gaze roamed over them.

“That, Choa-peng, is why I countermanded your orders and gave the men a proper burial. By them hanging their corpses with the intent of perverting their souls, you brought anarchy and have shamed the Watch.”

“You did not even possess the courage to bear the shame upon yourself. Otherwise, the men would have come for you and your camp alone. Instead of disappearing every Noble caught on the wrong side of the camp. Their blood is on your hands!”

Choa-peng sat down stiffly, but even his own followers would not look at him as the last of Shogun's words sank in.

Tsea-gong should have felt elated at curbing the alarming ambition of this Prime Elder, but the cost had been far too dreadful. Nor did the blame rest solely on Choa-peng’s shoulders, but the cowards who went alone with his actions.

“It will be difficult enough for the Watch to regain its strength after this Wave. But in your sheer arrogance, you thought nothing of our replenishment needs. How could it not be affected after word gets out of the Justice you dispense? I am told even the peasant labourers are down by almost half!”

“This is entirely on you, Tempest. You have forced my hand.”

Tsea-gong drew himself up before delivering his verdict.

“Prime Elder Choa-peng, you and your followers and any other Cultivator that falls under your banner. All are to man the first wall, until such a time as our numbers are replenished. Secondly, if the tithes you bring in were to suddenly diminish, I will take a finger each month from you as compensation. Thirdly, You are forbidden from seeking an honourable death in anything besides holding the wall.”

“You may be grateful, Choa-peng. That you are still of some worth to me.”

As the verdict fell without challenge, Tsea-gong watched as Choa-peng fell from favoured benefactor to pariah. The Elders rearranging themselves inconspicuously at first, and then unashamedly so. Although things were still noxiously heated, the fact that not even Sol-fae had spoken for him settled the matter entirely.

A shrewd move on his part, for Tsea-gong was more than prepared to place any dissenters under Choa-peng's banner on the first wall.

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