Chapter 36: Chapter 36 – A Ripple.

While Xiulan was living an indulgent lifestyle in Temple Gorge her actions had produced a ripple effect that was sweeping down river. Migration from the Capital traditionally was only ever non-voluntary.

The presence of the Combine and opportunity for people without spiritual roots to cultivate had changed that dynamic. For the first time, labours from the Capital who were not indentured or confined by slavery were making their way upriver.

This development was largely unnoticed by the cutthroat cultivators of the Kingdom. The same could not be said for all of Xiulan’s actions. In the Thunder sect a grumpy old man was drumming his fingers on the arm of a chair.

Next to him was a parrot perched on a gilded stand. The parrot was beautiful and unassuming but the power radiating off of it marked it out as a spirit beast.

The Old man turned to the parrot, “where is that fool of a disciple I took in? It has been months, but he has not returned from that dump. Is he so content with lording his petty cultivation over his family?”

The Parrot seemed uninterested but gave out a few squarks in answer. The Old Man jumped in surprise, “he is dead? How long has he been dead?”

The Parrot flapped its wings and let out a huffing sound that sounded irritated.

The Old Man stood up from his chair and pointed a finger at the bird while he said accusingly, “he died the day he arrived back in his shithole city! Why didn’t you tell me?”

The Parrot rolled its eyes and stomped its clawed feet impatiently.

The Old man grit his teeth and hissed, “no he was not very important, but he was still my nominal disciple I cannot just let his death go. Besides if I do not have a disciple then the sect will force me to take another one. Where am I supposed to find another one now? The selections are over for this year and there will not be any talents uncommitted.”

The Parrot let out a very human sounding sigh and took off from its perch. It flew out of the window and off to the west.

The Old Man dashed to the windowsill and shouted after the bird, “you better find that woman I do not care if you did not like Zhao Yaozu you are still my spirit pet.”

A few of the Thunder sect members who were walking past the Old Man’s rooms chuckled.

He was well known for talking to his parrot. No one else could understand the thing and many were convinced that he was actually having the conversations with himself. The Old Man did seem to have knowledge of things that he should not know though which was attributed to his spirit beast. The Old Man was as subtle as a hand axe, but his pet was always nosing around.

Elsewhere in the Capital a bedraggled Patriarch Bai was prostrating himself in front of a group of men.

The eldest of the men spoke, “so you picked a fight with some merchant, and you were defeated. The Bai Clan of Temple Gorge is so incompetent. I should never have agreed to marry my Granddaughter into your family.”

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Madam Bai was also kneeling next to her husband. She said in a low voice, “it was my choice grandfather. Besides how could anybody expect the rise of her faction’s power so quickly. When she entered the city she was still desperately fighting a nobody middle tier family. She must have some backing from the Capital to take over Temple Gorge so quickly.”

Madam Bai’s Grandfather thought it through and then nodded. He turned to the others and said, “it is worth looking into. We cannot take a hand ourselves but send someone to the royal palace. If she killed a magistrate, then the royal family should deal with her.”

In the royal palace a beautiful woman sat listening to seemly endless reports on the interior. Most of them dry reports on the productivity of the region which, strangely enough, had gone up in recent weeks.

She was slouching in a very unladylike manor on a throne of marble. The chair was incredibly uncomfortable, but the Royal Clan had to present a certain image. A plate of fruit was placed next to her in a dish of ice to keep the fruit cool. The woman popped a grape into her month and then yawned.

A man finished his report on the state of pig farming and another messenger stepped forward. “Your highness Princess Lijuan I have grave news to report,” he announced with great solemnity. 

Princess Lijuan straightened a little. Maybe this would be interesting.

Seeing that he had her attention the messenger continued, “a royal magistrate has been brutally murdered in Temple Gorge while serving the interests of the Royal Family.”

Princess Lijuan thought for a second, “Who that corrupt magistrate Bai? That is no great loss. What did he do to get himself killed?”

The messenger choked a little at the casual dismissal of the Magistrate as corrupt, but he was only paid to convey as message not to argue with royalty. He coughed and continued, “he was killed by a mob after a local food merchant incited them to riot. He was conducting a health inspection and had placed a temporary hold on the Merchant’s goods.”

Princess Lijuan narrowed her eyes and spoke more to herself than the messenger, “so he is the reason that I was not able to find grapes on the markets for a few weeks. Good riddance. This merchant however sounds interesting.”

She gestured to one of her servants, “investigate the incident and the merchant behind it. Take no action without reporting to me first.”

This interior monitoring post was a punishment from her royal father but perhaps there was something worthwhile to monitor out there in the qi poor region.

Princess Lijuan was so bored of the sect conflicts of the Capital. It might be worth going out into the field to investigate herself.

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