Chapter 257: Yueliang

The trek to the eastern capital was a quiet one for the most part, though an incredibly boring one. Eve and I could not train, for the fear of alerting authorities to our presence should a proficient enough practitioner of the mystic ways, martial arts or the priestly techniques be in too close a proximity to us.

Which was a constant concern, due to the ever present congestion on the road, that somehow continued to grow even denser as we slowly crawled our way towards Yueliang. This overcrowding also meant that we could not even talk to pass the time, as thousands upon thousands of merchants, travellers, beggars, soldiers and aristocrats seemed to be almost scraping the side of the carriages as we moved. Even breathing felt as a luxury too frivolous to risk at times.

And this ailment of the road grew ever more terminal as you closed in further and further upon the gates to enter the massive city. Which at a glance were wide enough to allow twenty carriages to pass through it side by side without issue. Yet when we were still nearly a league from the city, the traffic abruptly stopped. Frozen in place.

And following the near instant grumbling from the mass of people around us, it did not take us long to understand what had happened.

Tedious Inspection.

The city guards were enforcing the new safety measures during this time of strife and war for the empire. And they were apparently extremely inefficient in terms of time. So much so that I heard some begin to quite vocally proclaim that they would do business again in the capital, until these ’moronic procedures’ are put to rest.

And so we waited for what felt like an hour or so, moving every so often by no more than a few paces. Which allowed ample time to listen more and more of the people’s words, most marvellous of which were the words a son told his impatient father a few steps to the side of us.

"So? How is it?" The father asked his panting son, who’d obviously just come running off from somewhere.

"I’m sorry father..." He took several quick breathes. "But the other gates are just like this one, if not worse..." He laboured in his breath again. "I asked an old man on the way... and he said the southern paths are the worst. Said the line goes as far as the eye could see."

"Damn!" The father raged. "Damn them all! Those fools in the Moon Palace and that bastard demon in the south!"

"Father please!" The son seemed to rush to silence his father. "What if the guards hear you!"

"Let them!" The man shouted. "I’d like to see what they can do!"

"You should listen to your son old man." Another calm and steady voice sounded out then, slightly more off to the side than the other two.

"And why should I?!" The father roared out against the man too.

"Because you’re going to get the rest of us in trouble too!" This time it was a woman’s shrill voice that echoed out.

The father seemed to scoff. "It’s all trouble!" He said, before beginning on another tirade of his, as others tried quieting him down again.

But while they kept bickering amongst themselves, my attention was being engulfed by a different set of thoughts.

Yueliang had a total of sixteen gates; four on each of it’s cardinal directions. And all of these enormous gates were the size of the door before us now, if not larger. And yet, according to that young man’s words, were also all trapped in the quagmire of this predicament of ours.

’Just how thorough these operations must be for it to stall traffic so much? And just how paranoid are the masters of this city to create them?’ I thought.

And these contemplations of mine gave way for not only a new epiphany on the state of the struggle within these walls, but they brought a renewed sense of dread to me as well.

The silent struggle in the halls of power was drawing to it’s bloody end. For such strict security measures, I deduced, were not in fact for the sake of safety as they claimed, for the capital was too far away from any areas of struggle for that to be a worry. No, the purpose of these stringent measures was most definitely for the sake of isolation. Much like a pack of predators would try to break the weak and sick away from the herd. Cornering it before they then slaughter it at their own convince.

And I had a fairly good idea who was currently being hunted. And though we did not speak, I knew Eve was of the same mind.

The hours continued to trickle by afterwards, like coarse sand through a miniscule hole. Agonizing in it’s slowness, when we suddenly felt the carriages veer off to the right all of a sudden.

A minute later, we heard voices arguing, before we were once more on the move, but this time we could tell we were no longer outside the city. We had entered Yueliang.

Yet due to all these extra precautions, the trip that was meant to merely take us a single day, wound up costing us a day and a half instead. And that was only because of Glee’s shady connections to that particular guard captain. Or else, I feared we might’ve stayed waiting outside the gates with the rest of the populace even now.

Following our safe entry, we began a quick series of turns along the roads, as though we were racing against someone. Finally, almost a third of an hour later, we had stopped, just as I could tell through the fabric overhead that it was near sundown and we had entered what I assumed to be a supply depot or a storage of some kind.

Yet we did not immediately exit, as we waited for the signal that the coast was clear. Which came a couple of minutes later.

"Welcome my lords and lady, to Yueliang!" Glee’s loud voice boomed through the almost completely empty building as soon as we stepped out of our cramped hiding places.

The building was long and high. In front of us was a large wooden gate, painted blue, which was the one we had undoubtedly just passed through. To the left there was a simple staircase that led to a closed thick wooden door, and to our left was a series of tall windows that allowed some natural light to pass, illuminating the dark interior.

Stepping towards them, I saw the city’s streets. A baker’s shop directly to the opposite side of the stone road. And way off to the distance, I could just behold the very top of the fading silhouette of a gigantic structure.

"The view is far better on the second floor your imperial majesty." I heard Glee’s voice say, as he stood by the door to the left, holding it open as the others awaited me.

The attached building we entered then was a neat store selling various things. From clay pots of olive oil and dried leaves, to glass containers holding aromatic perfumes and basic remedies. While sun dried twigs and branches of a plethora of herbs were hanging from the ceiling. All of which was laying beneath a wooden staircase towards a small corridor that led to four rooms. Two of which were being utilized as clerical offices, while the third appeared to be a small break room, filled with chairs, a basic long table and a bowel of fruits with some cups and a jug of water. While the final one, which so happened to possess the finest view of the palace, was quite clearly the manager’s personal office.

Even in the darkening sky, the Moon Palace, as it was called, shone a regal silver, as it towered haughtily over all the city. With the Dynasty’s distinct sixteen moon flag that were superimposed upon a serpentine dragon looming over it all, as it was grandiosely carved upon the central citadel in elegant craft.

"We own several businesses in the eastern capital." Explained Glee at that moment, breaking my focus away from the palace. "Not under the same name of course. And this apothecary shop is only one of many. Though I have chosen it mainly due to it’s proximity to the Moon Palace. I hope it is to your satisfaction."

"It’s perfect Glee." I replied. "Tell me, has there been any new rumblings from the palace?" I asked, as I sat behind the desk.

"None sire. The palace has been unnaturally quiet this past week or so." He instantly replied.

Nizam’s fists clenched at this.

"And these stringent security measures. How long have they been implemented?"

"Not long ago, sire. Not long ago at all. No more than ten days or so." He said. "Though lighter security measures have been in effect for months now." He added.

"Hmm." I hummed in thought for a moment, but Nizam seemed to be quite impatient now that we were so close.

"What do we do brother?" He asked.

"First thing’s first. We must at last identify who our enemies are."