Swordswoman: The Few Unrecorded Decades - Chapter 38

Qing Empire

The clueless Qing Emperor about the calamity that is about to come is silently sipping his tea. He is even waiting for a good news anytime from now.

“Your majesty, a messenger from the Empire of Hong requests to meet you.” an advisor of the Qing Palace informed the Qing Emperor on the arrival of his visitor.

“Oh? Let him in.” the Qing Emperor ordered.

“Yes, your majesty.” the advisor offered a customary bow before he turns his back to the emperor. Soon after, he is back with a man beside him.

“Greetings! The Qing Emperor! My highness, the Emperor Hong Te has ordered me to come to your palace because of two purposes. First, this letter is intended to be delivered just for you. This is from the monthly subscription of our magazine business in Hong Empire. The letter contains the high lights of the ascension celebration of Emperor Ru Shi, the new emperor of the Empire of Ru.” the messenger from Hong Empire said and handed a bulky letters to the emperor’s advisor. The advisor then, placed the magazine in the table.

“The second purpose your majesty is that, my highness Emperor Hong Te is giving you a chance to get an invitation to our auction event held in the Hong Empire next week. This invitation is of 5 percent discount. You only need to pay 10 gold coins to get this invitation!” the messenger said and showed him a paper with strange painting drawn on it.

“Didn’t you say that he is giving that invitation? Why must I pay for 10 gold coins?” the Qing Emperor inquired with suspicious tone.

“Oh! Well about that your majesty, I did not say he is giving this invitation for free. What I said is that, Emperor Hong Te is giving you a chance to get an invitation of our auction for only 10 gold coins! It’s rare for our emperor to give this discount, you must grab this opportunity!” the messenger encourages the emperor.

“You citizens from the Hong Empire are really good at talking business and earning money! What is so special about that auction anyway?” the Qing emperor inquired.

“See it for yourself, your majesty.” the messenger stepped forward and handed him the letter of invitation directly.

The Qing Emperor slowly read the content of the invitation for the auction.

–

***We are pleased to inform you that the Hong Empire will be having an auction! We will be auctioning the hottest information.

1. The Identity of White Death. Guaranteed legit as our Emperor Hong Te was the very source of this information.

2. The Relationship of Ru Empire and He Empire with some exclusive interview from King Ru Ning himself by our beloved emperor.

3. The Future Empress of He Empire. This information includes the immergence of the ruler token for the empress of the Empire of He and the person holding the token.

Our information channel is the only place where you can get the latest credible information. Grab this invitation for 5% Discount! Pay 10 Gold Coins only.

***

–

“This… Who else is given this invitation to your auction?” the Qing Emperor stared at the messenger with full of disbelief.

“Your majesty, we from the Hong Empire welcomes anyone who is capable of buying our invitation.” the messenger responded.

“Alright. I will buy this and -” the Qing Emperor said but was interrupted by a running guard. Panic is evidence in his face.

“Your majesty, emergency! You must escape! The Qing Elite Army was possessed! They had already started destroying the capital and is coming towards here!” the guard said in a quick manner.

“What!? Where is my brother?” the Qing emperor jerked forward from his comfortable sitting position.

“Your majesty, he had also lost his soul and was possessed!” the guard stated with urgency.

Before the Qing Emperor could say another word, he heard heavy footsteps and men chanting coming to his direction.

“Destroy the enemy! Destroy the enemy! Destroy the enemy!” The chant grows louder and louder as it gets closer and closer to his direction.

“There is no time your majesty, let’s go!” the guard said and guided as the emperor flew away.

In contrast to the guard who felt panic, the messenger from the Hong Empire has wears a glint of excitement in his face.

“It could be a good scope for our business magazine!” he blurted out and hides himself from the curtain while the Qing Emperor went on his way. After a while, a realization hits him. The Qing Emperor did not return nor pay the letter of invitation! He looked at the direction where the emperor left with full of disdain and contempt.

Not long after, the possessed soldiers arrived at the room. The messenger from Hong Empire secured himself in a curtain for a hide out. As soon as he saw the eyes of these soldiers were all dead, he involuntarily shivered.

“Destroy the enemy! Destroy the enemy! Destroy the enemy!” The soldiers continued chanting as they looked for the Qing Emperor.

“I know where they are hiding! Follow me!” the possessed brother of the Qing Emperor shouted and led the other soldiers to the direction where the Qing Emperor went.

Meanwhile, the Qing Emperor had managed to get inside to his underground safety room. It was built for the very purpose of hiding. There are also enough foods and water placed in the underground. He sighed in relief but he could not dismiss the idea how his army was possessed.

Before the Qing Emperor could think of any idea, he heard a loud bang from the outside of the underground room. Someone is trying to destroy the door! After a few breaths, his possessed brother emerged. The face of Qing Emperor lost every possible color it has. He stared with wide eye at his own soldiers quickly gathering in the room.

“Brother! Brother! Wake up! You are being controlled! I am your emperor!” the Qing emperor shouted in desperation.

No matter how loud the emperor shouted, his men could not hear him. They continue advancing to his direction until his brother mercilessly stabbed him multiple times!

He even saw his soldiers enthusiastically cheering at the first contact of the sword to his body. He blinks a few times and gasps for an air to breath as his brother continue assaulting him.

“Alas, I was too greedy. This may be my punishment from the heavens. In my next life, I don’t want to be in the throne.” the Qing emperor mumbled as he felt an intense pain from the wound he just incurred. Then the Qing Emperor took his last breath.

“Destroy the enemy! Destroy the enemy! Destroy the enemy!” the chanting carries on after the death of the Qing Emperor.

The possessed soldiers went out of the underground and massacred every person from the Qing Empire. As they go on their rampage, a figure had been following them. It was the messenger from the Hong Empire trying to get the best scope of the story for the magazine business of Emperor Hong Te.

–

Region A, The Empire of Huang

“Your majesty, the soldiers from Ru seemed to have completely lost their interest in the Yellow River. According to our army, those soldiers had already cowardly built their camp within their own border territory and nobody from their troops has ever checked the vicinity of Yellow River since the last two weeks.” A trusted advisor of Emperor Huang Le reported in a smug manner.

The emperor slaps his palm on the chair in joy and enthusiasm. “Great! Have all our soldiers put a barrier in the Yellow River. The stronger, the better!”

“There is another news from our spy, your majesty. This is a letter sold all over the Region S about the ascension celebration of Emperor Ru Ning. I think that their new emperor is not interested in fighting our dispute over the Yellow River.” one of Emperor Huang Le’s advisors added.

“Sorry to interrupt your majesty, the Emperor of Ma is waiting outside.” A guard entered and informed him about the arrival of Emperor Ma Bing.

“Let’s finish our discussion later. I shall talk to Emperor Ma Bing first.” the Emperor Huang Le said and left his advisor.

He slowly walks outside and saw the anxious looking face of his fellow emperor. “What happened to you, Emperor Ma Bing?” the Huang Emperor asked.

–

“Ah! This emperor received a report that my two expert Soul Practitioners died in Hong Empire. They are attacked! Their souls were extinguished.” Emperor Ma Bing said in a quick pace. His eyes are full of worry.

–

“Oh? Who is capable of harming your expert soul practitioners? Do you have an idea?” The Huang Emperor inquired.

–

“I have my suspicions. Since the death of my uncle, annihilating a soul abruptly stopped. But now, an unknown legacy emerged. We have tracked down the legacy and found out that it is now in the Empire of He. This territory is so far from ours and there are no other routes, except entering the Empire of Ru. This emperor wants to know when you are going to attack this empire.” Emperor Ma Bing said.

–

“I have assembled my soldiers and they will start placing barricades in the Yellow River. The Empire of Ru has a new emperor that may not necessarily be fearsome, unlike King Ru Ning. We can declare war anytime soon!” Emperor Huang Le told him with an assuring tone.

–

“That’s good! By the way, there is an auction in the Hong Empire next week, if we managed to buy an invitation of this event we can also come inside their territory as a guest.” the Ma Emperor suggested.

–

“Then lets buy that invitation!” the Huang Emperor agreed.

–

“Uhhmmnn.. It’s quite expensive. Because we are not from their region the price is 25 gold coins!” Emperor Ma Bing said. The Huang Emperor almost coughs from his own saliva upon hearing the price.

–

“This crocodile Emperor of Hong is really something! Well, we do not have a choice. Let’s just buy two.” the Huang Emperor said in a pained expression. The amount was indeed expensive!

–

“Then I shall go now. I will instruct my spy to buy two invitations for us. Shall we inform Emperor Chi Xing?” the Emperor of Ma pondered and asked his fellow emperor.

–

“I don’t think he will be interested in gossip.” The Huang Emperor said.

–

“You’re right. See you on the auction then. Someone will deliver your ticket once my spy successfully purchases it.” the Ma Emperor said before he left.