Chapter 2: The separate royals. First act of the Boxers rebellion arc.
Murmurs and cheers erupted in the town's square as the people were gathered in the front of the board as new posters were in these posters depicted the outlaws that killed the bandits but their posters were buried as more people began placing new posters ordering the punishment of traitors of the ways of life in Kouka "Finally they were dealt with those Eris and Axis bandits" a woman said.
"Shh keep your voice down or we'll be overheard by the foreigners and the guards" another woman said.
"Let the guards hear how these men a pair of outlaws did their job of protecting our land and making the bandits pay for they have done" a man spoke loudly.
"Yeah the guards didn't do squat to protect us all because the bandits are following a foreign religion, the imperial court is now just like a dog in the leash of the foreigners."
Within the crowd was a small boy covered in a brown bag he gazed at the posters of the outlaws before he looked to the posters that supporters of the outlaws began making to drive away the foreigners and restore the superiority of Kouka "Don't even think about it kid" the boy snapped back to look at a rather dishevelled man with messy hair and beard taking a sip from an alcohol bottle "Believe me these outlaws were crushed sooner or later like most of them did."
The boy gazed at the man "What makes think that?"
"The foreigners" the drunk answered simply "Ever since they showed up they shook this nation to the core everything here from the army and trade is controlled by them and them only, the only reason they haven't carved up Kouka into separate colonies is to keep an open market to each other's."
"Are you willing to stay like this?"
"Yep things aren't sunshine's and rainbows kid even people like me need to kiss up to the foreigners" the drunkard turned around and left.
The kid looked back at the posters for a little but before he left to the slums and taking narrow ways before reaching a much richer and cleaner corner of the town were a giant incredibly built complex was standing tall within the safety of four walls, a magnificent palace with yellow and red pillars and building stones on the top pillar was a yellow flag that depicted an eastern azure Dragon reaching out to the sun next to it a few miles to the right was another complex not as magnificent as the palace itself but was equally important being a small fort that had many flags of different colors and patterns on it surrounding the fort were army men wearing different uniforms that distinguished their nations along with their looks.
The boy walked over to the gates were a group of maids stood looking at the boy with disapproving looks "Young master Soo-Won where have you been?"
"I was just taking a shower" the boy smiled.
"Very please don't take longer next time the lecture on the Confucius morals is about to start princess Yun-Yun is already writing down" the maid told the boy.
The blonde haired boy nodded as he made his way to the room where an elderly man was sitting on a table next to a little girl older than the boy by a few years with blue eyes and long flowing silver hair wearing a cyan-white eastern dress writing down as the Oldman oversaw it, he looked over to see Soo-Won "Boy where have you been? This disrespect of time will not make you an effective monarch after your father."
"Sorry" Soo-Won simply took his seat next to the girl.
The girl turned to him with a defeated look, whispering "Soo-Won please don't leave me to take most of the man's lectures by myself next time."
"Sorry Yun-Yun I'll try to come much earlier next time."
(…)
In other parts of the palace complex a throne stood where a man of moderately old age sat down he had no facial hair but his skin was pale and many pimples littered it his clothing consists of a yellow golden dress with a small cape not going past his shoulders along with a dragon drawing in it, his neck had a necklace of many beautiful pearls and jades and his crown was a red turban with a silver top.
Kneeling before him were officials wearing azure clothing with red caps "Great Emperor more and more bandits that were a problem are being hunted and killed off by these outlaws that appeared."
The elderly emperor narrowed his eyes not showing interests "Well good then we can resume taxes."
"Lord emperor though the bandits aren't a problem for us as of now there's still droughts in the country side and the harvest that the outlaws returned to the peasants is rationed, resuming the regular tax would stagger-"
"WHAT DID I SAY?" the aged emperor demanded.
"You demanded an increase of taxes during a troubling time is what you did" spoke an aged female voice with authority prompting the emperor to grit his teeth as an aged woman decades if not a century older than he is came wearing green robes, fake golden long nails and jade necklaces fanning herself.
"I thought you were at your retirement home today mother" the emperor acknowledge the woman.
"I was but I rode all the way here once I received word about these outlaws."
"Are they men of yours?"
"No they don't serve me or you for that matter" the old woman closed her fan with a snap "But I can't complain about the results they made though the struggle forced upon the peasants was lifted these outlaws are preaching and their words are reaching this very court."
As she said those words the aged emperor looked around his own court room seeing many high ranking officials nodding along with one in particular a thin skinned old man with a bushy moustache "Yes I believe we should support them."
"Prince Duan what are you saying?"
"These foreigners came into our lands and forced our people and us to their bidding" the prince looked up to the ceiling "I can only explain this as a sign from heaven itself that the time had come for the dragons to soar again."
The emperor looked to the official that reported to him still in the room "You!"
"Y-yes milord" the official cried once again kneeling.
"I want these outlaws dealt with now" the emperor seethed.
"As you wish" the official left the courtroom to carry out the message.
The old woman and many other officials didn't bother to hide their disdain for the order though only momentarily before they adopted neutral expressions "I hope you know what you are doing son."
"I do son of heaven knows heaven better than anyone" he said these words turning to the prince duan with a glare which the old timer prince shrugged off.
"Well I'm off to see my sweet grandchildren while I'm here along with their children" the aged lady turned around and left leaving the emperor to fume silent.
"The court is off" the emperor commanded as he left in anger, one by one the officials and imperial princes joined in the last of which was the prince duan.
"Milord suggesting that in the open court in front of the petty emperor is dangerous" one of the supporters voiced concern.
"Fear not for that fool will not disgrace the throne any longer and my views are matched by the crown prince who now grows ever so ambitious" prince duan spoke in an assuring tone.
"But prince Yu-Hon is a heretic that doesn't believe in the heaven."
"True but he believes in Kouka's domination and it's place in the world, the place it must retake now and very soon."