Po was training at the Training Hallof Jade Palace with The Furious Five, monitored by Master Shifu. Suddenly, he saw the closed side door open and the palace messager Mr Zeng entered the hall in a hurry. The goose went straight to Shifu and delivered the news to Shifu.
Master Shifu stopped the training and led the students to the Palace's front door.
Shifu explained "A group of people in civilian clothing claimed they were government officials. If they are speaking the truth, then it is probably significant."
Master Shifu opened the main door, and Po saw several avians in civilian clothes waiting. One of them dressed like a wealthy gentry, he should be the official. The rest were his assistants and guards. The gentry handed out a piece of paper and a government seal to Shifu. Shifu read the paper and examined the seal carefully.
A few moments later, Shifu's suspicion faded. He welcomed the guest, a high-ranking official. The official said he had brought an important matter from the empire court and wanted to discuss it with Shifu in private. Shifu instructed the students to wait in the student barrack while he had a closed-door meeting with the Official in the palace meeting room.
In the student barrack, Po asked The Five if it was normal for officials to pay secret visits to Jade Place. During the Dragon Warrior Tournament 2 years ago, the year 1886, Po saw there were persons wearing official uniforms sitting among Shifu, Oogway and other Kungfu masters. He was informed by Shifu that they were representatives from the provincial government later that day. Before today, no officials paid a visit to Jade Palace, not even when Tai Lung was defeated by Po in Peaceful Valley.
A police investigation team consisting of a dozen police officers and civil services from the province city arrived after Po defeated Tai Lung. The death of Tai Lung shocked the whole martial art community since Tai Lung was one of the most skilled Kungfu masters that ever existed. However, the police officer said it was just a prison escape from the point of the government, nothing more. The investigation team left after they had collected the necessary evidence and testimony to describe the final demise of Tai Lung.
The five replied that today's event was new to them too. The government rarely brothered the Jade Palace. Rarely, does the government employ the Five as bodyguards to protect VIPs. The latest time that they were employed was more than 10 years ago. The Five had the mission to protect the one of the prince, who arrived at the province and performed an inspection. Fortunately, the mission was uneventful for the Five.
Whatever the officials brought, it must be a magnitude more important than protecting the royal family prince.
Po heard the door of the student barrack open and Shifu entered said the officials had just left the palace. However, they were still at the Valley of Peace and stayed at the only Inn in the Valley. Po noticed Shifu was worried and thoughtful. It seemed the officials brought bad news.
Shifu ordered the students to go to the meeting room where he would give a briefing about the situation.
Po and the Five entered the room. There was a table with a few chairs in the middle. On the table, there was a steaming teapot, several half-drinking tea cups, a few piecesand scrollsof paper. Shifu moved the tea set aside and laid out the papers properly.
"The government ordered the Jade Palace to participate in a sabotage mission against The Peafowl Rebels. I would stay, and all of you take part in the mission. You will set off one week later. You and The officials would meet up at the Inn and they would handle the rest."Shifu announced
Shifu picked up a piece of paper on the table and said "Here is the official order." He passed it to the students and let them read it.
Po asked "Did they provide or hint anything useful about the details of the mission?"
Shifu replied "No. They said it was top secret. However, I can make a good guess."
The red panda unfolded one of the scrolls which was a map of China.
Shifu explained "They said it was amajorsabotage operation. If it succeeds, it can bring the rebels to their knees. Destroying a few depots and railway bridges can't achieve this result. Only the destruction ofa major arsenal can achieve this result."
Shifu pointed the map with his staff "The Rebel's largest arsenal is located in Gongmen City, Guangdong Province."
Shifu flipped another piece of paper which turned out to be a photograph of a large factory complex "This is the arsenal in Gongmen. I guess this would be your target."
Tigress said "This is the heart of the Rebels. It would be very challenging and dangerous."
Shifu agreed in a serious tone "Yes. Although we don't know the details of the mission, one thing for certain is that it would be way more dangerous than any task we had ever encountered. This could very be a one-way trip."
Shifu sighed, then continued"Besides the risk, there is no honour in this task. The government compare The Peafowl Rebels to bandits. They are the complete opposite of it. I preferred to call them by their true name, Gongmen Society("The Society").
Their establishment and revolt are the result of this incompetence and corrupt dynasty. Since 1840, China has been going downhill. Internally, the country is devasted by wave after wave of peasant revolts. Externally, China is lagging in industrialization and technology compared to Western countries.
According to materials I have collected over the years, The Society brought great social progress to its territories. In the last 20 years, the vastly more powerful imperial army had launched countless military campaigns with the objective of exterminating The Society. The imperial army failed, and the Gongmen Society is more powerful than ever. It meant the so-called rebels were way more competent than the imperial government.
Po asked curiously "So we have to fight the good guys?
Shifu thought for a few seconds before he answered"I would say they are progressive, bring new ideas and positive changes in society.
Po continued"Can't we object this mission? It feels wrong."
Shifu said definitely "No, we cannot refuse this mission."He continued "If we refused, we would be committing a crime. We would be arrested, The Jade Palace would lose all of the privilege granted by the government."
Crane added "No more Jade Palace after that"
Shifu reminded them "One more important thing. This mission is top secret. You must not leak a word to anyone outside this room, including your closest friends and families. Understood?"
"Yes, Master."The students answered
Author notes
This story originated from the idea that Lord Shen attacked Panda Village for a justified reason. In the end, it becomes a 19th-century AU.
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