Shabby Place

[Third person POV]

As the day breaks Dorm 4 is ready to leave the academy, they gathered their belongings as the academy announced the task given to them. All the freshmen will be sent to the Northern Kingdom to learn and gather war-related knowledge. Considering that the north holds the military fleet of the Empire it is much easier to learn it from its origins.

The 7 carriages were already set up, each carriage contains the dorm members, from dorms 1 to 5, the other is for their Master for Tactical and defense Instructor Niu, and the other for their necessity, food, and baggage.

The training will be for a month or two, depending on how the weather and climate will allow them. The North only has two seasons, Winter and wet season, contrary to the capital and other kingdoms who are already in its spring season, the North is nearing its winter season, the North has always been the coldest part of Arghon when the ice melts it will result to the rainy season where plants can grow just as much until the winter comes again. They live off to hunt wild animals and cold plants, mushrooms, and shrubs.

Groups are all ready to set off as the first carriage of goods had already gone ahead. The trip will take about a week until they arrive at the city gate. The carriages will depart around 9 am, it is almost 8:30 when the Imperial Carriage arrived, the Empress went down on her explicit carriage to greet the students before departing. She was greeted by the students she just smiled, the Defense Instructor, General Niu bowed as he was greeted by the Imperial scroll, everyone went down to receive the Imperial Command.

The empress motioned for them to stand up and receive the scroll, seeing the students, she felt at ease leaving her son in the hands of the instructors and his friends. It must be a long journey for her son, but it will make him more valuable on the throne not just because of his lineage but because he did things to help the empire. She smiled when her eyes reached the Young Boy who had helped her family when they were assassinated. She eyed the boy, his slender body is much seen with their uniform, his eyes are bright and his lashes are long, he can be a girl by his physique the empress thought as her eyes still locked on Weicheng. Her height is average, which she was in awe when the boy's built that small could catch and aim effortlessly. He's a promising student indeed.

"This scroll will grant you access to the Arghon military command, " she stated upon being received. General Niu bowed as he took the scroll. When the clock ticks to 9, She bids her farewell to the students and looked at her son as he helped himself up to the carriage, she smiled as the students bid their goodbyes.

"Weicheng" the empress mused at the boy as the boy stepped forward, the empress looked at Weicheng and smiled, while Weicheng motioned for her mates to carry on to the carriage she closed the distance to the empress and bowed

"Your majesty"

The small smile of the empress lifted the mood as she took a silk sling pouch inside her right cuff and offered it to the boy in front of her. The boy looked at her confusingly as it reached for the sling pouch.

"Open it"

Weicheng pulls the green string and it opened. She extends her fingers and reached to see what's inside while the Majesty is still looking at him. Weicheng felt a cold metal inside and took it out.

"A Northern Crest?"

The Empress nodded slowly, still in Weicheng's confusion, she blurted out the question.

"Why--" realizing the abrupt and disrespectful manner she bowed her head "Your highness"

The Empress laughed "Well the northern crest will give you the same command as the Imperial Court have. You can enter and leave the north using this crest, certain people can be of use to you if you command them inside the Northern Palace, this resembles Yun's Power. Since you saved the Emperor and me to an arrow of death, this is just a small token, I would like you to have."

The empress walked back and forth "This privilege will be handy for you during your stay at the Northern Empire" the empress stopped as Weicheng's forehead creased "But,"

Her fingers closed the pouch as if they were burned. Weicheng's gut tells her that this is not a freeload gift, but an obligation.

"I have to ask you for a favor"

Her intuition has never been wrong. She is a Yun descendant after all. Before she could answer, the empress gave her the command.

"Since I agreed to give you a Northern Crest as a token, I am putting my trust in you. I want you to have this power forasmuch in hope that you could help my son, Tae Hua succeeds at the northern frontier. He needed the victory to gain the favor of the Emperor and the court."

===

[Weicheng's POV]

The carriage jumped because of a bumpy road. It has been 30 hours since they left the capital and my mind is still wandering around. My butt cheek has been already sore from the bumpy ride and serpentine pathways. I haven't had any meals since we left. All I do is read and drink water.

"This will be our first military exam right?" Chou Xi asked, munching on some tangerines, the moment he peeled off another layer and the smell reached me. I immediately covered my nose, they all looked at me as if confused. The smell of tangerines makes me sick.

"Weicheng is feeling nauseous when she smells tangerines," Laohu said as he threw it all off at the window.

"You have a really weird personality," Chou Xi said as he helped Loahu throw it all off they all just shrugged and opened another pack of goodies, this time they opened the peanuts.

I am barely breathing until I opened the window and inhaled the air, I saw that the sun is almost setting down. I saw signs nearing the first stop, at the foot of the first mountain the map was marked as the first stop, it is an inn which the Nantong Village has to accommodate travelers.

They will be staying here until the morning and the next stop would be after 4 days at the second inn near the Yulo River and, another 3 days will be spent before they reach the gate of the Capital of the North. They only reached the first inn and her mind is already shut down. She is not fond of the expedition when they can just take the short way her master Pu knows.

"Master Pu can stretch the week in just 3 days, this is insane" she mouthed at his side where Laohu is seated, she just received a silent glance at Laohu who just fixed his bag.

The carriages at the front turned right as they all parked at the entrance of an old and shabby inn. The roofs are almost falling as they just grimaced going down. The other groups went down as she saw group 4 she recalled the conversation between her and the empress.

Since this is group work, they will be assigned to several parts of the North to learn the relationship of politics, economics, social engagements, and military forces that affect the kingdom as a whole.

The Empress wanted their group to help group 4 especially the prince, get the favor of the Northern People and to take home the credit for solving the internal conflict before it reaches Jade City and other kingdoms.

I was dragged by Eun Jo as I realized all of them were already inside and I am still in my world, daydreaming. I snapped my head as I walked alongside the tall figure of Eun Jo. as soon as we entered, I tiptoed at the wooden floor that creaks every step I make.

"What a shabby place," I said talking to myself as we stopped where all of the students were gathered. They were a little bit noisy and laughing with how old this place is. We were not even greeted by any attendants here and there's no one even.

"Class" Our attention was directed to General Niu at the front of the hall. This must be a gathering hall. The wooded floor has some dents, the windows are covered with cobwebs too.

"You can take your seats"

not even a single soul moved, General Niu creased his head as he was about to talk, Tae Hua cut him off and started

"The seats might break the moment we even laid our fingers on them"

I heard them all laughed at the joke of Tae Hua as they all agreed, the chairs are squeaky and some of them are almost cracked, we might get an accident from them if we even try.

The noise was halted as a chair was thrown from the second floor. We all looked at where it came from, a moment later an old woman emerges at the second-floor railings. She has a red lipstick and she must be around 50s, her nails are long enough to cut a throat and her eyes are almost trying to pry on every little thing.

General Niu stepped forward as he bowed his head. He told us to do the same and we did.

"I am sorry to bother your meditation and making a scene. As we also apologize for the inconvenience of our sudden intrusion inside your inn, but these kids are having their first mission at the North. and we need to stay for a night to gather the things before the long journey. "

"They do not deserve this mission," she said "they do not even have the ounce of respect"

We bowed our heads and apologize, but she threw another chair at the side of group 3, they all scattered fearfully.

"That is not the problem, " she went down, and as her heels click on the wooden floor I feel her nails cutting our throat. She went to the chairs she threw and flip them over to stand "but, these chairs" she smiled. My hair went up due to her creepy smile

"Take your seats"

Our shaky hands immediately grabbed the nearest chairs as we sat our asses down nervously. She walked around each group and looked at the students each until she reached our seats. She narrowed her eyes as she clasped her hand together looking at me, everyone turned their eyes toward me as I looked at her.

"What a twist, we have here," she said and smiled sheepishly

I looked at her confused as she passed by me "I apologized for my shabby place" my eyes grew as she turned her eyes on me again

How did she know it? Did she hear me?

I just breathed and stood up as I apologized again " I am sorry for saying such words" I said eyes on the ground, I saw General Niu's disappointed look.

She just pursed her lips and nodded. "What's your name?"

I stutter "D-Dan Weicheng"

She just shook her head and motioned for me to sit down.

"Class, this is Lady Suan Ming"

"Suan Ming? as in fortune teller?" one of our classmates asked, General just smiled to answer, oh so she heard what I said or she has just foreseen it?

"You can occupy the rooms on the second floor and create your dishes for dinner, I'll be busy with the villagers' concern at the other side of this inn. The other side of the inn is a noisy gambling area.

General Niu gave us the keys to our rooms and asked us to gather things and go to the fireplace to cook our meals and after meals to go to the hall again for the general meeting.

I heard Qui Run walking with Tae Hua as he just murmured to get his fan to their room. "Run, your father will kill you if he found out you're still learning the fan dance rather than practicing your sword, you're the only Niu in your family, you might as well try to start learning now."

"he will not get mad, let me take it at my bag"

"no, you can do that later"

I just walk past them, when Tae Hua called my name, I just went ahead not stopping at his voice, I am tired of talking and arguing with him.

"Dan Weicheng" he sternly said again as Quirun already run off pass by me grabbing his fan, laughing. I forgot that Tae Hua called my name as I stopped and walk back to where he stands and looked at him with complete annoyance.

"What? What do you need?" I asked, annoyed

He just shrugged and asked straightforwardly, "what did you talk about with the empress?"

"None of your business" I turned my heel when he grabbed my left arm and turned me around again, he lowered his head to level it on my face.

"It is... My business." He said calmly as he sighed and shook his head

"You do not know my mother," he said, feeling down.

I just shrugged him off as I nodded " of course, I do not," I said and held his arm as I pulled it off of me. How can I even know how much more evil deeds can the two sisters do to have the world running on their hands?

I went ahead and left him there.

The meal was prepared and it was a good meal after 30 hours of my starving game. We washed and cleaned the dishes as we all went down the hall after eating. I may be a bad cook but I can eat well, and I guess that is a talent.

General Niu was already inside when we arrived, he was looking at a huge map of the Arghon, I narrowed my eyes as I look at it carefully, all the markings and all the map legends were there.

So, this is the official map of the Arghon. What a sight. On the other side of the room, I saw another set of eyes carefully looking at it, Bai Ku Ji. I realized he's one of the best strategists in our batch. He must be analyzing the map by calculations now. I have to give him a point for that. He is a great asset to our batch.

"The northern frontier is having an internal problem because people of the north are in crisis for food, the citizens refuse to pay for taxes imposed on them, given that there is famine and crops won't grow due to the cold climate, people are also sick and cannot go to their labor and work. A certain activist group tried to talk to people to join hands with them to play against the kingdom and the conflict grew. They demand conditions and the military forces keep are on hold for any changes that might happen and it will create chaos."

General marked the part of the North and its villages that are starting to rebel against their Kingdom. There are 16 villages in the north and 10 of them are turning down the Kingdom's rules and commands by not paying taxes and creating chaos in each village, some are burning down houses of nobles and some are killing the armed forces' horses for war battles. If the chaos continues, the war supplies and armory will be in danger.

"I do not believe in groupings and creating inner conflict, so, I want you all to work as one. It's better to solve them with more people than scatter you around the North. I promised the Emperor we will bring honor to the Empire as a whole."

I was instantly halted, why the sudden change of plans? The Empress will not be able to accept this. I raised my hand before everyone could agree and process what is happening.

"Sir, What's with the sudden change?" I saw he looked at Tae Hua

"It was brought by The Third Prince" my eyes turned to him, I saw others also looked at him confused. "He said that it is much better to work with everyone and to not create inner conflict and promote the grouping system when it comes to serious missions like these. To avoid the ranking system that only the group will benefit, why not benefit as a whole? Since we are promoting the consolidation of the North, he also said that we can start it inside the circle, your class."

A lot agreed, but some of them are still doubtful

"It will be against the rules of the academy," Bai Ku Ji said, to which I agreed. As a group leader, he might be thinking of ranking up the ladder too.

"No, The Emperor was the one who initiated it, the scroll is an Imperial command from the highness to work with one group and not divide you."

My eyes went to Tae Hua as to what I heard, I thought the Emperor favored him? But, he won't help Tae Hua inside the court? Tae Hua just bit his lip, I am still figuring out his mind. This mission will help Tae Hua gain the people of the North and the Jade City, also the favor of the Imperial Court that can guarantee him the throne. But, the emperor is not with it. Does the emperor have another Crown Prince in mind?

Ji Wok just looked at his cousin with an assuring look. I realized that every move of Tae Hua is unprecedented. And he might be having the best move or maybe he will be eaten alive.

What is going on in his mind?