Imperial Domain.
In the skys of the Domain, A large carriage being pulled by six large majestic looking birds with horn approached the city.
The birds were seven foot tall with a variety of different colours, with long horns. when the sun reflectes on their bodies, a myriad rainbow colours shunned across the sky.
They were pulling a large golden carriage big enough to accommodate ten people, it looked luxurious and grand,
There was a banner on the carriage that read, 'Qing Clan'. The carriage flew into the domain in grand style.
The commoners raised their heads to look at the carriage in the sky in awe, In the capital the only people permitted to fly above the sky's of the Domain were the Imperial clan and Qing clan, apart from this two no one else was allowed to fly in the capital, not even Grand General Gu Shang had such a privilege.
Gu Shang was in his study on the sixth floor of his pavilion when he saw the carriage, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
The Qing Clan leader was going to be a bit troublesome to handle.
"Can't I even catch a break" He sighed, before going through the report on the table.
Infront of the Qing Clan manor, Qing Ying and all the members of the Qing Clan had come outside to welcome their leader.
The carriage appeared above their manor before landing in front of the waiting crowd, the Qing clan members felt a huge pressure lifting off their shoulders.
Gu Shang purge in the capital was like a warning to them. Gu Shang was getting too powerful that they had feared that if their clan lord did not return early, it might be too late,
Thankfully, he came on time. With the clan lord here, there had nothing to worry about.
A man in his late fourty's stepped out of the carriage wearing silver robes, he had sharp eyes but a calm face. He didn't look ferocious as one would imagine, nor did he have the aura of a domineering person with a lot of power.
Apart from his sharp eyes and handsome appearance, there was nothing special about him.
"Welcome, clan lord!" The members of the Qing Clan greeted him whiles taking the knee.
He looked at the members kneeling on the ground and raised his hand, "Rise"
All the members rose from the ground, Qing Ying came forward and hugged the clan lord tightly, "Father, welcome home" She said sweetly.
"Oh, how has my dear daughter been doing?" The clan leader asked with a doting smile.
"I've been very sad because, I've missed you so much, and why didn't you reply any of my letters" Qing Ying replied looking aggrieved.
"I hope my dear sister missed me as much as I missed her" A young extremely handsome man walked out of the carriage with his hands behind his back.
He wore scarlet robes, and held a paper fan in his hands. He looked like the exact photo copy of the clan lord, "Brother!!" Qing Ying yelped in surprise before jumping into the arms of the young man.
"You are already, a big capable woman so why are you acting like a youngester" The handsome chuckled as he hugged his sister.
"I hope nothing major happened in my absence?" The clan leader asked his brother in a calm voice.
The acting clan lord smiled wryly, "Brother, didn't you read any of your daughter's letters?" He asked.
"I couldn't read any of the letters, Why did something important happen whiles I was away?" The clan lord asked in a still calm voice.
"Then we have a lot to report!" The acting clan lord replied.
The clan lord was a bit surprised so he looked at his daughter with a 'what's going on glance'. Qing Ying just smiled, "Father let's move to meeting hall"
The core members of the Qing Clan all gathered at the meeting hall, as they began to explain every event that had happened in the absence of their lord.
The clan lords face, went from expressionless to surprised to shock, the more he listened, the more absurd it became for him.
After they had finished recounting everything to him, the clan lord of the Qing Clan sat there with a serious expression on his face.
"Qing Ying, did he really tell us to not satisfy our appetite? Does he know our plans?" He asked.
"No father, I don't think he knows our plan, he must have a hunch, but we must get rid of him if our plan is to succ.."
"No!" Before she could finish, the Clan lord cut her off.
We can't get rid of him, if we do we'll plunge ourselves into unnecessary wars even if we succeed in our plan.
We'll be too weary and tired too fight another war, we need him on our side.
Over the past few weeks, I've been traveling around the realm, his name alone it's enough to scare enemy empires into submission, he's the reason we've had stability to progress our plan to the final stages and I plan to get him on our side"
The clan lord explained his descesion. All the core members nodded, Gu Shang was a great asset to them and it would be a shame to kill him, when they had other uses for him.
Qing Ying sighed and asked, "Father, do you know the reason for his actions?" The whole room fell silent.
Non of them knew Gu Shang goals and what he planed to archive with his actions.
He wasn't very close to the emperor to want protect him, he's even killed a few of the emperor trusted men in his blood purge and had also removed all the emperors people in position of importance in the army.
He didn't also need power because he was already the most powerful man in the empire, so they were all confused.
"Surely it can't also be that, he's doing all this things for fun, is he?" An elder asked.
The clan lord looked at his daughter, "Do you know his reasons??"
Qing Ying shook her head, even she had no idea why Gu Shang was doing this, " I don't know, but I have a hunch. But it can't be th.."
"It surely is what you are thinking" The clan lord interrupted her.
"Since he came to the capital, all the people he has targeted were, all people who stood in the way of Imperial power, whether it was the lower three clans or the Moonshade Sect, they all stood against the imperials authority"
The clan lord explained, all the people there were surprised to hear this. It wasn't that they hadn't thought of it, but this notion was too unlikely to be the reasons for his action.
"Father, the Grand General has refused to attend all court meetings since his arrival in the capital, he's even reject a direct summon from the emperor,
Besides he also surrounded the palace and kept the imperial family hostage for more than a day.
There's also the incident of him wiping, the Kong, Fan and Ji Clans. This clans are the most loyal clans to the imperial family, but Gu Shang wiped them all out during the purge.
This clans were strong pillars for the imperial clan, so why would he kill them? I'm afraid his actions aren't against only those standing up against the empire." Qing Ying explained.
The rest of the members all agreed to her. Killing those clans were going to weaken the imperial family, not help them.
The clan leader smiled gently, "And who told you that the Kong, Fan and Ji clans are loyal to the imperial family?"