[Write the acknowledgment as follows: The Grand Preceptor's Residence's order has arrived. Family Letter writing in the Northern Border is temporarily suspended.]
They had even written the Northern Border's acknowledgment for it.
All that remained was for someone to stamp it.
The clerk slammed his fist into the deck.
"They want the Northern Border to acknowledge it themselves."
The Commandant rolled up the Transfer Order and stuffed it back into the main dispatch tube.
"Send it back to the Grand Preceptor's Residence."
"Take everyone back under guard."
He turned to the man who had been clutching the tube.
"If you don't talk now, you'll still have to talk when we get back."
The man lay face down on the deck, wet hair plastered to his neck, panting for a long time.
Suddenly, he gave a laugh.
"You're still watching the Xiqi Lodge?"
The Commandant said nothing.
Held down by Armored Guards, the man still struggled to lift his chin.
"This was being sent to the Northern Border army."
"The Xiqi guesthouse was only a route through."
When those words were carried back to the Grand Preceptor's Residence by the Thunder Edict, the crowd on the long street outside the guesthouse had yet to disperse.
The Chief Envoy of Xiqi stood in the middle of the street, his sleeve cuff already crumpled from his grip.
He had still been waiting.
Waiting for the mounted pursuers from the North Gate to fail.
Waiting for the Grand Preceptor's Residence to bring back only a Cart Driver and a gate attendant.
Waiting for his chance to extricate the Xiqi Lodge from this affair.
But the Thunder Edict descended, and the Registrar placed the main dispatch tube and the Transfer Order together in the middle of the street.
The sodden yellow paper was