"Send an Urgent Report to Xiqi."
"The Chief Envoy has been detained."
"The Deputy Envoy has also been detained."
"The outer relay station has been sealed for thirty days."
"The transit seal has been confiscated."
"The Grand Preceptor's Residence demands that someone who can take responsibility come to Chaoge."
The Urgent Report was sent out that night.
Several days later.
The Xiqi Council Hall.
San Yisheng placed the Urgent Report on the desk.
Both of Xiqi's envoys were being held in Chaoge.
The outer relay station's transit seal and the Blank Paper with Genuine Seals were also in the hands of the Grand Preceptor's Residence.
Sending more ordinary envoys would only get them detained by Wen Zhong as well.
He rose and gave an order to those outside the door.
"Prepare a carriage."
"I'm going to Chaoge."
San Yisheng did not have the lodge continue sending ordinary envoys.
He took the Marquis of the West's formal order authorizing him to handle the lodge's affairs and left Xiqi that very day.
Several days later, he entered Chaoge.
There was no ceremonial procession.
There was no welcoming banquet.
After entering the city, his carriage went first to the Xiqi Lodge.
The lodge's main gate was still open, but the outer relay station's sign had been taken down, and a seal from the Grand Preceptor's Residence had been pasted across its gate.
The Ceremonial Officer recounted everything that had happened over the past few days.
San Yisheng asked only two questions.
"Has the Chief Envoy signed the document accepting the penalty?"
"Yes."
"Did the Deputy Envoy publicly acknowledge that the outer relay station was under his supervision?""He did."
"Yes."
San Yisheng asked nothing more.
He had the two envoys' quarters sealed and their official seals and lodge command tokens confiscated, then went to