As discussion went on in the main hall. Lei Wong and Yu Bo stood side by side at their usual post, their eyes scanning the city below. The morning sun cast a warm glow over Crescent Moon City, and the bustling activity of the streets provided a lively backdrop to their conversation.
As they chatted, a young recruit named Xiao Lian appeared, approaching the two guards with a confident stride. Lei Wong and Yu Bo exchanged surprised glances, clearly taken aback by the recruit's audacity to join their conversation uninvited.
Ignoring the recruit's presence, Lei Wong continued his conversation with Yu Bo, hoping that Xiao Lian would take the hint and move along. But the recruit seemed undeterred and started to speak directly to Lei Wong.
"Good morning, Lei Wong," Xiao Lian greeted him politely, a hint of eagerness in his voice. "I've noticed your dedication and expertise, and I was wondering if you could share some of your experiences with me."
Lei Wong hesitated for a moment, torn between acknowledging Xiao Lian's enthusiasm and maintaining the usual camaraderie with Yu Bo. Despite Yu Bo's silent cues to ignore the recruit, Lei Wong decided to give him a chance.
"Good morning, Xiao Lian," Lei Wong replied with a warm smile. "I appreciate your interest, and I'm happy to share my knowledge with you. Guard duty requires vigilance and discipline. It's important to keep a watchful eye on the city and its people."
As Lei Wong engaged in conversation with the recruit, Yu Bo grew increasingly irritated. He cleared his throat loudly, hoping to divert Lei Wong's attention back to him, but to no avail. The recruit seemed oblivious to Yu Bo's existence, focused solely on Lei Wong.
Unable to contain his frustration, Yu Bo interjected with a sarcastic tone. "So, Xiao Lian, are you hoping to become Lei Wong's personal apprentice? Maybe he can teach you how to appreciate the sunrise too."
Xiao Lian's eyes narrowed, and a flicker of anger crossed his face. He took a step forward, his voice tinged with irritation. "I'm here to learn from the best, unlike you, Yu Bo, who seems to know only how to belittle others. Perhaps you're the one who needs a lesson in being a proper guard."
Yuan Bao was fuming with rage as he was about to step forward and grab Lei Wong by his throat, when Yuan Cai seemingly appeared out of thin air. Lei Wong was taken aback as the vice-captain somehow reacted quicker than him as if he had been lying in wait for this moment.
'Where did Yuan Cai even come from?' Lei Wong was deeply puzzled. 'I haven't seen him all morning, but now he appears the moment Yu Bo and Xiao Lian are about to butt heads.'
Yuan Cai appeared abruptly as if coming to put a stop to the commotion, when in reality he left everyone on the scene completely baffled as to how and why he chose to appear now. The conflict did not even appear to be that serious, nevertheless the vice-captain was there to put a stop to it.
"Enough Yu Bo, you know the punishment that awaits a guard who harms his comrade." Yuan Cai said as he drew his sword at Yu Bo, "Immediate beheading of the perpetrator and enslavement of their spouse."
Lei Wong was completely befuddled as to how Yuan Cai would possibly come to the conclusion that Yu Bo wished Xiao Lian harm, when the most he would have done was rough him up a bit to teach him a lesson.
"Are you willing to pay that price, if so, go ahead and strangle him to death." Yuan Cai said with a smirk on his face, " I will take full responsibility and cut you down the moment your hands reach for his neck."
Yu Bo stared at Yuan Cai with a look of anger as well as helplessness as he slowly lowered his hands and hung his head down, it was truly the only the thing he could do as Yuan Cai had framed him for committing a grave offence.
"As the commander of the eastern wall, it is my duty to ensure that you perform your duties." Yuan Cai said as he sheathed his sword, "I did not wish to threaten you Yu Bo, but I will do whatever it takes to maintain unity in this division."
Yuan Cai slowly moved towards to Yu Bo and suddenly grabbed his shoulders with a fearsome grip. "Even if it means I have to cut off those I find unnecessary."
"Ahh…" Yu Bo silently grimaced in pain as Yuan Cai squeezed on his shoulders, he could only bear the pain in silence. Yuan Cai appeared to be extremely delighted with Yu Bo's expression.
"Vice-Captain Sir, I believe that Yu Bo has learnt his lesson." Lei Wong tried to plead on behalf of Yu Bo. "I beg you to let him go, am sure that he will not repeat such foolish conduct again."
Yuan Cai didn't even bother replying to Lei Wong, as he slowly added even more strength to his grip on Yu Bo's shoulders, which caused his facial expression to slowly contort into a look of anguish. "Am sure you regret showing such little regard towards the request I made the day before, but don't worry I shall set an example out of you."
"The vice-captain is quite vicious." A guard stationed on the left side of the commotion said. "I don't think his actions warrant treatment like this."
"Certainly, even though Yu Bo was far from the innocent party, it doesn't mean the vice-captain has to go this far." Another guard on his right replied, "At this rate the captain will dislocate his shoulders with the amount of force his applying."
The guards that were watching this spectacle were not aware of the events that transpired only the day before. They knew that the vice-captain was known to be quite petty and had a bad relationship with Yu Bo, but what they didn't know was that this entire series of events was due to Yu Bo and Lei Wong blatantly refusing to volunteer for a task arranged by Yuan Cai himself.
"A shame we can't do anything to help him." The guard on the left gave a remorseful look as he watched Yu Bo's suffering from behind his back, "I don't understand why he would go that far just to set an example."
'It seems like Yu Bo and Yuan Cai had a disagreement.' The guard on the right thought to himself, 'I wonder what Yu Bo had said or done to cause Yuan Cai to retaliate in such a way.'
"Vice-Captain Yuan... I apologize.... for my conduct.... I beg of you...please...spare...me." Yu Bo struggled to speak as the force on his shoulders only continued to increase. Yuan Cai didn't even trouble himself by responding to his appeals, as he squeezed on his shoulders with a smirk still on his face.
"Captain Yuan!" A guard stationed at the far side of the eastern wall shouted. "There seems to be something approaching on the horizon." The guard's voice echoed across the entire section of the eastern wall. it was at this moment that all guards who were stationed on the eastern wall looked towards the horizon to see what caught that guard's attention.
"What is that?" Xiao Lian placed his right hand over his eyes in an attempt block out the rays of the sun, as tried to get a clearer view of what was on the horizon.
"It seems to be a caravan." Yuan Cai squinted his eyes slightly and was able to easily identify the object that gradually coming into view. "A rather large one as a matter of fact."
Yuan Cai had already let go of Yu Bo and stood at the edge of the wall to marvel at the carts and carriages slowly making their way towards the city, Yu Bo who was now on the ground looked at the horizon as well in disbelief
"A caravan...it's been years since one last came, not since..." Yu Bo slowly spoke despite being in pain after his shoulders were almost crushed, however he failed to finish his words due to the excruciating pain he was in not to mention the fact that Yuan Cai was right in front of him.
"Be careful with not to talk Yu Bo, I think you should avoid drawing his attention for a while" Lei Wong who was right next him during the altercation with Yuan Cai said, "After all the last thing you want is to go through another punishment like that one."
Yu Bo went quiet after his comrade spoke, he of all people should have known about his vice-captain's vindictive nature. He had now come to regret losing control of his temper like that, which upon reviewing gave Yuan Cai a perfect excuse to exercise 'justice' as he liked to call it.
'Bastard!' Yu Bo cursed in his thoughts, 'He claims to uphold justice, when in fact his just a forgotten prodigy who takes out his frustrations on those below him.' As he stared at Yuan Cai from behind, his thoughts became more twisted and his breathing turned erratic.
"Yu Bo calm yourself." Lei Wong saw the look in his eyes and knew his intentions were not good, "If you attack him now your entire family will face the consequences, your siblings will have to work like slaves just to make sure that your parents don't die of hunger."
The image of his brothers and sisters suffering from beatings and torturous labor, while his mother and father slowly dying on an old reed mat flashed across his mind, it was effective in calming his breathing and sobering his thoughts. "I can bear such punishments myself." Yu Bo said to Lei Wong as he looked him in the eyes, "But I can't possibly let my family suffer for my sins."
"I know that a man like yourself is flawed" the guard said to Yu Bo, "At least you are willing to protect those who are close to you, that form integrity is not easy to uphold.
Yu Bo sighed to himself as he looked at Lei Wong. "Enough of the pointless praise, could you at least help me get to Doctor Gao's residence." Yu Bo groaned, "Please make haste am in quite a bit of pain."
Lei Wong helped Yu Bo to his feet and proceeded to escort him down the wall, to the local physician for treatment. Meanwhile, Xiao Lian watched on with curious eyes as the carriage approached the city wall. "Vice-Captain, shouldn't we inform Commander Zhang of this." Xiao Lian said.
Yuan Cai did not bother paying attention to anything Lei Wong was saying, it seemed like the merchant caravan attracted all his attention. "He will know soon enough." Yuan Cai said with his gaze fixed on the approaching carts and the carriages at the forefront, "It seems like the caravan is coming to a halt by our gate, therefore our men being the first ones to receive these people is quite the honor.
"Understood sir!" The guards presently stationed at the eastern wall shouted in unison.
The carriages at the front stopped a few hundred meters away from the eastern gate, a tense silence came as the guards at the wall paid close attention and awaited the people of the caravan to identify themselves.