Chapter 3 – The First Steps into the World
The morning mist still clung to the branches when the Emperor called his clan together. They gathered in the clearing, one hundred strong, seated in circles around a low fire. The forest air was sharp and cold, yet the weight of their silence was heavier than the chill. Every eye turned toward Emperor Tang Zhenwu.
He stood slowly, his hands behind his back. The pale sunlight touched the golden thread on his robe, making it gleam faintly.
"We cannot remain hidden in the forest forever," he said. "The world outside moves fast. Machines, industries, and trade shape power now. If we wish to rebuild, we must step into their world. But we will not march as conquerors, not yet. We will enter as roots—quiet, unseen, but spreading deep."
General Han bowed his head.
"Your Majesty, then where shall our roots be planted?"
The Emperor's gaze swept over the clan. His voice was steady.
"We must choose the paths where our skills and knowledge can shine without drawing blades too soon. I have thought long, and I will tell you three."
He raised three fingers.
"First — the Entertainment Industry. In this world, voices and faces move hearts more than swords. Songs, stories, and performances gather crowds. If the Tang Clan is to be remembered, let them first remember us with admiration and joy. We will plant our influence in art, in stage, in moving pictures. The Eyes and Ears will lead this, for they already know how to listen to the hearts of the people."
A murmur ran through the clan. Some were surprised. Others nodded. Li Ming, head of the Eyes and Ears, lowered her head respectfully.
"We will learn their stages, their screens, their songs. If power flows through fame, then the Tang Clan will be a name the people cannot forget."
The Emperor lifted his second finger.
"Second — the Security Industry. Though the new world may not fight with qi and swords, they still fight. There are guards, soldiers, and protectors. People pay greatly for safety. Here our generals and our Shadow Guard will find their place. We will create a name of protection, not aggression. Those who seek safety will come to us, and through them we will gain trust, resources, and hidden power."
General Han's eyes gleamed like steel. He struck his chest with his fist.
"The blades of Tang will stand again, Your Majesty. Whether sword or spear, or whatever weapons they use now — we will master them all. None will harm the clan."
The Emperor raised his final finger.
"Third — the Medical Sector. This world has lost the old alchemy. Their healers use herbs and tools, but not spirit. Yet their sciences are strange and strong. We will step into this field quietly. Our Royal Alchemist and healers will learn their medicines, their hospitals, and their knowledge. We will mix their wisdom with our own. If we save lives, the world will open doors for us. From the sick and the weak, loyalty will grow."
Master Lu, the Royal Alchemist, bowed low. His voice was firm despite his trembling hands.
"Your Majesty, though the qi is weak, the laws of balance remain. Herbs still answer to careful hands. If they have forgotten the old ways, then we will remind them — even if through their sciences. I will begin at once."
The Emperor closed his hand into a fist.
"These three roots — entertainment, security, and medicine — will be our way into the world. We will not rush, we will not reveal ourselves. We will spread quietly, learn all we can, and bind power under our banner once more. When the time is right, the Tang Dynasty will rise again."
The clan rose as one, their voices joining in a solemn oath:
"We follow the Emperor!"
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Execution of the Plan
In the days that followed, the forest clearing became a hive of quiet preparation.
The Eyes and Ears disguised themselves as wandering performers. They studied the songs of the new age, the music that played from strange boxes, and the moving pictures that made people laugh and cry. Some began training voices, others learning dances. The Emperor himself watched with narrowed eyes, then nodded. "We will not only follow their art," he said. "We will perfect it."
The Shadow Guard and Generals trained with new weapons gathered from the cities — iron rifles, pistols, and blades made in factories. At night, they tested their speed against bullets, their formations against modern tactics. They established a small group under the name Tang Security. To outsiders, they were simply another guard company. In truth, they were the sharpened edge of the dynasty.
The Royal Alchemist and healers walked among city markets, buying herbs and bottles of strange medicine. They entered hospitals in disguise, watching how doctors cut and stitched wounds, how they mixed drugs in small rooms. Master Lu gathered his apprentices around the fire each night. "We will blend their science with our alchemy," he said. "And from that union, the Tang Clan will create a new path of healing."
---
By the end of the first month, the Tang Clan's roots were planted.
They were no longer only a hundred lost souls in a forbidden forest. They were performers stepping onto stages, guards patrolling quiet streets, and healers studying in white halls. The world did not yet know their name, but already the dynasty had begun to weave itself into the fabric of the modern age.
And at the center of it all, the Emperor watched silently, his hands folded behind his back.
"The world has changed," he whispered into the night wind. "But the Tang Clan will change it again."