At first everything went well, people obeyed the curfew that was implemented but once people realised that city gates was locked and no one could exit, and only enter the city. The hunters and mercenaries started protesting loudly.
It was understandable since they had to go out and hunt everyday and this was impossible without leaving the city. Soon they roused up the merchants, as they repeatedly told them that they would have nothing to sell and would have to close their shops.
The soldiers repeatedly informed them that the city would provide them with enough food and water to last until the city gates was opened again, but nobody cared. They wanted to earn more money! They had dreams of getting that big game and striking it rich. Every day they spent locked up in the city meant they lost money and opportunities, it was like days or months of their lives wasted.
Soon, some people hidden in the crowd decided to throw stones and eggs at the soldiers and the soldiers started pushing people. When the people were shoved around, their emotions ran high and they started attacking. It was not a surprise that the soldiers eventually started using their shields to bash people to the ground. Their general had not given the order so they did not want to kill anyone and tried their best to prevent deaths. If this was any other corps, the soldiers would have probably drawn their weapons and started killing people in retaliation, but this was the elite corps of the army. The corps that protected the capital and the last line of defence for the empire before the capital becomes vulnerable.
However unlike the soldiers, the rest of the people did not bother if their punches and kicks could maim or kill, and eventually, their attacks get more ferocious as they witnessed the people they laughed with, bargained with and ate with being smashed to the ground one by one. The soldiers were eventually overwhelmed and they could only defend themselves, while waiting for reinforcements to arrive.
When the patrolling solders came and saw their comrades being suppressed and beaten, they sent someone to quickly report to General Ling and started dismantling the nearby shops to get poles and staffs so they could whack the townsfolk with them.
Soon, more and more solders came and started whack the townsfolk and eventually they were all suppressed. When General Ling came and saw the scene, he was furious. He ordered the solders to kill anyone who resisted from now on and to send everyone to the prison.
...
The next day, General Ling came to see Governor Shang and told him about the riot that occurred in the market street.
Governor Shang already expected such a thing to happen, in fact it was odd that the merchants did not protest in Lin Yu city or He Jin city.
Governor Shang could only let out a sigh and ask, "Damage and causality report?"
"Seven people died. They were trampled to death and ten are in a coma. Almost everyone has a fracture or something similar. None of my soldiers were killed but thirty three soldiers have to take time off to heal. I have thrown everyone who is involved in the riot into the prison, please pass judgement on them. Also I have informed my solders to kill the rioters if the next time this happens." General Ling gave a report and asked Governor Shang to pass a sentence. It was a question yet it did not allow Governor Shang to reject.
Governor Shang slightly frowns as he dislikes the pressure that General Ling was placing on him. He was aware that it was unconscious and stemmed from how he usually acted. However, Governor Shang was not his subordinate, but his equal during the operation, despite him being a lower ranked official.
"Fine, I will take care of the matter. However, you must warn the civilians before you draw your weapons the next time. Is that understood?" Governor Shang gave in because he knows that such things cannot happen again, but also gave his own condition to remind General Ling that is not his subordinate.
General Ling nods and says "I will pass your instructions to my soldiers. Regarding the Crying God Church, I have given orders to infiltrate it and we will get detailed information about what goes on inside the church soon."
"I will try to infiltrate it myself as well. Later tonight I will be having dinner with an old friend who is part of an influential family in the city. I will ask if they can recommend me to the church. Let's go meet the directors of the six ministries." Governor Shang says as he ends the conversation and heads towards the yamen.
...
Inside the yamen, the directors of the six ministries are waiting for Governor Shang and General Ling. They are already aware of what happened yesterday and knows that Governor Shang holds the emperor medallion. The law states that the person holding the medallion is carrying out the emperor's will, and therefore proper respect should be paid to him.
As Governor Shang and General Ling walk into the yamen, the six directors give a deep bow to the both of them, as they are aware that these two people have the authority to execute them right now.
Once Governor Shang walks up to his seat, he does not sit but turns around to face the six directors and ask, "Who here are members of the Crying God Church?"
The six directors look at each other and two directors stand out and say, "We are the only ones who are not members of the Crying God Church..."
"Men, place the four directors under house arrest, lock down their entire family and make sure to cut any contact they have with the outside world."
"What?!" the six directors were shocked and exclaimed loudly.
The soldiers who were on duty at the yamen quickly pushed the four directors onto the floor who were struggling and screaming.
"You can't do this! We are directors of the six ministries! Let us go or we will complain to the emperor and punish you for your impudence!" they shouted.
Some even started cursing at the soldiers who were pushing them down. "Let us go! My official rank is higher than that governor over there! Let me go now or I will kill your entire family!" one of them shouted but the soldier just used for force, causing him more pain and the director starts screaming in agony.
"My Lo...Lord...Why are you doing this? The empire allows us to believe in whatever religion we want to." One of the directors who is not a member of the church stutters as he asks, afraid that he too, will be treated like them.
"Knock those out who are still screaming or struggling and throw them into prison instead. We are here to investigate the Crying God Church. If the church is found to be just another religion, we will let everyone leave. The two of you will take over the duties of the other four for now and should not speak about what happened here, or of our purpose. Do you understand?" General Ling says fiercely at the trembling directors.