CHAPTER 143 **Joshua’s Idea**

The now captured rebels, that were in one area that Sahara had pointed to earlier, had been place upon the big field and a few scattered men were found all over the place.

Bruises, black eyes and cuts were over them, as the General and some of his men weren’t able to hold back. They had been told beforehand that the people had been only the rank of two or three cultivation at the most, so the job should be relatively easy with how many of them there were to catch…But…Well, the men were being men and ‘couldn’t help it’…

Joshua made sure that there were enough people watching the ‘rebels’, but still did not go beyond roping them up, only making sure that they were doing the right thing by kneeling there. He didn’t like that they had no idea upon what was going on before getting here! It was like starting to read a book from the middle!

Joshua wanted to question why they had roped up everyone that Sahara had said, even though some of them were drinking and laughing. Could they trust that all these men were rebels?

That was why Joshua didn’t block any cultivation bases, he just made sure that their feet and hands were bound very tightly and were watched constantly.

The Prince of Purple Haven was here, these were his people, so Joshua didn’t want to make an unnecessary mistake, just because they were either angry or impatient. Especially since they didn’t see with their own eyes of these ‘rebels’ deeds. The only thing that Joshua was impatient for, was the ‘evidence’ that Sahara had said that she would give them. She had looked worried when she had said it…

As the land was scouted out even more, a few more people were roped up. A few lost children were found and the woman who had safely gotten away, was shaking severely upon her return back to everyone else…

The women that were trapped together, all cried out when they saw their saviors and children slumped down to the ground or ran to the people that they had relied on for a long time.

It was still a mess, but it was a better mess then before…

While Sahara was sleeping, Matthew made sure to entrust some guards for her, while he sought out Joshua and the General. There were the obvious normal ‘bodyguards’ that were now free from the palace, that now volunteered and had already placed themselves for protection of Sahara, but Matthew added a few Bands as well, just in case.

The other free men from the palace were helping with food, as the women were too scared to do anything except slowly realize that they were now safe…

It was still quite fresh in their memories, of what the rebels had done. They had been driven like cattle and picked out like slaves to give pleasure. The frightened screaming and cries filled them with fear, even if they hadn’t been picked out. Not only were their recent memories that invaded them, but old ones from just a few months ago, had come to make them more scared. How they had run a lot, hid and tried to stay away from others…How surviving was the only thing on their minds…

The men had been a lot better, after their release from the palace, but the women continued to shake and look around…Unable to trust anybody or anything.

Even though most of the rebels had been caught, Purple Haven still had a long way to go to reach a civilized state…This sudden rebellion had placed them further back once again, not only because there were lives lost, but because the people were shaken and might take a while to be able to move forward.

***

Matthew was seated with Prince Seth, the General and Joshua, among a few others that would help with the food and living arrangements, and started to discuss what to do…

All the documents, that Sahara had started to assemble together for Prince Seth, had been placed into the palace now. The palace had a few people already serving the Prince, who was seated at the head of the long table.

Joshua had tried to find some details upon what had happened and vaguely said of what he had heard and assumed, stating that there were two lots of people and that who hadn’t joined the ones to go against Steven and Sahara, weren’t to be locked up. He stated that the people seemed to have gone out of control, letting their minds think simply, by wanting to be intimate with a woman or to be merry with his friends. Not much else could be added, because they didn’t know anything else.

Matthew briefly talked about what Sahara had implemented here in Purple Haven over the months, and Joshua was completely surprised.

Stolen novel; please report.

Fighting over who was stronger, was pretty basic and a well-known thing to do, yet ‘sports’ and fighting over a…Ball?

Having first heard of it, it really made Joshua complexed, and he couldn’t understand it at all.

There were a few games to do with a ‘ball’, but to not use spiritual essence in the game, didn’t feel right at all!

Matthew did not particularly know how the games worked, but he did try to explain them…

Not long after though, considering that it was obvious the people had changed, the atmosphere started to get thick…

“…Then why are the people like this!?” Prince Seth asked loudly. Seeing his people in such distress, when he was told they seemed to be ‘working together’, had made him angry once again!

Still, after a few hours of being here, he had not been able to calm down completely, simply because of the state of his Haven! Not only did he remember some of his past, since he had come back to the place of where he used to live, but the fact that children and women had died very recently, did not help!

“They weren’t like this when we left! This Prince will not defend against something he didn’t do! Why don’t we talk about how to fix this, instead of wanting to put the blame on somebody!” Matthew was also angry. It wasn’t like he had wanted to be the regent, he had come earlier than them only by a week!

Matthew felt ill at ease already, now, on top of that, he was feeling the blame as Prince Seth had been looking at him as though no one else was at fault!

He already wanted to go back to his Princess’s side, not wanting to be put in the spotlight like this, especially when he felt like he hadn’t done anything wrong!

Why would he want the people to uprise!?

Trying to keep his anger to a minimum, Matthew took a deep breath and tried to pay attention once again, hearing Joshua’s voice a lot calmer…

“Both Princes, please calm your anger. We have assembled the people that were potentially a threat, but we have yet to make a solution! We first need to make sure that the people are comforted and feed! We must also provide the safety for each one of them, until we can find out what had happened here!”

Matthew sighed, “You sent people to get food ready, move on to questioning.”

“Ha! I will happily question the punks!” The General stated smilingly. Thinking of punching first and asking questions later, the General was wanting to laugh to the sweetness of life!

Joshua thought briefly and then nodded, “Yes, a couple of the women and most of the men knew where and what to cook and helped the people I sent over for the food. But, questioning now…I just don’t want to make an unjust problem through not thinking through things first! I believe we should wait!”

“…Then what do you suggest?” Prince Seth asked.

Joshua bent his head down, knowing the power of royalty, and said, “I suggest, Your Highness, that we say to each of the people that we had caught, that we are not killing or punishing anyone at present. If they see some kind of positive outcome, one may let go of what was happening, then if one starts talking who would not follow?”

“We caught one of the men red handed in raping a woman! Are you telling me that he should sit there, eat and live?” Prince Seth asked.

Joshua looked up at Prince Seth, “Your Highness, I can see that that man was in the wrong! For a short-term result, it would be easy to imprison him for what he has done but…I am thinking of the long-term goal here! Please give me your support, Your Highness!”

Getting up and deeply bowing in front of Prince Seth, Joshua waited silently.

Letting out a huff, Prince Seth waved his hand and said, “You can rise…What is it that you want to say for the long term?”

Looking up at the Prince, then back down, Joshua continued, “Your Highness…All I would like to do right now is to state that we won’t kill anyone…From there, they might make the next move by themselves. Don’t bother questioning them yet, don’t even hold back from giving them food. Pretend that we have no idea, just make sure that they don’t retaliate, and they must stay bound up!”

“…Aren’t you supposed to be a strategist?” Prince Seth scoffed.

Matthew frowned at the other Prince’s statement but before he could speak, Joshua continued, “Sahara stated that she had evidence of their misdeeds. What we are doing is biding time. We can use this time to find our own evidence and pretend to give them ideas that perhaps they could retaliate. That isn’t also the only goal, but that of someone who wasn’t keen to be on their side in the first place. We need someone on the inside to rat out the others. That is all…”

It wasn’t the best idea he had formed, but they had only been here a short time, and this was all he’d come up with so far. Joshua didn’t know what type of evidence Sahara had, but if they did what they wanted, without anything at all, the people would think straight away that Prince Seth isn’t a ruler that they would want to follow. All the injustice done to the women, and the other men, need to see the future Emperor from here and now, and to know that he will be good for them.

With all this in mind, Joshua knew that biding time was the best idea. With or without Sahara’s help…This was his idea, for now…

“Do you not see, Your Highness, if you retaliate harshly now and kill an innocent, or kill someone who wasn’t willing in the first place, the people may think you are wrong for the throne, they may even do this again! We have them captive, so there is no more trouble, what is wrong with just letting a small amount of time to go past?”

Prince Seth looked away from Joshua and felt himself start to understand…Having started to get things in order before coming here, had made him already think that things were under control. Seeing that things hadn’t been how he had thought, had made him upset and he hated to admit it…But he did lash out in anger.

His people were still having it hard, his Haven…

Sahara had stated, at least twice, that this is the start…That this was only the beginning…

Sighing, Prince Seth tried to relax, “This Prince understands.”

As much as he thought himself already as a king…He found himself a mere child now. He had done wrong by working himself up to the title, he had let the power of a King get to him on the way to his Haven and now was tumbling back down…

This wasn’t about becoming an Emperor and being known as the ‘King that had survived the fall of Purple Haven and brought his people back to reason’…No…He was going to grow along with his people…And hopefully he will never forget this lesson…Never forget this night!