Home / The Imperial System: Architect of an Empire / Chapter 105: The Road East

Read free on Ficlyn

The Imperial System: Architect of an Empire

Chapter 105: The Road East · Nov 04, 2026

Prev Chapter Novel Info Next Chapter

Chapter List (352)

Page number / 8

101 Chapter 101: Home Again 2026-11-04
102 Chapter 102: A Quiet Morning 2026-11-04
103 Chapter 103: The Next Assignment 2026-11-04
104 Chapter 104: Three Days 2026-11-04
105 Chapter 105: The Road East 2026-11-04
106 Chapter 106: Upstream 2026-11-04
107 Chapter 107: The Water Runs Red 2026-11-04
108 Chapter 108: The Other Side 2026-11-04
109 Chapter 109: Beneath the River 2026-11-04
110 Chapter 110: The Seal 2026-11-04
111 Chapter 111: What Lies Beneath 2026-11-04
112 Chapter 112: The Governor’s Records 2026-11-04
113 Chapter 113: The Sealed Archive 2026-11-04
114 Chapter 114: The Road Home 2026-11-04
115 Chapter 115: Twelve Villages 2026-11-04
116 Chapter 116: The Village on the Ridge 2026-11-04
117 Chapter 117: The Road Back 2026-11-04
118 Chapter 118: Before the Capital 2026-11-04
119 Chapter 119: The Things That Run 2026-11-04
120 Chapter 120: Beneath the Mountain 2026-11-04
121 Chapter 121: The Weight of What They Found 2026-11-04
122 Chapter 122: The Report 2026-11-04
123 Chapter 123: The Gathering 2026-11-04
124 Chapter 124: A Different Kind of Victory 2026-11-04
125 Chapter 125: The Gates of Home 2026-11-04
126 Chapter 126: The First Night Home 2026-11-04
127 Chapter 127: The Cost of an Idea 2026-11-04
128 Chapter 128: The First Step 2026-11-04
129 Chapter 129: Those Who Answered 2026-11-04
130 Chapter 130: The Road Beyond the Estate 2026-11-04
131 Chapter 131: The Measure of a Man 2026-11-04
132 Chapter 132: The Second Journey 2026-11-04
133 Chapter 133: The Road That Waits 2026-11-04
134 Chapter 134: The Estate 2026-11-04
135 Chapter 135: The First Foundation 2026-11-04
136 Chapter 136: What Blackwood Needs 2026-11-04
137 Chapter 137: The Work Begins 2026-11-04
138 Chapter 138: A Place Worth Living In 2026-11-04
139 Chapter 139: Coin and Conviction 2026-11-04
140 Chapter 140: The Price of Progress 2026-11-04
141 Chapter 141: The Emperor’s next Summons 2026-11-04
142 Chapter 142: The Hall of Dragons 2026-11-04
143 Chapter 143: The Emperor’s New Assignment 2026-11-04
144 Chapter 144: Eyes Upon Blackwood 2026-11-04
145 Chapter 145: The Shape of Things to Come 2026-11-04
146 Chapter 146: A Problem Without a Sword 2026-11-04
147 Chapter 147: Foundation 2026-11-04
148 Chapter 148: More Than Eleven Villages 2026-11-04
149 Chapter 149: Building Before Expanding 2026-11-04
150 Chapter 150: The Valley Beyond Blackwood 2026-11-04

The road stretched beneath the morning sun.

Kael rode near the front of the group, his hands resting loosely on the reins.

Seren rode several lengths behind him, his bow secured across his back.

Lyra stayed toward the middle of the group, while Torren rode beside the supply cart, occasionally checking the equipment tied beneath the canvas.

The others kept a steady pace.

For the first few hours, nobody said much.

The capital gradually disappeared behind them.

Stone roads became packed dirt.

Buildings became farms.

The farms became scattered houses.

Eventually, even those became less common.

Kael looked toward the horizon.

The land here was greener than the western territory.

Fields stretched across both sides of the road.

Some were full.

Others weren’t.

He slowed his horse.

Lyra noticed.

”What is it?”

Kael pointed toward a field.

The crops were short.

Not dead.

Just weak.

Lyra studied them.

”That’s strange.”

Kael looked at her.

”You know crops?”

”I grew up around them.”

She guided her horse closer to the edge of the field.

Kael followed.

The others stopped behind them.

Lyra dismounted.

She walked into the field and crouched beside the plants.

She pulled a handful of soil from the ground.

She rubbed it between her fingers.

”There’s nothing obviously wrong with the soil.”

Kael dismounted.

”Then why are the crops so weak?”

Lyra looked across the field.

”I don’t know yet.”

Kael nodded.

”That’s why we’re here.”

Torren climbed down from his horse.

He walked toward them.

”There’s something else.”

Kael turned.

Torren pointed toward the far end of the field.

”Look at the irrigation channel.”

Kael followed his finger.

A narrow channel ran beside the field.

There was barely any water inside it.

Kael walked toward it.

The six soldiers followed.

Torren crouched beside the channel.

”This should be carrying much more.”

Kael looked upstream.

The channel disappeared beyond a hill.

”Could it be blocked?”

Torren shook his head.

”No.”

He picked up a handful of wet dirt.

”The channel was built properly.”

”Then why isn’t there enough water?”

Torren looked at the river in the distance.

”That’s the question.”

Kael stared toward the hill.

The river wasn’t far away.

Yet this field was almost dry.

He turned toward Lyra.

”Have you seen this before?”

”Not this bad.”

Kael nodded.

”Let’s keep moving.”

They mounted again.

They reached the first village shortly before noon.

A wooden sign stood beside the road.

The letters had faded from years of rain.

Kael slowed his horse.

The village wasn’t large.

Maybe a few dozen homes.

Most were built from timber and stone.

A few farmers worked outside.

But something immediately caught Kael’s attention.

There were no children playing in the streets.

No merchants.

No animals wandering between houses.

The village felt quiet.

Too quiet.

Lyra looked around.

”People are leaving.”

Kael nodded.

He had noticed the empty houses.

Several doors were boarded shut.

A wagon sat abandoned beside one building.

Kael dismounted.

”Let’s find someone willing to speak with us.”

They entered the village.

The soldiers stayed together but didn’t draw their weapons.

Kael didn’t want the villagers to feel threatened.

A farmer working beside a fence looked up.

He was an older man with a weathered face and a gray beard.

His clothes were simple and covered with dirt.

His eyes immediately went to Kael’s clothing.

Then to the Imperial insignia.

He straightened.

”Imperial soldiers?”

Kael shook his head.

”Not exactly.”

The farmer looked confused.

Kael introduced himself.

”I’m Kael.”

The man’s eyes widened.

He bowed quickly.

”Prince.”

Kael raised his hand.

”Don’t.”

The farmer hesitated.

”You don’t have to bow every time you see me.”

The man slowly straightened.

”Sorry.”

”What’s your name?”

”Edric.”

Kael nodded.

”Edric, we’re investigating the poor harvests in this region.”

The man’s expression changed.

His eyes moved toward the fields.

”You came for that?”

”Yes.”

Edric gave a bitter laugh.

”Then you came too late.”

Kael studied him.

”Why?”

”Half the farmers have already left.”

”Where did they go?”

”Anywhere they could.”

Kael glanced at the empty homes.

”Why?”

Edric looked toward the river.

”Because there’s nothing left for them here.”

Kael followed his gaze.

”Bad soil?”

Edric shook his head.

”No.”

”Drought?”

”Not exactly.”

Kael waited.

Edric lowered his voice.

”The water.”

Kael’s attention sharpened.

”What about it?”

”It doesn’t reach us anymore.”

Torren looked at Kael.

Kael asked, ”The river?”

Edric nodded.

”The river still flows.”

”Then what stopped the water?”

Edric hesitated.

”I don’t know.”

Kael noticed the hesitation.

”You’re not telling me everything.”

Edric looked uncomfortable.

”There are things people don’t say.”

”Why?”

The old farmer glanced around.

”Because the people who own the land upstream don’t like questions.”

Nobody spoke.

Kael looked toward the river.

The noble estate on the map was upstream.

He had expected that name to appear eventually.

But he hadn’t expected fear.

”Who owns the land?”

Edric’s expression tightened.

”The House of Valen.”

Kael remembered the name from the map.

He didn’t react.

”How long has this been happening?”

”Almost a year.”

Kael frowned.

”A year?”

Edric nodded.

”At first, the water only became weaker.”

”Then the harvests started failing.”

”Then the farmers began leaving.”

Kael looked around the village again.

”Why didn’t the governor help?”

Edric laughed quietly.

”The governor?”

He shook his head.

”We sent letters.”

”And?”

”Nothing.”

Kael’s expression hardened.

”Did anyone come?”

Edric looked at him.

”One official came.”

”When?”

”Three months ago.”

”What did he do?”

”He looked at the fields.”

”And?”

”He left.”

Kael was silent.

That wasn’t enough.

Something else was happening.

He turned toward Torren.

”Can you determine where the irrigation water is being diverted?”

Torren nodded.

”If we follow the channels.”

”Do it.”

Torren looked toward the river.

”Now?”

”Now.”

Torren turned toward the others.

”Come on.”

The group began moving.

Kael remained with Edric.

The farmer watched him.

”Prince.”

Kael turned.

”Yes?”

Edric hesitated.

”You really intend to investigate?”

”Yes.”

”Even if it leads somewhere you don’t want it to?”

Kael looked toward the river.

”Especially then.”

Edric stared at him.

Then, for the first time since Kael arrived, the old farmer smiled.

”Maybe we haven’t lost everything yet.”

Kael nodded.

He didn’t promise anything.

He didn’t know what they would find.

He didn’t know whether the governor was corrupt.

He didn’t know whether House Valen was responsible.

He didn’t even know whether the water problem was intentional.

But he knew one thing.

The villages were suffering.

And somebody had ignored them.

Kael mounted his horse.

”Edric.”

The farmer looked up.

”Tell the villagers not to leave yet.”

Edric frowned.

”Why?”

”Because I’m going upstream.”

Kael turned his horse toward the river.

”And I intend to find out where their water went.”

The small group followed.

Behind them, the old farmer remained beside the road, watching until they disappeared.

Ahead, the river continued through the countryside.

Kael rode toward it.

He had come expecting a farming problem.

Now he was beginning to wonder whether the failing harvest was only the first layer of something much larger.

Prev Chapter Novel Info Next Chapter

Recommended Novels

Reincarnation Of The Strongest Sword God Lucky Old Cat

Super Gene Twelve Winged Dark Burning Angel

Versatile Mage Chaos

Earth's Greatest Magus Avan

Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather Unknown

Legend of Swordsman Mr. Money

The Martial Unity Lord_Streak

Myriad Paths of the Dragon Emperor Mu Tong Ting Zhu

Legend of Swordsman Mr. Money

Complete Martial Arts Attributes Don't Enter The Jianghu

Legend of Swordsman Mr. Money

Cultivation Online Mylittlebrother

Alchemy Emperor of the Divine Dao Flying Alone

Martial World Cocooned Cow

Starting From A Son In Law To Build An Long Lasting Family Tianxian Huazhu