The Emperor’s Voice in Murim
Where the Scholar’s Academy sways courts with words and Shaolin defends realms with fists, the Royal Guards embody the emperor’s will itself. They are the voice, eyes, and blade of the dynasty within Murim. Wherever the throne speaks, the Guards stand as its echo — whether to shield, to execute, or to silence.
Their power is not measured in armies, but in the authority of the seal. A single commander bearing the imperial edict can command soldiers, order executions, or demand entry into sect halls. For centuries, this has made the Guards both envied and feared, for they do not speak for themselves — they speak for the empire.
Han: Born as guardians of palace order, the Guards were first protectors against assassins and corrupt ministers.
Tang: Rose to prominence during rebellions, quelling uprisings with ruthless efficiency. Known as “the empire’s crimson wall.”
Song: Corruption weakened them; commanders grew too close to eunuchs, and the sect nearly lost its honor. Yet loyal Guards still died defending a throne in decline.
Yuan: Split between those who refused to serve foreign rulers and those who adapted. The sect’s reputation as “the emperor’s shadow” deepened here, redefining loyalty to the idea of empire itself.
Ming: Became infamous as secret police. Their crimson cloaks appeared in the homes of officials and Murim leaders alike, often just before disappearances. Some called them “the emperor’s blade of fear.”
Qing: Endured suppression, yet never vanished. The Guards infiltrated bureaucracy and survived as an undercurrent, waiting for moments to reassert power.
Dynasties remember them as both salvation and terror — protectors when the throne is just, oppressors when the throne is cruel.
Shaolin: Distrustful, seeing the Guards as tools of tyranny, yet forced to cooperate when dynasties align with Dharma.
Wudang: Philosophical tension; Wudang seeks harmony with Dao, while the Guards obey without question.
Emei: Bitter rivals when emperors trample compassion, yet allies when defending the realm from chaos.
Tangmen: Perpetual enemies; poisons versus antidotes, assassins versus guardians. Their battles are fought in both palace halls and shadowed alleys.
Wanderer’s Valley: Mortal foes. The valley rejects all law, the Guards embody it. Countless clashes have painted valleys crimson.
Scholar’s Academy: Complex allies. The Academy offers wisdom, the Guards enforce it — yet both view the other as arrogant in their own way.
The Guards exist in tension with all, for no sect can rival their claim: they alone serve the throne directly.
In Murim councils and sect alliances, the Guards stand not as negotiators, but as enforcers. They record proceedings in the emperor’s name, and their presence reminds all that the throne watches. Other sects resent their interference, yet none dare dismiss them, for the Guards represent imperial authority itself.
When disputes between sects grow too violent, the Guards intervene with steel rather than diplomacy. To Murim, this makes them both stabilizers and tyrants — those who end disputes not with compromise, but with decrees.
Despite their oath of unity, whispers of division exist:
The Loyalists: Unquestioning servants of the emperor, willing to die for any throne.
The Idealists: Believe loyalty must be tied to justice; if a tyrant sits the throne, loyalty must shift to the realm itself.
The Silent Watchers: Secretive agents who believe the Guards’ power lies in unseen influence — infiltrating sects, guilds, and courts to steer history.
These factions rarely speak openly, for dissent is dangerous, but subtle tensions shape the sect’s actions in dynasties and Murim alike.
Among officials, they are seen as the emperor’s most loyal defenders — or executioners. Among sects, they are feared as the “silent hammer” that can fall at any moment. Among commoners, they are both guardians of peace and symbols of tyranny.
Their greatest strength is also their greatest curse: they are remembered not for themselves, but for the emperor they serve. If the throne is just, they are heroes. If the throne is cruel, they are villains.
Summary:
The political influence of the Royal Guards is unmatched. Born from dynasties, they are enforcers of imperial will, rivals of all sects, and arbiters in Murim disputes. To emperors, they are the shadow that preserves thrones; to sects, they are intruders wielding authority beyond fists or poisons; to the people, they are both saviors and oppressors. The Guards’ political role is eternal — for as long as a throne stands, so too will its crimson shadow.