The declaration from the capital reached White Orchard before the afternoon meal. By dusk, the old command seals had begun to answer it.
In the map room, colored lights appeared on the provincial board one after another. Ning stood beside Bai and read the messages as they came in. Wei marked each town. Yan watched the pattern spread from the capital along the old garrison roads.
“The seals are calling militia units to service,” Wei said. “Some towns haven’t used their command halls in years.”
Qinghe came in with a list from the clinic. “Three neighboring towns sent notices. They want to know whether we will still treat their people if they keep the Registry barrier.”
“We will,” Ning said. “Ask what they need before we send advice.”
The first answer came from a small village that had already joined. Its granary was low, and the clinic had run out of a common fever herb. The second town would wait for the road map and decide after its council met. Sava’s prosperous town asked whether the coalition planned to dismantle its barrier.
“We don’t,” Yan said. “Their river district depends on it.”
Ning wrote the answer into the outgoing message. “I’ll tell them the route map is available whether they join or not.”
