Chang-li had decided to get himself and Brother Stone into the same cultivating party. That would make it easier for him to ensure Stone's license held up to scrutiny. There were a number of licensed cultivators of the first stage around the camp who were not affiliated with any sect. That was a fairly common occurrence. By attending enough tower culls, a hardworking man or woman with a good cycling pattern could work up to Bodily Refinement, assuming they managed to procure a license like the one Chang-li had just forged.

Getting past the first peak without sect backing was nearly impossible. It required another layer of endorsement on the license, as well as secret techniques and resources zealously guarded by the sects. Chang-li would worry about that when the time came. For now, he just wanted to get back inside and return to cultivating. It had been almost two weeks already, and he was eager to return.

So, he listened in camp and gossiped with the other scribes, who were all trying to figure out what their new boss wanted of them. Inspector Ji’in had been a very hands-off sort of boss. He liked his drink, would stumble in late in the mornings, clearly hungover, disappear into his private offices, take a few personal appointments, and somewhere in the afternoon emerge to chastise them and check up on their assignments. Their new boss, Inspector Dah, was another matter. He came in like a whirlwind, demanding to see every record in the place. The scribes were kept running late into the night. "According to the records, there should be nine of you. Where are the others?" Inspector Dah snapped.

"We lost three during an early party into the tower," Scribe Lin babbled.

"Yes, that fiasco is why Inspector Ji’in has been replaced. Unacceptable. This tower cull is already under imperial scrutiny. Everyone knows broken towers are dangerous. To have a cultivating party disaster so early on, followed up by tower beasts that got past the watchers and attacked an expedition on the outside, is unconscionable. Inspector Ji’in does not realize the trouble he is in, I fear. He will not like the reception he receives at the bottom of the mountain," Inspector Dah said grimly. "Now we are under additional scrutiny from the Office of Cultivation. Magistrate Bao himself tasks me with ensuring that all of you are up to the task. Also, I see here that you have been neglecting your duty rosters. Scribe Wu!"

Chang-li jumped. He stood at attention as Inspector Dah's eyes slid across him. "Yes, sir?”

"The records here say you have not entered the tower in weeks. Why is that?"

"Sir, I was on the expedition where we suffered losses. Inspector Ji’in kindly offered to allow me some time to recover. I am fully healed of my injuries and ready to begin my duties again." He held his breath, hoping none of the other scribes would contradict him, but they all seemed happy to see him being dressed down. He had realized a few days ago that the other scribes hadn’t known Ji’in placed him on the list of those forbidden entry. His cover story sounded plausible, even to his own ears.

"Good. I don't like to see slackers. Get on a party soon," Inspector Dah said.

Chang-li bowed his head before scurrying over to a corner to work on the task he'd been set. Meanwhile, he added Brother Stone's name to the list of sectless workers qualified to enter with a cultivating party and kept an eye out for the rosters coming in.

When an incomplete party roster came in from Jade Lotus, he seized the opportunity. They were proposing to send one of their three young masters in, supported by three students, but were requesting four unaffiliated cultivators, a scribe, and some porters to assist them. They would not need the help of any guards according to their request.

That looked perfect to Chang-li. The Jade Lotus sect was quiet and kept to itself. He hadn't yet had a chance to observe any of their young masters up close, but they'd been in the camp for nearly a week now, and none of them had made the sort of impression Young Master Feng gave. That was be a point in their favor. He quickly added his name and Brother Stone's before filling out the rest of the roster from possible candidates and filed it.

In two days, he would be returning to the tower.

His sense of accomplishment and excitement lasted until two hours past noon when the cultivating master, Magistrate Bao, burst in.

"Where is Inspector Dah?" he demanded. The junior scribes all stood at attention and bowed low. "I will fetch him," Scribe Tu said, then hurried off.

A moment later, Inspector Dah came out from the inner room where he had been verifying rosters. Inspector Dah also bowed to Magistrate Bao.

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"How may this office assist you, Great One?"

Magistrate Bao's eyes swept the room. "This is all of your junior scribes?" he asked, sounding displeased.

"Yes, Great One. We are short three due to the intransigence of my predecessor."

"Very well. It'll have to be enough. All of you will accompany the royal expedition tomorrow starting an hour after dawn."

There was a quick intake of breath all around, and Scribe Tu let out a gasp of "What?"

Magistrate Bao rounded on him. "You question?"

"Forgive me, Great One," Scribe Tu said, bowing low. "I merely was wondering at the change in plans."

"It has been decided that the Young Masters from all of the sects will work together to escort the Gem nobles into the tower so that they can work on their own progression. I am not certain if this is a plan for the cultivators to impress the nobles or if the nobles themselves suggested it, but it is not our place to question, merely to support.”

His words sank in around the room. Chang-li started to see the scope, as the magistrate continued. “We will need much logistical support. At least four patrols worth of guards, porters to carry the belongings and provisions for the nobles, and of course all of your scribes."

"How long of an expedition is this to be?" Inspector Dah asked.

"My understanding is three days," Magistrate Bao said. "Your office will coordinate with the quartermaster to ensure that we have the necessary supplies. I will make arrangements for the guards, porters, slaves and workers. The nobles will bring their own servants.”

"Yes, of course. We will make sure to be ready," Inspector Dah said. "What of our normal camp duties?"

"They will be resumed when we return. I need not tell you this is the highest priority. We have an indigo noble in our presence. Any displeasure she has could go up as high as the emperor himself."

"We will see to it," Inspector Dah promised, and Magistrate Bao swept out.

In a panic, Inspector Dah turned to the scribes. Chang-li hadn't seen the man looking so human before. He clapped his hands. "All right, who of you have expertise in the supply needs for a cultivating party?"

Chang-li raised a hand. "I've worked with the quartermaster's office before. I can coordinate with them."

"Good. Do you have an idea of how many people this will be? The Magistrate was vague…”

"Let me make a list of all of the gem nobles who are present, and I will extrapolate from there," Chang-li said. This was actually the sort of work he was good at. A red-ranked noble wouldn't be traveling anywhere without at least one servant. It was possible that they might share, but he wouldn't bet on that. The indigo princess — Hiroko, he thought to himself, and then banished her name from his thoughts — would have probably three attendants of her own. The guards would all need provisions. Cultivation rations for the whole team, porters to carry them. Brother Stone could be slipped in as a porter or an underling. Chang-li's thoughts were full as Inspector Dah turned to the other scribes, assigning them tasks.

He quickly copied out a list of the names and ranks of all of the gem nobles in the court, followed by the rosters of the cultivation sects. Armed with those, he hurried to the quartermaster's office, where he found them in a similar uproar. He got one of the clerks aside, and the two put their heads together, coming up with a plan like an island of calm in a storm of chaos.

Somewhere around dinner time, as Chang-li surfaced for a quick bite, knowing he would be going back to his work for hours yet to come, he realized this meant he and Brother Stone would be going back into the tower a day sooner and in an entirely different fashion from what he had expected.

Scribe Jun was handling the rosters. Since there were so many people going in, Inspector Dah and Magistrate Bao had decided to treat this as though five parties were going in at once. That meant each of the scribes would be assigned to a party, with the sixth scribe as backup to the largest.

Jun had assigned himself and his friend, Shi, to the party which would host Indigo Princess Hiroko. Chang-li let it slide. He noted he had been put on the same party as Young Master Feng, and a pang of fear shot through him. He sidled up to Jun. "A word," he said.

The senior underscribe nodded and stepped aside. Chang-li cleared his throat. "I have run afoul of young master Feng," he said, casting his eyes down.

"Oh, that's right," Jun said. A smile played across his lips. "I remember. Gambling debt, wasn't it?"

"Something like that," Chang-li said. "I... that is... let's swap me with Scribe Tu."

"Hmm," Scribe Jun considered him. "I might do that, but... why should I?”

"I'll owe you a favor," Chang-li said desperately, wishing he had Min's skill at driving a bargain. She'd probably be able to manage this in a way that made Jun feel like he was the one who had been done a favor.

"Favor from you?" Jun rolled his eyes. "No. Money.”

“A week's pay," Chang-li said desperately.

"Three."

Chang-li already sent most of his pay home for his mother. Three weeks' pay would leave him without coin for months. On the other hand, if he reached the Peak of Bodily Refinement, everything about his station could change. "Two weeks," he said, and Jun nodded.

"Very well. You may make the change, and I will sign the list in a few minutes."

Chang-li bent over the list. Scribe Tu had been assigned to the party under the supervision of the female Young Master from Golden Moon, Li Jiya. Brother Stone was also on her roster, and they would be accompanying a pair of red nobles who he didn't know, styled as Lord Jai-lin and Lady Shisa. Relieved, Chang-li swapped his name and Tu's before returning to his duties.

Well after midnight, eyes burning, Chang-li and the other scribes crawled into their pallets. They were too excited to sleep, talking quietly back and forth in the darkness.

Chang-li sat up and cycled. He had only scraps of lux left. Tomorrow he would refill his core, drinking deeply of tower lux. Tomorrow, tomorrow.

He lay down and went to sleep with a smile on his face.