Chang-li was relieved to see Jiya approaching him. He was out of place at this party, his brand-new grey robes not blending in nearly as well as he had hoped. Most of the servants wore brown. The cultivators were in their sect patterns, and the nobles, of course, wore white with stripes. Only Cultivation Master Bao was wearing grey, and Chang-li didn't want any more of his attention.

Jiya led him off under a stooping willow. The branches offered them a little privacy, though anyone could look in and see them, which was probably for the best. She smiled. "I'm so pleased you came," she said. "I told my great-grandfather that I'd invited you. I'll take you along to see him in a minute, but I wanted to ask you a question." She dropped her voice even lower. "Did I see you using a chord technique in fighting that bird?"

Chang-li hesitated, then nodded. "Yes, I have a two-color technique."

"Describe it," Jiya ordered.

Chang-li explained how he used his Firepot ability.

"Fascinating," Jiya said. "Of course, there are hundreds of different yellow and orange combinations. I have several myself. Yours was so crude, it attracted my attention. Did you learn it in a book, or did you just make it up?"

He wanted to say he’d read it somewhere, but that would only offer up more questions. "I developed it myself," he said. "I seem to have an affinity for both orange and yellow lux, and it just made sense to me to combine them that way." He shrugged. "I call it Firepot because I'm imagining holding flame inside of a container that makes it safe to handle."

Her eyes widened. "Yes, that's exactly how you should consider a technique—as a metaphor for what you're trying to do. I could weave together orange and red and perhaps have a torch I carry by an orange handle while the red provides flame, or a bowl of water that can be transformed to ice quickly. But you did that without anyone teaching you."

"I read a book of techniques," Chang-li said, though he didn't want to go into detail.

"I must introduce you to my grandfather. He'll be eager to meet you."

"You would offer me a place in your sect?" Chang-li asked, his heart racing.

She hesitated. "Well, it's not up to me to make an offer, especially since I hope to compete in the Imperial Games at Shashna Hai this summer for a spot in the Imperial Harem."

Diverted, Chang-li found himself curious. Li Jiya had impressed him with her cool head in combat and her quick, neat techniques. "Why would you want to join the Imperial Harem?" he asked. "Don't you want to progress on your own?"

She shrugged. "For me, cultivating isn't about how much higher I can climb than anyone else. It's about enabling me to serve the Empire as best I can. You've seen the Dowager Pearl. Women like her make up the backbone of the Empire, holding it together. I've admired my great-aunt for as long as I can remember. She's encouraged me in my dream."

Chang-li didn't have an answer to that. The Imperial Harem was limited to women, promising cultivators between the ages of twenty and twenty-six. From his understanding, dozens of women competed for every slot in the Emperor's Harem. The chosen women would serve for ten years. Then, if they had a child by the Emperor, they were given the rank of Exquisite Pearl and would spend the rest of their lives inside palace grounds, doing who-knew-what. Childless women such as the Dowager Pearl who accompanied this expedition were granted a lesser rank and sent out throughout the Empire as the Emperor's handmaidens. Their status gave them access to many exalted offices.

"Ah, here comes my grandfather now," Jiya said, as the Grand Master of Moon Whispers approached them. The man appeared to be in his middle years, dark hair silvering, face lined. If he were actually Li Jiya's great-grandfather, he must be considerably older than he looked. Chang-li pressed his hands together and bowed low.

The Grand Master nodded to him. He wore a silver chain at his neck with a blue stone on it, signifying the rank of his cultivator spouse. Chang-li understood just how powerful this man was. Even without his connections, he could crush Chang-li like an insect.

"My great-granddaughter speaks well of you," the Grand Master said after Li Jiya had introduced him as Grand Master Li Zhaoyang.

"It is too kind of her," Chang-li said quickly.

"Nevertheless, a scribe who aspires to become a cultivator is no rarity, but one who actually takes steps on his own to achieve that. That is worth investigating. You have reached the Peak of Bodily Refinement."

"I have," Chang-li agreed.

"And he has a chord perfected enough to be repeatable. He's even named it," Li Jiya said.

Chang-li was forced to explain his firepot technique. Grand Master Li nodded. "Most promising, most promising. How many cycling techniques do you possess?"

"Apart from the Way of the Faithful, three," Chang-li lied. He would not reveal everything that Joshi had taught him. Chang-li described Purification of Mind and Soul, then the Way of Boulders, adding that he didn't like that one much as it was more physically focused and he was trying to hone his mental skills. Then he hesitated before explaining the Swirling Mists technique.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

The Grand Master's eyebrows rose. "A sectless learned that?"

"I read it in a journal," Chang-li blurted out.

"Yes, indeed, I have heard that the Guild scribes keep copies of the books they copy for us. But I was not aware that it was something that just anyone could peruse. You fascinate me. I am willing to consider your petition, should you make it. But not now. I must help with the clearing of the third floor in preparation for my sect to climb higher. Also, I spoke with Cultivation Master Bao, and he said there was some confusion about your initiation records that needs to be cleared up. Once that matter is resolved, I would be happy to take your application."

Panic clutched at Chang-li. Inspector Da must have told Master Bao Chang-li's lie. Now they would send a message to Inspector Ji’in and learn the truth. Chang-li's ruse would be discovered. He'd be drummed out of the Scribes' Guild if he were lucky. Branded, exiled, or enslaved if he wasn't. He swallowed down his fear and bowed again. "Thank you for your time, Grandmaster Li."

"Come along, Granddaughter," the Grandmaster told Jiya. "I know you are not fond of these nobles, but I do think you should give them all a fair try. And have you spoken to the new arrival yet?"

"Not yet, Grandfather.” Li Jiya cast down her eyes and followed him obediently away from the tree.

Chang-li sagged against the trunk of the willow, trying to calm his racing heart. He had spoken with the Grandmaster and answered Jiya's summon. He felt equally excited and terrified. The chance of being admitted to a sect was everything he’d ever wanted, yet his lies seemed poised to come crashing down around his ears. What was he going to do?

He was going to start by sneaking away from this party, going back to the other scribes, and trying to make up with them. Perhaps if he taught them a few cycling tips or gave them some cultivating principles, they'd be on his side. Perhaps they could help him intercept the missive to Inspector Ji’in, or...

"What are you doing here?"

Chang-li whirled to find Min behind him, her hands on her hips. She looked irritated, and like she was caught between two worlds. Her hair was up, pinned away from her face in an almost practical hairstyle compared to all the other noblewomen he'd seen here. She wore red-edged white robes with a long train that dragged on the grass and sleeves that fell past the tips of her fingers, and a scowl on her face. Chang-li caught himself staring at her and looked away.

"And what's that expression supposed to mean?" she demanded. "Can't meet my eyes?"

"Forgive me, my lady," Chang-li said. "I was answering a summons from..."

"From the Moon Whisperers cultivator. Yes, I could see that," Min snapped. "What I wanted to know was why."

"She wished for me to speak with her grandfather."

Min’s eyes narrowed. "So they've spotted you as a potential recruit, have they? Did they mention that Moon Whispers is poised on the edge of insolvency? That they've had three investigations into their methods and finances in the last ten years? That the only reason they're even here is the Dowager Pearl is Grandmaster Li's sister, and she insisted that they be invited?”

“Young Master Li Jen and Li Jiya seem very well trained.”

“Because their mother is a scion of a very wealthy family," Min said. "Most of their training came from one of the preparatory schools in Blue Water Province. I suppose you've heard of those academies."

Chang-li shook his head. "I come from Yellow Sky City," he mumbled.

"Oh, well, that explains it," Min said dismissively. "That's almost as backwater a province as here in Riceflower. Blue Sky Province is adjacent to the Imperial Gardens. They have the best teachers of cultivation there, many of whom have given up the climb and are settled as instructors for anyone who has the coin, which the Young Masters Li did. I'm not dismissing their talent," she said. "Just their motives. They desperately need Jiya to be selected as one of the Emperor's brides. It will raise their sect standing high enough to withstand their next inspection. That'll give Li Jen time to make a good marriage himself and then prove himself. If they can survive the next ten years, they might be a sect worth joining. Might," she repeated. "I wouldn't join my fortunes to them. It’s a risk, and I don’t like gambling.”

"How do you know all this?" Chang-li asked.

Min waved a hand. "It's gossip in the camp. My people talk to their people, that sort of thing. That's not the point. The point is, you've been seen here speaking with them, so now everyone will think you're one of their allies. That was a good move you made with Feng earlier, praising him. He's been going around puffed up like a peacock all day. He even forgot to say something biting to me when we were standing next to each other earlier this evening. And it's taken some of the pressure off of your friend."

"Friend? What friend?" Chang-li asked. The sky was growing darker now. He cleared his throat. "Lady Min, you must excuse me. You of all people understand what it is to have multiple roles, all calling on your attention."

"Oh, no you don't," Min said, her eyes sparkling. "You're coming with me. I'm not done with you yet, young Wu.”

He spluttered. "I must be older than you are."

"In years, not experience.” She took his elbow and guiding him out from under the tree. She navigated them deftly through the crowd, stopping at a servant and crooking a finger. The servant handed them two cups brimming with liquid. Chang-li was desperately thirsty at this point, nervous and worn from his interviews. He took a big sip and nearly spat it out again. The cider burned going down his throat.

Min chuckled as she took a sip. "Goes down strong, doesn't it? Always have a cup like that in your hand at an affair like this. It makes it look as though you're enjoying yourself and part of the festivities, even if you're not. Be seen with whomever you like, but be careful who you are last seen with."

"Wait, what?" Chang-li's head hurt. He took another sip of his cider. It went down more smoothly this time.

"That is, be careful who notices you leaving a party and with whom," Min said. "The gossip at these things can be deadly, literally, especially for someone who's trying to make the jump to cultivator."

"Who says I'm trying to make a jump?"

"I do," Min said. "And so do you. No other explanation makes sense, and that's fine, and I can help you if you'll let me. It looks to me as though you need a lot of help. First of all, there's your mysterious barbarian friend. I like the look of him," she added conversationally, "and his technique was fascinating. But Hiroko has made it clear that he's her property, at least for the time being. I'm wondering if she's just using him to get rid of Feng. Would be wise of her, if that's the case. Anyway, I need to know what there is between the two of you."

"Nothing," Chang-li said automatically. He did not trust Min. The noblewoman was clearly playing her own games here. On the other hand, she was already mixed up with him, and an investigation into Chang-li could reveal Brother Stone as well.

She was studying him, waiting for him to say anything more.

"I have a problem," Chang-li admitted.

"Then so do I," said Min at once. "You've forgotten, Brother Wu. You're part of my organization now."

He bristled at that. "I haven't taken any oaths to join your brotherhood," he muttered but was cut off by an unwelcome interruption.