Kayla took in a deep breath, trying not to jiggle her leg as she glanced at Minister Jun. The two of them sat alone in a small, slightly dusty room, glancing between each other and the piles of unfurled scrolls on the desk. The Emperor had ordered the Ministry of Personnel to get busy with the Court of Judicial Review, but also to keep things quiet until the decree was released. This left both Kayla and the Minister of Personnel in a rather awkward position.
Kayla had been instructed to report to the Ministry of Personnel rather than her own workplace, at least until the core staff had been settled. Minister Jun had evidently considered it for the best to avoid involving anyone else until that was taken care of, and Kayla reluctantly had to agree with his assessment. Even so, she had barely interacted with him before, and he was not only Xianchun’s man but also his future father-in-law.
I would bet fifty silver that Xianchun already knows about the Court of Judicial Review by now. The question is how fast Kuang finds out.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Third Cousin already guessed it.
Minister Jun sighed, pushing the scroll away from himself and back towards Kayla.
“Left Secretariat, I don’t object to you hiring a woman as a personal secretary or a scribe. She can work in the Court of Judicial Review and receive a salary, but given her age and gender, incorporating her into the core staff is…” He trailed off awkwardly.
“His Majesty the Emperor approves of it,” Kayla replied politely. Minister Jun let out a sigh.
“Well, that’s good and fine, but are you sure you also want Sun Ruhui as a member of the core staff? There are only so many positions available, it’s best to act strategically. Right now, he’s only a ninth-rank official, it wouldn’t do to give him too much of a promotion. Why not give him one of the openings for Ministerial Case Reviewer? Eighth rank wouldn’t be too much of a stretch,” Minister Jun said. Kayla shook her head. She had no plans to concede on the only two positions she had spoken for.
“I was actually thinking of making him one of the Chamberlains,” Kayla replied. “He’s from the provinces and known for his sense of justice, so his character is suitable for the role.”
“That’s a fifth-rank position! He’s only a county magistrate, isn’t that too much of a jump? It’s easy for quick progression through the ranks to cloud the mind of a youngster with arrogance,” Minister Jun replied. Kayla ignored the subtle dig aimed at Wenyuan.
“For others, perhaps. But he’s the student of Zhang Wanfu, who’s known to have a discerning eye. If Sun Ruhui did not abide by Taoist principles, he would have been disowned as a pupil. Surely he is not someone who prioritizes personal gain and pride,” Kayla said.
“That’s a bit of a conjecture,” Minister Jun protested. “My lord, have you ever met the man? I don’t believe he’s been in the capital much.”
“I have not. But his lack of ties to the capital is exactly what I want in a candidate. I need someone unafraid to insult the powerful and unembedded in the ties of gratuity, this also aligns with the Emperor’s intentions,” Kayla said.
Minister Jun sighed. “Very well, if you say it is His Majesty’s wishes, what more can I say in protest?”
“I didn’t say that, please do refrain from misquoting me,” Kayla quickly said. “I wouldn’t want anyone to misunderstand.”
“Of course, Left Secretariat, I’ll be careful. Now, the other positions,” Minister Jun said, pulling another scroll out from the pile. The two launched back into the discussion, lowering their voices as someone passed by the door.
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Qu Boyong lightly leaped back, landing soundlessly on the ground. He glanced with interest and annoyance at the man who had parried his knife. The stranger who followed him down the alleys was clad in rough and dirty linen and looked like a beggar, except for the expensive sword in his bandage-wrapped hands and the sharp eyes that glinted dangerously. He was about the same height as Boyong, taller by only an inch or so.
Boyong tilted his head slightly, trying to assess the situation. The man didn’t seem to be sent by Boyong’s enemies, but who else would target an unassuming guard?
“You’re too skilled for a mere robber, who are you? Show your face!” Boyong shouted. To his surprise, the stranger complied without hesitation. The man pulled down the scarf that covered his nose and mouth, revealing the strikingly handsome face of a young man in his twenties.
“And you’re quite skilled for a servant,” the man replied. “You don’t need to know my name, Qu Boyong. But I would recommend you hear out my offer.” Boyong drew in a sharp breath, his eyes narrowing. At least he could confirm now that the man’s business was not with Boyong, but with Wenyuan.
Boyong shook his head. “You may have the advantage of my name, but I have no reason to hear out someone who sneaks about in the shadows.”
“Am I truly the only one who does that? I can tell just by looking at you that your background isn’t simple,” the man replied. Boyong felt more confident at the vague words. It was no more than the tricks of a fortuneteller who said vague, self-fulfilling prophecies to those foolish enough to pay for them, a petty trick to fish for information. If the stranger really knew anything, he surely would have sought to immobilize Boyong before blabbering on like this.
“An interesting conjecture.” Boyong kept his face a blank mask.
“I have a good sense for these things," the man said flippantly. "I bring you an open-ended offer.”
“I don’t want to hear it. You bring nothing but trouble,” Boyong shot back. The man shifted his grasp on the short sword in his hand.
“I only ask for a few minutes,” the man said, a dangerous edge in his voice. Boyong mulled it over briefly. The strange man was quite skilled, and Boyong doubted he could walk away unharmed unless the other man was seriously injured or dead. But the last thing he needed now was to attract attention to himself in this manner.
“Fine, speak quickly.” Boyong lowered his knife and nodded at the man.
“My master can give you whatever you request. It can be money, though that doesn’t seem to be your true desire. A position, a title, or perhaps the hand in marriage of a young lady, whatever it is that you are seeking will be granted.”
“That sounds like it comes with a high price,” Boyong replied suspiciously.
“A price, but not a high one. We simply wish to know the moves of your master. Nothing that would harm him, of course, just the simple things. Who he meets with, where he goes, what he orders you to carry out. Nothing that we can’t find out about ourselves, but you would save us quite some time and effort.”
Boyong gave him a confused look. “Your offer is more generous than it should be. Why such a high reward?”
“That’s not something you need to worry about. Just know that neither you nor your master will come to harm from this. In fact, you both stand to gain quite a lot.”
“I refuse,” Boyong shot back.
“Your loyalty is admirable but foolish. I did just mention that-”
“It’s not loyalty but pragmatism. What on earth makes you think I’d trust in the words of some lurker like you? You don’t speak the name of your master, but there are only so many people within this country who can freely offer positions and titles. I’m not interested in learning anything more than that, I already know that it’ll bring me far more trouble than I’m willing to take on. Leave now and I’ll pretend I never saw you,” Boyong snapped.
“You’re making a mistake,” the man warned him. "Taking this offer will make things much easier for you. Whatever it is that you want, do you think that guy can give it to you? He'll have his hands full keeping himself afloat from now on."
"Enough, I don't want to hear any more from you! If you think you can kill me, you’re free to try. If not, take your sword and get out,” Boyong said in a dark tone.
The man took a step backward, shaking his head.
“Fine. If you're going to be like that, then I'll take my leave for now. But we'll see each other soon, it won’t be long before you change your mind.”
The man then vaulted onto the rooftop, giving a carefree wave to Boyong before disappearing into the alleyways, leaving Boyong alone again. Boyong sighed deeply, wiping at the sweat that had beaded on his forehead. For a moment there, he had actually been worried. To his relief, it was just the lackey of one of the princes or perhaps one of the Archdukes seeking to stir things up in the capital.
“That bastard…but I guess I have to thank him as well,” Boyong said absently.
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As annoying as the encounter was, it presented him with an excellent opportunity. It was also the best proof that he had made the right decision by becoming Wenyuan’s servant. Boyong hid his smile and made his way back towards the main street.
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Chen Jian lit up as he opened the door to see Li Que.
“Sir! What a welcome sight, please come on in,” he said cheerfully. Li Que stepped in with a small smile, glancing at his subordinate's unruly hair.
“Look at this brat, you just got up, didn’t you? It’s almost midday,” Li Que scolded.
“But it’s my day off,” Chen Jian whined. Li Que shook his head in exasperation before his expression became more serious.
“Alright, I came because there was something I needed to talk to you about. Where is your sister?” Li Que asked.
“Right here, sir. I brought some tea,” Caichun called as she entered the room, stepping forward briskly with a teapot in one hand and a stack of cups in the other. She bowed her head slightly as she set them down.
“Hello, Caichun. Have you grown taller again?” Li Que glanced quizzically at Caichun, who proudly straightened her back.
“That’s right, sir. I’ve grown some more in the last month, I hope I’ll be taller than my brother soon.”
“You wish,” Chen Jian shot back. “Even if you have a growth spurt at 23, you’ll still end up half a head shorter than me.”
“You don’t know that,” Caichun shot back.
“Indeed,” Li Que chuckled fondly as he settled down at the table, Chen Jian and Caichun sitting down as well. “Let’s not go in circles, I bring important news. You two should think very carefully about what you want to do in response.”
Caichun and Chen Jian both straightened their postures, nodding seriously in response.
“The Emperor has decided to reinstate the Court of Judicial Review with the Left Secretariat of Justice as its Minister,” Li Que announced. There was a soft gasp from Chen Jian.
“I believe both of you understand how important this is. There are still a few days until the official edict will come down, but preparations are already underway. The building is also being prepared, it’s been used as a storehouse for decades now so there’s quite a lot to do,” Li Que said.
“But that doesn’t have much to do with us, all we'll have to do is ensure its security until everything's settled down. The problem is staffing. This is meant to become an institution that answers directly to the Emperor but can also intervene directly in court politics, far beyond the extent of what we are able to do in the Bureau, so the personnel is of utmost importance. The Left Secretariat’s working with the Ministry of Personnel to fill the positions, but they’ll be recruiting quite a few people from the Bureau.”
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” Chen Jian asked worriedly.
“A good thing,” Caichun hissed at him, nodding apologetically at Li Que.
“Caichun’s right, it’s a good thing. The thing is, these changes affect your family as well,” Li Que said. The siblings glanced at each other uneasily.
“Caichun, the Left Secretariat requested for you to join the core staff as a Ministerial Case Reviewer,” Li Que said. “This is an excellent opportunity and a highly unusual one, and you would be in an excellent position to pursue high-paying work should you ever leave the position. But it doesn’t come without its problems. You’re one of the only two staff members that the Left Secretariat personally requested, and you’re the only woman among the core staff. Since your rank would only be eighth rank, there’s no telling how you’ll be treated by your colleagues.”
Caichun looked at Li Que, expression frozen in shock.
“The young lord requested me? As-as an official?” Caichun asked, sounding a little dazed. She evidently hadn’t taken in anything after that. Li Que nodded. Caichun blinked, still looking taken aback, but quickly collected herself.
“An eighth-rank official,” Caichun said in amazement. “I haven’t heard of a woman becoming a court official within the last eighty years!”
“That’s amazing! As expected, my little sister is the best!“ Chen Jian cheered. “The young lord’s a nice person, I’m sure that Caichun will be fine, won’t she?”
Caichun seemed to come to her senses at that. “I doubt he would have much time to spare for me,” she said in a matter-of-fact voice. “Even if the core staff is mostly made up of neutral officials, he would still have his hands full with a newly reinstated institution and the investigations. I’ll be fending for myself for the most part, won’t I?”
“That’s what I wanted to point out,” Li Que admitted. “Not to mention that you’re of marriable age but have no betrothed yet, this may affect your prospects for marriage, depending on what rumors circulate.”
Chen Jian leaned forward with a look of concern. “That’s right, look how people talked about General Yu behind her back. I was so happy that I forgot all about that part!”
“That being said, it depends on your choice, Caichun. If you want to refuse it, I will do anything I can to help you,” Li Que said. He had known the girl since she was sixteen when Chen Jian had first joined the Bureau. It didn’t sit well with him to see her prospects for marrying into a good family dashed by the cruelty of the court officials.
“Sir, you said that I was one of the only two that the young lord requested?” Caichun asked. Li Que nodded.
“The other one is Sun Ruhui, a county magistrate from Rongcheng County. He’s to be a Chamberlain,” Li Que replied.
“Then I don’t think I have anything to worry about,” Caichun said with finality. “The young lord must have chosen us with the intention of curbing the power of any other faction that may try to intervene. There’s no way his recommendations for a civilian woman to enter into the core staff and a ninth-rank local official to jump to fifth-rank could have possibly gone through unless the Emperor approved. Even if my reputation were to be besmirched, I have no doubt I would still be offered a good match. Also, I’m in no rush whatsoever.”
“Are you certain that will be the case? This is a serious life decision you’re making,” Li Que cautioned her. Caichun nodded.
“I’m certain. The Emperor won’t let the Court of Judicial Review or his nephew be besmirched, or his own pride will get dragged through the mud. By extension, I’ll be fine as well. I’ve always wanted to work in the court, but I’ve never had a chance. How can I just let this chance slip by? I’ll do it,” Caichun said firmly. Li Que nodded.
“I’ll support your decision. Chen Jian, do you have any objections?”
“No, Caichun knows what she’s doing,” Chen Jian said. “If she says it’s fine, then it’s fine.”
Li Que nodded. “Good, it’s settled then. The official notice will come down within the next few days, I’ll be rooting for you. If things get too tough and you want to stop, let the Left Secretariat know, I’m sure he’ll understand.”
“Understood, sir. Thank you very much!” Caichun bowed her head, beaming from ear to ear.
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Kayla stretched her arms in the privacy of her carriage, stiff from a long day hunched over a desk with Minister Jun. The core staff had been settled rather quickly once Minister Jun realized Kayla wasn’t going to give in on Sun Ruhui and Chen Caichun, but there were still plenty of other personnel choices in question. Despite Minister Jun's own preference for the Seventh Prince, he limited the candidate pool to neutral officials who weren't involved with any of the Princes or the Grand Duke. As a result, most of the core staff came from lower-ranking officials or the Imperial Investigator Bureau.
Kayla quickly pulled herself into a more poised sitting position as Boyong got into the carriage as well, bowing slightly at her.
“My lord,” Boyong said. Kayla waved and he settled into the seat across from her as usual.
“How did your day go?” Kayla asked. She doubted he would have uncovered something already, but she would be happy for any little detail.
“I began to ask around with some of the older folks in town,” Boyong replied. “Beggars, drunks, retired courtesans, and the like. They’re most likely to both remember what happened and be willing to loosen their tongues for a bit of silver. I’ve yet to uncover anything useful, most of them only knew some rumors or tall tales.”
“You only just started today, it’s to be expected,” Kayla assured him. “Even if it’s just rumors and tall tales, I’d rather have something than nothing at all before the Court of Judicial Review is reinstated. Once you find some common themes, let me know.”
“Of course, my lord. I’ll also look into some other possibilities for gathering information,” Boyong said. The young man hesitated slightly as he seemed to consider his words. Kayla pretended not to notice.
“My lord, actually, there is something important that I need to talk to you about,” Boyong said. Kayla nodded for him to go ahead, creasing her brow at his serious tone.
“This morning, I was followed by a strange man in beggar’s clothes. I tried to throw him off my trail, and when that failed, I tried to strike first. But he was a highly trained swordsman,” Boyong said. Kayla frowned at that.
“Are you alright?” Kayla asked. She glanced him over. The young man seemed unharmed, but Kayla couldn't tell for sure.
“Yes, my lord. But the man, he made me an offer…” Boyong trailed off, glancing down at the carriage floor.
“Go on,” Kayla urged him.
“He offered me anything I wanted in exchange for reporting your actions to him,” Boyong said. Kayla raised her eyebrows slightly in surprise.
“Of course, I refused him!” Boyong hastily added.
“I believe you. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be telling me this,” Kayla assured him. “But do you have any idea who he might’ve been?”
“He had an expensive sword, he must be from a wealthy household,” Boyong replied. “And I saw his face. He was rather young, in his twenties, I believe. And he was rather handsome.”
Kayla opened her mouth and then closed it again. That description matched almost a quarter of the named cast in the original story.
“Did he have anything else that stood out?” Kayla asked after a moment.
“He said he would approach me again,” Boyong replied. “I can try to capture him at that time.”
“Don’t bother doing something dangerous,” Kayla said with a sigh. “I feel like there will be more men like him in the future as well, there’s no point in trying to stop them from offering.”
“I’ll soundly reject anyone who approaches me,” Boyong said earnestly.
“I’m glad, thank you.”
“Not at all, my lord. It’s my duty as your servant.”
Kayla gave Boyong a smile before turning her thoughts to the mysterious man.
Who would send a guy like that?
She didn’t wait for Wenyuan to answer. A good half of the higher-ranking officials could have a motive for doing so, but most of the people she could think of that fit Boyong’s description worked for either the Third Prince or Xianchun.
Hey, Liu Boyue is one of the guys who fit that description. But I don't think he uses swords.
You're not thinking of confronting Xianchun are you? What good does it do you to take the risk of angering him? For a guy that doesn’t even use swords?
Well, since he doesn't use swords, there really is no point. But if it's not Liu Boyue, that's a good thing.
Kayla, Wenyuan began in a nervous tone. Kayla continued without letting Wenyuan go on.
“Actually, on second thought, if that guy approaches you again, tell him I’d like to speak with him.”
A brief look of confusion flashed over Boyong’s face before he bowed his head slightly.
“As you wish, my lord.”