Imperial Capital (Fanrong De Huangjin City):

Bo Fang was rarely used as a messenger for his Matriarch. But when he was, he served her without question, following every order she gave with exacting precision. He knew from experience and stories told by his fellows that even the smallest variances, something as simple as saying the wrong word at the wrong time, could lead to disaster.

Many years prior, another of his lady’s retainers had told him a story of how she had been present when one of the messengers was forced to give a letter to the intended target a day earlier than directed. This had been due to another member of the Matriarch’s clan giving the poor girl an order that required her to leave a day early. He was some arrogant great-great-grand cousin or something equally pompous and self-important. Well, three days later, the young man who had given that order had been sent on a “critical mission” for the Matriarch.

While he was never seen or heard from again, Fang believed the messenger girl had had it worse. Her punishment had been meted out in front of all the other messengers. They had been assembled, told the outcome of the “failure” – a city had been half-destroyed by an elder demonic beast – and watched as the girl had been slowly burned and eaten alive by a grade 6 Steel-armored Scorching Armadillo, who the Matriarch had apparently compensated separately.

So, yes, Fang always followed his lady’s instructions exactly as given. He would have done so anyway, having given his oath of honor in exchange for her saving his life, but he would never forget that particular reminder – or the many like it he had heard of since.

However, that did not mean he always enjoyed his assignments. Such was the case now as he sat across the table from two men who he knew believed themselves above the world’s concerns. The expensive restaurant they shared a table at was in the Empire’s capital, far from his home and normal duties. But his mistress had entrusted him above all others with this delivery, and as such he would do his duty.

“Administrator Bao Gouzhi…” Fang said to the man on the left. He was a short, overweight man appearing in his forties in mortal years, with a neatly trimmed blue beard that matched his straight blue hair arranged in a neat topknot. He was dressed in an obviously expensive enchanted ocean-blue hanfu decorated with flowing white waves, demonstrating his and his family’s well-known – and equally respected and feared – Water affinity.

“Listen, peasant,” Gouzhi said petulantly. “Your masters were paid a great deal for the information we want. Anything else you have to say is a waste of our valuable time. Deliver what my clan elders bought and return to your hut in whatever backwater you came from before I crush you and charge your employer for the annoyance.”

Fang sighed. That was the third threat to his life since the meeting had started and would, according to his mistress, be the last. “Administrator,” Bo Fang responded tiredly, “I am only following my orders. I am to provide you with what you purchased, as well as two additional pieces of information.”

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“You’re trying to extort us, aren’t you, verger?” spat Gouzhi as he jabbed his finger in Fang’s face. “Pay for more info, which will no doubt be useless, or you don’t get what we already paid for? Well, listen here you—”

The man on the right – almost identical in every way to the man on the left except for being as thin as the other was fat – interjected in the conversation with the words Bo Fang had been waiting for since this infuriating conversation had started.

“Now, now,” Administrator Bao Jingguo said calmly, raising his hand and placing it on Gouzhi’s shoulder. This appeared to calm him enough that his tirade stopped before another threat on Fang’s life passed his lips.

“This messenger has not actually asked for any additional coin, has he?” the thinner Bao continued in his calm voice. “Let us at least hear what he has to say before taking any action that could risk the loss of what we are actually after. This young man would not put his illustrious organization’s reputation at risk, would he? Go ahead then.”

Fang mentally fumed at the insulting way the fop had said “illustrious,” but he did not speak his mind at the insult to his matriarch. These pompous administrators were nothing but messengers and managers themselves, and certainly not worth going off-script for. Fang knew his lady could crush their entire supposedly high-and-mighty clan any time she wanted to, but instead of telling them that, he did as he was bid.

“Thank you, Administrator Bao Jingguo. Indeed, neither I nor my employers are asking for additional coin for this supplementary information. It is an added bonus for your continued patronage, rather than any sort of exchange. However, I am to deliver it verbally and only once, so are you prepared to hear it?”

Gouzhi huffed but said nothing, while Jingguo raised a blue eyebrow but nodded.

Fang pulled a tightly rolled parchment from his ring and placed it on the table between them but did not withdraw his hand. The two focused on the scroll like it was the most precious object in their family’s treasury. Fang then recited what he had memorized over the previous days of preparation and travel.

“First is a reminder. The contents of this parchment are complete and guaranteed to be accurate per your purchase, as is everything my organization delivers. If you follow this exactly, your clan will succeed in your… endeavor. However, if you deviate from the recommendations even slightly, our organization will not be responsible for the outcome.”

The pair of administrators nodded silently but could not pull their eyes from the scroll. Their hungry looks were obvious for any to see, and Fang knew they were only half paying attention. Which was both a shame for them as well as what he expected. After all, the most important information was about to be delivered.

“Second is a warning. There is an individual mentioned in here,” and he tapped the parchment with a finger, “who may seem less important to your plans for your clan and the Empire. I assure you, she is not. Do not underestimate her.”

He pulled his hand back, and the fat Gouzhi grabbed the parchment without even looking at him. Fang sighed again, confident they would ignore his warning. He stood and left without another word. He had one more delivery to make before returning to his lady, so he headed to the stables for flying beast rentals, purchased the time of a young man and his brown eagle, and headed northeast toward the Black Dragon Sect and the alchemist who would, according to his instructions, turn into the catalyst of his mistress’s plan’s success.