14. The situation at the border
After a few days of travel they reached the mansion of the Marquis. Xie had earlier in the year set up an effective communication system between Prince Qi and several of his closest friends, amongst which the Marquis, using his beloved pigeons. Xie had sent a message by pigeon to ensure the Marquis would know who to expect and to take the necessary precautions. So when they got there the marquis greeted them as his old friends, not surprised to see the Emperor so altered. Instead of the high ponytail his brother favored, Pei Zhu had opted for a half topknot with the rest of his hair down his back. The clothing represented the wealth of the Pei family, but it was so much simpler then his usual royal clothing. Pei Zhu especially relished the leaving off of the heavy gold shoulder guard. The clothes shop owner had been able to produce the required clothes in time for their leaving of the capital. He hadn't blinked at the request, the Pei mansion had made odd requests before and paid handsomely. The boss knew not to ask questions and when asked by others to keep silent.
"Pei Zhao, Lady Pei, Pei Zhu, you are most welcome." During the previous visit, when they had handed the wedding invitation Yan had told the marquis about his other identity. The marquis welcomed the others. Everyone was shown to their rooms and after everyone had freshened up, they came back together in the office of the Marquis. In the privacy of the room the marquis did bow and spoke with reference to Pei Zhu: "Your Majesty."
"Don't stand on ceremony, marquis. We are here for two cases as you know. Can you tell us about the increase of enemy movements and the case of Yu Li?" Pei Zhu asked. The marquis invited everyone to take a seat before he started. "Let's start with Yu Li. She was under surveillance of the Mingjing Office. The Office asked for help when she came to these parts. The officers were trailing her, but each time they got close to taking her back in, she slipped away. Finally she seemed to remain in a certain part of the forests. My soldiers were en route to the place where she was last seen, somewhere in the forest between the largest town and the border with Beirong. There are a few cabins in the forest where she could hide, we checked them, but couldn't find her. Until yesterday afternoon, when her body was discovered."
"Her body?! She is dead?" Su asked surprised.
"Yes, someone slit her throat, but there were more injuries. The body is at the court for further autopsy." The marquis elaborated. Su nodded: "I'll go there tomorrow. How about the cabins, did any of them seemed to have been used by her?"
"I don't know, the soldiers only checked whether she was there, nothing else. But there is a soldier with each cabin we inspected. After you return from town we can visit a few, not all, that would take too long." Looking at Su Pei spoke up: "I'll join you tomorrow. Zhu do you want to join us?" Zhu nodded, which triggered Fu to add himself to the party. "I'll also need Rushuang." Su glanced at Rushuang, who nodded.
Everyone remained silent until Zhu asked the marquis to inform them about the movements of the enemies. The marquis nodded and told Pei and Zhu that there has been a sharp increase of enemy movements near the border. The marquis then led them to a corner of the room where a large maquette of the area that fell under the authority of the marquis was stood. Pei immediately went to the maquette, mentally comparing it to the maquette in his own office. Su noticed the furrowing of his brow: "What is the matter?" Pei shook his head, focusing on the marquis. Su took another look at the maquette considering that this gave Pei much more information than it did her. Similarly she would get more information from inspecting a crime scene then he would. She didn't understand all that was said between the marquis, Pei and Zhu, but she understood that in the last year the border patrols saw more rebel groups trying to gain access and create chaos. The men stood around the maquette and moved different flags around, clearly indicating what the movements of these rebels had been. "These rebels, do they wear a sign?" Pei asked, which got Su's attention. The marquis shook his head: "Not that we have seen. About the medal you send me: I seem to recall the sign, but I don't know from where. But it is not a sign from Beirong, for as far as we know their signs."
"We found it again about a week ago in Beishun town, those carrying it were trading stolen weapons from the Honggu battlefield. The culprits did not say whose sign it was. Only that by the time we'd figure it out, it would be too late. Yesterday we received the news that the culprits have committed suicide." Pei told the marquis, who responded: "That is unfortunate. I'll keep searching." At that time Zhu asked: "Marquis, what is necessary to face these rebels and defeat them?"
"For now we have the situation under control, but if this is a new clan and their actions become larger you might be going to war." Before continuing he glanced at Pei, Su saw worry in the eyes of the marquis. Pei didn't see it, because he was still looking at the maquette. "It might be a good idea to put the Tiger Tally in someone's hand." The marquis continued. Su saw her husband flinch, the Tiger Tally, representing the greatest military power in the empire, after the Emperor himself, that which Prince Qi himself had give up, in order to appease the officials at court, who were wary of his power and didn't trust him to use it to overthrow the Emperor. Even though she and Yan had exposed Prince Yun as the one who had wanted Prince Qi stripped from his powers, there were still officials that questioned the loyalty of the Qi Mansion. In the last year that loyalty had been tested, mostly by unnecessary and untimely summons to court to help with specific cases. On one occasion Su had been called to court while she was working on a crime, which required her to be on the scene to investigate. That occasion had not only angered her and Yan, but also Head Officer Luo Xin. The case in court could have been handled by Luo Xin, Su had not been necessary. And while the Emperor tried to shield Su as much as possible in this case it hadn't worked. As a result of this it had taken longer to solve the case Su had been working on. The relationship between the Emperor and his brother had strengthened following the rebellion of Prince Yun, but the strong relationship was never in full view, which of course gave them an advantage. Su realized that offering the Tiger Tally to Yan would be another test. Yan's honor would not allow him to take the Tally without a show of trust by the officials. But not taking it if the Emperor presented it would be seen as an act of disloyalty to the country. A country Yan loved and defended without being asked to do.
Before anyone could comment on the remarks of the marquis, he continued: "It is not just those rebels that worry me. What worries me more is the fact that the amount of violence between my troops and the troops of Xuo Ling. We have discovered that the reason for these altercations are malicious rumors spread by unknown persons. We have managed to stop each rumor that was spread, but every time we stop one, another comes up."
"But you don't know who is behind this?" Zhu asked.
"We know it isn't coming from our side, but we have no idea who does?"
"How are the rumors spread?" Su asked, this was more geared towards her kind of detective work and not so much about military cases. She took as step closer to Pei and took his hand in hers, the slight pressure coming from his hand reassuring her that he was al right. Zhu saw the gesture and the relieve it gave his brother an in that moment he knew why he had been adverse to the forced way in which his mother had attempted to find him a partner: in those meetings both knew what was technically and practically required, what their roles, him as Emperor and hers as Empress, required and that was so easily checked. But know having been in the company of his brother and Su Zhu realized he wants to know what those girls, but also what he himself, would do in deeply personal situations. Like now, how Su had seen what the discussion of the Tiger Tally had done to Pei and how she gave her support simply by taking his hand, without words or public declaration. And this was not isolated or just Su comforting Pei, as Zhu remembered so many different little touches, looks and (whispered) words between them. Zhu shook his head to focus again on the marquis who was answering Su's question: "Sometimes it is a letter that relays rumor, sometimes they heard it in a restaurant, sometimes it is a misplaced item. The rumors vary, but most effective are of course always related to family honor." Su nodded, already realizing how these rumors could spread easily and could cause physical altercations between people. "This is indeed troubling." Pei spoke up, knowing along with the marquis how deep the bonds between brothers-in-arms ran. He experienced it himself on a regular basis when he speaks with those that served in his army. The loss of Xiwen had been one of the most difficult periods in his life. He would have done anything to have spared Xiwen. "Rumors are like sand, even if you sweep thoroughly, small grains will remain, feeding doubt and mistrust."
"Exactly." The marquis said. "If we are not careful the two armies might not be willing to fight together. A unifying person of authority, one all soldiers revere might help." The tightening of Pei's hand told Su enough. "Can you invite Xuo Ling to come and discuss this matter? Would he be amendable to discussing this with me?" Pei suggested. "He would absolutely be amendable discussing this with you." The marquis fell silent, really looking at Pei and then continued: "I have long been absent from the royal court, but the four generals still hold you in high regard and would gladly welcome you back." Again his hand tightened around Su's when Pei said: "Thank you for those words." The silence that followed was awkward as everyone understood the implication. The marquis wanted the Tiger Tally back in Yan's hand. But only the marquis Su, Pei and Zhu understood that would not be easy. "The issue of the Tiger Tally is not under discussion. It will remain with me until that time that I deem it necessary to grant it to someone, and who that will be will be a question for that time." Zhu decisively said, knowing it would take time and diplomacy to resolve the issue of the Tiger Tally. And certainly a lengthy discussion with his own brother, because no one in the empire would accept any other then Prince Qi to be the barer of the Tiger Tally.
"Al right, let us tonight no longer dwell on these matters. It is nearly time for dinner." The marquis let the group to the dining hall.