38. A pigeon in the Royal Palace
"Eunuch Li said you had come to visit mother." Yan rose and bowed for the emperor while the emperor motioned for Su to remain seated. Su had wanted to talk to the dowager empress and Yan had accompanied her. The troops had been detached four days ago so he had been free to come to the palace. "Royal brother, there is something I would like to show you. Could you follow me?" After he had given Su a kiss and bowed for the dowager empress, Yan joined his brother. As always eunuch Li walked behind them when they made their way through the palace gardens. "My sister-in-law seems happy and healthy. No more ladies with unwanted offers have come forward?"
"None, which greatly improved Su's happiness. These last few weeks she has been feeling very well." Yan said, glancing back to where Su and the dowager empress were seated. "But she does seem slightly forgetful recently. Yesterday we trained together, I did some extra sword work. Just before she had to leave for the Mingjing Office I was called away. I left my sword against a table. Later I went to retrieve it, but found it was gone. None of the staff had taken it. Then I saw Su's swordstick, the one I'd made for her. She always takes it with her because it is lighter and easier for her to handle now. As she had earlier put on one of my mantle's instead of her own, I suspected she might have taken my sword with her. So I went to Mingjing Office. Su was very surprised to see me. When I told her I suspected she had taken my sword she was adamant that was not the case, until I showed her swordstick. We went inside to the chambers and there we did find my blade. She was very apologetic. No one else had seen it or commented on it." Yan smiled at the memory. Lately Su really didn't know she had done something odd until someone pointed it out or she noticed it herself. He had seen her use a hairpin as a brush to write something down, not understanding why the brush wasn't working until a staff member had pointed it out. She had worn his shoes for the better part of the morning until he had tried to find them. Shaking his head Yan followed his brother who said: "I remember our sister-in-law would eat strange food combinations. Does Su suffer from that as well?" This time Yan laughed out loud and said: "It would be more accurate to say Fei Yuan suffers. The exasperation in his eyes when she requests certain foods that normally wouldn't work well together is ever increasing. But the dowager empress has assured Su that the absentmindedness and strange food requests are part of carrying a child. I believe she is telling Su some things about when she was carrying you."
By this time they had reached the emperors study. "Eunuch Li, none is to disturb us, except the dowager empress and the princess consort Qi." The emperor said as he stepped into his study. Eunuch Li bowed and closed the door. The emperor walked to his desk and took something from it. Then he turned back to his brother, whom he held in the highest esteem. The emperor stretched his hands out, laying there was the Tiger Tally. "Royal brother, please accept the Tiger Tally. It should never have been returned to me. With the strengthening of the rebel forces at the border, the Ghost Army and clear indications one or more people are actively trying to break the trade agreement with Beirong, I deem it necessary for you to once again bear the Tiger Tally. There is no one in the empire as capable or worthy as you." The emperor waited, unsure whether Yan would indeed take the Tiger Tally back. Yan remained silent and stood motionless looking at the Tiger Tally. "Brother I would have preferred to present this in court, as is customary. However I do not want Beirong or anyone in Liang court to know you have the Tiger Tally back. Only you, I the four generals and Su can know for now." Yan could see the sense in this, a public show made sure everyone would know, which right now was not the best course of action. The silence stretched but finally Yan spoke: "I would be honored to once again bear the Tiger Tally. I shall not disappoint you." Then he stretched out his hands and the emperor placed the Tiger Tally in his hands. That had been easier then the emperor had imagined. Suddenly a bang rang through the room. Yan and the emperor regarded each other. Then Yan swiftly opened the door and saw eunuch Li trying to scare away a pigeon, which just flew up and landed at the other side of the poor beleaguered eunuch. Clearly the pigeon was determined to remain in front of the door. Smiling slightly Yan kneeled down and grabbed the pigeon. He had seen the little tube on the paw, realizing this was one of Xie's pigeons. He closed the door and showed the pigeon to his brother, whose reaction was surprising and quick. He took a few big steps, took the scroll from the tube and unrolled it.
"I know I'm the only one with pigeons that will come directly to this study. But now I know what Brother Xie had to do when we went to Beirong and stopped at the border town." Yan said while e he observed his brother, of course he knew his brother had written many letters to and received many letter from miss Tong. On those occasions that he or Su or both of them went to Pei Mansion the staff always told them about the letters that passed through. Yan had even heard that some parcels had been sent. He knew why the emperor was much more worried about smuggling and dishonorable dealing in trade then their brother wo was the trade minister, and unlike their brother Yan took those worries seriously, because he knew the source of the unofficial reports the emperor received. He saw terror on the emperor's face appear. "What is it?" he asked and when the emperor looked up Yan knew something was very seriously wrong.
"It's Xin. Her parents have been killed, her home destroyed by fire and she is on the run, hiding somewhere in the forest." The fear Yan heard in his brothers voice was the same he'd felt when they'd lost Su in Beirong. "Calm down." Yan said. Before either could say anything else eunuch Li opened the door and announced:
"Princess Consort Qi."
"Let her in." the emperor said and before Su could start her bow he waved it away: "Don't stand on ceremony." Su saw the anxious face of the emperor and she glanced at Yan who quickly answered: "Xin is on the run, her family has been killed."
"What?" Su stepped to the emperor who held out the note, while Su and Yan read it he said: "Find her. Find out what happened to her parents. In her last letter she said her father had been approached to smuggle or give discounts for the Beirong customers. She overheard the conversation. I'll find the letter for you and I'll sent it on to Pei Mansion. I'm assuming you're traveling as Pei Zhao?" Su glanced up at Yan and met his gaze. His concern was clearly visible, but he did answer the emperor in the affirmative. "Might we borrow your writing implements?" Yan asked. The emperor stepped away from his desk and motioned for Yan to sit. Quickly Yan wrote some notes. "Su I think it's best to arrange for a few Mingjing guards to be dispatched to the border. Can you arrange that?" Su had been keeping an eye on the agitated emperor, who was pacing back and forth.
"I'll arrange it. You majesty, could you ask eunuch Li to summon Fei Yuan?"
A short while later Fei Yuan was in the office and Yan handed him a few letters. "Go to the Mansion and went this to the Marquis by pigeon. Send the other letter to where Rushuang and Xie are, with this letter for Luo Xin. Notify captain Liu that we are leaving tomorrow morning from Pei Mansion, have him and a troupe of our soldiers follow us. Have this send to Mingjing Office, ask for an immediate reply and then pack only the necessary. Meet Su and me in Pei mansion. Tomorrow morning we'll leave for the border." Noting the serious tone of his young master Fei Yuan only bowed and said: "Yes, young master. I'll also have them prepare the Pei carriage to pick you up here." Fei Yuan gave a final bow and left. Had the emperor not been as worried as he was, he would have seen the look Su and Yan shared and the small nod Yan gave Su.
"Your majesty, we know you've been in frequent contact with miss Tong. We know you worry about her. Does she, by now, know your true identity?" Su asked, she felt Yan coming to stand next to her and he laced his hand on her waist. They saw the emperor staring in the distance, both knowing he wasn't seeing anything that was actually there.
"No, she believes I am Pei Zhu. I think that is why she feels free to write about the border situation. She does not name anyone, but she ahs mentioned not all in the town are resistant to smuggling or unfair trade…and…I don't know how to tell her I'm the emperor. I need to do that personally. She and her family were planning to come to the capital. I might have told her then. But I'm afraid, afraid of her reaction." He seemed to recall the current situation: "Brother, please find her."
"Don't worry, we will find her and ensure her safety." Yan responded. "Xiao Yan Ji, does mother know about miss Tong?" Su had never before heard Yan refer to his brother with his personal name, but she saw by the reaction that the emperor appreciated it in this deeply personal matter. The emperor shook his head.
"I don not want to tell mother before I tell Xin my true identity." Yan took a step towards his brother: "I understand, but please think about it again. When I knew I loved Su beyond anyone Xiwen might not have known but he knew enough. Had it been necessary I could have shared my worries with him and that was a welcome thought. When I told you back then…it helped knowing you would fight with me had it been necessary. Su and I know of your feeling to miss Tong, we will keep it secret, but we will be away for a while. If you feel the burden to be too heavy, consider telling mother about miss Tong." He patted his brother on his shoulder as Yan was accustomed to do when he wanted to show his support and appreciation.
"Thank you, brother."
"We will leave you." The couple bowed and left the palace for Pei mansion.
They reached Pei mansion quickly and asked for a dinner to be prepared as the day was slowly turning into night. While they waited for dinner both Su and Yan took care of some messages that still needed to be sent to ensure ongoing business would still be ongoing while they were out to find Xin. "I've requested four Mingjing Office guards to follow us. Two show promise as detectives, they'll be able to help me. The other two are Hua Ling and Chen Hao." Yan nodded relieved she'd requested two of the best trained guards to accompany them. He came to sit beside her, as he had just written the last of his orders for the lieutenants in charge of the military camps that he now had full power over again, even if they didn't know it yet.
"What are you thinking?" Su asked when he didn't immediately spoke to her.
"Xiao Su, I need you to promise me something."
"What?" Su asked after she had taken his hand and caressed it.
"When we get there at the border you only go out with me or Liu Yu or when they join us: brother Xie. Don't leave on your own." Smiling Su placed her hand on his face, making sure they could see each other. "I promise, I know it worries you that we have to go there together. I might not know much about strategic military planning, but I do know sending troops somewhere means that place isn't safe. I've seen you standing at the maquette for long hours, I know it isn't safe there and I won't put our child in a dangerous situation. Thrust me." Placing his hand over hers and squeezing it Yan smiled: "Thank you."
"This could be the next step in the plan to destabilize the traty between Liang and Beirong." Su suggested.
"It very well could be, but we first need to know more before we can draw this conclusion." Yan sighed, helping Su to walk with her to the dining hall. He expected Fei Yuan to join them soon and sure enough Fei Yuan was the one carrying in one of the dishes. Together they shared their meal and then went to bed early.