58. The next step
The following morning Xin was surprised to find Zhu seated at the breakfast table. She started to bow, but Fei Yuan who had just come form the kitchen carrying more dishes, quickly said: "Miss Pei, please take your seat. Your uncle will join us soon." Confused Xin looked at Fei Yuan. Fei Yuan stepped closer to her and whispered: "You are at Pei Mansion, no one here knows of any other identities." Finally understanding Xin nodded and still a little unsure took her seat. And for the first time since she met Pei Zhu Xin didn't know what to say and even the silence, which had never felt awkward, was uncomfortable. Fei Yuan must have noticed because he started to talk about all kinds of things, some required a response from either Zhu or Xin, but most didn't. It was clear he was waiting for Yan and Su, who took their time to get to the breakfast table, which they eventually did. Yan helped Su to sit down, which took longer then Su would have liked. When they were both seated Yan placed some food on Su's plate as she couldn't reach that far anymore. Zhu noticed that Su seemed annoyed by the fact that she couldn't do all she wished to do, so he followed his brothers lead and didn't comment on it. Instead he turned tohis brother: "Brother, now that the rebels have been defeated, what's our next step going to be?" Yan flicked his eyes to Xin and then back to his brother. "Let's discuss that later in my study." Understanding the hidden message Zhu shook his head: "Miss Tong can hear what we should discuss. As her family was so cruelly treated she should know who has done this." Yan considered the words for a moment and then continued: "After we defeated the rebels we managed to recover some correspondence which confirmed our suspicion that these rebels operated on the demand of those behind the Ghost Army. Most captured rebels were also varying the mark of Xuan. We interrogated the captured soldiers, but they couldn't tell us much more. It seems all orders were directly give to Nuo Hu and then burned. The correspondence we found were letters to and from soldiers and their families in Beirong. Worryingly we also found rebels with families in Liang. This coupled with what Su and the Mingjing Office found, namely Liang citizens who are sympathetic to the Ghost Army, suggest that also in Liang the Ghost Army has followers. Su what have you found?" Su told them what had been found: small crimes , but the ones perpetrating them had been persons who made no secret of their affiliation to the Ghost Army. "When we looked into older crimes we saw much more instances of families with links to the mark of Xuan. It seems to have been happening these last few years. But recently they have happened more often and as said before they aren't afraid to proclaim their connection to the mark of Xuan." The five fell silent, Su, Yan and his brother because they understood the implications and Fei Yuan and Xin because they waited for a further explanation. When no one spoke Xin said: "You've found the ones that killed my family and defeated the rebels who were trying to create chaos. Why are you worried about these crimes?"
"Because the Ghost Army is trying to create chaos in the empire. They are trying to show the emperor can't protect his citizens and make people believe that it would be best to find someone else to lead and protect them. It's what they tried to do in the border town." Ji explained.
"When people doubt the abilities of their court and emperor it's easier to overthrow the court, because the citizens won't resist." Su added, shifting in her seat to find a better position.
"The court officials have these last weeks already spoken of these worries. I've told them I have faith that he Mingjing office can solve all crimes and imprison all those responsible. Head officer Luo Xin has kept court informed. But this increase in crimes is already caused the Mingjing Office to be overwhelmed." Su nodded to the truth of what Ji had said.
"Are there signs that certain official are likely to collaborate with the Ghost Army and create chaos in court?" Xin asked.
"I haven't seen or noticed anything to that effect." Ji replied.
"What is the courts attitude to the rebels we defeated? Did some grumble at the death our army dealt to most of them?" Yan asked his brother, while he added some more food to Su's bowl.
"They haven't spoken ill over the actions taken by our army. They did question the decision to send them back to Beirong. We could silence them with a favorable report from Beirong on how they've been punished." Ji said, looking at his brother, sharing those stares that only they would be able to decipher as brothers born in the imperial family.
"Do they know these rebels were acting on behalf of the Ghost Army?"
"I've not yet spoken on this, we are awaiting your official report, but Luo Xin has told them about the mark that was frequently found while solving many crimes. Court ordered Luo Xin to find out more on this mark. The amount of work at the office and the war at the border have delayed further reports from Luo Xin." Ji told his brother. Yan considered this information and thought deeply and in silence for a few moments. Then he seemed to reach a decision, rapped his knuckles on the table twice and looked up at Fei Yuan: "Go to Mingjing Office and ask Luo Xin to come to Pei Mansion, immediately." Fei Yuan rose and said: "All right Young master." But before he could rush out Ji stopped him: "Tell him it's an order from the emperor." He reached into his robe and handed the imperial token to Fei Yuan.
"What is your plan?" Ji asked Yan, when Fei Yuan had left them to rush to Mingjing Office. Yan responded that they would continue the discussion when Luo Xin had come. They finished their breakfast and then Yan rose saying: "Let's take a stroll through the garden my dear. You are uncomfortable."
"I need some help getting up, you should ask my personal maid to come." Yan furrowed his brow in surprise and annoyance: "I'm glad to hear you finally appointed personal maids, but I can surely help you without their help."
"It requires two of my maids to help me up." Su still didn't look at Yan, who by now was amused.
"You forget, your husband dis stronger then you maids." He whispered in her ear leaning in closer to her. That's when Su looked up at Yan and realized what he had said: "I'm sorry my dear. I've gotten used to asking two people to help me." Then she extended her hand which Yan firmly took. With her other hand placed on the higher table Su pushed herself up, at the same time she used Yan's hand to pull herself up to a standing position. Getting up shouldn't be such a hassle in Su's book, she grumbled something to that effect under her breath. Xin who had lived with Su for a few weeks and seen the heavily pregnant woman struggle and swear to the difficulties she encountered, smiled at Su's reaction, wisely hiding it behind Su's back Zhu did see the soft amused smile of Xin and his heart filled with warmth, hoping he would see that smile directed at him again soon. Yan simply placed Su's hand on his arm, supporting her wordlessly.
"You must be eager to return home, when will you leave for Qi mansion?" Ji asked, rising as well.
"I do need to return to QI mansion quickly. I've got tot inspect the work they've done to the room for our child. There also some clothes that need to be finished. We haven't been there for so long I should also check the cleaning that should have been done." Yan glanced at Su in surprise, she had never before expressed any concern with the upkeep of the mansion. She'd always trusted the more then capable staff. She had also always maintained, falsely in his opinion, that she wasn't good at needle work, that's why he had asked two of the best seamstresses in the dowager empress' employ to help with the making of the clothes for their child. Why did Su feel she needed to finish them?
"It isn't that they can't finish them, but there is a specific pattern that all mothers of the Bai Liang clan embroider on the clothes of their newborn children to give them luck in this lifetime. I read about it in the document Liu Xuan managed to salvage. The seamstresses have been helping me get better at embroidery so I can do it myself." Su told Yan after he inquired why the seamstress couldn't finish the clothes. Yan remembered the large chest that the widow of the former head officers of Mingjing Office had sent them, just before she moved back to her parents. With the chests she had also sent a letter from Liu Xuan to Su. Su had wanted to inspect all of the four chests that had been delivered after the initial chest, but the aftermath of the chaos the rebel prince Yun had taken almost all of their time. Yan was glad Su had found time to get through some of the heritage of her clan, because he knew how important it was for her. He nodded and told her they would go home the following day.