Whispers of Jade

Chapter 13

Fourth Day of the Seventh Month in the 114th Year Renę

Yieun was bad at reading people. That's why she pretended to be shy and a little bit brainless. But she wasn't bad at reading situations, and she was currently in a weird one.

She had made observations about the Prince's mansion, from the people to the trees, and things didn't add up. Firstly, Yieun had observed the materials in the mansion, from her tea to the paper and ink she used. None of these were the ordinary supplies she used back home. The tea was fragrant, without bitterness while the paper was white, slightly scented and had carvings of flowers on the edges. She could recognise them as the most expensive types of tea and paper, imported from the south. Even her clothes and jewellery were made of a superior quality. Was this commonplace here or was the mansion bringing out its best for her? If it was commonplace, how rich was the prince and where did this wealth come from? If it was all tailored to her presence, then why such extravagance for a marriage of political convenience?

Yieun's decision to marry the Prince of Xhirnez had been a deliberate one, because of three things; he was far away from the capital, he had control over the military and his relation with the Imperial Court. The political situation in the Capital was quickly deteriorating, behind the golden facade. The Emperor had been forced to depose and banish the Crown Prince he had raised all these years in favour of the Empress' adopted son. His few loyal ministers had lost faith in him, leaving the various political forces crashing through the capital in successive waves, all as an incompetent ruler failed to contain the chaos.

Prince of Xhirnez was not only removed physically, but had been barely considered as an option when the inheritance of the throne came into question. His mother was a foreign princess, and he had been away from the court for a long time. At this point, he could only be considered a military commander with a slightly higher status. The nonchalant display of wealth had made Yieun uncertain about the accuracy of this evaluation.

Yieun shook her head, the unread book in her hand falling to her lap. She needed more information before jumping to conclusions, and she knew where to get it.

****

In the smooth carriage ride, Yieun pretended to be enamoured with the view as her eyes swallowed in hidden details. Matron Mier had directed the carriage to the shopping district, and Yieun's ears were assaulted with the loud hub-bub expected of one.

The carriage slowed to a stop in front of a paved street. Yieun observed that there were no horses or carriages on this street, made up of throngs of women accompanied by their dutiful servants. Matron Mier, who was helped down by Polin, extended her hand to guide Yieun. "Which store would you like to visit first? The store for ink and brushes is here, while the gardening emporium is further down."

"Let's get the ink first then." Yieun replied, and the group started to walk as the carriage behind them disappeared. Yieun was making this trip on the pretext of buying coloured inks for painting, and simple gardening tools to take care of the plants in her courtyard. Initially she feared she would be stopped, but her requests had been well entertained, with them setting off to shop the very next day. She could only hope her loyal helpers were prepared.

****

Entering the gardening store, Yieun was greeted by a pleasant waft of flowery scents. No doubt from the pots of blooming buds. Hearing the tingle of the doorbell, a middle-aged man with a wide smile stepped forward.

"Welcome! Welcome, I am Joun. What is My Lady looking for today?" The shopkeeper's attentive gaze darted between Matron Mier and Yieun.

"Simple gardening tools. I don't have any experience."

"Ah, that is no problem at all. Many young ladies and madams have started gardening, whether its flowers or medicinal herbs. May I ask what types of plants you wish to cultivate?" As the shopkeeper entertained them and stole Matron Mier and Polin's attention, Cailin seized the opportunity to slip away unnoticed, like a shadow fading into the background.

****

Back in the sanctity of her own bedchamber, Yieun picked up the envelope Cailin had acquired during the day. She had been nervous, but Cailin's sleuthing skills were improving. Yieun sighed. If only her literacy would make similar advancements.

Using an envelope opener to decisively rip open the envelope, her eyes scanned the contents with an intensity that belied her otherwise demure facade. What lay before her was a meticulous record of all the peculiarities and anomalies that Joun, Pooil, and the others had observed during their expedition.Yieun read the thick envelope inside. It documented all the obstacles and inconsistencies Joun, Pooil and the others had noticed.

The knuckles of Yieun's hands turned white as her grip on the paper tightened. There were several strange things. First, the excessively stringent border patrol... on the capital's side. The group had their papers checked thoroughly, interrogated on their reason for entry and had their portraits and details taken to be issued new passes. The new passes had their faces on them and were used to register their businesses and homes. Yieun might have been able to dismiss the checks as precautions because of the war, but what about the extra passes? Second, they reported the city to be almost as prosperous as the capital. The number of citizens residing here was just less than the capital, which wasn't unusual, but they reported their revenues being almost as high as they were in the capital, and certainly not due to a lack of competition from other stores. They informed Yieun that the shopping street she visited was but one of many. Third, they had observed many occurrences of exotic foreign goods being sold.

Yieun carefully touched the ends of the papers to a candlelit flame, watching the explosion of heat and light. Certainly, this city was richer than it should have been, but what was the reason? Had they neglected the border all these years, hoarding wealth? But then, how hard they managed to defeat the opponent? The mention of foreign goods had sent a chill through Yieun's heart. The historically chaotic west had ended a war and the situation was worsening in the north. Had her new husband... colluded with the enemies? The answer eluded her, shrouding her in a heavy cloak of unease.

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