“I believe the stall should be just ahead,” Wei said.

  The streets were swollen with chaos, given the impending inauguration of the new emperor. Festivities, despite the dire condition of the kingdom, had reached new heights of joy.

  I was happy to have Wei along once we made it deeper into the crowded marketplace, where everyone was shoving past me. He had no issue using his rank and large body to create more walking space.

  “Should be somewhere…” he paused, eyeing the crowd gathered near an empty stall. “Is that… the Ministry of Justice?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  I may not have known many of the officials in this kingdom, but I had gotten to know Minister Chen and his people very, very well.

  “Good morning,” I said, bowing. “What are you doing here?”

  “Conducting an investigation,” a young man replied.

  “On whose authority?” Wei asked, in a manner that couldn’t go unanswered. His usual commanding voice, I suspected.

  “Commander Wei? I’m not sure why a matter like this would interest you. The Ministry of Justice is investigating possible criminal conduct that happened at this stall, possibly linked to the death of an official.”

  “That’s convenient,” I said, taking a step forward. “I’m here on the authority of Prince Renyi to investigate the matter personally. I’ll be assuming control of this investigation, and I’ll ask that you turn over the existing evidence and your findings to me by the end of the day.”

  The young investigator seemed to choke on his next words before a smile crept onto his lips.

  “You have a great sense of humor for a foreigner,” he said.

  Wei simply stared down at him and was beginning to look irritated.

  I pulled out the jade medallion, showing it just briefly enough for the man to get a good look.

  “It was not a joke. I trust you to cooperate,” I said, stowing away the medallion.

  “We will need to verify the… authenticity of that. Even then, turning over an investigation is not that simple. You will need to apply to—”

  “I am not applying to anything,” I said, interrupting him. I wasn’t about to play the games of bureaucracy and red tape when it was clear someone was attempting to cover their tracks and using trustworthy names and organizations to do so. “The end of the day is already too generous. In fact, let’s make it two hours.”

  “Two hours?” he asked, nearly shouting.

  By now, the other investigators were gathering around us, curious about what the commotion was about. Five men, none of whom looked like they’d ever been soldiers. I hadn’t set out to cause them a hard time. It was unlikely any of them were aware of any higher conspiracy in play. They were simply doing what they were told, where they were told to do it. However, I couldn’t afford to be a pushover. Maybe that was the real reason Renyi sent Wei to accompany me.

  “If Tannis were here, he would not be nearly as lenient on you as Taylor is being, so instead of acting indignant, you should be grateful. Time is of the essence, and even two hours is more than I would have offered.”

  “I will summon Minister Chen, and once he verifies the medallion’s authenticity, we will organize our evidence and turn it over to you immediately.”

  “How soon can Minister Chen be here?” I asked.

  “He must attend meetings, and he may need to bring a royal scholar to help identify—”

  “Why are you stalling?” Wei asked, apparently having a shorter fuse than even I did.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  “Commander, we…” He turned, addressing the others present. “Please go and summon Minister Chen. Tell him it’s urgent and that he should come right away.”

  “You could have done that from the start,” I said. “I want you to understand that any further games from you could be interpreted as obstruction.”

  He fell to his knees, bowing his head nearly to the ground.

  “Apologies! Minister Chen is very strict in how these matters are handled. I didn’t want to be punished.”

  Wei sighed and looked at me. His nod told me that the young man spoke the truth.

  “Stand up,” I said. “You don’t have to do that. Just understand that this case no longer falls under the authority of the Ministry of Justice, so there is nothing for you to be punished for. While we wait, tell me what you were able to discover.”

  He slowly rose to his feet, looking even more nervous than before.

  “I can’t share… that is… I won’t be able to turn over everything just yet. This vendor appeared to be targeting military figures with a food item that specifically targeted them. An old cost-saving ration that—”

  “We’re aware of the item being sold here,” Wei said.

  “Skip all that,” I agreed.

  “I’m sorry, but I really have to wait until Minister Chen arrives to share more.”

  I sighed, a bit concerned as Wei seemed to grow more and more impatient. Tannis being his personal friend made him trustworthy, but emotions were running high, and being a commander, he’d come to expect immediate and unquestioning compliance. Accustomed to his own structure and bureaucracy, he was frustrated by another. I could certainly sympathize with that.

  “It will be up to Taylor as to how long she’s willing to wait. When she decides we have waited long enough, evidence will be seized by force if necessary,” Wei said, resting his hand on his sword, though relaxed for now.

  “We’ll wait a bit,” I said. I didn’t really want to wait at all, but these were low-ranking investigators, and their hands were tied. It wasn’t like forcing them would be fair, at least to them. Though Wei was correct. Our options would grow more limited with each passing minute. If our presence could very well have triggered someone to destroy evidence, waiting was only affording them the opportunity.

  Suddenly, a horn blew, and the streets cleared almost immediately. Even though it came as a surprise, Wei himself seemed to be the most surprised of everyone present.

  “General Junwei is passing through. Make way!” a man shouted.

  A small group approached on horseback, led by General Junwei himself. No more than ten men.

  “Greetings, Taylor,” he said.

  I was surprised he greeted me first, before the investigators present and before one of his own commanders.

  “General,” I said, bowing my head slightly.

  “And Commander Wei. With one of my most capable commanders at your side, I’m guessing you’ve been sent here by Prince Renyi himself. Considering I didn’t order him to accompany you, it’s the only explanation.”

  Wei bowed his head, almost in apology.

  “It’s as you say, General. I’m sure you’re familiar with this case as well,” I said.

  “Of course. Tannis, Wei, and I go way back. We were friends before we joined the military. This has weighed heavily on me, so I immediately had this matter investigated myself and details reported to me personally.”

  “You’re not going to make me go through a long, convoluted process to share what you’ve learned, are you?” I asked, surprising Wei by speaking so casually to the kingdom’s general.

  General Junwei smiled. “Of course not. My military is transparent with the public, which is why I am passing through the busiest street in the kingdom.” He gestured toward a man being held in the back, his wrists and legs shackled.

  With how he was dressed… could he be…?

  “Is that Prince Dao?” Wei asked, alarmed.

  “Step forward, Your Majesty,” General Junwei ordered.

  One of the other soldiers kicked him in the back from his horse, causing him to stumble toward us and fall forward on his knees.

  “I’ve been wrongly accused!” he shouted.

  “My men uncovered records of certain ingredients being purchased from Prince Dao’s stocks, sold to this vendor. We have proof. The vendor’s actions indicate that current and former military personnel were the targets of this villain’s plot. Because my friends and comrades were specifically targeted, I moved to take swift action. With Crown Prince Renyi in line to become emperor, Prince Dao will not be able to use his station to escape justice.”

  “With all due respect, General, I’d like to continue investigating. I’d like to verify the authenticity of the proof that implicates him, as well as explore any larger plot he might be part of.”

  General Junwei grinned. “Beyond Prince Dao, it only leaves Crown Prince Renyi. I know you aren’t accusing him of being responsible for the death of his loyal chief adviser.”

  That comment really rubbed me the wrong way, and I wasn’t sure why. Had he really meant it as a harmless jab at my lack of knowledge of their hierarchy?

  “You know that I’m not. I’m here on his authority, after all,” I said, briefly flashing the medallion Renyi had given me.

  The general regarded it, nodding.

  “I chose my words poorly, Lady Taylor. Please accept my apologies. It seems you misinterpreted my jest. Of course, you’re welcome to continue investigating, and my soldiers will cooperate fully without question. Not that you need my permission, but I want you to understand that I, and my military, are your friends here and not your enemies.”

  Did that imply the Ministry of Justice was potentially an enemy? General Junwei was difficult to read and would certainly refrain from saying certain things in public.

  For now, I believed it wise to simply stand aside and allow them to pass through.

  Something about it just didn’t sit right with me, and I couldn’t yet put my finger on why.

  PanTech Chronicles trilogy and the series, both available on Amazon.

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