The colonel stood and left, leaving me rooted in confusion.
"Do you not understand Chinese? Leave." Wei Fang ordered.
I jolted upright and hurried after Gao Ming, my mind a whirl of questions.
Why was I working on the very day of the ceremony? What exactly was happening?
"I—where are we going?" I asked, struggling to match his pace.
He gave no answer, only a sharp glance over his shoulder before striding on.
My stomach tightened. Were they about to test me again in some new assignment?
Behind us I heard Renshu protesting, demanding to know why I was being sent to work when duties weren't supposed to start until tomorrow.
But I could not deny, Chief Strategist Aryan… getting the title earlier was something I was not against.
The colonel mounted his horse and took off at full speed, as if eager to escape my presence. It was almost as if he was afraid of me.
I nudged my own horse into motion, following at a cautious distance. We rode in silence until another compound came into view—similar to Wei Fang's headquarters, but with a hint of domesticity.
Earth tones draped the buildings: muted browns, worn beige, and mossy greens that softened the stone walls.
Gao Ming dismounted and entered without so much as a glance back, as if he were alone. I followed after him, determined not to be shaken off.
Inside stood a long table of the same solid design as Wei Fang's, surrounded by several chairs. Four men were already seated. Gao Ming remained standing.
"These will be the people you'll work with," he announced curtly. "Names can wait. For now—" he turned toward the men, "—this is Aryan. The work for today is simple."
He crossed to a shelf stacked with scrolls and drew several at random. Dust and dirt floated in the sunbeams as he set one before each of us.
"Each of you will be given a current national problem. Provide a solution within two or three days and report back. You may work here or wherever you live. Meet the deadline, or risk losing your post."
The scroll he placed before me was rough with age. The other men opened theirs with practiced seriousness. Colonel Gao Ming had left already.
I untied mine and smoothed the yellowed parchment. Before I could read, a voice cut through the silence.
"Where did you even come from? And why is your skin… like that?" The question dripped with thinly veiled disgust.
"Let us not be hostile," another said, his tone measured. "We must not fight among—"
"He's a foreigner! Why is he working among us?" he yelled again.
Their voices rose, echoing off the walls. I had expected this. Only a fool would think they'd welcome me without resentment.
Still, I couldn't help the small thrill of happiness curling in my chest.
I had work—real work—and that was enough for now.
When their shouting subsided, I focused on the letter inside the scroll.
---
Dear Colonel,
Pirates from the east have increased their smuggling and coastal raids following the ban on private maritime trade.
The coastal garrison is inadequate. The pirates seek goods, especially silk, for the black market.
Please issue orders. Merchants threaten to protest if the pirates are not punished soon.
Reporter,
Wang Shishi
---
Short. Sparse details. But the concerns were heavy. My decision would affect both smugglers and innocent coastal merchants.
Two or three days… I had time, yet my mind already exhausted not being able to find answers easily.
I rose and approached the man who had tried to calm the others. He was absorbed in his own scroll.
"Sir, am I allowed to leave?" I asked.
He looked up, startled. "Why leave? You have a task to solve. There is much information here—"
"Yes, but I would like to work alone."
He studied me for a moment, then nodded. "I see. You may go. Ah—my name is Rong Xu. Don't be offended by those three. They're always rough on newcomers."
"It's all right," I said with a small bow. "I understand their reasoning."
Outside, my horse regarded me with what felt like mild reproach.
Yes, yes, I should have arranged for a servant to feed him by now.
Late morning sunlight burned bright as I mounted and rode toward the palace.
No one called me back. No reprimand. So I continued on.
After several stops for directions, the palace where I resided finally emerged, dark and imposing as ever. Servants bustled across the halls while Bao Qin directed them like a seasoned general.
"Ah, Aryan! Your ceremony is finished? Where is Renshu?" she called.
"Went to work, I suppose," I answered distractedly, thoughts still tangled in the pirate dilemma.
My room welcomed me with its familiar gloom. I unrolled the scroll again, reading and rereading until the characters blurred.
Strengthening the garrison? A temporary fix. Lifting the trade ban? Dangerous… but perhaps more lasting.
Perhaps the pirates could be offered legal status—taxed merchants instead of criminals.
I spent the entire afternoon turning possibilities over like stones in a river, searching for the one that fit.
Bao Qin eventually sent lunch to my room, taking pity on my obsession.
Should I ask Renshu for advice? No… the assignment was mine.
But maybe a hint wouldn't hurt. I had, after all, helped him with his swordwork.
Night fell quickly. Renshu returned as I finally washed the sting of makeup from my face and ventured out for dinner.
"How was work?" he asked.
"Bad. I can't find a solution," I admitted.
He chuckled. "Maybe I can help. What's the problem?"
I explained the situation and my half-formed idea.
"Hmm. You're on the right track," he said. "But Colonel Gao Ming won't accept a vague concept. He needs a precise plan."
"What do you mean by precise?"
"You propose gradually lifting the ban to make the pirates believe their prospects will only improve, a sound psychological tactic.
But you must provide a timeline. How and when will each step occur?
And if you plan to reclassify smugglers as taxed merchants, how will that be enforced?"
"I think," I began slowly, "the ban should remain at first. Past smugglers could be offered amnesty if they pledge loyalty and disarm their ships.
Those who refuse would be punished severely and their strongholds destroyed.
The loyal ones would operate legally under government oversight and taxation.
They'd receive official IDs and paperwork to distinguish them from criminals."
I hesitated, then added, "After several years the number of pirates would shrink enough for the ban to be lifted entirely.
Is… is that workable?"
Renshu nodded. "It's a long process, but a wise one. Mention also that inland troops could supplement the coastal garrison, they're better trained."
I hadn't known that. Perhaps Gao Ming's workplace was worth more of my time.
"So that's it? Was it really that simple?"
"Yes," he said with a small smile. "The harder decisions are for commanders and colonels. We provide the groundwork."
We ate in companionable silence until he spoke again.
"You know, Wei Fang deserves more credit. Every move he makes is calculated."
"Why the sudden admiration?" I asked.
"Remember how he asked the three colonels to decide who would take you in?
He already knew Gao Ming would win. Wei Lie would be prejudiced, Zhou Fu would overestimate you.
Gao Ming, however, allows his subordinates to make their own choices.
It's the best environment for you to prove your strategies."
I wasn't surprised. Even the way Wei Fang breathed felt measured.
"Oh, by the way," Renshu added casually, "a letter arrived for you. From Lianyu."