hawk & sable

CHAPTER TWELVE,

HAWK & SABLE | TWELVE

THEY DIDN'T SEE RHYS the next day, but they'd all expected it. The list was long. How Rhys intended on checking every person on it, Ciri had no idea, even with her wiccai powers, but Rhys had always managed to weave something from nothing, so she wasn't too worried. Even if Rhys didn't complete the entire task, she'd hand in something useful.

In the morning, Ciri paid a few calls to the female officials and the wives of the Treasury Department men. She'd done her best to talk to as many of them as possible the night before so that her visit wouldn't be out of place. The girls hadn't found anything, but that didn't mean they were innocent.

But nothing. Whoever this mole was, they wouldn't be flushed out through morning calls and pleasant dinners. Ciri hadn't expected much, so she didn't feel much disappointment.

On the second day, Ciri found herself invited to join Miss Ai and her friends for tea outside the Palace. Taking the chance to stretch her legs and clear her mind, she accepted. Irina wouldn't have any tasks for her, and Lady Kuroki had been remaining unnaturally taciturn and reserved in the past few days. Laurence seemed to have joined a group of gentlemen, consisting of Lord Hua, Lord Jing, Lord Guang and Mr Kwan. Well, he needed some friends who wouldn't have too much to hide from him.

And, Ciri recalled, one of William's uncles worked in the Treasury, and she thought that his father, the Marquess of Naining was on the board that oversaw the department in name. Maybe Laurence would be able to glean something there. And if William was lovers with Jinyao, he might have seen or heard something. Unlikely, but worth a try while Rhys was busy ensuring the innocence of children.

The carriage she took dropped her off in front of a cha guan, bustling and filled with people. It was two-storeyed, with a grey tiled roof and white and red walls. Lanterns hung out the front. It seemed decently upper-class, with most of the customers well-dressed and groomed. A few waiters ran around, and one spotted her. Eyeing the carriage, he instantly straightened.

"I'm looking for Miss Ai's table." Ciri clasped her hands before her.

With a quick, polite nod, he said, "Of course, xiaojie. Right this way."

The three women were sitting in a private, secluded corner behind a large pillar on the second floor, in front of a window, with an excellent view of the market streets underneath. Spotting her, Jiaqi smiled. "Ciri! How great of you to join us!"

"It's my pleasure," Ciri gushed in response, offering a quick bob of the head. "It was getting a bit boring in the Palace. This was a welcomed reprieve."

"It's why we gather here weekly," Jinyao smiled. "That, and the tea is great." As Ciri sat, she picked up the teapot and poured some hot tea in.

Ciri glanced down at it. "Longjing tea?"

"Hope you like it." She looked apologetic. "We ordered before you arrived, sorry."

They were feeling comfortable around her. That was a good sign. You didn't get information easily out of people who viewed you through a lense of ceremony. Their mind would be infinitely more alert, every word carefully selected before they left their mouth, even if they had nothing to hide. You wanted them relaxed. Feeling amongst friends, tongue loosened.

She waved her hand. "It's perfectly alright. My fault for arriving late— I underestimated the amount of time it'd take to get here."

"Have you been here before— ah, never mind. That was a stupid question." Zhuying blushed. "Sorry, I forgot about your family."