Emeralds and Enemies

Chapter Forty-three

Captain Shiro set the sketch down and muttered "Takimoto."

"Surely, Takimoto is smart enough not to tip his hand. Not if he hopes to influence the succession," Manager Doak's analysis was met with nods.

"He must be very confident their contingent will find a welcome," Scout Jia added.

"Or his soldiers are being arrogant because they have only come up against farmers and half-trained guards," Knight-Master Lie shook his head before saying, "We need more evidence."

"Is there a problem in assuming we are up against an organized force? Wouldn't the goals be capture and contain either way?" Junseo really was not sure about this point.

"It very much matters who we put in the field. If it is bandits then the local governor should lead the charge. If it is foreign troops, or even mercenaries, then it is a matter for the King." Captain Shiro understood the confusion.

"Uncle told us he was going on an extended training mission. He did not take half of the cadets because the Crown Prince wanted them to help with the senior selections," San Jin could not stop the worry in his voice.

"I wonder where he got the notion to use the cadets," Captain Shiro said.

"Or why it should hold them back from field training in the meantime," Manager Doak had his own suspicions.

"Training is a wonderful thing. It might be good for some of the eligible veterans to have a refresher. Mix them in with the new boots and polish them up a bit." Scout Jia rubbed his hands together.

"And if they just happened upon a snarled supply line, well then, they'll need to work out logistics like the rest of us country folk." The Master-at-arms exaggerated his southern accent.

The men seemed to have come to an agreement but the boys were not sure whether the plan included them. "I know this is sudden but would you be comfortable if we petitioned to have your slots in the qualifiers moved up?" Knight Master Lie asked.

Hae-sung and Junseo agreed immediately, Il-don nodded his acceptance only after the other two had made their commitment.

"Good," Knight Master Lie said firmly then he turned to Song-hee, Chenhui and Xuiyang. "Captain Shiro will start you with your practice tests so we can see what you need to get ready for challenge exams."

Captain Shiro gave the boys a crooked grin. "I will give you a couple of days to get yourselves sorted but it might make more sense if you were all staying in one place."

"I am happy to stay here and help with our horses," Hae-sung volunteered.

"You will all be helping with the horses regardless of where you are staying but we will shift you here tomorrow. It will make your morning trip to the temple shorter." Scout Jia nodded to Junseo as he said this.

The man's expectation was clear but Junseo did not say anything. He still had a dorm room at his uncle's school and he preferred to stay over at the forge whenever he could. Song-hee was so easy to get along with and they had already come up with some interesting designs to try if they could squeeze more time out of the day.

The Go brothers were dispatched back home with a sheaf of messages and instructions to share what they thought necessary with their father. Their Master-at-arms would provide a briefing but he knew the Minister would want to know what his sons made of the situation. Others might wonder at the ease with which he yielded to the boys but seeing their strategy lessons gave him new respect for their judgement. He watched with pride when the boys carefully responded to their father's questions. They clearly separated what the group knew for as a certainty and what they could only speculate. Then San Jin surprised him.

"Knight Master Lie would never ask but I know he will stretch himself thin trying to put things to rights for Uncle Tan. So do you think we could at least give him access to Grampa's estates for the irregulars to use. It is close enough to the border to make it a handy base for the investigations, and it should not raise any suspicions if the training group went along for a week or two. We have new horses who need the kind of experience just training in an arena can not give them." San Jin had more arguments to make in support of his idea but his father put up his hand.

"Your idea has merit but it might be a bit premature. Let me investigate the issue of the examinations being cancelled and what else might be known through official channels."

The boys took this as a sign their interview with their father was over. They found their mother hovering in the hall outside the office. She took them to the kitchen for a late-night snack and waited.

"There is a spot of trouble up where Uncle Tan took his troops to train but we all know how that works." Me Yan said gently.

"The other generals are too busy lining their pockets and polishing their metals to worry about the actual defense of the land," San Jin's moved his eyebrows up and down and stroked a pretend beard.

As impressions go it was not great but it was enough to make his mother laugh. "My dear boys, what am I going to do once you are grown?" she asked wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.

"I don't know. Terrorize your daughter-in-law?" This possibility was a remote future for Me Yan so he thought it another good joke but San Jin cursed his breath. He had been avoiding the topic of his own betrothal for some time.

"Oh, that reminds me. We have been invited to a wedding. I don't feel like giving my blessings to anyone marrying into the Choi family but there is no polite way to decline." She made the slightest face but then brightened, "You will get a chance to meet some eligible young women there Me Yan."

Neither boy was sure she was teasing so they just blushed and made a fast exit.