Moon's Whisper, Heart's Echo

41. The Fire

Lord Cho studied the guard captain's report with the same attention he gave important trade contracts. Captain Shin had served him for fifteen years - his word carried weight.

"You're certain?" He didn't look up from the papers. "You saw it yourself?"

"Yes, my lord." Captain Shin's voice carried steady certainty. "They tried to flee early - we found half-packed belongings scattered everywhere. Seems they caught wind of our approach." He gestured at his singed sleeve. "The boy's wooden animals were still laid out for packing when the fire started."

"And you're sure they didn't escape?"

"We saw Lord Park's palanquin leaving," Shin admitted carefully. "But it was empty - likely a distraction. The boy was still inside when the roof collapsed. We tried to reach him, but..." He touched his burned sleeve. "The heat was too intense."

"And the bodies your men found after?"

"Two children, my lord. One matched the boy's size exactly." Captain Shin touched a wrapped bundle on the table - charred remnants of what might have been a practice sword. "Found this nearby, along with what was left of his belongings."

Lord Cho's fingers stilled on the report. "Show me the other evidence."

Minister Hong watched nervously as Captain Shin laid out his proof - scraps of burned silk that matched what the boy had worn, a half-melted jade pendant, even fragments of the wooden tiger he'd always clutched.

"They were preparing to run," Shin continued smoothly. "But fortune favored us - they weren't quite fast enough."

"Very thorough." Lord Cho's approval made the captain stand straighter. "And your most trusted men verified this?"

"Saw it with their own eyes, my lord. Han and Lee were first through the door. They've never failed you."

That was true enough. Han had helped arrange his convenient accidents years ago. Lee had been equally useful during that business with the Ming merchants.

"My lord," Minister Hong ventured carefully. "Even with this evidence... shouldn't we prepare for the ceremony? The Crown Prince—"

"Cannot demand proof that no longer exists." Lord Cho's smile carried genuine satisfaction. "How fortunate that fate has intervened so... definitively."

"But your niece—"

"Will be found eventually." Lord Cho waved away the concern. "Though what testimony could she offer now? The boy is dead, along with any claims about his parentage."

"The matchmaker..." someone began.

"Lost everything in a tragic fire." Lord Cho's voice carried perfect sympathy. "Her home, her records, even the poor child in her care. Who could blame her if grief affects her memory of certain events?"

Captain Shin cleared his throat. "We found something else, my lord." He produced a partially burned ledger. "In what was left of her office."

Lord Cho's eyes sharpened with interest. "Show me."

The captain laid out smoke-stained pages covered in careful columns. Records of payments, transactions, private arrangements - everything a matchmaker might want kept secret.

"How convenient." Lord Cho's fingers traced the damning evidence. "Should anyone question tomorrow's events, we now have proof of her... creative business practices." He looked up at his gathered supporters. "Unless anyone objects to using such information?"

The ministers exchanged glances, then shook their heads. They knew how the game was played.

"Excellent." Lord Cho carefully arranged the papers in order of most damaging to merely scandalous. "Captain Shin, have your men continue watching the ruins. In case our grieving matchmaker returns to salvage anything... important."