Yuze's face fell. He didn't want to work with Kai Low; he didn't want to investigate Mingzhe, but he'd lived long enough to know he was going to have to do both anyway.
Kai Low's face darkened at his response, no doubt Yuze had insulted the Ambassador by being less than enthusiastic.
Even more concerning was the open interest on Eirian's face. Something calculating and intent.
"If Lord Rong feels he has recovered enough to assist your investigation, he may choose to do so." A sly smile stole over her face. "I will also offer my assistance. Such an undertaking would benefit from as many minds as possible."
Kai Low frowned. "Isn't it beneath your position to be handling something like this?"
"What is beneath me is my choice." Eirian's voice held a note of warning. "And it should hardly be surprising that I am concerned about something that affects my people."
Kai Low's expression clearly said he wasn't buying it, but Chenzhou spoke before he could. "The three of you together should be able to handle anything that comes up in the investigation." Mingzhe nodded in agreement, relieved that it wouldn't just be a recent enemy turned even more recent not-quite-friend handling it.
Yuze hadn't expected to avoid it all completely, had resigned himself to helping in some way, but at least now he wouldn't be constantly left alone with Kai Low.
Although he was starting to suspect he was going to spend a lot of time preventing them from killing one another.
Chenzhou glanced at him, checking that he was okay with all of this. It was a kindness he didn't have to offer since Yuze had long ago sworn his loyalty, but it was one of the many small measures of kindness that made him a lord worth serving.
"I will help. No matter how this turns out, there will be work to be done." Even Yuze had no idea what secrets could be unearthed, which meant there was no telling the damage that could be done until it was already happening.
Kai Low finally smiled, and then everyone else smiled in response, although it was a situation where not a single smile was friendly, and they all carried some kind of threat.
Finn looked around at all of them like they were all crazy.
***
Yuze had managed to push Kai Low and Eirian off for a day, telling them to meet him in his office the next morning and enjoyed one last night of peace and quiet.
He was a little nonplussed when he entered his office the next morning and found them already waiting, a pot of steaming tea between them.
"I never should have shown you how to get in here." He sighed at Eirian.
"Like I couldn't have figured it out." Kai Low sniffed.
Eirian rolled her eyes and then kicked Kai Low in the shin.
He started with a yelp.
"Pour him tea," Eirian commanded. Yuze knew her well enough to know she was just testing limits and probably making fun of the Bandri.
And she was probably just as surprised as Yuze when Kai Low leaned over to pour Yuze a cup of tea, even as he glowered fiercely at them both.
He offered a murmured thank you and let the scalding heat of a strong morning brew warm him from the inside out. He was still in pain from his injuries, but it had dulled significantly, and he was already starting to feel the itch to move, to do something besides lie in bed.
"Well, I think we should start with the Wens," Eirian announced, when no one else spoke.
Yuze frowned. "Why the Wens?" They were a minor family, ambitious, but still known more for their alliance with the Yangs than anything else.
"Wen Chunhua was one of my commanders during the war." And how ridiculous was it to say the war like it had been years ago, instead of just weeks? "His behaviour was…I have questions."
"This isn't a chance to engage your personal vendetta." Kai Low muttered.
Eirian scowled. "It goes to the character of his entire family."
She wasn't wrong, Yuze considered. But neither was Kai Low. They would have to be very careful in how they approached certain families in the nobility.
Especially since Eirian was not one to hide her opinion on anything, and there was a chance some in the Crimson Army already knew her opinion of Wen Chunhua. It would no doubt come up the minute they started looking at the Wens.
"We'll have to question every family in the court, but it might be smarter to start with one neither you, Chenzhou, nor Mingzhe have any connection to."
"Is there one?" Eirian pointed out, sipping her own tea. "We are allied to the Colfaxes and the Zhaos. The Yang, Yin, and the other major noble families work closely with us, and they are allied to the minor families. If you look close enough, we have connections to all of them that someone could use to argue against anything we find."
"Which is why we must be extremely careful." Yuze cautioned. "You are not one to hide your feelings on anything. Can you say for certain no one knows of your dislike for Wen Chunhua?"
Eirian sank into her seat, sulking, because she knew she couldn't.
"We will question the Wens," Yuze assured her. "And if there is something to find, we will find it, but perhaps it would be best to start with a family like the Valients or the Crusoes? They are the farthest removed from you and Chenzhou."
"I haven't even met any of them yet!" Eirian said defensively.
Kai Low's face lit in understanding. "I see. Start on the outside and work your way in."
Yuze glanced at him in surprise as Eirian considered. "It would allow us to start fresh, without any preconceived notions about any of the families."
"We could learn the things no one wants to say at court." A maniac gleam sparked to life in Eirian's eyes, and Yuze started to regret the suggestion.
~ tbc