Tracking down where Henri's letter had gone off course wouldn't be terribly difficult, since there was such a limited window of opportunity, but Chenzhou couldn't do it.
Not only because he literally didn't have enough minutes in a day, but because it related to Eirian and Yuze's investigation. He couldn't even be the one to tell them something had gone missing.
Henri could, and would, but even he had to keep his involvement to a minimum. He worked too close to Chenzhou. It would be too easy to claim Chenzhou was getting involved through him.
He dwelled on it all through lunch and on the way back to his office. This was far too advanced for the Wens, who were known for their ambition, not their intelligence.
Just like Lady Yang was known for her discipline and control. Would she ever allow a family to act without her approval?
But she would never betray the Camelia. She was the one lord Chenzhou could trust to always, always do what was best for the Camelia, and there was no world in which tearing it apart was good for it.
Lady Yang would never do that.
Once he reached his office, he turned to the guard waiting outside the door. "Summon Captain Li."
The guard took off with a nod and returned with Captain Li in a matter of minutes.
"What's wrong?" Li looked as contained as always.
Chenzhou shut the door, giving them privacy. "I think someone has infiltrated the messenger lines."
"The Sparrows? Impossible." Li shook his head. "Your wife is the only one with the power to do that, and she doesn't know how…unless she does?"
"She doesn't." It would have been nice if it were that easy. "We use soldiers around the Camelia. Henri sent a message that should have been received days ago. It pertains to Eirian's investigation."
Li stiffened. "You are not supposed to be-"
"Involved. I know. I'm not. I was just there when Henri…made his realization." Which was a lie, but just a small one….smallish. Henri would never say anything. "He told me it should have arrived by now. He's checking on his end, but the messengers are usually guards. I thought you might be able to help."
Li looked thoughtful for a moment. "I can check with the messengers and track the letter. But you cannot be involved."
CHenzhou raised his hands in surrender. "I know. Can you please work with Henri and get this figured out as soon as possible?"
Li nodded, bowed, and left, and Chenzhou sighed, leaning back in his chair. Things were happening at a rate that he hadn't expected, but suspected they were because Eirian and Yuze were getting close to something. Someone was getting nervous.
A Sparrow darted in through the open window and landed on the desk in front of him. It chirped as he removed the carefully rolled scroll on its leg and took off through the same window without waiting for a response.
It took a couple of tries to open the tiny scroll's locking mechanism. Chenzhou only ever felt like a clumsy oaf when he was trying to open these things.
The Honorable House of Soliel announces the official engagement and future marriage of Eric Soliel, the Sun King of Sorrow, Protector of the Land and the People, to her ladyship, Lady Yunli of the noble house of Zhao of the red flower estate, the Camelia. The ceremony will take place on the first day of the Long Frost, followed by the immediate coronation of the Queen.
If you have received this letter, you are cordially invited to attend. Please send word of your attendance.
He paused. So Eirian had been right. Eric and Yunli had liked one another enough to go through with the marriage. And they weren't wasting time. This would make whoever was already worried panic outright.
Perhaps he should double the guard.
***
"I am concerned. If the sanctity of our communication lines has been compromised, then it's likely much more has also been, and we just haven't discovered it yet." Henri had always been a planner. His uncle, Marian's dead husband, had been the same. Li appreciated that about them both.
"That's…unfortunate." Li sighed, trying to make a mental list of everything they could no longer trust or count on. He stopped after he realized it was pretty much everything.
Could his guards even be trusted?
They were practically his children. Or at least the closest he'd ever come.
"I'll make a list of guards we can trust. They'll have to take the brunt of the work until we can investigate and clear the others." Li had about twenty people he trusted without a doubt. Another fifty he was confident in.
And that was about it.
Considering there were a couple of hundred guards on duty each day, that wasn't much.
"We need to establish priorities. I can shift the newer, less-known guards to the walls. Keep the ones I know are trustworthy on Lord Ye and the children and the Vault."
Henri shook his head. "I don't think the Vault is worth protecting at this point. It's too big, and there are too many ways in."
"The artifacts…"
"Are already in play." Henri's shoulders slumped. "If we don't have the manpower to try and get them back, we don't have it to guard what's left." Henri stiffened suddenly, his eyes went wide. "Where is the evidence stored? The bodies and the masks?"
"A small room in the Vault. It's been under guard non-stop." Even as he said it, Li's heart sank.
The ominous feeling grew as they hurried to the Vault, taking the hundred stairs two at a time and arriving at the main doors out of breath, startling the guards.
"It's a small room, it was empty before I had them open it, and the guards who moved the bodies in were told not to speak about it," Li explained, trying to convince himself that everything was going to be fine as they made their way down the short hall. The room was close to the main entrance, down a hallway that was so cold Henri regretted not bringing his cloak.
A guard from the entrance followed, swearing to Li that she'd heard nothing about anyone coming in and out of the Vault on any of the recent shifts. "There's nothing in the logs either." She added as they approached the door.
~ tbc