Chapter 23: Three Boats Home

Three men stood in the audience room at noon with their hats in their hands.

They were thinner than Qinglan had expected, and brown from the river sun, and each one wore a bright ribbon pinned over his heart.

The first was gray and stout.

The second was young, with a bandaged thumb.

The third kept turning his hat round and round and looking at the floor.

Murong Yue sat in her chair in a plain dark robe, with only one gold pin in her hair.

Qinglan stood at her right hand, uncertain of where to put her hands, and then put them behind her back.

"You may come forward," said Yue.

They came forward, bowed, and stood in a row.

"I have called you back," she said, "because I need your forgiveness."

"The Prince is gone, and you are free to return to the capital if you wish."

The gray man spoke first.

"Majesty, we sent word we were well."

"I know. I read every letter."

"The silver was more than fair."

"The lie was not."

She said it quite simply.

The three men looked at one another.

Then the young one shifted his feet and bit his lip.

"I'd have taken the post, Majesty, if you'd told me," he said in a rush. "I only thought you were dying."

"Why did you run, then?"

"Because you paid me a hundred taels to."

There was a short silence, and Qinglan had to bite the inside of her cheek.

"Because you looked at me," Yue said slowly, "like a man who would have told the court."

"I would," said the young physician. "I'm a very bad liar."

"It is why I chose Shen Qinglan," said the Dowager, "who is worse."

"Thank you," Qinglan said dryly.

"That was a compliment."

"I know."

The Dowager turned to her.

"The silk ribbons are the Palace's thanks."

"Each man has a bill for a thousand taels, drawn on my own treasury."

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