Ning Chen narrowed his eyes a little. "The Inspectorate made no move?"

Silence nodded.

"Didn't the message reach them?"

Silence shook his head. "Impossible."

Ning Chen frowned. "Who was the message given to?"

Silence said, "My man tied the letter to an arrow and shot it, and it stuck in the ground at the feet of the red coat at the Inspectorate's gate. There is no way they failed to find it."

"When?"

Silence thought back. "The twenty-seventh of last month."

Ning Chen said nothing more.

He turned the talk. "The warship I came back on was scuttled. Pan Yucheng and Feng Qizheng are missing."

A slight change went over Silence's face.

Ning Chen went on. "Send your men to look quietly for the two of them. They have certainly fallen into the Right Chancellor's hands."

Silence asked, "Are they in the capital?"

Ning Chen shook his head. "Not certain."

"Put men on the Fifth Prince and the Right Chancellor. Anything you hear, tell me at once."

Silence nodded.

Ning Chen said, "One more thing. Have your men look quietly for a man called Ye Liao. He was in charge of the warship that was scuttled."

Silence said, "Yes!"

"Oh — one thing more. My ship went down and the samples I was bringing back were all lost... Send word to the woman emperor. Have her send men with all speed and bring another set of samples."

Silence looked thoroughly puzzled. "What samples?"

"Glass, fine salt, toothpaste."

Silence went blanker still. He had not understood a single one of them.

Ning Chen waved a hand. "You'll find out later. Send the message the way I told you. She knows what I want."

Silence nodded.

They talked a while longer, and then Ning Chen left the Carefree Escort House and went home to the Ning residence.

"Ning, dear."

At the sight of Ning Chen, Yudie was up on her toes with delight, her big watery eyes full of love.

Zisu's small face was bright and lovely.

Ning Chen put an arm around each of them and kissed Yudie and then Zisu,…