11 Yan Huo

I was busy for many months, translating trade documents and manuals whilst providing advice as to what to send to the Norse – it felt as though I was pulled in several directions every day. As the ministers got more and more excited at the collaboration, the officials' opinion of me gradually improved.

It was Spring, 2 months after my break ended, when there was a new addition to Lunar Palace.

Her name was Yan Huo, and she was reportedly a new maid sent by the Yan Clan, a semi-prominent clan. While the Yan Clan didn't hold any key roles, they were the main producer and enjoyed a monopoly over a key resource – salt, which was used to preserve food in the winter. Notably, the Yan Clan was also the clan of the newest girl in the harem, Yan Hua. Yan Huo was said to be an adopted child of the main branch.

I was immediately suspicious. She looked nothing like Yan Hua. From the portraits of ministers and officials, Yan Hua had strong Yan Clan features. But then again, Yan Huo was adopted. Purportedly, she was a distant relative. Since relations with the Yan Clan had soured due to Concubine Yan Hua's complaining, the palace took the opportunity to bestow their newest tribute- a maid of "noble" bearing to its most favoured concubine at the moment – me.

Palace maids had many ranks, up to 9. Ranks 7 to 9 were reserved for the maids of the Imperial Family only. Qiu Ci and Qiu Le, my dowry maidservants, were only a rank 4, based on talent and looks. Yan Huo was not only allowed to keep her own family name when she came to the palace, but entered as a rank 4. They immediately disliked her too.

Small things began happening discreetly in the palace. Maids' belongings went missing, the laundry line flew off, food from the kitchen was slow... I turned a blind eye to all. It seemed like domestic matters to me... and I wanted to see what else she would do.

I finally finished the trade manual and was enjoying more idle days in the palace. I spent most of my days working on my secret project, whilst Qiu Ci and Qiu Le were instructed to discreetly fetch materials for me. I worked through dinner, feeling very excited that I might be done soon, then went to bed.

I looked out the window at the hot summer night, feeling humid. The only thing I complained about really, was the heat and lack of proper medical care. It was now summer, nearly 2 years since I first arrived, and I never got used to the heat. I decided to get up for some water. Carefully, I made my way to the door, not wanting to disturb Qiu Ci or Qiu Le, who both had feminine problems.

I was going through the corridors when I heard some movement near me. I ducked behind a door for cover. Was that... Yan Huo? She seemed to be burying something in the garden. I watched for some time. After she was done, she even put a patch of flowers on top of it, and it blended in with our newly planted flower patch. Then she snuck back in the direction of the servant's quarters.

A shiver ran down my spine. I knew she was suspicious. I got my water then went back to my room. The next morning, I called Qiu Ci and Qiu Le in. "How are you guys feeling? Any better?" I asked. I had given them both an oilskin full of hot water to ease their pains. "Much better, young miss." their faces indeed looked much better.

"Good. I'm sorry to ask you guys this, but I can only trust you guys now. Find an opportunity and secretly get any documents or foreign things from Yan Huo's room, without anyone noticing, and bring them to me. In the meantime, find a task to keep Yan Huo occupied so she doesn't run off." I said. "Young miss!" Qiu Ci gasped. "Does that mean..." they were shocked at the revelation. "That's right. It's just a suspicion. I saw her digging up and burying something in the new flowerbed last night."

By late afternoon, they discreetly brought me a collection of items. "Where is Yan Huo?" I asked. "Kitchen duties with the girls." Qiu Le said. "Good." They had brought me a maid's sparse looking belongings. "Why did you select these items?" I asked. My maids were smart and could see the issues. I first wanted to hear their judgement.

"These scraps of paper were weird and in odd areas of the room. Also, there were foreign figures in her journal, which was hidden underneath a false bottom. Definitely suspicious. Then, this hairpin... I am familiar with the jewelers' works in Yuan An... I've never seen this before." I nodded in approval.

The paper had words on them, but they were torn too finely and I couldn't make it out. The words in her journal looked suspicious, but I needed more proof... whereas the hairpin had 2 tiny words within on it. I handed it over. "Do you guys know these words?" I needed to be sure. They hadn't seen the words before. Since they were citizens of this era, if they didn't recognise it, it was as I suspected. It was likely the kanji letters of Meiji, a Japanese word. There were a few more strokes than I remembered, but there was cause for suspicion. Japanese... was she a Japanese spy? Was there even a Japan? Then again, if there was a Novgorod and a Angles....

"Follow me." I said.

We snuck to her room. It was small and bare, but clean. I looked around for anything suspicious. "Keep a lookout." I instructed, while they went to the door immediately. I felt along the walls... no, it would have been hard to do anything to the wall. I eyed the pillowcase. "Qiu Le, do you have this pillowcase?" I asked. It didn't look like a standard issue pillowcase given to maids. "Young Miss, she embroidered the case herself." she said. I took out a slim dagger and cut along the hem.

I felt inside and found a corner that was hollow. In the corner was a jade amulet with the letters "Health" on it in kanji letters, and then the name "Hanabi" on it on the other side. Also in the pillowcase was a folded up note. It was entirely in ancient kanji letters. "Hanabi, my daughter, I am sorry for sending you into Huaxia territory. Please know that we, the He will not succumb to their threats. Once we have enough power, we will ursurp the reign. In the meantime, you have to listen to the Yan and gather information in the palace. We will rescue you as soon as possible." it was signed Eisaki, and there was a stamp on it.

What stamp was this? If this letter hadn't been in kanji, albeit a bit funny looking compared to what I was used to, it would have been impossible for me to make sense of the letter, which would have looked like a jumble of incoherent Huaxia letters. There was only one possible conclusion. He might be closely related to a certain modern nation.

There was also a slim case inside, about the size of a finger. I pried it open. Inside were a collection of narrow, silver needles laid in a bed of plush material. Weapons... a note of treason from He... and a jade amulet... She was obviously a princess or noble sent here from He... and went through the Yan Clan! She probably didn't think anyone could read any form of kanji here...

I angrily showed the note to the 2. "What is this?" they asked. "A mission note in He language. She's a spy from He!" I said in a low tone. "Young Miss, you can read He-go?" "Yes." "What should we do?" "Find a shape replica of these 3 items, put them back in the pillowcase, then sew it up exactly. Put all the other items back too. We will wait and see what they'll do. Keep her occupied until you do this. I need to make a plan then inform the Emperor. Tell no one."

In 2 hours, they managed to find a fake case, dagger and amulet around the same size, then with superb needlework replaced the stitches. In the meantime, I made more work for her by pretending I wanted dish after dish, forcing her to work in the kitchen. In the end, I couldn't finish it all and gave it to Qiu Ci and Qiu Le to eat. Then at night, we snuck out of the palace and went to the Dragon Palace.

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