Chapter 129

CH129

Morgan

"So why exactly did you come to find me, now that you've solved my problem?"

"Something tells me that wasn't the end of your problem. How exactly did we get to this point?"

He sighed as we walked back to his office.

"You're restless... and clearly still agitated."

"Are you saying this because you know whatever you have to say is going to agitate me more?" "Maybe."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's related to the robes for the Convening of the Celestial Compass. The robes are woven with a specific type of celestial thread that only a few skilled artisans can work with. Your family had was once one of them. I don't know if anyone alive in your family can still do it, but the thread is expensive, hard to get, hard to make, and most of the craftsmen have left the capital because of the harem."

I smiled. "Somehow, I'm not surprised."

"After the attack five years ago, the harem-Ari and some of the other concubines-became, overbearing. Based on some of the information I've been getting, they were asking for their regular clothes to be made out of the celestial thread. And the craftsman had been refusing. To be fair, it's labor-intensive and expensive, and there was no way they were going to pay fair price for it. Of course, that means that the harem members made their lives difficult. They began treating the craftsmen poorly, issuing unreasonable demands, and refusing to pay them properly for other projects. The workers were harassed, threatened, and disrespected. Most of them left the capital entirely, seeking refuge in neighboring provinces where they could work in peace."

"Well, that makes me feel a lot better about how I plan to deal with them."

"I know my father doesn't know. He'd be heartbroken, and with everything that had been going on, there's no reason to think that he would be looking into it anyway." He sighed. "The palace is supposed to be a place of respect and honor, especially for those who serve the imperial house. But the harem's influence poisoned that. The craftsmen felt they had no choice but to leave,

and..."

smiled. "Once they know that there are sensible people in power

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are going to

feelers. It's going to take more than just money to convince them to return, but I think it's more than doable. "I winked at him. "People are always happy to come see

influence, the misappropriation of funds, the craftsmen leaving... It's all part of the

"Yes."

as we reached his office. I-closed

him.

"I'll deal with the harem,. but I think you should know what I'm planning to

to test the royal children," I said. "For paternity. Anya said that there was

sure say

eyes widened. "Why would

Ari's betrayal, Elia's influence, and the culture of entitlement that's been allowed to fester in the harem is a

she'd surmised about Lady Maro and the rest of the

a lot of

had to devise this plan, I don't know what else I'd

laughed. "We're in this together,

nodded, my heart lighter

was

hall, Tsuneo's hand slipped from mine, his lips pressing briefly against my temple. I'll eat with Kai today," he

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CH129

filled with warmth.

"Bonding are you?"

always wanted

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