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“And that is what I was able to get from our countrymen today,” Ling Qi said, bowing at the waist as she finished her recitation and returned to her seat. Together with Cai Renxiang and Gan Guangli, she was in a large warm tent set out near to the partially built embassy.

“A Zheng,” Cai Renxiang said tiredly, rubbing her fingers against her temples. “That is troublesome.”

“I don’t think his intent is malicious,” Ling Qi said slowly. The whole conversation was strange. He jumped from playful flirtation to mockery to blunt seriousness and back. It felt vaguely like a duelist throwing out a flurry of feints to test defenses. It put her on edge. “I wasn’t able to accurately gauge him. My apologies, Lady Renxiang.”

“He likely isn’t a foe, but he may cause problems regardless,” Cai Renxiang said sourly.

Gan Guangli coughed into his hand. “I have told you of the news I have heard about Ebon Rivers, Lady Cai.”

“Mm, I had expected them to install some in Xiangmen, perhaps to join our army as allied auxiliaries, not this.” Cai Renxiang sighed. “Let us not overfocus. The Meng’s desires are not something we can accomplish at the summit, past the level of making promises.”

“Promises do have weight. If the border can be further secured, the cloud tribes may be convinced to go south and accept the White Sky in protection from our forces. Is that not just as good as marching ourselves?” Gan Guangli asked.

“The choices of dozens or hundreds of individual khans are an uncontrollable variable, but yes, some agreement which at least addresses their concern will have to be reached,” Cai Renxiang said.

“Reaching an agreement with the tribes ourselves would be good.” Ling Qi grimaced. “But probably impossible. Neither the Empire nor the cloud tribes would desire one.”

Gan Guangli looked pained. “I agree that in a perfect world, that would be true. But if I must choose, I must reach to protect our own people.”

“Any such agreement will be an immense undertaking,” Cai Renxiang said. “Gan Guangli, your own report?”

“The Jia family is riven with argumentation on this,” Gan Guangli admitted. “Since the retirement of the Patriarch, they have sought closer ties with the Diao to gain an influence among the counts. I believe that there is still a strong vein of what you might call ‘Cai loyalists.’ They are distinct from the usual imperial-leaning folk of the province. In the Jia, they are strong enough to form a block of their own.”

“My mother’s most devoted supporters.” Cai Renxiang considered. “I have met such individuals. They will support anything which grants more power to the ducal seat. They follow the footsteps of my mother’s companion most closely. However, that loyalty does not transfer to me.”

“I am afraid it does not,” Gan Guangli agreed. “My tutor has said that they do not know what to think of this endeavor. On the one hand, such negotiations can be seen as a weakness. On the other, in doing this, your mother is asserting provincial authority, both against the empress and the comital clans. I believe as long as our negotiations do not make a show of ceding any authority or making unrewarded concessions, they will not be too upset.”

“And the rest of the Jia, what is it they seek?” Cai Renxiang asked.

“The Jia lands are not as heavily raided, not bordering the mountains directly, but it is also the center of the former Chu lands, which suffered the most under their lord’s abandonment during Ogodei’s invasion.” Gan Guangli rested his chin on his hand. The firelight of the hearth that they had placed their chairs around cast his features in sharp relief. “They are difficult to separate from the Rushing Cloud Sect. The whole region is highly militarized.”

Ling Qi knew Gan Guangli was speaking from experience. That region was his original home. Given that she knew that his first meeting with Cai Renxiang had been the result of the young heiress exercising authority over some matter of corruption, she knew that the region’s reputation for discipline obviously had its cracks.

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“What the Jia will want, I think, is a chance for prominence,” Gan Guangli continued. “They will want a place of honor among whatever forces we place to patrol the new borders that are set. Even a piece of land, perhaps, for an outpost.”

“That is not something I can grant without my mother’s approval,” Cai Renxiang said. “Of course, some force will have to defend the taken lands. Do you think they will be able to interact with foreigners positively?”

“Perhaps,” Gan Guangli replied. “Not cloud tribe members, but the regular soldiers of White Sky I have seen fit their conception of good order.”

“Perhaps we could arrange a role similar to the road wardens for them. I will look into this,” Cai Renxiang said. “Your other targets?”