The Magistrate: Chapter 26 (Patreon)

Chapter 26

The 1st Prince

Weeks later, Tobias arrived at the Imperial Capitol, the very heart of The Three Kingdoms, and was guided with his assistants to a smaller building attached to the 1st Prince's palace, in the Outer Imperial Palace. The palace eunuchs quickly scrubbed him down while the imperial tailors created a formal magistrate robe for him that would not insult the 1st Prince's sensibilities. The work of foundation realm cultivators exceeded Tobias's wildest expectations. Within an hour of his arrival, he stood before a giant, elaborate set of open doors that led to the 1st Prince's receiving room, better dressed than anyone he'd ever met.

The 1st Prince's receiving room was a grand room, very much like a throne room, except for one detail. There was a desk in front of the 1st Prince's throne, which prevented anyone from being able to claim it a throne room, despite it clearly being his intent with its design.

The position of crown prince had never been addressed because none of the 2nd Emperor's three sons had ascended to the sage realm. Without sufficient cultivation, they would not have the power to protect The Three Kingdoms, so naming one prematurely was pointless.

Tobias knew little about the Imperial Family, because speaking ill of them was an easy way to get yourself executed, and his education had been in a small town rather than a large city. He did know that the 1st Emperor had ascended to the heavens at the end of the Great Plague, along with many of his most powerful relatives, including the Crown Prince and his brothers, leaving behind the 2nd Emperor, who was the only sage realm cultivator in the Imperial Family immune to the plague.

Other than this, Tobias knew almost nothing about them.

Tobias measured his steps as he walked down the rug with his eyes downcast. He stopped halfway to the 1st Prince's throne and dropped to his knees, hands outstretched and overlapping before him. "Senior Magistrate Finch greets the 1st Prince," he said, kowtowing three times and remaining face down when he finished.

Being a senior magistrate allowed him to introduce himself in the 1st Prince's presence, but gave him little other leeway.

"You may rise," the 1st Prince said.

Tobias rose and gazed upon the disaster sitting before him. He didn't know why he'd been summoned, but he knew he didn't want any part of whatever was required of him.

Still, the man sitting before him was impressive.

Like Xu Ling, the 1st Prince was a prodigy. He was the living embodiment of human perfection with flawless features and an elegant physique. His appearance, while pleasant, displayed none of the raw power it could wield.

Despite his youthful looks, the prince before him was not young. He'd recently celebrated his 217th birthday, and his cultivation had reached the nascent soul realm. Arrows and swords would not pierce his skin, and city walls would crumble before his fists.  

The 1st Prince examined Tobias's face in return.

Tobias dropped his gaze first, not just because he was intimidated, but because protocol required him to look upon the 1st prince and then look away.

"How old are you, Magistrate Finch?"

"I will be seventeen next Spring, Your Highness."

It was the politest way for Tobias to say that he did not know the date of his birth. But considering the lengths the 1st Prince had gone to bring Tobias to the Imperial Palace, it was unlikely that he did not know this fact. And his drawing attention to it was intentional.

"Your origins may have been humble, but your contribution to The Three Kingdoms is not."

Tobias judged the 1st Prince's words to be both a compliment and a reminder of his position. "That is kind of you to say, Your Highness."

"It is the truth, and so is this. You're talents are wasted as a mere magistrate. As a reward for your service to The Three Kingdoms, I have arranged for you to sit the royal magistrate exam when you turn twenty. To ensure you achieve success, I am giving you a complete set of divine meridian opening and cleansing pills so that you may enter the initiate realm with the strongest possible foundation."

Tobias dropped into a kowtow despite being furious with the situation. Becoming an initiate realm cultivator would raise his divinity and ruin the relationship he had built with Cloud Sect. In one move, the 1st Prince had destroyed everything he'd built for himself.

"Senior Magistrate Finch thanks the 1st Prince for his generosity."

As Tobias rose from his kowtow and stared at the 1st Prince's shoulder, he caught the briefest end of the smile sitting on his face.

"Should you succeed in becoming a royal magistrate, perhaps we will discuss how you can help me, but until then, you will remain in my palace as my guest. If you need anything, you need only ask my servants. You may leave me now."

Tobias offered a final kowtow, wondering what he'd managed to get himself involved in, and then rose to his feet and headed for the exit.

***

Disciple Xi had explained to Tobias on their journey that nothing he said or did within the Imperial Palace would be private. The emperor was at the peak of the sage realm, which allowed him to see and hear everything that was said or done within the city's boundary, so Tobias kept his thoughts to himself when he left the 1st Prince's palace.

He mentioned the 1st Prince's reward to his assistants while eunuchs led them to the smaller palace where they would be staying, but he didn't share any of his thoughts. The moment they arrived, Tobias retired to his bedroom to think, not even bothering to meet the head eunuch.

He brooded through the afternoon and late into the night, trying to come up with a plan that would allow him to extricate himself from his situation, before coming to the conclusion that it was impossible. He held no cards. The princes were above most laws, and only the patriarchs of the Great Clans had the power to negotiate with them.

Once Tobias was certain that there was nothing that he could do to change his situation, he retired for the night. The next morning, he woke refreshed and began planning how to survive and capitalise on the situation he'd found himself in. By the time the eunuchs had arrived with his breakfast, he had the beginnings of a plan. Once he was done eating, he invited the head eunuch to sit with him.

The head eunuch bowed when he made the request. "It would be improper for one such as his self to share your table, Senior Magistrate Finch."

The refusal informed Tobias of the situation he was in more than anything else could have. Being invited to a master's table as a servant was not common, but it was not improper either. The only way his invitation would be improper would be if the servant did not consider him a respected guest, but rather a puppet. His refusal gave away his master's intentions.

Tobias kept his face impassive. "Then I would know your name."

"I am Eunuch Ho, Magistrate."

"Eunuch Ho, are you aware of the cultivation pills I am to be given by the 1st Prince?"

"I am, Magistrate."

"Are you aware of my limitations?"

Eunuch Ho hesitated. "Limitations, Magistrate?"

"I possess a cultivation divinity of one."

"You have my condolences, Magistrate."

"Thank you. I bring this up only because my lack of cultivation of divinity greatly extended the recovery period after I opened my stomach meridian. If I am to cultivate all the way to the initiate realm, I fear that it will take much longer than the 1st Prince assumes."

"I will speak to the Imperial Healer about this matter, Magistrate."

"Please do."

Eunuch Ho was nothing like Aunty Nang, and Tobias got the impression that there was nothing he could do to win the eunuch to his side. That might change as time passed, but it would not in the present, so he moved on to his next question.

"Eunuch Ho, seeing as I am going to be the 1st Prince's guest for the next few years, would it be possible for you to find a majordomo for Disciple Wo to shadow. He wishes to leave Cloud Sect when his mission is over and serve me in this capacity. I intended to find him training when we returned to Cloud City, but that will be impossible now, and I would hate for years to pass and my assistant to achieve nothing in this time."

Disciple Wo had brought up the matter while they travelled, accepting that while Tobias's offer wasn't what he wanted, it was better than what he had initially asked for.

"I would be most delighted to do this for you, Magistrate, only there is one small problem."

"He's still a member of Cloud Sect."

"Yes, Magistrate."

"If they were to agree to release him, would that remove the issue?"

"Yes, Magistrate."

"I will see that it is done. Does this residence possess a cultivation chamber?"

"It does, Magistrate. You will find it even more impressive than the one at your residence in Cloud Sect. As your assistants may have noticed, the chi saturation is much higher here than in Cloud City."

"Wonderful. Now to another matter. Disciple Xi is a man of unique interests and one who has recently saved my life from an assassin; therefore, I must ask this next question on his behalf, as I have the opportunity. Would it be possible for him to study alchemy under the Imperial Alchemists? Let me be clear, Disciple Xi has no interest in any of their secrets. He would prefer to study the common meridian opening and cleansing pills recipes like those used by the military."

Eunuch Ho hesitated. "This is beyond my ability to promise, Magistrate, but I can make the request."

"In that case, let me speak to Disciple Xi about this before you make the request. That way, I can give you a list of pills that he would like to study so there is no confusion, and you do not suffer for a misunderstanding."

"This servant appreciates your thoughtfulness, Magistrate."

"You are most welcome. Do you know when I will begin cultivating?"

"The Imperial Gatherers have been awaiting your arrival to collect the ingredients. I imagine the head of the Imperial Alchemists has already obtained these ingredients and has begun preparing them to craft the divine stomach meridian opening pill. It should be ready by the end of the day, Magistrate."

Tobias felt that showing his ignorance in front of Eunuch Ho would be a mistake, so he nodded like he understood why they were making a divine stomach meridian opening pill for someone who already had an open stomach meridian. "Please tell Disciple Xi and Disciple Wo that I would like to speak with them and have the servants bring everything so I can prepare tea for them."

"Which tea would you like them to prepare for you, Magistrate?"

"I have my own tea. Boiling water is enough."

"As you wish, Magistrate."

Eunuch Ho bowed again and exited the room, leaving Tobias alone to stare at the garden. The feeling of peace and relaxation it offered was even stronger than his garden at Cloud Sect. Tobias waited until the eunuch's footsteps had receded and then headed to his room and collected the Three Towns Tea in his luggage. His grandfather had handed over most of his current supply when he learned Tobias was heading to the Capitol. Disciple Xi had transplanted the best of it into the few ornate boxes he had purchased in Mist City, so he could hand them out as gifts, sealing the boxes with formations to keep them fresh.

Tobias was sitting comfortably by the time the servants arrived with the teapot, cups, and boiling water. No sooner had they left when Disciple Xi and Wo showed up. Both offered more formal bows than they usually did, only joining him when he invited them to sit.

Living in the palace was going to be hard on their friendship, as they would have to walk the fine line of etiquette even when alone. Tobias was not looking forward to such a lonely existence. His time with Xu Ling had reminded him how much he had missed having friends who let him be himself.

Tobias tapped his ear and made a circular motion with his hand, asking Disciple Xi if any servants were listening in. Disciple Xi shook his head.

Tobias smiled.

Asking for tea had been both a courtesy and a way for them to talk privately. There was so much history entwined in preparing tea that high society considered it scandalous to discuss important matters before at least one cup had been consumed. Because of this, servants rarely bothered to listen in on their master's conversation right after they'd delivered what was needed.

That would change in about five minutes, so Tobias got down to business. "What's the difference between a divine stomach meridian opening pill and a golden stomach meridian opening pill, and why would they be giving it to someone with an open stomach meridian?"

Disciple Xi winced at the directness of the question while staring at the tea set. "A divine pill transcends its nature, while a golden pill sits at the peak of its nature. A divine stomach meridian opening pill will open, expand, and strengthen your stomach meridian due to its divine influence. In contrast, a golden pill will just completely open your stomach meridian. As for why they are giving it to you, the answer is twofold. First of all, when you consumed your original stomach meridian opening pill, you did not completely open your stomach meridian. It opened somewhere between 60% and 90%. Usually, you would cultivate to clear the rest of the blockage."

"I know that."

"Let me finish. While it isn't advised, you can take more stomach meridian opening pills to finish opening your stomach meridian. However, these pills must be of higher quality than the original, or your meridian will be damaged. As for why they are giving you a divine stomach meridian opening pill, the answer is that they have to if they want to give you the others. If your stomach meridian is not as large or strong as your other meridians when you break through to the initiate realm, it will cause a chi deviation. This would be a divine deviation, and that sort of deviation will tear your body apart."

"You mean kill me?"

"Kill you or make you wish it did."

"Are there any side effects that I should be aware of?"

Disciple Xi paused to consider the question. "I'm not well-versed in this area. What little I know suggests that divine pills transform the body rather than strengthen it. Transformations are far more demanding on the recipient's health, which will be exacerbated by your low divinity. Your recovery will be extremely slow and painful."

"Will this change as my cultivation increases and my divinity grows, like with ordinary cultivation pills?"

Tobias had asked about this shortly after Disciple Xi began working for him.

"There may be a slight improvement between the first and last meridian cleansing pill, but each meridian opening pill will be significantly stronger than the last, so it is unlikely your higher divinity will have any effect on your recovery."

"One would assume the pills are worth the effort?"

"Not for cultivators like us, but for someone like you, they will offer you a cultivation base that is similar to a natural cultivator. However, it will not allow you to enter the nascent soul realm, only progress further in the core realm."

Disciple Wo cleared his throat with a mischievous glint in his eye. "I know this is not my area of expertise, but I believe you are missing a key element of these pills."

Disciple Xi frowned. "What element?"

"The transformation will leave, Magistrate Finch, a divine beauty. His marriage prospects will dramatically increase."

Disciple Xi sighed. "That and divine talent rarely occur. Because of their rarity, I chose not to mention them."

Disciple Wo bowed. "I apologise for my lack of thoughtfulness."

Tobias realised they were wasting time and changed the subject. "Have either of you come up with a plan that will allow us to leave?"

They both shook their heads.

"I haven't either, which means I'm likely stuck here until the 1st Prince releases me. Disciple Xi, if you wish to return to Cloud Sect, you may."

Disciple Xi shook his head. "I am more certain than ever that my place is by your side until your return to Cloud Sect."

Disciple Wo bowed. "I cannot return to the Sect until I have fulfilled my obligations as your bodyguard, and you do not have the authority to release me from these obligations. Also, if I were to somehow leave now, I would lose the sect's protection."

Tobias knew this, which was why he had not made the offer. Tobias lifted the lid from the teapot and began preparing their tea. The rest of their conversation was something that the servants could overhear without Tobias looking ignorant. He wasn't concerned about the 1st Prince or the 2nd Emperor knowing he was, but servants tended to gossip, and Tobais did not want to make his host lose face because of anything he did. It was one of the few actions he could take to improve his chances of leaving.

Tobias brewed the tea himself and poured each of them a cup, because he didn't trust Disciple Wo or Xi to prepare his grandpa's tea properly. They could go through the motions, but they didn't understand the process well enough for him to let them do so, and making the tea reminded him of home.

As Tobias drank, he gave a content smile, before frowning at his cup. "Is it just me, or is this better than usual?"

Disciple Xi smiled back. "You are not imagining it, Magistrate. The chi saturation in the Capitol is greater than the chi saturation in Cloud City. The chi saturation in the Imperial Palace is greater than anywhere in Cloud Sect, except the realm where nascent soul realm elders cultivate. This affects the flavour of everything that you eat or drink here."

Tobias began preparing another pot. "Disciple Wo, I've spoken to Eunuch Ho about you studying under a majordomo here at the palace. He can arrange your training if you write to Cloud Sect declaring your intent, and they approve your release once you complete your mission."

Disciple Wo bowed. "I will write to the sect this afternoon."

Tobias turned to Disciple Xi. "I've spoken to Eunuch Ho about you studying alchemy under the Imperial Alchemists. He is unsure how they will react to the request. I'll need a list of the pills you would like to study and produce for them, before he approaches them."

Disciple Xi bowed. "Thank you for this opportunity. Is there any way that I can repay you?"

"Agree to return to Cloud Sect each Autumn to prepare the pills for the auction while I remain the 1st Prince's guest."

Tobias was aware that he was nearly untouchable while he remained the 1st Prince's guest and that the chances of an assassin killing him were almost zero. The risk of sending Disciple Xi away under these conditions was acceptable.

Disciple Xi frowned. "I would prefer to stay, but I will accept your request if Disciple Wo stops his training and remains by your side while I am gone."

"That can be arranged," Tobias replied. "Also, once I've reached the initiate realm, you may both use the cultivation chamber whenever you wish."

They both immediately shook their heads.

Tobias frowned. "I take it there is a problem with you cultivating here?"

Disciple Xi nodded. "The Imperial Family are metal cultivators. This environment is unsuitable for the cultivation methods we are taught as Cloud Sect. It may even harm us."

"Then consider the offer withdrawn. Do either of you have anything you would like to discuss?"

Disciple Wo indicated that he did. "This is more of a question, rather than a discussion, but what is a royal magistrate?"

"A royal magistrate is a magistrate qualified to preside over legal matters relating to the Imperial Family and the Imperial Palace."

"So, you'll be bound to the palace?"

"Not necessarily." Tobias hoped his statement was true. "Only the best royal magistrates remain in the Imperial Palace. Most return to their states and remain in their assigned roles, only being called upon when their legal advice is required."

"What sort of things would require their advice?"

"Taxes, gifts, and marriages into the extended Imperial Family are the most common. But this is the extent of my understanding of their role, so I could be wrong."

"Why are they called royal magistrates instead of imperial magistrates?"

"I am not a member of the Imperial Family, so I cannot take the title of Imperial."

Disciple Wo nodded. "How do you plan to perform your duties in the state assignment hall while you are here? I remember you mentioning that as a senior magistrate, no one can replace you as sect liaison unless you allow it."

"That great difficulty and expense," Tobias replied while pouring the next round of tea. "Disciple Xi, how quickly can a foundation realm cultivator reach the Capitol?"

Disciple Xi paused as he lifted his cup. "Three days."

Tobias did some mental calculations and realised that it was impossible for him to authenticate everything, given the transportation time. Pills wouldn't be a problem, but fresh spirit herbs and spirit beast meat would be.

Tobias had a list of suppliers whom he felt he could trust to provide exactly what they were contracted to, because they had always done so. If he only used them for the perishable goods, then he would be able to simply send the paperwork that they had been authenticated. So long as no one lied, no one could say he had failed to perform his duties. And even if he was investigated, he couldn't be charged with corruption, so Cloud Sect would be encouraged to make sure their disciples were honest. If Tobias had to close down the state assignment hall, they wouldn't receive any state contribution points until he returned.

To incentivise them to remain honest, he would have to pay them more, which was less than ideal. The goods they provided didn't have much room in the budget for that.

Tobias continued to consider the issue in silence before devising a solution.

Even among those he trusted to supply him with what he wanted, some were better than others. If he allowed those individuals to authenticate other gatherers and hunters' spirit herbs and spirit beast meat for him for a fee, he might be able to maintain a decent record without exceeding his budget.

If Tobias could provide them with the framework needed to authenticate others' goods, they would earn drastically more sect points from authentication than from actually performing their job, while reducing his workload substantially. The only issue would be that his rainy-day fund would cease to grow, but that was preferable to him failing his duties.

Tobias finished drinking his third cup of tea before looking up. "Is there anything else you would like to discuss? If not, I have letters to write before I begin cultivating this evening."