This is an old fic, half-rewritten, and posted as an introduction to Qingjao and as a gift for Meej who is studying hard for her test tomorrow!
Agni picked nervously at the embroidery on his jacket as the saffron-clad attendant lead him through winding walkways and across stone bridges. The garden was lush and beautiful, glowing with a soft green light that dripped through the trees and bounced off the water. It reminded him more of Selan than of the bright, rocky village he had just left behind. Still, the knowledge that he was a walking avatar of high treason and yet not one mile away from the Imperial Seat made it hard to relax.
They stopped at the next clearing and Agni glanced around. He was expecting to see the same representative of the Ministry of Revenue that had approached him about giving some of his lands over to the Empire, the one that had met with him not a month ago in Mount Taikyoku Village. Instead there was a small woman with a serene and impersonal smile on her face. The attendant introduced her as "Madame Qingjao Wu, Minister of Enlightenment" and promptly left.
Agni's first thought was that he was meeting someone new and he had better bow and introduce himself right away. "Agnikam Vasumdhara. I am honored to make your acquaintance."
His second thought was that this had to be a trap. Why else would they set him up with the Minister of Enlightenment?
His third thought was that he would have felt something earlier if it had been a trap, and he most certainly hadn't.
"Forgive my confusion, but I had expected to meet with a representative for the Ministry of Revenue."
"The ministers of her gracious Majesty serve as one. We are guided and informed by our titles, but not confined by them." It was a reasonable approximation of the truth.
She gestured for Agni to accompany her and set off down a twisting stone walkway. He followed obediently, stepping less gracefully than he might have had he not been in the belly of the beast.
"We have reviewed your holdings in Beijiya, Citizen Vasumdhara, and found them to be ideally suited to the needs of the people as served by the Empire. We need only an approved account to which we might wire your payment and—"
"Wait," said Agni, holding up his hand. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but... you're paying me for the land?"
Qingjao's smile didn't waver an inch. "Were these untouched, virgin lands, then indeed there would be no need to render payment. However, the Vasumdhara family has invested so much time and energy into creating what is now one of the most efficient mines in all of Beijiya. Rather than put a strain on some of our most productive citizens, we will match your family's investment into the land, that the Vasumdharas might more effectively continue to provide for all our people."
She continued down the path again, Agni by her side. It might have been his imagination, but he could have sworn that her expression moved a micrometer closer to something approaching human warmth. "It is commendable that Citizen Vasumdhara should wish for nothing greater than to give freely of himself to the people. It is not our intention to cause offense."
"Oh, no," said Agni, skillfully keeping the sarcasm out of his voice. "Not at all."
"Perhaps it will put your mind at ease to know that we will be taking your settlement houses into our possession without recompense."
Agni froze. He felt his stomach roil, as if the ground were crumbling beneath him. All he could think to do was to look up at Qingjao and smile. When he found his voice, it was flat and quiet. "Funny, they weren’t even on the list of holdings I submitted to the Minister of Revenue."
She regarded his smile with a tilt of her head, and her own seemed to widen by the tiniest flicker. "Of course you didn’t. It would reflect very poorly on you to imply through documentation of your works that the Empire could not provide for all its citizens, or that the Empire lacks the initiative to do so."
He braced himself for... something.
For what?
It struck him suddenly that he had no idea what.
He hadn’t felt his mark flare or even flicker. He’d felt no sense of impending danger at any time during their meeting. Even now, as her silence began to stretch out, he saw no movement from her, no flick of the wrist to indicate that a guard had been summoned, heard nothing in the trees but the whisper of the breeze. Qingjao only stared at him. Unblinking.
Waiting.
She was waiting for him to find the right words.
"It would, indeed." He tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry. "Indeed, it would reflect poorly on me to suggest such a thing, when I am merely the instrument of action moved by the Empire’s will. My works are the Empire’s works."
Qingjao nodded. "Of course. But this apparatus is still new, and not all yet understand the scope of its works: where they do not see a direct hand, they will presume no influence, nor will they recognize that they are already a part of this great machine." Her eyes unfocused, only for a second, and she seemed further away when she said, "But they will learn, in time."
The moment passed like a sigh, and they began walking again. His words were apparently just what she’d wanted to hear, but Agni felt no relief. He had the sickening feeling that he’d never detected a trap because he’d fallen into it too far back to remember.
They entered a grove of plum trees, their white blossoms opening late in the cool mountain air. Qingjao pressed her palm to the trunk of one of the trees, favoring it with an almost maternal smile. "Nature has made for us the most elegant machines of all, and yet despite these reminders, some still forget that they are a part of something greater. They need only for us to remind them that though they may wither and die, the Empire will remain."
"Isn't this rather inauspicious, though?" Whether trapped, whether free, Agni was at least sure that his path held no more surprises this evening. It felt safe to push, so he pushed. "These blossoms: they symbolize revolutionary struggle."
"They did, years ago, when our people had need of such a concept. They are now widely known as being symbolic of resilience."
Agni sighed, and nodded. He was genuinely surprised when Qingjao plucked one of the white plum blossoms from a branch and handed it to him with a smile. "That Citizen Vasumdhara may never forget what he is a part of."
He twirled the blossom in his fingers, admiring the delicate petals. All symbolism aside, it really was a lovely flower.
He'd scarcely noticed that the sun was setting until he saw flames flickering in the distance, one torch after another being lit in turn. He started off in their direction, hoping to catch some warmth from the fire, when he felt Qingjao's hand on his arm. "Not that way. Our path leads elsewhere tonight."
Arm in arm, they left the plum trees behind.
