The morning of the final match, the courier hawk arrived.
Mo Tian burst into the dining hall at breakfast with a sealed scroll in his hand and an expression that was equal parts relief and barely contained triumph. He slid into the seat beside Lan Yue, slapped the scroll on the table, and said, "We have it."
The imperial seal gleamed on the crimson wax. Heavy. Official. The kind of mark that made powerful men sweat.
"The chancellor authorized a full independent inquiry," Mo Tian said, keeping his voice low. "Three imperial investigators will arrive within five days. The sect is legally required to preserve all evidence, suspend all internal investigations, and cooperate fully. Refusal constitutes obstruction of imperial authority."
Lan Yue let out a breath that felt like it had been trapped in her lungs for a week. "Five days."
