Dàilán walked briskly down the open air walkway leading to the Clan Mansion from the separate House Residences, her hair done in a simple style normally used by young men, wearing sensible working robes and holding a satchel of scrolls.
An male servant with greying hair cleaning the lacquered carvings of the walkway's beautifully detailed wooden screens paused and stepped to one side as she passed, bowing with a murmured "Heir."
As she had for all the other polite greetings she encountered on her way, the young girl inclined her head in response and continued own until she stepped into the light of the Golden Crow shining from overhead.
There were a number of older male servants, similar to the one cleaning the screens, crossing the courtyard quickly in different directions as they moved in and out of the courtyard on various errands - all of them stopping to bow and greet her in the same way as the first until she passed by.
Inclining her head to each one she passed, she reached the front portico of her Father's quarters, greeting the stout, balding older man who stood to the right side of the entrance.
"Greetings, Majordomo." She bowed her head politely. "Third Heir to see Third Elder."
"He is waiting for you in the study, Heir," the older man intoned gravely, although she saw the flicker of good humour in his eyes as he bowed in return. "I will escort you."
Dàilán bowed her acceptance and followed a pace behind the older man as he led the way into the main mansion.
The spacious corridors were decorated with elaborate silk paintings of ancestors, sages and various gods. Occasionally a niche displayed a statue or other piece of art, but most of the recurring decoration was centred around larger versions of the Clan Symbol - a Vermilion Bird spread wing with its claws gripping firmly to a Mountain Peak.
Passing through the intersection that led to the different wings of the Mansion, they turned towards the right most corridor leading to the Third Family's wing, when two richly robed young men appeared - one from each of the corridors leading to the First and Second Family wings. The Majordomo stopped short and as close as Dàilán was standing, she saw a rare flicker of displeasure passing over his face before it settled into a polite mask.
"First Heir… Second Heir..." The Majordomo bowed politely to the two older teens. "May I assist you?"
The First Heir had a condescending expression, an unpleasant look on his sallow face. "Just surprised that we did not warrant your personal escort and wanted to greet our… fellow Heir… as we so rarely get a chance to converse."
As Third Heir, Dàilán stepped forward, "Third Heir accepts First and Second Heir's most gracious greetings. Please accept my apologies, I am due to meet with my Father momentarily."
Second Heir, who was noticeably overweight, laughed in a high pitch. "Yes Third Heir, we all have to visit our Fathers for the weekly tediousness." He dry washed his fat hands together with an oily smile, "We should really find some time to discuss... Heir business. First and I get together all the time - the service at the Falling Plum Blossom is quite suitable."
Dàilán could hear the Majordomo's robes rustle as he stiffened with outrage behind her. She forestalled his reaction with a hearty laugh. "First and Second are so free! I am afraid Third Elder is quite strict with my responsibilities as Heir - I rarely have time to go visiting? Perhaps I could ask Third Elder if I may be granted a similar amount of leisure time to yourselves? Then we could all go together!"
The chubby Second Heir paled slightly. "Ah, no… that is…."
First Heir stepped smoothly forward. "What Second Heir means to say, is that we are of course also quite busy with our own duties. I am quite surprised that Third Elder also makes his… Heir…" the teen make a show of looking her up and down, a slight sneer curling his lip "...work so hard."
"Of course. It is what a real Heir should do, after all." Dàilán made another bow "Cousins, this Heir must not be late. Please excuse me." While the other two silkpants were left pale faced in anger at her last pointed comment, she moved swiftly towards the Third House corridor.
A muffled shout was cut off behind them as she led the MajorDomo into the corridor. Undoubtedly one of the two young men had stopped the other from shouting out at her and causing their less than proper behaviour to be noticed.
"Young… Master, that was well done. Those two are indeed in need of lessons regarding the proper behaviour required of an Heir. I will be speaking to the Clan Leader about their behaviour."
"Thank you, Senior. I am of the mind that actions speak louder than words. Thus their insinuations matter little against their silkpants behaviour." Dàilán responded decisively.
The older man chuckled, "Third Heir has wisdom." Stopping at the door to the antechamber before her Father's study, Dàilán turned to the older servant and bowed, "Thank you for your escort."
"It was my pleasure." He bowed in return, opened the door to the antechamber and guided her to a seat. "Please wait here one moment while I announce you, Third Heir."
The Majordomo bustled off quickly into the connecting room as she settled her satchel beside herself. As almost a fēn passed without his return, Dàilán's eyebrows rose, then drew into a worried crease. Was there a problem?
Her concerns were interrupted by the reappearance of the MajorDomo bowing at the door to the antechamber. "Forgive the delay, Third Heir. Third Elder awaits your arrival."
Dàilán rose to her feet, picking up the satchel again and inclined her head. "Thank you." She walked past the older man who gestured her through the door and bowed as she passed.
The Golden Crow's light streamed through the large open windows of the study as she stepped in and turned towards the right where her father sat behind a desk that took up the width of the wall - the light from outside shining from the windows across the desk, casting shadows away from the surface covered in papers.
She heard the door to the Study click shut as she took the required two steps towards her father - the Third Elder - and went to one knee, bowing. "Third Heir greets Third Elder."
"Rise. I understand there was an issue on the way?" Her Father's voice was impassive.
"Heir regrets to report there was a minor difference of opinion between the Heirs," answered Dàilán equally calmly. "They expressed concerns regarding my suitability for the position, I expressed doubts regarding their seeming lack of attention to the duties of an Heir."
A small chuckle came from the Third Elder. "I find I cannot fault the observation, however I will undoubtedly have to deal with complaints from the First and Second Elders. Perhaps you could have considered more restraint?"
Dàilán suppressed a grin. "Reporting, Second Heir inquired whether I had the time to join them at the Falling Plum Blossom pleasure house. I informed them that to my great regret my duties did not leave me the free time to go visiting, apparently unlike their own."
There was a moments startled silence then a bark of laughter. "That was well done, Third Heir. A point I shall raise once I undoubtedly receive the inevitable complaints. I suspect they will be much less free in the future."
Dàilán inclined her head as the Third Elder - her father - tapped on the desk. "Enough of that foolishness. Bring the weekly reports, Third Heir," prompting the young teen to lift the satchel she carried and take five steps forward to pile the contents on the desk.
Third Elder nodded - pointing to another stack of reports to one side. "These are the figures and tasks I need you to follow up on for next week. Preliminary appraisal should be complete in the next shi while I evaluate your reports for the past week. As always, you can ask me questions while you are here."
The young Heir nodded as she scooped the new documents into her satchel, "As always - I am available for any clarifications on the reports, Third Elder." She bowed and took five steps back, then turned and headed for the matching desk on the other side of the study that was once her Mother's.
---
"Third Elder? I have a question about this purchase made two days ago - here - purchase of Essence Fertiliser for the northwest fields." Dàilán indicated the relevant figure.
"Hmmm, what?" The Third Elder looked up from the report he was studying at the question absent-mindedly. "Yes, Second Elder reported he had gotten an excellent deal on that - a thirty percent reduction compared to the costings from the regular suppliers. It should increase our Essence crop production yield by at least fifteen percent according to the Matriarch."
Dàilán rolled her eyes. "Heir begs leave to remind Third Elder that the southwest fields are only thirty mu in area. Two thousand catties would cover that area to a depth of about an arm span of fertiliser. Considering any reasonable quality of Essence Fertiliser requires only a handful per square arm span - it seems excessive."
Her father's eyes widened. "Two thousand… wait what? Bring that here…" The young teen trotted over and pointed out the relevant information.
"Daughter of a… how did I miss that! I forgot about the size of the fields. Someone is inflating the purchase amount to make it look like they made a deal, when in fact they have been allocated a budget they cannot possibly need. I am sure it was twenty catties when I looked."
Dàilán nodded, and pointed out the purchase order that had been signed off - then pointed out a matching line in the accounts. "It is twenty catties submitted to the merchant, but the request to the treasury is for two thousand. Someone added a couple extra zeros to the end of the approved order when submitting for reimbursement."
"More of Second Elder's games," sighed the Third Elder, "Certainly he will apologise for the simple error and return the money when it is pointed out, but the question is how many times he has succeeded in similar tricks."
"Too many," grumbled the Heir. "Third House is responsible for Clan Finances, Why was Second House put in charge of the Treasury?"
Third Elder frowned. "It was thought a good idea to separate those responsible for internal production and cash generation from those trading and spending it. Which makes absolutely no sense from a financial point, but it does from a power balances and checks point of view.
The Third Elder pointed into the air. "In theory, since Internal Management is always checking the expenses and earnings from Treasury based on their production and requests; and Treasury is always keeping tabs on the Clan's production - no one can theoretically get away with hoarding cultivation resources or embezzling money."
"Just like First House manages our Defence and Discipline Halls, to keep the other two Houses from getting too powerful and either house can withhold resources or money to keep First from just using force because they need both money and resources to maintain said force. I know." replied Dàilán, "but it is not working - First House is not doing their job and Second keeps sneaking money out from under our noses."
"Speaking which, you mention in these reports that you believe that the Clan is overpaying for new seed and plant stock for the fields? And there is a note," the Elder stabbed a thick finger on a report, "here about undercharging for our Formation Contracts and our trade in Essence plants and herbs?"
Dàilán looked away in embarrassment; there had been some theories and thoughts that she had been considering after recent experiences and idly jotted down, which she had not meant to include in the final reports.
She looked back at the Elder, tapping her ear with a finger and then under one eye. "Formations?"
The Elder placed one palm flat on a portion of the desk, then nodded, "Yes, the Security Formations are active - as they always are when we examine these reports. But I assure you Heir," he said dryly, "you now have my complete and total attention for asking me to double check."
Dàilán blew out a breath. "I was tired when I compiled the final version of the reports - the past week has been strenuous; those observations were not meant to be in there yet. Nonetheless…"
The Elder raised an eyebrow in an invitation to continue. Dàilán straightened up and spoke evenly. "I noticed a pattern, very subtle, where all our payments for new stock for the Essence fields are - generally more expensive, than they should be."
The Elder raised the other eyebrow. "There has been very little fluctuation in the price for new seedlings and stock for the Essence Fields for years. For that matter, very little change in the prices charged for our Formation laying services either."
The Heir shrugged. "It may be nothing - but, I was in the market earlier in the week - and the price an independent peddler quoted on their herbs was noticeably less than what we have been paying for stock of similar rank."
Dàilán carefully left out that the herbs in question had been of a quality the Clan had almost never been able to purchase - and if her Cousins had been correct - their true rank was above almost anything the Clan had ever been able to purchase. "And if anything an independent should charge more per item as they cannot purchase or sell in bulk."
The Third Elder frowned. "Hardly conclusive, the peddler may not have known the value of what he was selling, for one."
Dàilán sighed. "That is why I was not planning to put this in the report yet. I was going to check some of the regular suppliers later this week and see if the prices were similar. But Heir Ji paid for the herbs on my behalf and he did not seem to consider the price as anything unusual - if anyone would notice unusual pricing - it is the Heir of a successful merchant Clan."
Third Elder blinked "Heir Ji…? Why?"
Dàilán smiled. "He wanted me to get a message to Second Heiress."
Her father scratched his head. "OK, not relevant to the present discussion. I do not quite follow your concern?"
"If we had been paying higher than market rates, the merchants would notice," Dàilán said carefully, "the market would have adjusted to match the demand, correct? But if the prices have not actually risen..."
"Then we are NOT paying higher rates into the market. So… where is the money we have been spending on those products actually going?" The Third Elder completed the thought slowly. "Are you sure about this?"
"No," admitted the Third Heir. "I have not been able to confirm the theory yet. I need to make some trips out to the market, possibly consult with Heir Ji."
"This has priority," ordered Third Elder, "Investigate and confirm your concerns. And how does this relate to our income from selling Essence Herbs or laying out Formations?"
The Heir bit her lip in distress. "Again this is just my theory but... The income on our products is lower overall than what we are paying for new plants and stock. Yes, fresh and wild stock is always more expensive, but not by that much."
Dàilán rubbed her forehead, "Clan Guan has always been famous for its Formation Masters - hells, First Heiress is an Earth, Second Rank now and I am sure she is on the roster for Formations Installation but I do not see her fees anywhere on the rolls - if we were charging less than market price for our services, or had a new Master then we would be swamped with orders and everyone would know about it."
"But I have heard of neither. As far as I know, we are charging market prices. But someone is reporting a much lower overall income. Again it is subtle - sometimes as little as a single stone off the sold price of an herb or ten off the sale of a Formation install - but it adds up. If we are actually charging the missing stones and - not - giving everyone consistent discounts, then those extra stones are going somewhere."
"Your Cousin's skills are probably being concealed," pointed out the Third Elder. "As to the rest, I will have to check with the Matriarch - as the Clan's only Sky Level Formation Master - she is in charge of the Formations Masters. She will know what we are charging the customers." He rose from the desk,"Given the severity of these concerns, I will seek an audience with her immediately. We will have to cut this session short."
Dàilán bowed. "Yes, Third Elder. I will find out the details regarding the market pricing on herbs as soon as possible."
Her Father nodded. "I find it remarkable this has not been noticed previously. Excellent work."
Dàilán shrugged. "You said it yourself, our internal prices have not changed in years. Maybe whomever is doing this, just did not record any increases in actual pricing in our products, so slowly was able to pocket the difference."
Her smile turned mischievous, "Unless a young person who did not know better went to buy things outside the Clan for fun and knew the price our Clan usually sold or bought things for and noticed the discrepancy… how many people in the Clan bother to purchase things out of their own pocket instead of drawing on Clan stores? How many know how much the Clan spends?"
"I am going to have to ask First Elder for permission to check the Clan Defence expenses too, damn!" grumbled Third Elder. "This meeting is adjourned, Daughter. You have done well."
"Thank you, Father," she replied, bowing. When she straightened up her hair was back in its regular feminine hairstyle. "See you at dinner tonight?"
"Unless this blows right up, yes. Do you want the MajorDomo to escort you?" He asked as she went to collect the new information scrolls for this week's reporting into the satchel.
"Please. I have no wish to be dragged off to the pleasure house by my fellow Heirs." She put the satchel over one shoulder "Ready."
Her father laughed. "If you were male you would probably have had a different reaction to that offer." He toggled the servant call and powered down the privacy formations.
Dàilán snorted. "The Falling Plum has male hosts too, you know. There is nothing wrong with the suggestion - it is simply that male or not - I would never be stupid enough to go any place with those two."
The door opened as the MajorDomo stepped into the room and Dàilán swept through the door, waving goodbye and giggling at the poleaxed look on her Father's face as he stood stunned at her response behind the desk.