When Qian Renxue took the last pill of her medicine, Bibi Dong had the side door of the Papal Hall opened.
No guards stopped her outside. Yue Guan stood below the steps with the empty medicine box in his hand, plainly sent to collect it. Qian Renxue took the Token from her sleeve and placed it back in the box, but did not go in at once.
"How is she today?"
Yue Guan had only seen the Pope conduct business as usual these past few days. He had not been allowed near the purple-black aura in the hall that night.
"She's been working through Official Documents without a break since morning. She postponed a military council at noon. Everything else is as usual."
"Why did she postpone it?"
"Her Majesty said a line on the military map was marked incorrectly. She told them to fix it before coming back."
Qian Renxue took the empty box and entered the hall. Bai Jin had been waiting for her beneath the corridor. Seeing Yue Guan still there, he folded his arms and leaned against the other side. He did not turn this into three people arriving to check on a patient, but the side door remained within sight of his Six Eyes.
A revised military map lay beside Bibi Dong. The new markings on the Northern Front followed the boundary stones already agreed upon. The garrisons of Elephant Armor and the other sects that had pledged allegiance were marked only within the Spirit Hall Empire's actual territory. She crossed out an arrow that extended past the Blue Lightning buffer zone with her red brush.
"Who drew this?" Qian Renxue asked.
"A new clerk in the map office. He's already taken it back to correct it."
"Luo Jun's joint review isn't even over. They've