Just two days later, Mulan received a secret order from the queen, instructing him to prepare a covert investigation into corruption in the imperial military and asking for his plans and recommendations. Having already given the matter considerable thought, Mulan immediately began drafting a proposal.
Mulan knew this was also the queen's most crucial test of him, one that concerned both his loyalty and his ability. Whether he handled it well would affect not only the families, livelihoods, and even reputations of countless comrades, but also his own political future, among both the empire's powerful elite and those in the Black Castle.
He could not begin directly at the top, as that might provoke fierce resistance. What he really needed to do was start small to expose the bigger picture, then make a mountain out of a molehill.
The entire proposal ran to over a dozen pages. Mulan remained in his office at the York District Police Station, writing from dawn until dusk, then from dusk until dawn. Once he finished, he sent it straight to the queen, who had not even gotten out of bed yet.
In the Royal Palace, Nisheriel finished breakfast and began attending to affairs of state. Her first task was to read the proposal Mulan had sent.
Although she could imagine that Mulan had already considered this possibility, receiving it after only a day made it difficult for Nisheriel to believe the proposal could be comprehensive.
But as Nisheriel read on, her expression grew increasingly serious. At first, she had skimmed through it; later, she read every word, missing no detail. Before she knew it, she had finished all dozen-plus pages of densely packed text.
"Your Majesty, the proposal seems quite good?"
The Minister beside her only spoke now, and Nisheriel handed him the proposal.