"Have they all left?"
Behind the desk, Zhang Xing asked without raising his head.
"They've all left... once they heard you would at least keep leading the party as far as Dengzhou Garrison Camp before taking up your post, they all left... they weren't really here to congratulate you. They were afraid your earlier promise might suddenly fall through."
Qin Bao sat cross-legged before the desk, then glanced at the things on it: an official document and half a tally... perhaps because a full half of the court had accompanied the emperor, Eunuch Yu had delivered them that very evening.
But there was no seal and ribbon.
"Why is there no seal and ribbon?" Once seated, Qin Bao seemed somewhat awkward, so he asked a question simply to make conversation.
"Because the Great Wei Dynasty is a very peculiar dynasty." Zhang Xing, who had been staring into space, raised his head expressionlessly and spoke frankly. "The preceding centuries of division and separatist rule caused all sorts of institutional changes and developments. Then, under the Great Wei Dynasty, the realm suddenly seemed united, and there were still more changes. So you often see different characteristics in the same sort of thing..."
Qin Bao was somewhat bewildered. He did not know why his third brother had suddenly brought this up, but remained patient. "Like seals and ribbons?"
"Exactly! With seals and ribbons specifically, take the public security system, the censorate, and military commands. Because their posts aren't permanent, or mainly involve inspection tours, the seals travel with the men. That's where the Jing'an Directorate's Vermilion Sashes, Black Sashes, and White Ribbons come from. Since they have small seals and long ribbons, you can roughly tell someone's status just by looking at the ribbon outside..."
As he spoke, Zhang Xing first pointed at