Qinghe stopped Yan before he reached the final diagram of Thousand Thorn Pulse. The paper at the end of the book was newer than the rest, and its thread was uneven where the binding turned.
“Don’t study that page yet,” she said.
Yan closed the book. “The catalog says it’s complete.”
“The index names a safety note. This leaf may contain it, but the paper and stitching are different.”
The court scribe looked up from the table. “It was checked when the volume arrived.”
“Then we can check it again.” Qinghe pointed to the final fold. “There’s no reason to practice until we know whether the copied page matches the original.”
Wei laid his duplicate catalog beside the book. The index listed a note on the angle of release. The leaf had a diagram, but no written warning. He did not call it sabotage. He asked the scribe to compare the seal and request the original from the Registry archive.
Qiu said the manual was complete according to the delivery record. Yan turned toward him. “If the note changes how the force leaves my hand, I want the right instruction before I try it.”
