The Cresent Connection
Paix is buzzing with the visit of the Emir of Four, a Crescent potentate negotiating some sort of treaty with Duchess Lilian Deneuve - L'Empereur's foreign minister and the governor of Surlign, the province that includes Paix. Sebastien is asked by Luc Duchard, captain-lieutenant of Musketeers in Paix, to arrange a secret guard for the Emir; apparently, Philip du Paix believes that there is a possible threat to the Emir's life or mission, but the Emir is too proud to accept a guard.
In the Emir's Secret Service
Sebastien asks Julien for help arranging a guard; between them, they arrange a team of Musketeers and Le Cage ne'er-do-wells to watch over the Emir discretely. They set up teams, and from observation learn that the Emir and another, turbaned man appear to be the important members of the embassy. The turbaned man has a notable dislike of vice - Julien learns of a confrontation between the turbaned man and some jennies - and the Musketeers observe a cloaked man sneaking out of the Emir's mansion each evening.
The second night, after the cloaked figures have snuck out, Julien sneaks in. He discovers that he is in - it appears - the Emir's bedroom, and steals a pair of jeweled swords from the Emir in hopes that this penetration of the Crescent security cordon will upset the Crescents and cause them to switch up, potentially foiling any would-be assassins.
The Bernoulli Ambassador and Other Investigations
Meanwhile, Aleksei and Marie-Celeste -- with some help from Julien -- investigate potential individuals who might want to target the Emir of Four. Aleksei learns that there are fears that the Montaigne are negotiating a trade deal. Currently, the Bernoulli family in Vodacce have been given a monopoly on trade with the Crescents by the Vaticine Church, but with the break between Montaigne and the Vaticine there's thoughts that L'Empereur might try to break up the monopoly.
In this vein, Aleksei visits the Bernoulli Ambassador, a man they saved from poisioning (ostensibly) during The Rapist Caper.