The Stone Road (23 page)

The two
Jiin-Wei
walked up to the mirror and placed their hands upon the frame. Shen, Haung assumed for want of a better guess, brought a slip of paper from a pocket in his robe and pressed it against the surface of the mirror. Wisps of smoke rose from beneath his hand and swirled through the glass. The tendrils of smoke expanded and spread until the whole mirror was a grey slate that absorbed the candle light. Shen withdrew his hand and then both
Jiin-Wei
moved to one side and bowed low.

A velvet slippered foot poked through the grey slate and then the rest of the man slid through. The emperor stepped into to the hall and behind him the grey surface rippled in concentric circles like a pebble dropped into a pond. The Duke and his entourage went to their knees, bowing their heads low. Haung knelt alongside them.

“We welcome the Emperor to the city,” the duke said.

“Rise,” the emperor’s voice was soft and low but it carried the expectation of obedience.

“My Lord, you do us a great honour. Please, will you take tea with us?” The duke indicated the table set with delicate porcelain cups from which steam rose towards the rafters.

“Indeed,” said the emperor, “let us sit and talk. I have long been absent from these halls. You have news of your efforts to provide for the refugees and I have news for you of the larger Empire. I also bring you a warning.”

Commander Weyl paused in his walk to the table and turned a questioning gaze towards the duke.

“A warning, my Lord Emperor?” the duke asked.

“Something we will discuss later.” The emperor’s eyes did not leave the duke's face but Haung was sure the leader of the Empire was seeing all the subtle messages that the commander and duke were exchanging with their glances. Haung saw a small smile appear on the emperor’s face. “Be assured, Lord Duke and Commander, the warning is brought by me but the threat is not
from
me. The honoured Duke acquitted himself with honour and duty in the sanctioned war.”

Haung watched as one of the twin
Jiin-Wei
pulled a chair out for the emperor and checked it for traps. They also checked the tea, tasting it and casting charms from the prepared miniature scrolls they carried in little pouches. The emperor waited, his deep purple and gold threaded robe absolutely still, as his servants fulfilled their purpose.

“Now, come, let us share tea and tell me of the refugees. Has the flow from the north slowed at all?” The emperor sat and held out a hand into which Chen passed a cup of tea.

Haung stood back, away from the inner circle, as the duke, Weyl and the emperor spoke of the Empire, the problems in the north, the threats far to the west from the barbarian tribes and the strained relations with the strange people of the jungle countries to the far south. The servants brought out a second serving of tea and sweet cakes as the conversation continued. Haung studied the emperor as he drank, ate and spoke. He had long dark hair tied back into a long tail that reached to the base of his spine, a fine moustache framed thin lips and, when he smiled, Haung saw perfect, white teeth. Bushy eyebrows left the emperor’s eyes in shadow much of the time and the candle light did not reflect from them except in those moments when the emperor tilted his head to drink from his cups. Haung was sure, in those quick glimpses before the emperor's eyes closed in appreciation of the tea, that he could see flashes of gold and red in the irises.

Behind the emperor stood Chen and Shen. They looked to be studying Haung as much as he studied the emperor. When he lifted his gaze to meet their eyes they did not break the stare, but returned it with dispassionate, measuring, interest.

“Now,” said the emperor as he put down his empty cup, “to my warning.”

Weyl and the duke sat forward in their chairs.

“Send away your clerks and lawyers,” the emperor waved an imperious hand, “your servants too. These words are for you alone.”

“Go, go,” the duke gestured at his staff.

The servants hurried to pick up the serving dishes and cups. The clerks piled up their scrolls, paper and pens and scampered from the hall. Haung bowed low to the duke, and emperor, and began to leave.

“No,” the emperor spoke, “not you,
Jiin-Wei
bodyguard. You too must hear this warning as it may fall to you to take the necessary action.”

“May I present the Captain of my bodyguards,
Jiin-Wei
Haung,” the duke indicated Haung. “A most loyal and capable
Jiin-Wei
who has already saved my life once this year and who fought valiantly in our service during the war.”

Haung bowed to the emperor and then, raising his head, met the gaze of those red and gold eyes. He sucked in a sharp breath. From a distance and with only candlelight, he had not noticed but now, up closer, it was so clear. The eyes of the emperor were not the usual round pupil and iris; instead they were diamond slits reminiscent of a cat or lizard. The surrounding irises were a molten, swirling pool of red and gold like corralled hot mountain lava.

“My Lord Dragon Emperor,” Haung spoke with awe and bowed even lower.

“Welcome,
Jiin-Wei
Haung. I have heard the story of your battle with the assassin sent to kill the duke and how it almost cost you your own life. I have heard too of your reward. Most unusual.” The eyes bored into Haung's and he was forced to look away.

“Indeed, most unusual,” the emperor repeated. “Duke of Yaart, Commander Weyl of the
Jiin-Wei
and, of course,
Jiin-Wei
Haung, a threat is coming your way. Unfortunately, it is one that could have been easily avoided. However, you seem to have gone out of your way to awake and incite.”

“My Lord?” Commander Weyl asked.

“I have eyes and ears everywhere, my lords. I get to see, and to hear, almost everything that goes on in my empire. There are areas where I make it my special purpose to know all that happens and there are a sect of men that I choose to keep a very close eye on at all times. Indeed, these men and women are on the lists that I ensure each duke has in their possession. Do you know of the list I am speaking of Commander Weyl?”

“Yes, my Lord Emperor,” Weyl swallowed hard. “The list of forbidden men.”

“That is the one.
Jiin-Wei
Haung will not know of this list, I imagine. Allow me to teach him.” The emperor turned his golden eyes to Haung, “There are men, and women, Haung, who are possessed of skills beyond the ordinary. Some of these men can seem to be invisible, some to pass through walls, some are assassins of incredible skill, some swordsmen of incomparable greatness, some wise and peaceful. But each is special and I have ensured that each duke knows who they are and where they are. I am content to let these men live in peace, and to go about their business without any undue interference. There are times, in the past, and there may be again in the near future, when I will call upon them to do the Empire a service. I expect them to come and serve with all duty and honour. I have never been let down by them. In return, they are free to live and to be outside, within reason, the law of the Empire. This is the list of forbidden men, Haung.”

The emperor paused and looked down the table towards the bowl of fruit. He raised a hand and gestured. The bowl lifted from the table, floated down the table and came to rest within his easy reach. He selected an apple and bit into it.

“Now, in my bargain with these men I cannot act against them unless they act against me. By this nature, we coexist and they will assist the Empire should it need their service. However, that compact has been broken.”

“Broken. My lord?” the duke asked.

“Broken, Lord Duke, and now you are at risk.”

“What? Why me?” the duke said and cast a confused glance at Weyl.

“You sent men into the mountains did you not?” The emperor’s eyes flicked to Weyl and then back again to the duke. “You sent your troops into a small mining village beyond the high pass.”

“Yes, my Lord, but we have yet to have news of their mission's success,” Weyl answered.

“What of their purpose?” the emperor asked, but did not wait for answer, “You wanted to capture a broken man. The negotiator they sent before the war. The one who stood on the battlements and, bravely, against the wishes of his own duke, acted to expose the stratagem you had devised to win the city.”

“Yes, my Lord,” the duke said.

“You wanted revenge enough, that on receipt of the news of his whereabouts, you sent the troops without first checking the list.” The emperor snapped off the last few words. “There is little point compiling the list and keeping it constantly up-to-date if it is never used, my Lord Duke.”

Haung watched the duke flash a quick, flustered, look at Weyl whose own eyes were full of confusion.

“My Lord Emperor, the list was checked I assure you,” Weyl said in a rush. “Haung, go and find Marbu. Bring him, and the list here. At once.”

Before Haung could move, the emperor raised a hand to stop him, “I can tell you what is written on the list. The village your men attacked and razed to the ground when they did not receive the information they wanted from the village elders was the Bear’s village.”

“My men attacked?” the duke spoke in unsure tones.

“There is little I do not know about the men on that list. I keep constant checks and watches. I heard earlier today what had happened. The Bear is slow to anger and would usually avoid a fight but you have invaded his den and hurt his offspring. He will be coming for you, Lord Duke, and he is a threat that I cannot help you with.” The emperor took another bite of the apple.

“He is one man, my Lord Emperor,” Weyl said. “The defences of the castle, the troops and
Jiin-Wei
can stop him. We can protect the duke.”

The duke turned away from Weyl to the emperor, “My thanks for this warning, my Lord, and you have my apologies for the errors of my staff. If we have awakened the Bear then we must put him back to sleep before the winter.”

“There is one more thing that you should know, the Bear was not alone. Another man was with him, your negotiator, Zhou.” The emperor bit again into the apple.

“Our information was correct then,” Weyl smiled.

“The negotiator still lives,” the emperor looked at the remains of the apple, “and he is interesting to me. I do not yet know, but this Zhou may soon be added to that list. If the Bear comes, then he will come too. Perhaps, Lord Duke, you will have your revenge on the man that almost thwarted your plan but it is possible that they may have theirs instead. The Bear is a Forbidden Man, by our compact, and I cannot help you more than I have done.”

The emperor stood, dropping the apple core onto the ground, the pips shaking loose and finding their way into cracks between the stone floor.

“Chen, Shen, the portal if you please.” The emperor walked towards the dais. “Before I forget, a small gift for
Jiin-Wei
Haung, to remember the time he met the Dragon Emperor. I think you will like the painting inside.”

Shen dipped a hand into his robes and produced a scroll case. It was the length of a dagger, made of ivory and capped at both ends by gold. He handed it to Haung who bowed low as he accepted it.

The grey mirror rippled again as the emperor and his two
Jiin-Wei
stepped through. As the ripples settled, the grey drained out from the glass and it returned to its natural reflective state. The throne twisted back around and the curtain returned to cover the portal.

“Commander Weyl, convene a council of the captains tomorrow and go over the castle defences. Ensure they are as tight and ready as they can be. If the Bear comes, then I want to be ready for him. Remember, this is not an army but one man. He will not come straight on to our swords but try to go around them. We will need to be watchful,” said the duke.

“Yes, Lord Duke.” Weyl saluted and started to walk away. “Haung, I’ll want you at that meeting. Go and get some sleep but ensure you are fully awake tomorrow.”

“Yes, Commander.” Haung bowed to the duke and made his way back to his apartment.

As he walked along the castle's corridors he prised open the scroll case and gently extracted the contents. Unfurling the scroll, his eyes widened and he came to halt near a glowing torch letting the light spill across the surface. The scroll was Juran’s rolling hills, the same scroll he had seen and admired in Xi Jiang’s house. Attached to the scroll was a short note. Haung lifted it off the painting and read it. His eyes widened further and then the words on the note flickered into flame, consuming the note entirely. He blew the ash off the scroll and wiped his smudged fingers on his tunic.

Haung repacked the scroll in its case and with quicker steps returned to Jiao and his baby. His mind was whirling. Why does the emperor want to meet me again and why without the duke’s knowledge? And why that painting? Haung shivered and tried to put his thoughts to one side. Tonight, he needed to sleep.

# # #

“Haung, I need to speak to you.”

“Yes, my Lord.” Haung knelt on the ground, placing both hands on the cold stone and touching his forehead to floor in front of him.

“You are a man who knows his duty.” Haung was sure that was not meant as a question and he waited for the emperor to continue. “You know to follow orders and to be loyal, but who is your loyalty to now?”