by Jeremy Han
“Hmmm?” she hummed as her eyelids flashed with irritation. A eunuch his rank was not entitled to an opinion. However, he had saved her son at the risk of his own life, and her son adored the man, so perhaps he had something to say that concerned the boy’s welfare.
“What is it?” she demanded.
“His Majesty cried when I told him he would not be able to play for three days,” he said, hesitating for a moment before he continued. “He insisted I take his wooden horse into the Hall of Abstinence.”
Her eyes softened a bit. She had guessed as much. A child that age would not understand the importance of fasting and praying, and the empress dowager sighed. The rituals were important, but a child was a child. An eight year old was simply not ready for the responsibilities of governance. She thought for some time before speaking.
“Thank you for telling me how my son feels.”
“And also, his Majesty insists that I accompany him for the rituals. I know this goes against the wishes of Heaven, but….” he trailed off as he spread out his hands in helplessness. He was not in a position to counter the orders of the emperor, even though the monarch did not understand the significance of his role.
She shook her head. It was hard being the mother of the emperor. “Do you have any suggestions?” she asked.
He was making the whole story up, and he swallowed hard in nervousness before he spoke. “His Majesty asked if the stay in the Hall of Abstinence can be reduced to just one day. He said if you allow it, he promises to behave.”
She was in a dilemma. The empress did not want to compromise Heaven’s favour, but at the same time she did not know how the emperor could really endure three days in solitary confinement with his mother and none of his toys.
“Let me think about it,” she said at last.
“Yes, Majesty,” he said as he bowed and retreated out of the empress dowager’s chamber.
That afternoon she summoned the grand eunuch. Kong Wei lumbered like a bear into her chamber, knelt, and greeted her. She bid him to rise and indicated for him to sit. He lowered his heavy frame into the sturdy, rose wood chair. Every action seemed to cause his jowls to quake. She looked at him and noticed that his countenance was frail, his eyes watery and eye bags sagging more than usual. The toil of planning the winter ceremony must be wearing him out, and he waited for her to speak with the patience of someone used to waiting on others.
“Director, thank you for coming.” He bowed, and she continued. “I need to discuss some matters with you.”
“Please speak, Majesty.”
“It is impossible to get his Majesty to agree to three days of meditation. I would like to shorten it to one day. I will meditate on his behalf here in the palace for two days before we proceed to the Hall of Abstinence on the third.”
“Majesty…” he said quickly, his high-pitched voice trailing off. “This is irregular. I’m sure you understand the importance of following Heaven’s rule to the letter.”
“I understand, Kong. But surely Heaven has eyes, and could see that their son is still a mere boy. In due time he will honour Heaven in the correct way, but perhaps they can make concessions for a simple child?”
Her tone suggested that she had already made up her mind, and though he hid his irritation it did not stop the angry thoughts that flashed through his mind.
That’s why you are not fit to rule - You put the needs of your brat before an empire’s! You choose to please your son instead of Heaven!
In a syrupy voice of one used to bending over for royalty that did not betray his true thoughts he replied. “Of course, Majesty. Let me instruct the priests to offer a double portion of incense to appease Heaven. As long as Heaven knows their son is sincere, Heaven will understand.” He bowed.
“Thank you Grand Eunuch. With you helming the spiritual affairs of our empire, I feel so much more assured.” She actually smiled at him and he lowered his head deferentially.
“It is my duty, your Majesty. Rest assured I only want the best for your Majesties and for the Great Ming Empire.”
His own hypocrisy made him want to vomit. As he left he calculated. This unexpected move reduced the window of time for his plans from three whole days to one.
Never mind. I have come too far to change plans. Yin and Yang are already near. I will hear from them any day soon.
That night Wang Zhen was informed that he only needed to prepare one day’s logistics for the emperor. The ritual would begin in the morning, and then the emperor and his mother would enter the Hall of Abstinence for one day. His plan had worked! He had temporarily won and he heaved a sigh of relief. The emperor had not said anything about shortening their stay, he was too young to care and yet her Majesty had bought his tale.
A shadow of fear fell over him, causing his young face to crease.
Would Kong Wei suspect it’s my doing? he wondered. His hands felt cold, and he shuddered. A lifetime of subservience under Kong’s long shadow was hard to shake away.
No. Kong thinks I do not have the guts. To him, I am worst than a dog. That is why I am still alive. Yes…continue to underestimate me.
Anger replaced fear and his clenched fists were no longer powered by terror, but by determination. His close encounter with death had liberated him from apprehension. Where once upon a time he had simply accepted it, he now hated the way everyone despised him.
He re-focused on the task and composed himself. By shortening the emperor’s exposure he had reduced the risk, but now he must find a way to intercept any assassins that must surely come. He sat down at his desk and started to pen a letter.
72
It was very late at night when Kong left his quarters. He had had a late night rendezvous and he heard the gong of the time keeper resound across the still city like the wave over a distant shore.
A non-descript carriage awaited outside of his official residence. A fresh sprinkling of snow had fallen and he had to take care not to slip. His legs were not as strong as they once were after years of service to the imperial family. As his servant closed the door he could see the lanterns swaying in the cold, winter air, and without a word the driver moved the carriage into action.
The eunuch sat back and sighed tiredly. He should be asleep, but some business could only be conducted after dark. The thought of the meeting buoyed him, and he found the strength to overcome the fatigue accumulated over a day of labour. The winter solstice ceremony was less than a week away, and the work ensuring its smooth progress consumed most of his attention. He needed to ensure the smooth progress of this other event though.
The horse clipped-clopped its way through the dark streets of the capital and continued past non-descript houses painted white, and roofed with grey tiles. There were thousands of homes like that, and glowing candles seen through cracks indicated that some families were not asleep while other homes were as dark as the night outside.
The carriage stopped at a huge warehouse at the edge of the city after an hour.
He got off the carriage slowly, almost painfully, taking a deep breath as he felt excitement fill him. He lifted his eyes to the starry sky and like a prayer he whispered, “Protect me, your Majesty.” A puff of white vapour rose along with his words.
The door creaked open as he entered the building. He knew they would not be there on the ground floor, so he shuffled through the dimly lit room until he came to a door, then there was a stairways leading down into the bowels of the building. He was sure that he was being watched. This was a facility of the newly formed Western Depot, an organisation he wished would overtake the Eastern Depot in authority, thus establishing the power of the eunuchs. He entered the room, and saw his friend and co-conspirator Lei Xiang, the newly appointed head of the Xi Chang.
“You’ve come,” Lei said as he stood.
“Yes,” Kong muttered as he eased himself off the last step.
“Your men?”
“Be patient. They are on their way here,” he said as they sat. A guard came over an
d poured steaming tea for them.
Kong placed his hand over a cup to absorb the heat, remarking, “A cold night.”
“Very. And it will be colder during the winter solstice.”
“The colder it is, the harder it will be for the Jinyi Wei to react,” Kong replied.
Lei saw Kong’s face was pale with fatigue, yet there was still something that shone in his eyes. He looked like a man about to accomplish his life’s goal. “At least we have gotten the Dong Chang off our backs,” Lei said, “sending Ji Gang south was a brilliant strategy.”
“Still, we can’t under-estimate them.”
“Of course not.”
“There is a hiccup to the plan,” Kong said.
“You are referring to the shortening of the stay at the Hall of Abstinence.”
“Yes. That means we will have to change our plan. One day is too short for us to execute our plan because the guards will be alert and fresh. Usually by the third day they would be exhausted, and their guard lowered by the cold.”
“I presume you have a suggestion?” Lei queried. He had always regarded Kong as the leader.
After a pause he replied, “We will have to carry out the plan in the Hall of Great Harvest. It should not be difficult since it would be guarded by your men.”
Lei mulled over that, and he could see Kong’s logic. The hall was built on a three tiered marble mount, and due to the sacred nature of the hall guards were placed only around the first tier. The hall stood on the third tier, and the men on the ground floor would not be able to hear what happened in the great hall. It was not a problem though, because the guards assigned would all be eunuchs under Lei’s command, and if they were told to be deaf, dumb and blind, they would be.
“What I need you to do is simple,” Kong added. “Let the assassins into the hall after their Majesties have entered the Great Hall. They will do their jobs and leave.”
“And after that?” Lei asked.
“We’ll let the empire mourn. Then we’ll let the true heir to the throne surface.”
“And the eunuch battalions in the capital would all support his ascension. Princes from faraway provinces will try to stake their claims on the throne. There could be war,” Lei said seriously.
“I will ensure that they would not succeed,” Kong said firmly, the tiredness no longer affecting him. “We will ensure the crown prince’s legitimacy, backed by the eunuch army. We control the artillery that guards the city gates.”
“Let’s hope it will not come to that,” Lei said, voice laced with worry.
“It will not.” Kong could already visualise the bloodshed. Rivals would be arrested and publicly executed, and those he could not arrest he would assassinate. He would unleash a reign of terror so that his promise to restore Jian Wen’s son to the throne would be fulfilled.
Some blows are best rendered below the belt, he thought.
Lei broke his reverie. “You have not told me who the crown prince is.”
“And I will not,” he said, and then his voice softened, “not yet at least. Right now our advantage is our jiang ‘the general’, and so far it had not been revealed. We are in the dark, but our enemy is in the open.” He was referring to the term used in Chinese chess to denote the king, the most important piece. “His greatest security is anonymity. If he is revealed, the bitch with red finger nails would unleash her dogs on him.”
Lei stoke a sideway glance at him that hinted at suspicion.
Kong looked at him pointedly, saying, “Don’t even think of it. I am not intending to take the throne myself. I have prepared the crown prince for years for this.”
Then they heard footsteps, and both of them turned to see two men who were complete opposites of easch other descend the steps. Yin had a thick, shapeless cloak over his shoulders that made him look even smaller, more demure than he actually was, whereas Yang’s cloak did not cover his huge frame fully.
Kong looked at Lei. “They have arrived. Yin and Yang, opposites of the universe, my top assassins.”
Lei looked at them. Yang beamed charismatically back at him, while the other one looked cold and expressionless.
Kong whispered fondly, as though he were talking to his children. “It’s been so long. Good work.”
Yin stared ahead, as though he heard nothing. Yang nodded. He still had conflicting feelings. During the journey he had wondered how he would tell Kong he resented causing the death of Baldy, yet the sight of the old man who had cared for him since he was very young as well as his praise, melted his resistance. Kong started to tear as he put a hand on Yang’s broad shoulder.
“You have suffered,” he said tenderly, almost adding, ‘my son.’
“Yes, Master.”
“But you have made me so proud. I had to put you to the test of command, and you have done well. You led men into combat, and gave them courage. You will find that ability useful.”
Yang felt a stab of pain as he remembered the betrayal, and Kong seemed to read his mind.
“I know it is difficult to betray your friends,” Kong said, “but sometimes this is the only way to great things.”
Strangely Kong felt happy that Yang had a tinge of conscience, and although he had groomed him to kill he had always prepared him for a life more than that. To be who Kong really wanted him to be just killing was not enough. He had to know when to kill, when to lead, and when to feel for those who deserved his affections. All these were the ingredients of a great man, and he wanted Yang to be great. The younger man was not destined to be a killer all his life, and that had never been the plan.
At least his soul is not condemned like mine, he reflected sadly. I will go to hell gladly if I can keep my promise to her.
After a pause he whispered, “It is ending soon. One more mission and everything will be over.”
Yang nodded obediently. How could he hate this man who had brought him this far, even though he had asked him to do horrible things? But this man had also given him strength and hope.
“Yes, Master,” he repeated with conviction. “I will not fail you.”
They started to plan the assassination of the empress dowager and her son. “The empress dowager and her son must die ‘mysteriously’,” Kong announced. “When there is no explanation for their deaths it will be a sign that Heaven is displeased, and her meddling with the procedures because of her snotty son will only reinforce the idea.”
Lei saw the light. “This way there would be no repercussion on us.”
“And it will strike fear in the hearts of the princes should they want to seize the throne for themselves,” Kong said sagely. He looked triumphantly at Lei before continuing,
“And with the eunuch battalions in control of the capital, we can take our time to install a new emperor. One that Heaven approves.”
Lei frowned though. “How would it be done?” he asked. “How do we make it look like a death without cause?”
Kong looked at Yin and smiled, and though Yin returned his gaze without expression his eyes revealed that he understood: The snake. Kong glanced at all those assembled as he spoke. “It would then be easier for us to proclaim a new emperor.”
They all looked at him expectantly, eager to know who was the successor but Kong shook his head.
“All will be revealed in good time,” he said, and as he turned back to Lei his voice hardened. “The next thing to do is to ensure that the Western Depot eliminates all opposition, just like how the Dong Chang wiped out all of Jian Wen supporters.”
Lei’s face paled as he gasped. “There will be a lot of bloodshed.”
“As it always had,” Kong replied firmly.
That night after the meeting, the grand eunuch summoned Yang to a private audience.
“Step-father, you wish to speak to me?” He called the older man this in private.
“Yes, yes. Sit,” Kong beckoned. “I know the journey has been difficult. Yet, to be successful there is one more difficult task ahead.”
“Another task
for me?” Yang queried.
“Yes, but you must swear that you will keep it secret.” The old man’s eyes pierced Yang’s.
“I swear.”
“After Yin has killed the empress dowager and her son, finish him off. He is the last witness of how they died, and he must not reveal this.”
Yang held no great affection for Yin, yet he did not relish the idea of killing a comrade again. He remained silent but he clenched his fist slowly. Kong saw it, and guessed what he was thinking.
“You must think me cruel to kill my own men,” he said as he put a hand on Yang’s shoulder. “Trust me. This had to be done, and soon you will know why. Do you believe in me?”
Yang nodded reluctantly, and after a period of silence Kong asked, “What is it?”
“The Mongols I led,” he said, pausing for a moment. “Did they have to die too?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“They were my men,” he said. “Their prince was my friend.”
The old eunuch frowned. “What do you mean?”
“They had started to regard me as their leader. They listened to me, trusted me, and became better off after I led them. I shared food and water with their prince as though we were brothers.”
There was no arrogance in his voice as he said this. He genuinely felt that he had led them well, and he could not help but think of the friend he had consigned to die.
Kong opened his mouth to reprimand him but thought better of it. Like a father who has high hopes, he recognised what his prodigy was saying. Although he had trained Yang to kill because it was necessary, he was glad that the young man had evolved beyond simple bloodlust. His purpose of sending him south to stir a diversion had worked even better than he had expected. Not only had he grasped strategy and tactics, but he had learnt leadership. Kong always believed a leader had to bleed for his right to rule, and that’s why he despised the boy emperor.
“A leader…you have become,” he said slowly, voice laced with pride.
“A leader must avenge the deaths of his men,” Yang replied. His voice was tight.
