Dreaming of Zhou Gong

by Traci Harding

  ‘Right!’ Dan had to regretfully concede that Song was vitally important to their mission, in ways he couldn’t begin to imagine.

  ‘So you see, you must train him and train him well.’

  Dan hung his head submissively, to hide the antagonism he felt. ‘Will that be all, Shifu?’

  ‘Hudan may see you back to Haojing now. I am sure you are most anxious to make plans.’

  He mustered a nod and took hold of Hudan’s outstretched hand, and sensing his need to be absent, she made her farewell brief and returned the duke to his Hall of Records.

  The dawn of this horrendous night had finally come. It was silent and still in the huge room, and only a few birds chirping outside disturbed the perfect serenity. When Hudan felt Dan had his sensibilities back, she moved to withdraw.

  ‘Please, linger.’ Dan held Hudan’s hands just tight enough that she could not easily retreat.

  ‘Our Shifu has ended the discussion for us … there is really nothing more to be said.’ Hudan attempted to slip her hands free, but the duke would not let her.

  ‘I miss you,’ he began, melting her resistance with his sincerity. ‘I miss just being able to sit and speak with you.’

  Hudan didn’t know what to say. She wanted to tell him she missed him, too, and give him reassurance, but she’d been down that road before and it only made the situation more difficult.

  ‘Ji Song is going to have a goddess rite, I take it?’ Dan voiced what was really bothering him.

  ‘Please …’ She was tired already and just the mention of the subject drained her. ‘With all that is going on in the world, must we go into this now?‘

  Dan pulled Hudan in close, and her tears welled for the willpower she did not have to resist. ‘Do you have any idea how it feels to wonder how many other men in my family will be given their chance with you?’

  Hudan’s frustration gave her an adrenaline boost and she pushed him away, angry. ‘I am tormented too,’ she challenged in a harsh whisper, ‘but everything I am dictates that I should not be. I have a war raging inside of me, every moment of every day. The Wu I was before I met you would never have allowed anyone to compromise her commitment to the creed. Such is the effect you have had on me.’ Hudan’s fierce streak broke over the welling emotion in her chest and she could not prevent the tears from falling. ‘But what do you expect me to do? When I must reason everything from the point of view of the austere initiate I once was. One misguided decision because of my feelings for you and history diverts to some tragic end that all sons of the sky will pay for?’

  The fact was a heavy blow to Dan. ‘I cannot even fathom the man I was before I met you, let alone reason from his perspective.’

  ‘You must,’ Hudan insisted. ‘I do not believe this is just some elaborate cosmic test that the Great Mother has thought up for us …’ Dan shook his head, agreeing with her ‘… therefore the sons of the sky are real, and our situation is every bit as precarious as we have been warned.’

  A deep breath didn’t seem to ease Dan’s frustration at all.

  ‘On the upside,’ Hudan added, ‘when this mission ends, the constraints that bind us now will be gone.’

  ‘But Song is one of us. He will not be gone.’ Dan’s grievance had clearly been well thought out.

  The door to the hall opened and the master of the interior entered. ‘Zhou Gong,’ he bowed, ‘it is well I find Jiang Hudan in your company for Fen Gong is ailing.’

  The news was startling. Hudan had never known Fen to be sick.

  ‘And the king?’ Dan queried as they both hurried to assist however they could.

  ‘His majesty is ailing also.’ The servant opened the door for them and bowed out of the way to let them pass.

  As Fen and the king were in separate rooms, Hudan went to Fen’s bedside, and Dan proceeded to the king’s chamber.

  The duke found Ji Fa in bed, suffering in silence — his cursed leg exposed and bleeding from the newly torn wounds. Upon the announcement of Zhou Gong’s arrival, the king sent his servants from the room to converse with his chief advisor in private. ‘This is it, Dan. The white guard will be coming for me before long.’

  ‘No, they won’t,’ Dan said surely.

  ‘You think it will be the black guard?’ The king made a jest of his brother’s optimism.

  ‘You are not dying, brother,’ Dan insisted, as he went down on one knee beside the king’s bed, ‘now is not your time.’

  ‘We can fight about this, or we can prepare,’ Fa reasoned, and Dan went quiet to hear him out. ‘I want you to give tribute in the ancestral temple for me, to alert our forefathers to my imminent arrival.’

  Dan shook his head. ‘I will beseech them for your deliverance, nothing else. Ji Song is too young to rule. He is not ready.’

  ‘You must rule,’ Fa told him.

  ‘That is your fever talking,’ Dan replied, thinking the king was otherwise joking.

  ‘I have not even broken a sweat yet,’ Fa pointed out, ‘but it will come, once the infection sets in … which is why I am speaking my mind to you now.’

  ‘Neither by the old law of succession nor the new, am I entitled to rule,’ Dan pointed out in a hushed whisper.

  ‘I have not yet disclosed my will on the law of succession,’ Fa announced to Dan’s utter bewilderment. ‘Kill Xian, claim the throne … and your goddess,’ Fa added a little incentive.

  The duke hated how tempting this idea was. He stood and backed up as if to distance himself from the enticement. ‘Why would you even suggest such a thing, when we have six other brothers, half of whom would gladly kill the others for a chance to usurp the throne? Such an indulgence would lead our land into a war that might never end! Only Song can secure a clear line of succession!’

  ‘You said yourself, Song is not ready. The chieftains who pay us homage do not yet respect his authority, but they respect yours,’ Fa insisted. ‘It is your words they hear coming out of my mouth every time I speak! You are the only one who can preserve the peace … and no matter how many of our brothers you must kill to do it, you will rule when I am gone, and Jiang Taigong is my witness.’

  The prime minister emerged from behind a screen on the far side of the king’s bed.

  ‘Dear heavens, no!’ Dan couldn’t believe their prime minister would be party to such talk. ‘You cannot be serious.’

  ‘Sadly, Zhou Gong, I am quite serious,’ the prime minister advised, solemnly. ‘Is our new policy not to give the appointment to the most worthy candidate? You are, beyond the shadow of any doubt, the best man for the position. I have the king’s will in writing.’

  Dan couldn’t breathe when Jiang Taigong held up a metal-bound box.

  ‘This is madness … the precedent we would set …’ The suggestion made the duke furious. ‘This is not the time to discuss this,’ the duke said, backing up toward the door, adamant their ruling would not stand. ‘Our king is not dying any day soon!’

  17

  THE DEATH OF JI FA

  The duke immediately set about following the king’s order, and took the royal ritual jades gifted to their king by Yi Wu to pay homage in the temple of their ancestors in Haojing. Surely their great forefathers would see the chaos that would ensue if Ji Fa was allowed his way. Dan felt he must enlist the ancients in his quest to keep Fa alive — if only for a year. Even this small reprieve would allow him some time to mould Ji Song into a king who might have a chance of sustaining their dynasty.

  You must train him, and train him well. The words of the Great Mother came back to haunt.

  I hate that that woman is always one step ahead of me. Dan’s jaw clenched in frustration as he crossed the first courtyard of the temple complex at Hoajing.

  This complex had been built before the death of their father, who had dared to defy the emperor’s order to abandon the worship of their great ancestors. The temple had been reserved as a place to perform marriage, birth and death ceremonies in the past. Only since Ji Fa had come to power had it b
een used as a regular place of worship and celebration. The complex consisted of two courtyards. The first featured a combat and target area for competition, and a feasting hall with large covered balconies for viewing of tournaments, and beyond the hall lay the second, the musicians’ courtyard, the west wall of which was lined with bells and the east wall lined with chime-stones.

  At Dan’s request, musicians were preparing to play to either side of him, to invoke and entertain the ancient spirits of whom he sought favour and, now given leave, their melodious tones penetrated the sombre morning silence and stirred Dan’s emotions afresh.

  Although the duke had countless worries this morning, the heavenly bells brought him into the moment and heightened his senses. The fresh air in his lungs and the sunshine on his face suddenly felt like the heavenly gifts they were. He was reminded that he had much to be grateful for: he had his health and his wits, which were what he needed in order to persevere. He knew he would be wise to remember these truths, for collapsing into a state of despair would only allow disease to take root in his physical manifestation. Fen had taught him that and Fen had taught him well. If the duke became ill he’d have a much harder time keeping abreast of the current challenges. Still, if the ancestors would take him in Fa’s stead, it would be more beneficial for the land as a whole. He would appeal this case to his forefathers although, having been given an account of future events, Dan held out little hope for winning such an appeal.

  The duke approached the stairs of the platform at the far end of the courtyard where the temple of their ancestors stood, with its roof crown and golden-glazed tiles glistening in the sunshine. The pagoda roof had bas relief carvings of tigers looking out from its four outer points. The walls and arches of the temple were red and the tall pillars black, as was attractive to the spirits.

  The ceremonial jades had been placed accordingly in the temple — the jade bi-disk and cong on the central altar, and the jades of the four directions at their cardinal points. Dan lit candles and incense before kneeling down before the altar to call upon their great-grandfather, their grandfather and their father.

  ‘Your eldest descendant, Ji Fa, has through his arduous labours been struck by illness. If it be the heavenly charge of you three kings to determine his fate, then take me, Dan, in place of him,’ he implored them. ‘I am skilful and able, with many talents, many arts. I am well able to serve the spirits. The king is not so talented nor so able. Moreover, he has been mandated to possess the four quarters by the court of the Lord on High. Thus he has the power to settle your descendants upon the lands below, such that none in the four quarters will act without respect, but will all evince awe. Do not destroy the holder of the mandate that heaven has sent down. You, our former kings, would then have none upon whom to rely for sustenance. I entrust destiny to your guidance and shall divine your answer.’

  The duke returned to his Hall of Records, where he consulted the Yi Jing: the Book of Changes concerning the response of the three kings by selecting three tubes. Each tube contained one hexagram of the sixty-four hexagrams of the King Wen sequence, and its explanation. These in turn would reveal to Dan the advice of his ancestors in regard to the cause, the action and the outcome of the situation.

  In regard to the cause Dan had drawn Hexagram Sixty-three: After Completion.

  JI JI

  above KAN — THE ABYSMAL, WATER

  below LI — THE CLINGING, FIRE

  The transition from the old to the new time is already accomplished. In principle, everything stands systematised, and it is only in regard to details that success is still to be achieved. In respect to this, however, we must be careful to maintain the right attitude. Here we have the rule indicating the usual course of history. But this rule is not an inescapable law. He who understands it, is in a position to avoid its effects by dint of unremitting perseverance and caution.

  This is a very favourable outlook, yet it gives reason for thought. For it is just when perfect equilibrium has been reached that any movement may cause order to revert to disorder. Hence the hexagram indicates the conditions of a time of climax, which necessitate the utmost caution and the necessity to be on guard against falling into chaos again.

  This indicated to Dan that Fa would recover and history would be set to rights, but that the reprieve of a year was short to train the new king — he must be diligent.

  In regard to action that should be taken to order to rectify the situation, the duke drew Hexagram Fifty-one: Thunder, the Arousing Shock.

  ZHEN

  above ZHEN — THE AROUSING, THUNDER

  below ZHEN — THE AROUSING, THUNDER

  The hexagram Zhen represents the eldest son, who seizes rule with energy and power. A yang line develops below two yin lines and presses upward forcibly. This movement is so violent that it arouses terror. It is symbolised by thunder, which bursts forth from the earth, and by its shock, causes fear and trembling.

  There are three kinds of shock — the shock of heaven, which is thunder, the shock of fate, and finally, the shock of the heart. This hexagram refers less to inner shock and more to the shock of fate. In such times of shock, presence of mind is all too easily lost: the individual overlooks all opportunities for action and mutely lets fate take its course. But if he allows the shocks of fate to induce movement within his mind, he will overcome these external blows with little effort.

  This told the duke that he had the means within himself to right the current situation, although he did not at this moment understand those means. But whatever the solution was, it would be shocking to him.

  The outcome tube contained Hexagram Six — Conflict.

  SONG

  above QIAN — THE CREATIVE, HEAVEN

  below KAN — THE ABYSMAL, WATER

  The upper trigram, whose image is heaven, has an upward movement; the lower trigram, water, in accordance with its nature tends downward. Thus the two halves move away from each other, giving rise to the idea of conflict. The attribute of the Creative is strength, that of the Abysmal is danger.

  A third indication of conflict, in terms of character, is presented by the combination of deep cunning within and fixed determination outwardly. A person of this character will certainly be quarrelsome.

  This is a warning of the danger that goes with an expansive disposition. Only that which has been honestly acquired through merit remains a permanent possession. It can happen that such a possession may be contested, but since it is really one’s own, one cannot be robbed of it. Whatever a man possesses through the strength of his own nature cannot be lost. If one enters the service of a superior, one can avoid conflict only by not seeking works for the sake of prestige. It is enough if the work is done: let the honour go to the other.

  Dan could hardly believe how accurate this last part of the reading was. It clearly spoke to him of the future conflict in rulership between himself and Ji Song, and what it indicated was that the ancestors agreed with Dan: only Song could establish a clear line of descent, and even if the duke had to perform the young king’s duties on the boy’s behalf at first, he must do so without seeking any recognition himself. Dan felt the contested possession mentioned in the explanation of the outcome, could just as easily refer to Jiang Hudan, as much as to the throne of Zhou.

  Dan was quietly thanking the ancestors for their guidance and reassurance, when his head servant of the interior entered to announce: ‘A thousand apologies for interrupting my lord’s meditation, but Jiang Hudan is requesting your assistance at her brother’s bedside. She insists the matter is of the utmost urgency.’

  Dan nodded to acknowledge the request. ‘Fen Gong is at the heart of this quandary,’ the duke said to himself and so rose to comply, for he had no hope of saving the king without the healer. However, if even Jiang Hudan was concerned for Fen’s welfare, how they were going to save him was another matter again.

  Fen was still and pale in the bed; his tigress lay down one side of him with her head rested on his chest, and Jiang Hudan
brushed tears from her eyes as she stood to greet the duke.

  ‘How is he?’ Dan wondered if he’d come around at any time. ‘Have you spoken?’

  Hudan nodded. ‘He feels he failed everyone,’ she conveyed, suppressing her distress. ‘He claims the king wants him to die and so he shall.’

  ‘Oh no, he shall not.’ Dan moved past Hudan to sit by Fen on the bed and stir him. ‘Listen to me, Fen …’

  The lad’s eyes wavered open and he peered at the duke through thin slits between his eyelids.

  ‘The king does not want you dead, you have misunderstood.’ Dan appealed. ‘You wanted to die after He Nuan’s death, but you got past it, just as Fa will.’

  To Dan’s frustration, Fen shook his head. ‘Never did …’ he mumbled and passed out again.

  ‘Heaven give me patience,’ Dan muttered, about to fly into a fit of frustration, when he noticed something different about the young count’s appearance. ‘Where is his son of the sky?’ the duke asked out loud for Hudan’s benefit, as the spirit of the said entity was not within Fen as per usual. It could not be Dan’s spirit sight failing him, as he could still see Tar-rin inside of Hudan. ‘I have never seen one go missing before.’

  ‘I am here, captain.’ Dan jumped up and swung around so quickly he startled Hudan.

  ‘What is it?’ she inquired.

  ‘I just found him,’ Dan explained, eyeing over the slightly built, fair lord with large soulful blue eyes, who seemed quite meek and friendly in disposition.

  ‘Ringbalin Malachi,’ he introduced himself and then explained the situation. ‘That dark stone drove me out, and as this incarnation’s life is in question, I thought it best to stay evacuated in case I need to make a quick getaway.’

  ‘Getaway?’ the duke queried.

  ‘What is he saying?’ Hudan wanted to know, but Dan shushed her, so she folded her arms and sat to await an outcome.

  ‘If the incarnation dies unexpectedly, before I will myself back to where we came from, I shall die right along with him,’ the lad explained. ‘Either way I will be off the mission, and that is not what I desire.’