The Emperor's Prey

by Jeremy Han

  The empty street echoed with the clattering of horse hoofs and the creaking of wheels moving over uneven ground. The admiral’s carriage had arrived; the eunuch walked toward it and entered the opened door held by a page. He was so tall he had to bend to enter. His men had lined up behind the carriage and would follow. Puffs of vapour floated over the assembled body of men. Zheng He signalled to his chief bodyguard Khun Sa, and the man got into the carriage with him. As the carriage moved along the winding, narrow, sleeping streets, he gave Khun Sa his orders so that no one could hear. The silent subordinate nodded his head and left the carriage, disappearing into the night.

  When the admiral arrived at his quarters, the wide doors were held open by the household staff. Heads bowed, they stood respectfully as the admiral entered. Bright red lanterns hung on both sides of the sturdy wooden pillars casting long shadows from the row of men. His steps echoed across the hall as he walked eagerly to his room; he wanted a hot bath before he retired for the night. The emotional turmoil of plotting treason had worn him out and his mind felt dull and heavy. Just as he stepped into the hall,

  “Ah...Grand Admiral!” The governor came forward with both hands clasped in front of his chin in respectful greeting. He was medium build with salt-and-pepper hair. The hair neatly tied into a bun, and his beard carefully trimmed to give the effect of a serious but compassionate figure. In Confucian society, officials were known as Fu Mu Guan ‘Father-Mother officials’ to signify that they were to provide and govern as parents, strict but nurturing. It was important for the governor to look the part. The man was no longer in court dress as he was that morning when they met at the Yamen. He was now dressed in a light green silk vest and matching pants. The vest had embroidered patterns of floating clouds. His thumb had a dark green jade thumb ring wrapped around it. The eunuch sighed inaudibly because he could not turn away his guest; he was living within the governor’s quarters. He put on his bureaucratic face,

  “Governor” The grand admiral smiled and returned the greeting.

  “I have prepared supper for you.” The governor, shorter by almost a head, led his taller guest by the arm to the table where an elaborate spread was waiting. There was a steaming pot of winter melon soup double boiled with chicken, a plate of roasted lamb ribs, grilled pigeon and a plate of cold noodles. As he sat down, the servant placed a plate of steamed fish on the table. He was followed by another holding a plate of steaming hot stir-fried vegetables with local mushrooms. He indicated for the admiral to sit before sitting himself. He took the teapot and poured Zheng He a cup while he himself received a cup of fragrant wine from the waiting servant. He dismissed the man and toasted his guest.

  “To your successful journey.”

  Zheng He reciprocated by lifting his cup and drinking the tea; the quality was excellent. As a Muslim, he could not take alcohol and his host had made sure that everything he needed met his religious requirements. Zheng He had a reputation for being a highly religious man although as a man of the sea, he was tolerant of other beliefs and superstitions as well. Still, the governor did not want to offend his guest.

  “Thank you for such a grand supper. You should have just sent your servant to prepare. It is late and I feel ashamed that you are troubled.” Zheng said modestly.

  “No, no. You are our esteemed guest; I must make sure that your stay at Quanzhou is comfortable.” He smiled as he indicated to Zheng He to eat. The admiral politely picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks. He ate as the man continued to speak. “So has the Admiral completed all his duties here to his satisfaction?”

  “Yes. Thank you. I will be leaving my staff behind to take care of the logistics. Please take care of them.” Zheng He was referring to the setting up of an office in Quanzhou to coordinate the massive amount of logistics needed. Ranging from the daily supplies for his men to the vast amount of goods that the city will prepare as part of the imperial gifts to the lesser kingdoms that paid homage to the Forbidden City, the work required to amass them would be enormous. Zheng He would be leaving his third in command, a Grade 2 officer to supervise the work. There will also be a large number of merchants who will apply to sail with the Treasure Fleet. Not only the traders, but various religious teachers would also accompany the fleet to show the broadmindedness of the Emperor. Scholars would also accompany the fleet to teach the morals of a civilised state to the lesser peoples. Books on morality and stories of virtuous women were often found within the cargo of the fleet. Priests and teachers helped in the spreading of knowledge and enlightenment. The grand admiral could not be bogged down by the colossal administrative load required to make it happen so he had to set up an office here. He would see them again next spring when he led the fleet southward from Suzhou. They made small talk for a while until the governor coughed politely, indicating that he had something important to say. Zheng He, diplomatically astute, remained silent as he waited for his host to speak. Such a late night supper done discreetly but lavishly usually came with a request that could not be conveyed through official channels.

  “The admiral has a great task ahead. May I recommend someone who would be of good use to you?” The governor asked in a conspiratorial tone. Zheng He knew he must be asking a favour for a family member or relative. Such practice was common among the elite as they traded favours and friendship. Zheng He replied politely,

  “I have my staff already selected and as you know, maritime personnel are specially trained in Beijing and approved by the academy.” Zheng He referred to the imperial academy that trains officers in the art of map-reading and drawing, astronomy and navigation and all other arts needed to explore and expand the sea borders of the Ming. Zheng He sounded reluctant, not too quick to give in. This was the way the game was played. The governor sighed, expecting the objection,

  “You see, my son, he is useless.” He did a dramatic shake of his head to indicate the severity of his son’s inabilities. “He dreams of sailing with the Great Zheng He, and that’s all he does. He can’t seem to excel in his duties on land. ”

  “He is not without talent is he? Perhaps he has yet to discover his potential. I heard he is a grade 6 officer. A grade 6 officer is entrusted with great responsibilities too.” Zheng He responded with great courtesy. A grade 6 officer was almost a non-entity. And then to lighten the moment, he jest “After all, we old men know that sometimes young men take time to develop.”

  “I am afraid he would not be able to achieve his potential if his mind is always following you on your voyages while his body is here. You know young men, sometimes they need to see the world, gain some experience before they truly accomplish anything.” The governor sighed in mock exasperation. Then he added, “And of course, he needs a good mentor. Someone he looks up to and I can trust.”

  Zheng He was tired and did not want to go back and forth with the governor, “Now that I recall, I do need a Grade 6 officer to assist the quartermaster on one of my ships.” Zheng He said, offering a treat to the governor so that he could end the parlay and go to sleep.

  “Er...I was hoping, he could learn from you directly, for who else can I entrust my son too?” The governor asked with eagerness in his eyes. Surely he knew that working under the grand admiral would elevate his son beyond where his own abilities could take him.

  “Hmm...You ask a huge favour, governor. It would seem irregular since he is not a staff of the admiralty.”

  “Yes, yes I am aware of the inconvenience to you.” Before Zheng He could say anything, the governor continued, “I know the Qingzhen temples in Quanzhou need patronage and donations. I will arrange for special funds to be given for the upkeep of the temple so that anytime you come, they will be ideal for your prayers. I know you pray there for the safety of the fleet as well as the emperor’s well-being.” He was astute enough not to bribe the grand admiral but also sharp enough to know where his heart lies. Also, ‘face’ had to be given somehow to the governor for he was not a man without power and influence.

  Zheng He no
dded his head. “Seems that I need a liaison after all to coordinate the affairs between my headquarters and yours. He will be attached to my staff until I sail and learn what it is like to prepare a fleet for sailing, after which he will join us when we come in spring for the voyage south.”

  The grand admiral turned and smiled at his host. It was a sign that the admiral had given enough face. The governor thanked him and toasted him again. After that, Zheng He and the governor continued to eat and chatted on some mundane matters, sharing the woes of officialdom before he pleaded fatigue. The governor nodded with great understanding and concern before taking his leave, wishing the admiral a good sleep and a safe journey back tomorrow. He had gotten what he wanted, so there was no need to hold the eunuch back from a much needed good night’s rest. Zheng He thanked him and retired.

  The calm sea reflected Zheng He’s state of mind. The admiral stood on the deck of his ship facing the bow. He stood tall in his official red dress with the square patch embroidered onto the front and back. The picture depicted a Qiling or Chinese unicorn. It is a mythical beast of fortune and supernatural powers; the royal palaces had statues of the fabled creatures guarding its residents against evil and bad luck. It also meant that the wearer of this uniform was a first grade military officer in the Ming. The patch had a black background with the horned beast sewn in gold thread against a background of mountains and clouds. On his head sat the black Wusa hat of officialdom. A black bearskin cloak draped over him to ward off the morning chill. He stood with his hands clasp behind his back as he stared into the horizon. His flagship moved with ease as hundreds of pairs of hands went about their routine to make sure something as huge as a ship would do what it was designed to. Such mundane tasks were beneath the job scope of a grand admiral so all he needed to do was to watch the bow cut through the jade green waters of Quanzhou harbour. His ship passed the rows of merchantmen lined across the harbour and noticed for the first time the myriad of designs signifying the differing nationalities and lands the traders hailed from to do business with the Middle Kingdom. From the sampan to the junk with multiple sail, the square hulled to the curved ones, he had not noticed them when his ship sailed into the harbour three days before. Now his mind was as clear as the blue, cloudless sky. He had answered his conscience and he felt good. Now it was up to heaven how things would turn out. The die was cast.

  TWENTY FIVE

  “Halt!” The soldier shouted when the silhouette of a man on horseback loomed before him. He readied his weapon because this was the imperial hunting ground; no one was allowed to enter. The soldier, a junior commander waved and his men fanned out to surround the intruder, only to realise that he was not alone; other men on horseback emerged from the dark forest. They were as still as the forest moon, nothing, not even the presence of armed soldiers seemed to elicit any response from them. They stared impassively at the soldiers as though they were ants. They did not look lost, neither were they concerned about the fact that they had trespassed into imperial hunting grounds. The fact that tigers and bears roamed the area did not seem to trouble them at all. When challenged, the lead rider, a huge, bald man, glanced coldly at the junior officer and flashed a seal that carried more weight than Mount Tai, the tallest mountain in the Middle Kingdom.

  “Take us to your base.”

  The soldiers immediately bowed before this mysterious man and led his team to the fort. They could tell from their bearing that this small band of men had more martial prowess than their entire garrison. A soldier rode ahead to inform the commander, while the rest of the patrol guided the team back. The fort was so crudely constructed that one could see the straw meshed into the yellow mud to hold it while it dried. Inherently soft, the walls bore the pockmarks of age and wear. No invasion would take place here, so its purpose was to protect the emperor’s playground. However, the interior of the fort was properly furnished because occasionally the royal family would come to hunt, and there were proper lodgings for their retinue. The entire group passed through the gates, aware that archers eyed them like hawks. Word had reached the camp that strange men were coming. One by one they passed. First the large man with the bald head. It was obvious he was the commander. He carried no weapons; at least not visibly. Behind him was a young man, handsome and very fit. Two short cutlasses were strapped on his back. Next, a cocky looking man; he had this permanent sneer on his face, as though the people around him were all inferior. He held a long, twin-headed spear; it was a deadly weapon that was unbelievably difficult to wield. Then behind him came an older man. He had a pencil thin moustache and looked like a seasoned warrior who knew how to size up his foe. An ordinary looking sword hung from his saddle. The last two that followed looked experienced like the man with the sword. One of them carried a sword and the other had a sickle and chain wrapped around his waist. All of them rode with their backs straight, giving them a strong profile. The light of the torches around the fort cast them in an almost mythical, awe-inspiring glow. They had an aura that impressed the guards. One of them even wondered if he shot an arrow at them, would they die?

  Ji Gang called “Yuuuuuuu” softly to his horse and the lathing creature snorted and stopped. The animal was exhausted and gladly obeyed. Its master had driven it hard throughout the whole day through unforgiving terrain. Horse grooms took their horses as they dismounted and led the animals away. Ji Gang turned to the commander whose head was still bowed. Ji saw he was a sixth grade officer, one of the lowest. A middle-aged officer holding the sixth grade, he snorted derisively to himself. This man had been downgraded from a soldier to a caretaker. He spoke to him curtly, “Take me to your office and make sure no one else is there.”

  He walked away without waiting for a response; his authority so sure that he needed no assurance or response that indicated the man would obey. His team followed. The camp commandant from the garrison followed obediently behind his ‘visitors’ like a puppy. He noticed that all of them carried weapons that were non-standard issue; they were secret agents of the state. The leader of the team did not wait for anything. He strode up to the front of the room where the officer’s table was and sat down. This was the practice of officialdom: the ranking one sat while the rest stood. Ji Gang sat down and put his legs irreverently on the table, stretching himself and yawning like a cat. The garrison commander could only watch as others usurped his authority in his own camp. Ji’s team lined the room before their commander. Well-disciplined and aware of their place, they waited. They were hungry and tired; it showed on their face. But their postures remained straight and faces determined. None sat down on the chairs behind them and the atmosphere in the room felt different. Even the old and dusty rural furnishing seemed to glow with the power that radiated from these men.

  Ji spoke. “Listen up.” He addressed the commander directly. “You have seen my seal of authority. There is no need for you to know why we are here. We are here because the emperor wishes it. That is all you need to know. Do not say a single thing to anyone and make sure your garrison keeps our visit a secret. A careless word would mean the execution of the entire troop here. For you, it would be the entire clan as well. Do you understand?”

  “Yes Sir.” The man humbly replied. What else could he say before someone who held the imperial seal? Saying no to him was akin to rejecting the emperor.

  “Now leave us. Make sure there is food for us when we finish here and rooms ready for rest. Tomorrow we will leave before dawn. Forget about us and you will be fine.” He waved his hand to dismiss the man like a servant; he was too lowly ranked to be considered anything else before someone of Ji’s standing. The officer retreated with his head bowed. After the man had gone, Ji gathered his team and briefed them.