Clash of Alliances

by Pierre Dimaculangan

  ​“He has taken note of my caution, though is requiring concrete evidence to support our suspicions. We’re at a disadvantage here so that will be impossible. Something is brewing in Beijing. Whatever it is that conspires in secret, we must get to the bottom of it on our own,” replied Shun.

  ​“I shall dispatch the operatives into the city. Come what may, we will be ready to respond with or without the approval of the Martial Scholars,” he replied.

  ​“Do that. Soon, the emperor will see our loyalty and realize that we are the rightful guardians of his administration. We’ll restore the prestige of the Imperial Secret Police and bring the League of Martial Scholars into justice. I do not care if they saved the court. They’ve no right to oversee His Majesty’s affairs with such authority.”

  ​ At the moment, Shun Gen could only hope that the League and the Ming army were enough to protect the emperor and the rest of the imperial administration. All he and his men had been doing since their arrival was naught but guard duty. It was not just degrading; it was an insult to the prestige of the agency he represented—at least before it was plagued by conspiracy and corruption. The Martial Scholars are impostors in comparison to true government agents, he thought.

  ​

  The calligraphic strokes graced the paper with smooth, black ink. A steady hand and years of practice had created masterful artwork. One can be said that such a calligrapher has achieved Gong Fu. He studied the structure of the words he was brushing onto paper. The word “righteousness” was constructed by combining the words “lamb” over “self” and the word for “self” was constructed by combining the words “hand” and “polearm”. He found the word to be most curious. It seemed to imply that righteousness was for innocent lambs, helpless and weak, and bound for slaughter.

  ​In truth, the word clearly illustrated that the path to be made righteous required sacrifice, such as an innocent, spotless lamb. It was remarkably reminiscent of the Border Sacrifice recently performed by the emperor upon the arrival of the meddling sage.

  ​Music, poetry, calligraphy, and painting: these were the skills Tian Qiu had cultivated to help ease his troubled mind. None of the skills even served as a distraction anymore. He slammed his fist onto the desk and swiped away the papers, brushes, and inkwell, and placed his face in his hands.

  ​“You know, a teacher once asked me,” said a voice from behind him. “ ‘What possible good is it for a man when he has conquered the entire world, gained all of its riches and pleasures, discovered its all of its secrets, but then sacrifices his own humanity as payment?’ ”

  ​“I’ve no time for your riddles and rhetoric, peddler,” said Tian Qiu. He raised his head from his hands but did not to face Famin Jie.

  ​“Is it riddles and rhetoric that trouble you, or is it the truth?” Famin Jie asked him.

  ​“What is truth but that which you experience on your own, unique only to you and your circumstances? Nothing is true.”

  ​“Then by your definition, what you have just said is foundationless. The very definition of truth is exclusive. For even among barbarians and savages, stealing is considered immoral,” replied Famin Jie.

  ​“Is that another opinion manifested from your antiquated beliefs? Or have you come to irritate me with your dogmas and your self-righteous philosophical insights? To scold me like some naïve child, ignorant to the ways of the world? I have read all the books and learned of the thoughts of countless men. The ‘truth’ is illusive and varies from realm to realm regardless of how hard men have fought to discover it. There is nothing that a mere backcountry herbalist could possibly know that would be of any use or surprise to me.

  ​“Even this old ‘backcountry herbalist’ still has a surprise or two,” chuckled Famin Jie. He gently put down his old tome and left it at the desk where Tian Qiu sat. “My invitation to you to explore this text still stands. You may have read many books, comrade Scholar, but you and I both know that you have yet to explore this one.” Famin Jie stood and left Tian Qiu in the library where there was only silence and the flickering of several candles. He was not in solitude however, for the tome he had left behind had a presence of its own, and bore within its pages a great light that shone upon the world’s knowledge, exposing its flaws and testing its claims. Only time would tell how his heart would respond.

  ​Once again, Tian Qiu reached for the text and opened its first page. His eyes hovered over the ancient words, and they shone like no other text had done before. Whether this was a source of delight and gladness, or shame and despise was known only to him. A great battle raged between his flesh and his spirit, and the victor depended entirely upon his discretion.

  ​The singing of birds in the morning, the last of the falling leaves, and a whispering wind created an illusion of peace, a false sense of life’s immutable continuousness despite the radical happenings and threats in the Middle Kingdom. Such an environment had always been with him throughout his wanderings across the empire. Through victories and losses, these elements remained true and unaffected by the dealings and activities of peoples. It was as if the universe had not a care for the grief felt by those who have experienced great loss. Surely, even as Wen Xiao cried for her brother and Sun Xin brooded over his failures, the sun still made its passage across the sky at the same times, and the rivers continued their courses toward the sea. Life had moved on, even if it meant the death of a wild piglet hunted for its soft meat.

  ​Sun Xin and Wen Xiao forced the meal into their stomachs because even hunger did not wait for mourning to pass.

  ​“We must find the others and return to the capital with what we have learned, Xiao. The eunuch still lives and schemes of the Underworld will be delayed only shortly. The mission is not over,” said Sun Xin, rinsing his hands in the river. He sliced chunks of the remaining meat and wrapped them in paper before packing them away into a satchel.

  ​Wen Xiao brushed her eyes with her sleeve. “Yes, he would have wanted us to continue to persevere. I just cannot stop my tears,” she inhaled sharply. She kept her gaze away from Sun Xin.

  ​“Do you blame me for his death?” he asked.

  ​“As it was my initial feeling, yes. But that would have just been my emotions doing so. My brother knew the risks, and he accepted all of them when he became a Martial Academician in the League. I am ready to accept the same fate if it means upholding justice and the ideals of my order. No one is to blame, but there is nothing I desire more than to avenge him.”

  ​“There will be time for vengeance and it will be best when the pieces are in place. It’s nearly noon. Let’s find the others.”

  ​It was late in the afternoon and the golden sun had turned orange when Sun Xin and Wen Xiao approached them at camp. They relocated to a nearby river in an area more secluded. Fa Lien roasted some fish over a fire while Jirgal tended to a temporary shelter using vegetation and some blankets. Big Bang apparently had just returned from using a tree when he saw them from afar. He rushed to his firearm while Fa Lien drew her weapons until she recognized them. All three stood uneasily as Sun Xin made his approach.

  ​“Oh, thank the Eternal Blue Sky. You guys made it back. Where is the third? What happened to Scholar Ping?” said Jirgal.

  ​Sun Xin remained silent and kept his gaze low even has he looked at them. Wen Xiao bit her lip and frowned.

  ​“Oh…” said Jirgal. “I see. Sorry.”

  ​“Gah, see, you should’ve brought me with you. I woulda blown them all to hell,” said Big Bang.

  ​“Fung, now is not the time,” Jirgal nudged him.

  ​“Is the deed done?” asked Fa Lien.

  ​Sun Xin merely looked at her with his cold hard glare. His eyes however, revealed that he was close to shedding a tear. It was an occurrence no one else had ever beheld.

  ​“What happened, Xin? Where is Jade Lotus??” demanded Fa Lien.

  ​“Dead,” said Wen Xiao. “My brother and I found her in the citadel’s deep ground dungeons. A
bowman shot her before we could attempt a rescue. They left her as bait; they know someone would come for her.”

  ​“What? No! This cannot be,” cried Fa Lien. Her knees became weak and she could hardly breathe nor stand at the news. “Qinbo has returned from the West. Curse him. I curse him!”

  ​“You need no longer worry about him. I cut his head when he impeded my attack on the eunuch and caused my failure. The whole operation was a disaster. I used their own explosives to decimate one of their large assemblies in the outdoor square, but I doubt it will delay them long. Their army continues to prepare for a massive offensive, Lien. You need to tell me what they’re planning.”

  ​Fa Lien choked in her grief, and her watery eyes swelled even as she tried her hardest to swallow the tears. “Everything you wanted to know was already in that valley, beloved. Go back to your capital and tell them all that you saw. Head east from here posthaste. You will find a shorter trade route back north through Zhili province. You’d better hurry. The capital is in danger.” She turned, grabbed her belongings, and sprinted toward the distant tree line.

  ​“Lien! Lieennn!” shouted Sun Xin after her. He was too exhausted to pursue her and knew that he would get no further answers even if he had been able to catch up.

  ​“Leave her. She makes for boring company anyway,” said Big Bang.

  ​Sun Xin turned to look at them somewhat disapprovingly. “Where is the monk and the bandit?” he asked.

  ​Jirgal hesitated for a moment before answering. “They had a fight. The monk lost and ran off somewhere. The big guy started feeling sorry and ran off looking for him. Haven’t heard from them since.”

  ​Sun Xin spat and kicked the dirt around him. “This entire operation is falling to scat. We’ll wait for them until dawn. If they’ve yet to return, we’ll go back without them.”

  ​Night had fallen when he turned to look at the river before unfastening his weapons and gear and disrobing down to his undergarments. He jumped into river and submerged for several moments before resurfacing. The water poured around his strong, broad shoulders, and over the scars that crisscrossed his muscular back and chest. He massaged a handful of fragrant herbs and minerals and worked them into a foamy lather over his head and hair and the rest of his body.

  ​The water was near icy cold but it did much to awaken is aching body. In the water he left his anger, his failure, and the distractions that plagued his mind. When he emerged from the river, they remained in the water. Wen Xiao observed him from a distance and did the same…

  ​He nudged Jirgal with his boot. The nudge turned into a light kick as he tried to wake him. “Just a little longer, dear,” Jirgal muttered in his sleep. Sin Xin bent down and unrolled him from his blanket and he awoke with start as he hit the ground.

  ​“Gather your things, Jirgal. We’re leaving,” said Xin.

  ​“Yessir…” he said still half-asleep. “Did the other two come back?”

  ​“No. But if they live, they will know to meet us in the capital,” answered Xin.

  ​Wen Xiao stood erectly in silence overlooking the river. Her arms crossed and her legs were straight together. Her cowl covered her head, but her body language bore evidence that she had regained her focus and mental clarity. The same could not be said of Big Bang who stumbled to try to wake up at the crack of dawn.

  ​The group remained wholly silent for the duration of their hike east. There was no more need for secrecy. Once they find the main roads, heading back to the capital would be simple enough. Sun Xin’s broad rattan hat covered his face, and shielded him from both the chilly winds and the invasive sunlight. But it also served to nurse his own insecurities by obscuring his face from the rest of the world. It mattered little, for the roads they tread were empty. Where there had once been frequent travelers and merchants, there was only dust and rock.

  ​Jirgal scratched his head and his narrow eyes widened upon a realization. “Oh yes, I knew this road was familiar! I’ve come this way before not long ago. I was delivering some manufactured cargo from Fujian province all the way to some old contacts in Beizhili. If we take this road diverting left, there should be a large town called Handan not much further. From there, the road back to the capital should be straightforward. We should see some surrounding farmlands not long after noon has passed.” He squinted as he looked up at the sun nearing the peak of its arc across the sky.

  ​“Good. We could use the stopover for some substantial food and drink. We could resupply and acquire mounts if an army has been stationed there,” said Sun Xin.

  ​“It’s a typical northern city. There’s music, food, and traveling entertainers and merchants. I know of a good place to rest and eat,” said Jirgal who was excited to return to civilization. With a confirmed destination, the group’s pace quickened toward Handan city. When rains came and mud threatened to delay their journey, they took cover at the Mountain of the Echoing Halls not far from Handan.

  ​It rained and rained, and the flood waters continued to flow well into the evening. Sun Xin sat in deep meditation in front of one of the cave’s temples where many religious statues were carved against the stone. They had stood there for a thousand years; it was there where the rest of the team passed the time with rest and relaxation. Sun Xin however, could not avail of such luxuries under the pressure…

  ​

  ​The rains poured relentlessly, pounding the veranda and roof tiles of the inn where Zuo Shilong sat on the third story balcony. He rested on the wooden bannisters only an arm’s length from the pouring rains while Buff Baby snored away the evening. He could not imagine he would ever be where he was. It was only weeks ago that he had been walking the streets looking for honest work wherever he could find it. Now, he was tasked in aiding the defense of the empire, commissioned by the emperor himself. He laughed when he pondered on the series of events that led him to the present moment.

  ​The streets were empty and those that usually wandered about during the night stayed indoors from the cold rain. Not even the guards patrolled the streets. The cold wind blew from the east causing the paper lanterns hanging over the streets to gently sway and Zuo Shilong enjoyed every moment of the wind’s passing. There was something about the cold that felt absolutely clarifying. The rains made him feel safe and he grinned with his eyes closed as he listened to the pitter-patter rhythm all around him. A distraction from below redirected his attention from the rains.

  ​The woman whom he and Buff Baby had seen in the dark alley came meandering down the street as if in secret. She clung to her cowl and cloak as if to avoid exposure more so than to keep the cold and the rain at bay. She looked all around, over her shoulder and behind the street corners. She did not bother to look up. Most of them almost never do.

  ​“What could you be trying to accomplish under all this rain at such an hour?” Zuo Shilong whispered. Curiosity urged him to leave the comfort of his station at the inn’s balcony. He vaulted over the bannister and leaped down onto a neighboring rooftop one story down. “I do wonder what worries you so. If I want to discover the answer, I shall simply tail you,” he thought to himself. Again, the woman looked over her shoulder as if she were paranoid that someone may be following. She proceeded further up the street as she hastened her footsteps, while Zuo Shilong followed from above, ignoring the cold rain pouring on his head.

  ​As soon as she rounded the corner, she headed toward the town square where he and Buff Baby had earlier dined. Beneath the small pavilion sat the beautiful woman who had provided music with her pipa lute. She drank hot tea alone in that pavilion, and though she was kept dry from the rain, the wind continued to blow through her gown. The bladeswoman approached her some stone’s throw away from the pavilion and carefully removed two throwing knives from her robe’s inside pocket. She readied her stance to throw them. Startled at the course of action, Zuo Shilong leaped to the ground, and with quick reflex, deflected the knives before they could reach their target.

  ​The lute playe
r was startled, and she stood from her seat and fled the scene in haste.

  ​“You fool! You have no idea what you had just allowed to escape!” said the bladeswoman.

  ​“You were attempting to inflict harm on an innocent! It was imperative that I intervened!” replied Zuo Shilong.

  ​The bladeswoman craned her neck around Zuo Shilong to try to see where her target had fled. “Step aside, monk and stay out of my way!” She sprinted past him even as he tried to grab her cloak. She drew her sword and dashed to the direction of her target.

  ​Zuo Shilong pursued her closely, trying to ensure that he did not lose her again. She was quick and her small frame allowed her great agility and light feet. Her boots did not sink deeply into the ground as Zuo Shilong’s. “Stop! Why are you trying to harm a musician??” he yelled. He received no reply as they continued down the dark and dimly-lit streets. They ran and ran for several blocks but the trail of the pipa player was cold. No more footprints, no sounds, and no witnesses clued her whereabouts.

  ​The bladeswoman slowed her pace while she tried to determine her target’s location. Zuo Shilong tackled her into the ground. The two wrestled in the mud and exchanged blows before getting back onto their feet. She struck him twice in the chest with open-handed strikes and spun low for a leg sweep that caused the monk to fall onto his back causing the wind to leave his lungs. “Go back to your temple monk, where you belong. Stop meddling in business of which you know nothing!” she scolded him. She picked up her sword from the mud and wiped it clean with her cloak before sheathing it and tucking it away. She donned her hood and marched away.

  ​“Wait, you must tell me why you are after the musician. Has she committed a crime? Are you after something she has?” Zuo Shilong called out as he stood to his feet.

  ​“Listen to me, monk. This world is too big for you. Go back to your temple and defend it,” she said.