The Commander

 

I see that the Prince is downcast at the thought of resuming his Imperial identity, but really there’s no other choice.  He can’t stay an anonymous member of the troop now we’ve reached our destination. 

We bury Lin Chen that afternoon and hold the remembrance ceremony next day.  Then we get on with the serious business of dealing with the aftermath of our conquest.  The barracks are cleaned out and the men installed, while the horses are brought up from our temporary camp and housed in the stables.  Shao Ru and his team get busy digging ditches and planning fortifications out on the plateau.  Shi Mu and Wu Shun start counting up the supplies in the Palace storehouses and working out estimates of how much food we’re going to need over the next six months.  Shi Mu has an intimate knowledge of the city and Wu Shun, for all his expertise with the bow, really has the heart of an administrator, not a soldier.  The Palace has no wells.  Instead there are huge tanks which store water from the melting snow on the mountains.  The city, however, has many wells so the townspeople are never without water. 

As word of Wang Meng’s death spreads, the city suddenly starts to bustle.  The royal taxes have driven many shopkeepers and business people away, but now merchants start returning and setting up shop again.  Restaurants and drinking houses spring up.  I reflect cynically that it probably won’t be long before Ma Xiuying opens a branch of the Lotus Garden here. 

The Prince and Lady Han are painstakingly interviewing all the unfortunate inhabitants of the harem, some of them scarcely more than children, to find out whether they want to return home or be found accommodation in the city or elsewhere.  Many of them don't quite understand what’s happened yet.  The royal Consort's a small timid woman, not yet thirty, confused and unable to make any decisions for herself.  The child’s silent, pallid and overweight.  Wang Meng had no other children of his own, though his taste in bed-partners ran to the very young.  Liang Zhou has a grim face these days as he supervises the field hospital and treats as best he can the victims of Wang Meng’s perversions. 

My job’s to supervise all this and plan our strategy for the coming months.  Qin Feng has taken Lin Chen’s place and is acting as my aide.  He’s intelligent enough, but frivolous at heart, a complete contrast to Lin Chen’s steady, placid temperament.  I’m hoping responsibility will improve him. Mo Jiang would have been my choice had I been free to choose, but there’s a strict seniority concerning promotions and Qin Feng’s next in line.  However Mo Jiang is proving invaluable assisting Shao Ru, with whom he gets on well.

In our various ways, I and my officers settle in.  The Black Snake compound becomes our home.  Our horses are stabled there.  With them comes the grey dog, which has become attached to the Prince.   Shao Ru finds himself a woman in the town.  The young men’s spirits, downcast by Lin Chen’s death, soon rise.  The common room’s the scene of lively dinners, drinking parties and dice games.  The Prince, who now has an official allowance, goes out with Qin Feng and spends a lot of money on clothes, reasonably enough since the troop’s uniform is no longer appropriate and he has nothing to wear except two unsuitable robes.  I’ve already heard the story about him stunning the Black Snake servants by appearing dressed in drying cloths and little else.  He’s also had one ear pierced.  I haven’t actually seen him except in passing for a few days, but I hear about the ear-piercing because it causes Liang Zhou to hit the roof. 

“What in the world possessed him to mutilate himself like that? “  Ah-Zhou’s spluttering with indignation.

“In two words, Qin Feng,” says Shao Ru, who’s eating with us.  “He saw Qin Feng’s earring and wanted one like it.  It looks good on him too.”

“Ridiculous!” snaps Liang Zhou.

“Give him a break,” Shao Ru puts down his chopsticks.  “Young guys like those kind of things, especially decorative young guys.  He hasn’t had much chance to indulge himself, after all.”

“Since when has he been so close to Qin Feng anyway?” Liang Zhou goes on, still indignant.

”To tell you the truth, I think Qin Feng’s got the hots for the little bundle,” says Shao Ru.

“What?” Liang Zhou and I say together.

“Just a feeling.” Shao Ru shrugs.

I feel a sudden surge of an emotion I can’t identify.  Anger?  Yes, but not just anger.  Desire, frustration and jealousy are all mixed up with it. 

Liang Zhou turns to me, “Aren’t you going to do anything about it?”

“Just what do you expect me to do?” I say, more irritably than I meant to. 

 Liang Zhou makes a humphing sound and goes out, lips pinched in disapproval.

Shao Ru shoots me a quick glance and says, “You’d better make your move before somebody snaps him up.”

“What?”

“Come on, this is your Uncle Ru speaking.  You’re carrying a torch the size of Mount Tai.  All those cosy sessions in your tent.  Am I an idiot?”

I put my head in my hands.  “Oh fuck, does everyone know?”

“Nah,” he says, “Just me.”

“I can’t make a move.  I’m his commanding officer.”

“Not anymore,” says Shao Ru, helping himself to more food.

“He’s a Prince.”

“What the hell does that matter?”

“I can’t make a move on a member of the Imperial family.”

“Suit yourself.” Shao Ru munches away, unmoved.

A soldier comes in, salutes and says: “The Commander’s presence is required at the Palace.”

“By whom?” I ask, frowning.  Nobody here has the authority to require my presence, except the Prince.

“The Ding family,” the soldier says. 

I look at Shao Ru with my eyebrows raised.

“Require your presence, do they?  Shao Ru says.  “Fucking cheek.”

“Are they armed?” I ask the soldier.

“Yes sir.  They have about a dozen armed men.”

“Right.  Tell them I’ll come when I’ve finished my lunch.”

He grins. “Yes sir.”

“Stay well away when you tell them,” Shao Ru adds. “Off with you then.”

“Yes sir.”  He bows again and goes out.

“We’d better get the little bundle in on this,” Shao Ru says, “So we can pull rank.”

“Agreed.  But we’ll let them stew for a while.”

“I’m going to enjoy this.” Shao Ru reaches for more food.

We linger for a while before picking up our cloaks and swords and heading for the Palace.  It’s colder every day now.  Today a few flakes of snow are swirling in the air.  The Palace is freezing.  There’s no way to heat the cavernous banqueting hall.  Twelve men are drawn up in close formation outside the door, dressed in identical black uniforms.  Horses are steaming in the cold.   We march in.  Qin Feng’s standing beside the conference table, arms folded, looking irritated.  Two men have seated themselves and are lounging, elbows hooked on the table and feet up on chairs.  They’re in their twenties, richly dressed, brothers judging by their similar features.  They’re both heavy with good living. 

 “I’m Commander Liao,” I say curtly, “What can I do for you?”

 “I’m Ding Bao and this is my brother Ding Lim.  We’re here to claim our rights.”  The tone is arrogant, patronizing. 

“What rights would those be?”

“Our sister’s son is the heir to the throne of Qiu.”

I turn to Qin Feng and say quietly, ”Ask the Imperial envoy to join us.”

He acknowledges and dashes off.  I turn back to the Ding brothers.  “There is no claim and you have no rights.”

Their feet come down from the chairs with a crash and they both stand up.  “Our family’s child is the rightful heir to the kingdom.  The only heir.”

“This is no longer a kingdom.  The city, the Palace and everything in it are now under the authority of the Empire.  Under my authority, to be precise.”

“And who the fuck are you?” the shorter Ding brother bursts out.  “Some ignorant peasant promoted above his level of competence.  Do you know who we are?”

“I knew they were going to say that,” says Shao Ru, clicking his tongue.  “Jumped-up provincials always do.”

They start forward, their swords half out of their sheaths.  But Qin Feng’s voice suddenly breaks in, trembling with anticipation.  “His Imperial Highness, Prince Jinhai!”

The Prince enters in full Imperial mode, dressed in dark blue robes with a cloak of some silvery fur slung over one shoulder.  A silver earring dangles from his right ear.  He holds a fan in his hand and his expression’s one of regal disdain.  He looks dazzling.

Shao Ru and I drop to one knee in the military salute.  The Prince motions us to get up and looks haughtily at the Ding brothers, who are standing gaping.  He gestures with his fan and they realize that this isn’t a joke, and fall to their knees.

The Prince saunters closer.

“Did you really say ignorant peasant?” he enquires. “You probably don’t realise this, after all we’re a long way from the capital, but Commander Liao’s from a prominent family related by marriage to Prime Minister Li and he has my entire confidence.  Perhaps an apology might be in order?”

They bow towards me, muttering words that might be an apology.

“You may rise,” says the Prince. “Shall we sit down?””

They get to their feet, glancing at one another and sit down warily opposite us.  The Prince slides into a seat next to me.

“You were saying, Commander?” he says sweetly.

“Thank you, Your Highness.  The Emperor has received evidence that the former King was negotiating with the Tibetan Empire.  I don’t need to tell you what danger the Tibetans pose to the free flow of east-west trade.  The strategic position of Qiu City made it necessary to take action.  The kingdom’s ours by right of conquest and your family’s claims are no longer valid.  Your sister and her child are in good health and may return to your family home if they so wish.”

“What’s the use of that?” the shorter Ding brother says angrily. ”Two useless mouths to feed.”

“What about her dowry?” the taller brother says, “We want the dowry back.”

“Send me a list of the dowry goods and I’ll consider it.  Are we clear now?  Good.”

“You may go.” The Prince gestures with his fan.

They have no option.  They rise, salute reluctantly and leave.  A moment later we hear shouts and the clatter of hooves as they depart.

“Miserable bastards,” says Shao Ru.

“I was just wondering,” the Prince says thoughtfully, “Why Wang Meng would want to marry into that family.  It’s not as if Lady Ding is or could ever have been an exceptional beauty.  So what was in it for Wang Meng?”

“A foot in both camps?” Shao Ru suggests.

“Where are the family lands?” the Prince asks. 

“No idea.  Why?”

“Because if they’re in a strategic position on the trade route and anyone wanted to invade, it would be quite useful to have them as back-up.  So maybe they’re in on Wang Meng’s negotiations with the Tibetans.  I’ll have a word with Lady Han.  She seems to know everything.”

“You’ve got a devious mind,” Shao Ru says approvingly.

The Prince chuckles.  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Right,” says Shao Ru, getting up. “I’m off to look at my ditches.  See you guys later.”

I’m left alone with the Prince.  “You’re getting good at this,” I say.

He chuckles again.  “I practise daily.”

“I like the earring.  Who did it for you?”

“Lady Han.  Qin Feng offered, but I wasn’t sure I could trust him with a needle.”

“You’re getting on with Lady Han?”

“She’s amazing.  Without her, I don’t know how we’d have handled these people from the harem.”

“I’ve got to sort out this matter of the Consort and her dowry.  Does Lady Ding have any idea of what she wants to do?”

He shakes his head and the earring, which is shaped like a fish, glitters in the dim light.  “She’s scared out of her wits. She’s like a prisoner who’s been let out but doesn’t dare leave the prison. She might want to go back to the family, but it’d be a miserable life with those two charmers.  Maybe Lady Han has a few suggestions.  I'll ask her.”

“Good idea.”

I find myself wanting to touch the earring, which dances every time he moves his head.  But I don’t dare.  Shao Ru’s words have made me over-sensitive, awkward and more than usually disturbed by the Prince’s presence.  Fortunately, someone comes in with a problem about firewood which I have to go and sort out.  I escape, thinking that things can’t go on like this.   If the sight of him affects me like this, perhaps I’d better stay out of his way till I can get my feelings under control.