Dragon (21 page)

“What is it?” the Emperor asked.

“You are a changed man,” Ying said. “I can tell, for I have changed as well. It feels good, doesn’t it?”

The Emperor nodded. “It certainly does, young eagle.”

“His name is Saulong—Vengeful Dragon,” Long said. “Is it not?”

“It is indeed,” Ying replied, still smiling.

The Emperor bowed his head to Ying. “I offer you my deepest gratitude, young dragon. I have been humbled by this whole experience, but most of all by your selfless actions. Your name will not be forgotten.”

“That is all anyone can ever hope for,” Ying said, his smile somehow growing stronger still, and he closed his eyes.

Long grabbed Ying’s hand and felt a surge of energy in his
dan tien
as Ying’s spirit left him. Long lowered his head as Ying’s hand grew cool in his own.

“It seems I also owe you my deepest gratitude,” the Emperor said to Long.

“I did what needed to be done,” Long replied. “I am glad that it is over.”

Wuya entered from the doorway and placed his arm around the Emperor, helping him stand. “Let us hope this is the end of it,” Wuya said. “We need to find out what has happened outside the gates.”

Xie moaned, and Long looked over to see him stagger to his feet, rubbing his head.

“You are alive!” Wuya said. “Sometimes it is a blessing to have a hard head, old friend.”

Xie looked at the holes in Tonglong’s soldiers, and he turned to Wuya. “Did you do that?”

Wuya nodded. “I apologize for misleading you, but the Emperor’s safety is my sworn priority. I needed to do everything within my power to isolate him and
keep him alive, and I was unsure whom I could trust. I would put my life in your hands, of course, but Long—he is from Cangzhen Temple. You know the rocky history between their Grandmaster and the Emperor. After what I just witnessed, however, it is evident whose side Long is on.”

Xie nodded.

Long was about to speak when he thought he heard someone sobbing softly. He looked toward the secret passageway and saw ShaoShu just inside its doorway. The small boy was soaking wet.

“Little Mouse!” Long said, rushing over to him. “What are you doing here?”

ShaoShu sniffled, his chest heaving. “I—I came to tell Ying that Tonglong was here. They are both dead, aren’t they?”

Long put his hands on ShaoShu’s shoulders. “I am afraid so.”

The tears began to fall faster from ShaoShu’s eyes. “Ying and Hok were the first friends I ever had. I am going to miss him.”

“Me too,” Long said. “Me too.”

The Emperor came over, leaning on Wuya. “Hello, ShaoShu,” he said. “Do you know who I am?”

ShaoShu nodded. “You’re the Emperor.”

“That’s right,” the Emperor replied. “I want to thank you for everything you did for me while I was held prisoner.”

ShaoShu wiped his eyes and shrugged. “You’re welcome.”

“I just heard you say that you came here with Ying. Do you have someplace to go from here?”

ShaoShu shook his head.

“Why don’t you stay here?” the Emperor said. “The Forbidden City can be a fun place for a boy.”

ShaoShu’s eyes widened and he wiped his nose on his sleeve. “Really?”

“Really.”

Wuya knelt and handed ShaoShu a handkerchief from his sash. “Hello, Little Mouse. My name is Wuya, and I am the head of security here at the Forbidden City. My position does not allow me to marry, but I have always wanted a son. You could stay at my house. I live right across the courtyard from the Emperor. I even have an extra bedroom.”

Long saw ShaoShu’s eyes brighten. “I’ve never had my own room before,” ShaoShu said.

Wuya stood. “Then it’s settled.”

“You will like it here, ShaoShu,” Xie said from across the room. “Trust me. Now—”

Xie froze, and Long saw that he was looking out a window. “I don’t believe it!” Xie said.

Long ran to the window and looked into the gray dawn. There were large fires burning along the walls of the Forbidden City. “Signal fires?” he asked.

“Yes,” Xie replied. “My troops have arrived. Or some of them, anyway. My easternmost mounted armies could have made it here by now. We should feel the pounding of their horses’ hooves soon. If we were at ground level, we would already feel it.”

“Will they be enough to defeat Tonglong’s army?” Long asked. “I mean, his huge force working its way in our direction.”

“I do not believe we need to fear Tonglong’s army anymore,” Xie said. “What do you think, Wuya?”

Wuya shook his head. “From what I learned communicating with Tonglong’s men, he had no second in command, which makes sense if you consider how he was Ying’s second in command and went on to double-cross Ying. Tonglong would probably never trust any one person as his second, so he likely had many people performing small pieces of that role.”

“What about Commander Woo?” Long asked.

Wuya shook his head. “I was told that Commander Woo once broke his own leg while attempting to duplicate a kick he saw in a dragon scroll. He is no threat. I have been told that he is only capable of following orders, at best.”

“What about the Eastern Warlord?” Long asked. “Is he not still leading Tonglong’s main army?”

The Emperor laughed. “The Eastern Warlord is only interested in living a life of luxury. He has no interest in conquest. Tonglong forced him at gunpoint to join the coup attempt. He will always take the easy road, and that will be the road I lay out for him. He will comply.”

“What will happen to Tonglong’s army?” Long asked.

“I will begin the process of dissolving it immediately,” the Emperor said, taking charge. “I am certain
the majority of the new recruits will be on their way home by the end of the week. Right now, however, we need to get the whole story.”

The Emperor turned to Wuya. “Go and collect as much information as possible. Meet me in the banquet hall for a full briefing in three hours. Bring any advisors you deem necessary, and take ShaoShu with you. He has likely gleaned useful information from his time with Tonglong, and should be quite helpful. Besides, he is now under your wing.”

“Yes, Sire!” Wuya bowed.

“Xie,” the Emperor said. “I need protection until we know the full nature of our situation. I know that you are the Western Warlord, but for now, will you serve as my personal bodyguard?”

Xie bowed. “Of course, Sire.”

The Emperor looked at Long. “It would please me if you were to join us for the briefing as well. Until then, I promise we will attend to your cousin’s remains. Wuya can escort you to the banquet hall on his way out. If you should require anything, just ask the soldiers stationed outside the room.”

“Thank you, Sire,” Long replied with a bow.

“Well,” the Emperor said, scratching his filthy beard, which still reeked from the pig crate. “Now that these things are in motion, it is time to take care of the most important items of all.” He clapped his hands twice, and attendants hurried into the suite. “Draw me a bath,” he commanded, “and tell the chefs to prepare a midmorning feast of all my favorite dishes. But no pork.”

T
hree hours later, Long sat alone at a huge rectangular table inside the Emperor’s exquisite banquet hall. The sun had risen, and light reflected off a thousand gilded surfaces, casting strange shadows across the ornate floor. The shadows reminded Long of the dark pools of blood that had surrounded Ying. At least Ying had died happy.

Long supposed that he was happy, too, in a sense. His grandfather had asked him and his temple siblings to change the Emperor’s heart, as well as Ying’s. That much had been accomplished.

The banquet hall door opened, and Long looked up to see Xie enter alongside the Emperor. Like Long, Xie appeared weary and battle-worn, his skin and clothing a mess. The Emperor, on the other hand,
looked like a new man. His face had been shaved, and someone had trimmed his hair. He now wore brilliant yellow robes, and despite his sallow cheeks and pale skin, he looked every bit the distinguished ruler that he was.

Long rose from his seat and bowed, and the Emperor crossed the room to sit in a throne at the head of the table. Xie sat at the Emperor’s right. Long remained where he was, near the center of the table. He sat back down after a nod from Xie.

The Emperor clapped twice, and Wuya entered the doorway flanked by three Forbidden City soldiers. Each soldier carried a white jade sword, and all four men dropped to their knees, kowtowing.

“Rise,” the Emperor said.

The men rose, and the three soldiers took positions beside the doorway.

Wuya addressed the Emperor. “In an effort to provide you with the fullest report possible, I have invited several ‘advisors’ to join us. I hope it is not too many, Sire.”

“We shall see,” the Emperor replied.

Wuya poked his head out through the doorway, and ShaoShu scurried in first. He bowed quickly and said, “Hi! I can’t wait for you to meet my friends.”

The Emperor chortled. “Of course, ShaoShu. Come in.”

Fu, Malao, Seh, Hok, and Charles entered next as a group. Long smiled broadly.

“May I present three young men and one young
lady from Cangzhen Temple,” Wuya said, “along with their Dutch friend, Charles. From left to right, the young monks are Fu, Malao, Seh, and Hok.”

The group members bowed in unison, and the Emperor nodded to them. “Greetings, young ones. I have some things to say to you, but not just yet. Please, have a seat beside Long.”

They sat down at the table on either side of Long.

Wuya turned to the door again, and Mong, Hung, Sanfu, NgGung, and Bing walked into the room. A stern-looking soldier in a brown and black silk uniform followed them. The group bowed as one.

“You may sit,” the Emperor said, gesturing toward the magnificent empty chairs across the table from Long and the others.

The bandit group sat, and the Emperor looked at the soldier. “You are General Zo of Xie’s army, are you not?”

The man jumped to his feet. “Yes, Sire.”

“Give me your report.”

“There is not much to report, Your Eminence. My Eastern legions and I were out on patrol when Xie ordered us here to deal with Tonglong and his conscripted army. You may have felt the earth tremble as we approached. There are ten thousand of us, and we all ride Heavenly Horses. We could easily turn away fifty thousand trained foot soldiers, let alone a new army such as Tonglong’s.”

“I am glad to have you on my side,” the Emperor said. “How long can you and your men stay?”

“As long as you can feed us, Sire.”

“Excellent. Please, sit.”

The general sat down, and the Emperor looked at Mong. The bandit leader rose.

“Although we have not always been on the same side,” the Emperor said, “I have a need for great men in my army. From what I have heard over the years, you are a great man. As you know, Tonglong had most recently been the Southern Warlord. Would you be willing to assume the role?”

Mong smiled. “Thank you, Your Eminence. I must say, that is the last thing I expected to hear. It would be an honor.”

The Emperor nodded and turned to Wuya. “I see that you have found the white jade swords.”

“Yes, Sire,” Wuya replied, standing. “Two were found secured to the saddle of the horse Tonglong rode here. The third is the one Tonglong carried. The armor was rather in need of a thorough cleaning.”

“Bring the swords to me.”

“As you wish, Sire,” Wuya said, and he gestured to the solders flanking the door. They approached the Emperor.

The Emperor rose and took one of the swords. He held it out toward Mong. “Take this as proof of your status as the new Southern Warlord, and of your commitment to me.”

Mong approached the Emperor, bowed, and took the sword.

The Emperor held out a second sword toward Xie,
and Xie stood. “Take this, comrade, as proof of your status as the new Western Warlord, and of your commitment to me.”

Xie bowed and accepted the sword.

“You may be seated,” the Emperor said, and Mong and Xie sat down, as did Wuya. The three soldiers returned to flank the door.

The Emperor gripped the third white jade sword and held it high. Long could tell by the jade’s pattern that this was the sword that Tonglong had used against Ying.

“I am the Northern Warlord,” the Emperor announced. “I will wear this sword as a symbol of that role. This is also the sword that took the life of a brave young man called Saulong, better known to many of you as Ying. Let it be a constant reminder to all of the ultimate sacrifice he made saving my life.”

A few of the bandits cheered, and the Emperor continued, lowering the ceremonial weapon. “There are actually four white jade swords. I saw Tonglong with them inside the bowels of the Shanghai Fight Club. Do any of you know what has become of the remaining one? I believe Tonglong may have given it to the Eastern Warlord.”

“I think he did, too,” ShaoShu said. “I saw the Eastern Warlord carrying one around when I was in Shanghai.”

“Very well,” the Emperor said. “I will have this verified. It makes sense for him to have one. Now”—he turned to Long and the other Cangzhen warrior
monks—“months ago, most of the kung fu temples in our great nation were destroyed as a result of the paranoia that was put in my mind by Tonglong and the deceased General Tsung—the Leopard Monk. They convinced me that these powerful centers of warrior prowess were a threat to me, and I approved their destruction. Now I find I owe my life to a group of very special young warrior monks. I want to honor them for what they have done for me personally and, more importantly, what they have done for all of China.”