‘Son of Heaven and Extreme Ruler, I am First Eunuch Yuan,’ the man said in oily tones, falling to his knees before him, ‘as has served the previous emperor to his entire satisfaction. Should you require a discreet and worthy-’
‘Yes, we know. A eunuch who has had the ear of the Dragon Throne for far too long.’ The Emperor looked down on him with contempt. ‘We must make sure your secrets stay with you, dog. Strangle him.’
Three soldiers fell on the stupefied man, pinioning him as he knelt. A fourth wound a silken tie around his wrists and with a knee in the eunuch’s back looped it about his throat and deftly twisted it tight, holding it in place while the body jerked and writhed. After it shuddered and gave a last spasm the soldiers dragged it swiftly away, feet first.
A few in the court turned to try to escape but were quickly held with a clash of weapons.
Sick with horror, Ying Mei watched the swelling nightmare.
‘So. A new emperor reigns.’ Kao Yang demanded loftily, ‘Bring me wine, fruit from the ice pit. If we’re an emperor we mean to live like one!’
There was a terrified hesitation, then a courtier was pushed forward. He fell to a grovelling kowtow. ‘S-second Eunuch Liu, Great Ruler. Does the Emperor of Ch’i prefer-’
‘Honest rice wine, toad!’ The man scurried away as if all the demons of hell were after him.
With a suddenly benign expression the Emperor gazed about. ‘Now which is the Grand Chamberlain? Step forward that minister and we’ll take a look at you.’
He approached, then performed a measured kowtow in neat, formal motions. ‘Kuo Ming Lai, if it please the Celestial Dragon.’
Heart in mouth, Ying Mei watched as her father waited for his fate.
‘Kuo. And you stayed by your emperor. What does this mean, then? That you do not recognise the succession of the Northern Ch’i? That you’ll refuse to disavow the dynasty of the Eastern Wei that is now past?’
The silky menace was chilling but Kuo replied in calm, even tones. ‘If I had abandoned my emperor then I would not be worthy of respect as first minister to the throne. The next emperor would be wise to distrust any protests of devotion and thus cast me aside.
‘However, the Son of Heaven knows that the sage Confucius confides that of all qualities in a gentleman, filial piety is the greatest. And if the Dragon Throne intercedes for us all, then it must be said that the greatest piety is due the Emperor. Sire – if the first emperor of Ch’i occupies the Celestial Throne, then all piety is due to his person. There is my loyalty and that is my duty.’
‘Ha! They said you were good, Kuo, and they were not wrong. A wordy scholar, perhaps, but you mean well.’
The eunuch Liu returned with a platter of fruits, accompanied by a younger attendant who bore the imperial wine jug and white jade goblet. Shaking, Liu began to pour from the magnificent jug, aware that on it a sinuous carved dragon with five toes was entwined about a haughty crane, the insignia of the Eastern Wei.
‘I t-tremble that the Lord of Ten Thousand Years does take offence at this poor article – about its decoration, I m-mean,’ Liu stammered.
‘Never mind that, you cretin – pour the wine!’ roared the Ch’i emperor.
Liu hastened to obey and when the goblet had been snatched and drained, he carefully refilled it, then proffered the fruit.
The new emperor picked some grapes up suspiciously. They were fat and dewy from the ice pit and glimmered with a soft inner glow of red.
In an explosion of rage he threw them aside. ‘They have seeds? These are not fit for an emperor, you vile cockroach! Get me mare’s nipple grapes or by heaven I’ll see you leave your bones at the Great Wall workings!’
It was a near impossible demand: they grew only in the desert oasis of Turfan and would have to be shipped out packed in snow from the Tien Shan mountains.
Kao Yang glowered. ‘Do we have to show you how to serve an emperor? We’ll have some order in this court if we have to punish every last one of you. What do you say to that, Kuo?’
Calmly, he intoned, ‘Confucius said, “The progress of the superior man is upwards; the progress of the mean man is downwards.” Therefore it is to be understood-’
‘Yes, yes, we know all that. And if you’re going to be our grand chamberlain you’re to learn that this court will be run just how the Emperor of Ch’i wants it.’
Kuo bowed wordlessly.
‘Well? Do you want to be grand chamberlain? Swear to be our man, serve us only and so on?’
‘As this poor person is able, sire.’
‘Then you are so promoted. Let it be recorded.’
The small eyes grew calculating and cruel. ‘And as you’ll be serving me at all hours, we shall be merciful. Quarters will be provided for your family here in the palace.’ There was a significant pause before he added, ‘And from this hour they are not to quit the Inner Court for any reason at all – under pain of instant death! Does that please you, Grand Chamberlain?’
Ying Mei swayed with emotion. To be incarcerated within this insanity for ever – it was past imagining.
Kuo’s voice was controlled, his manner faultless, ‘As it is written: “A Prince should employ his ministers with courtesy. A minister should serve his Prince with loyalty.”’
‘Have a care, Grand Chamberlain. We don’t take to those who are always throwing words in our face!’ He drank deeply, then meaningfully held out the goblet to Kuo himself to fill. The Emperor’s face was flushed, whether from the wine or the intoxication of power it was difficult for Ying Mei to tell.
‘So. What is our first matter of state?’ Kao Yang pondered aloud. ‘Ah. It is – what should I do with the old emperor? Finish him now, or later? Public or private? Speak up then, Grand Chamberlain!’
‘Sire, that is a difficult matter. I can do no more than echo the words of the great Confucius: “He upon whom a moral duty devolves should not give way even to his master.”’
‘The gods rot your tongue, Kuo! Have you nothing to say for yourself?’
‘Our Heavenly Dragon will believe that the sages are our guide and safeguard, that we do not err in our-’
‘Enough!’ the Emperor roared, flinging the goblet at him. It missed, the priceless white jade shattering on the stone floor. ‘You’re besotted by words!’
His speech now slurred by drink, Kao Yang went on thickly, ‘Reading too much, all those scrolls, hours an’ hours – not natural!’
He slumped back, then eased into a cruel smile. ‘I’ve a cure for that, Kuo! Just the thing – this’ll stop your time-wasting!’
With a leer he hailed down the hall, ‘Send Master Feng to me!’
A dwarf dressed in shapeless black clothing ran up and grovelled at the Emperor’s feet.
‘Are you ready for work?’
Dark eyes looked up, a gobbling and energetic nodding the only reply – the creature was mute.
‘Very good.’ The Emperor paused for effect then hissed, ‘Put out his lights!’
‘No!’ shrieked Ying Mei, flinging herself prostrate.
‘Do it!’
Two soldiers seized Kuo by the arms and rotated him to face about, then forced him to his knees. With an inhuman calmness, Kuo lifted his head to gaze down the hall to where Ying Mei had been taken, weeping brokenly.
‘Now!’
Gibbering with delight, the dwarf fumbled inside his clothing and came out with a short, black instrument. He held it high for all to see. Attached to a simple handle was a small but very sharp curl of iron.
Gasps of fearful comprehension went up as it was brandished before Kuo, who refused to acknowledge it. The dwarf jabbed at his eyes but still he did not flinch.
In his last moments of sight, Kuo sought out his daughter and fixed on her with a terrible intensity – then the hook flashed out. It caught an eyeball and with a savage twist it was plucked out, simultaneously a knife slicing its nerves and muscles.
In a mist of horror and madness Ying Mei witnessed the other destroyed and then the dwarf stepped aside from his work and she saw her father’s noble face, pale and streaked – with two empty, bloody sockets, where that morning his kind eyes had looked upon her.