by Brian Thomas
T’ze could sense the emperor staring at him before he heard his soft, sibilant voice. “Ah, T’ze you return to us at last. I had given you up for dead you have been away so long.”
T’ze sat upright on his knees and looked directly at the emperor when he replied. “I returned immediately on completing your commands, Excellency. I was delayed on the return journey but I bear important news.”
“Truth.”
T’ze looked at the man who had spoken; a truthsayer. It appeared the emperor no longer had confidence in his guardian’s loyalty and T’ze feared what this would mean for the Temple. To use a truthsayer was an explicit declaration there was no trust of the person you were dealing with, causing them a huge loss of face. The truthsayers were rarely used for masters or senior members of the Great Houses, to do so would likely cause such offence their warriors would be trading blows in no time at all. There could be no worse indication of T’ze’s fall from grace than the emperor using a truthsayer. Unless of course the emperor had instead ordered his immediate execution thought T’ze.
“Tell us of your journey to and from the Temple.” The emperor demanded.
T’ze knew if the truthsayer were being used it would be best to restrict his answers to the direct questions posed. The opportunity to volunteer information was best left later, after establishing his validity. “I journeyed travelling by road and using the most direct route. I delivered your challenge to the Temple, who selected their champion as I waited. I defeated their champion and left immediately, taking a river barge on the return journey as the downstream journey is faster than the route by road. Despite trying for a quicker return I was delayed and it took longer than the outward journey. On arriving at the docks I was approached by the guard and came directly to the Sun Palace.”
“True.”
“Who did you speak to on the way to the palace and once you arrived?” queried the emperor.
“I was escorted to the river by a Temple acolyte who arranged the river passage for me. I spoke briefly to the barge captain, who had travelled from up river and was continuing down river to the Sun Palace. On arriving at the docks I spoke to the commander here. I have spoken to no one else.” T’ze was surprised at this question, not sure where it was leading.
“True.”
“What did the commander tell you?” The emperor leaned in slightly as he asked the question.
“I asked what his instructions were with regard to me, which he informed me were to bring me to the audience chamber on my arrival. He has told me nothing else.” T’ze’s curiosity was rising at the questions he was being asked.
“True.”
The emperor looked quizzically at T’ze for a moment before his next question. “What caused your delay on the return journey, when you knew that I wished your speedy return?”
“I received a wound during the combat with the Temple’s champion and succumbed to a fever at the river staging point. It was some days before I was able to take passage on the next barge here.” T’ze found it galling admitting to his personal weakness before the audience chamber but only the truth would be accepted by the truthsayer.
“True.”
The emperor looked amused at the flash of irritation which passed over T’ze’s face at his weakness being confirmed. “Show us the wound.”
Without a word T’ze stripped off his tunic and began to slowly unwind the bandage around his midriff. A bloodied pad, which had been placed over the wound, dropped to the floor revealing the now stitched and puckered puncture wounds above T’ze’s left hip. There were also half a dozen fresh shallow cuts across his body and arms, showing up bright pink against his skin. T’ze’s muscled frame looked gaunt from his recent fever and it was obvious that he had been ill.
The emperor frowned as he looked at the wounds exposed to the chamber. “The Temple fielded a strong champion?”
T’ze hesitated for the first time. No warrior wanted to admit his own fallibility. “Yes. The best there when I made the challenge, as you ordered.”
“True.”
The emperor scented that there was more and was unrelenting as he sought to find what T’ze knew. “But you were the stronger contestant?”
T’ze had gone over the contest in his mind many times. During his fever he had relived the burning sword thrust passing through his body repeated over and over again. In many of those fevered dreams he had not survived the contest and he had woken marvelling he was still alive. He had been lucky to win. Duan had been the most accomplished swordsman he had ever seen and only Duan’s exhaustion had saved T’ze from defeat. “I won the contest.”
“True.”
“But you were the strongest contestant?” pressed the emperor.
“I walked away from the contest; that makes me the strongest.”
There was a conspicuous silence from the truthsayer and the emperor looked to him raising an eyebrow in question. The truthsayer’s eyes had rolled up to the back of his head, showing only their white’s as he applied his art before they rolled back and focused on T’ze. “Truth.”
The emperor frowned as he regarded T’ze. “You fought with swords?” T’ze nodded wondering at the relevance of these questions, it was not what he had expected. “Then you were the most accomplished swordsman?”
T’ze hesitated again as he truly considered the question for the first time, rather than avoiding the issue like a bad smell which lingered in the background. “The Temple’s champion was probably the more talented swordsman but less experienced. He consumed too much energy in the early stages of the contest, his final stroke was off target and I was able to hold his sword arm while he impaled me, allowing my own blade through his defences.”
“Truth.”
The emperor’s eyebrows rose somewhat and there were looks of respect upon the faces of the warriors amongst the emperor’s advisers. “So, you killed their champion while he had you impaled on his own sword?”
“Yes, your, Excellency.”
“Truth.”
“The Temple did not field a weak champion, a sacrificial lamb to our challenge?”
The emperor’s comment was more of a curious statement than a question but distracted by the memory of the contest and stung at the implication T’ze replied more sharply than he intended. “No!” Calming, T’ze continued. “He was their strongest contender, acknowledged as such by all the priests at the Temple. If he were the most able warrior once, he is no longer; I am.”
“Truth.”
The emperor leaned back in his throne considering T’ze, gently tapping the arm of his throne. T’ze bided his time, uncertain at the line of questioning but confident his time would come. So long as he did not put a foot wrong in the meantime. The emperor’s question implied the Temple had prior knowledge of the challenge but they couldn’t have. When uncertain of the ground, T’ze thought, it was best to wait until it became clearer. Turning to the group of advisers the emperor asked them. “Anything else?”
General Aidi took a step forward, making a brief bow to the emperor before putting his questions to T’ze. Of all the advisers T’ze considered Aidi the most supportive of him and the Temple. He was surprised it was Aidi who had stepped forward to question him. “Does the emperor have cause to fear the Temple?”
T’ze hesitated but as the question was postulated he could only answer in the affirmative and a long winded answer would look evasive. He hoped he survived to explain as he wished. “Yes.”
“Truth.”
The emperor sat upright in his throne and the guards around the room noticeably straightened, gripping their spears more firmly and ready to put them to good use at a moments notice. The only person who seemed unsurprised at the answer was General Aidi, who launched into another question before any precipitous action might result from T‘ze’s answer. “Are you loyal to the emperor, do you obey his commands above all others?”
“I am loyal to my oath as guardian, I obey the emperor’s commands above all others during my te
nure as the emperor’s guardian. While I am the emperor’s guardian, my life is his.”
“Truth.”
Still looking unsurprised by the answer, General Aidi continued. “And what of the Temple. We know they have their own agenda and nibble at the edges but do they pose a direct threat to the emperor?”
“The Temple has its own agenda but no, I do not believe they are a direct threat to the emperor. Anything they do, they do in what they believe to be the best interest of the Hansee people, while conforming to the covenant.”
“Truth.”
The emperor sat back in his throne again, resting his hands on each arm contemplating T’ze with a small frown.
“One last question, honoured Guardian,” continued Aidi, who placed extra emphasis on the honorific for those listening. “We can all see your weakened state and the wounds resulting from your implementation of the emperor’s orders, from besting the Temple’s finest warrior in combat.” Aidi paused for a brief moment to let that settle in the minds of those listening to the interrogation. “Could you, at any time during these proceedings, have successfully harmed the emperor had you so wished?”
The emperor looked sharply at Aidi and there were audible intakes of breath around the room. The emperor was almost a deity to many of the Hansee, closer to the Spirit world than any other living soul and to infer he could be killed was bordering on sacrilege. Aidi, however, knew his emperor was no fool and with the interrogation of T’ze having gone this far was determined it should continue to a definitive conclusion, drawing a line under some of the questions asked while T’ze had been away.
T’ze looked at Aidi, not sure whether he was a friend or foe with his line of questioning but asked the specific question there was only one answer he could give.
“Yes, many times over.”
“Truth.”
The guards around the room fidgeted at their posts, gripping their weapons nervously uncertain how to react but Aidi made a deep bow to T’ze before concluding. “Thank you, for answering my questions T’ze. There is no honour in questioning you so but, as you said earlier, the emperor has just cause for concern but should nevertheless be confident in and take comfort from your loyalty.” Having made the point, General Aidi stepped back into the crowd of advisers.
T’ze gave him a brief bow of the head as Aidi stepped back, feeling his position was somewhat more secure but not sure why at this point.
The emperor tapped the arm of his throne a few times before coming to a decision. “The mystic who was with us when you left, the fakir, was killed during our meeting. After his death bruises appeared on his neck and blood was found under his nails. I am assured by my remaining mystics that his spirit was attacked while on a metaphysical plane and this could only have been done by another with similar mystic powers. His spirit was killed while guarding our privacy. You knew nothing of this?”
T’ze was shocked that a potential enemy could get so close to his charge and he had not even been aware of it. “No, Excellency! I am not one blessed with such powers myself.”
“Truth.”
“So the Temple made no mention of it and one assumes would have fielded a weak champion against you if they had known. Your return to us, T’ze, was to be the evidence of their guilt. Now I am not so sure.” the emperor concluded, uncertain now where to direct his anger when previously he had been adamant. “But there is still the other issue and this time there is no doubt of the Temple’s involvement.” The anger smouldered in the emperor’s eyes as the interrogation moved on to the issue T’ze had come to address.
T’ze felt he could venture an unsolicited comment, now that he had won some moral ground. “I bring a message from Si Li, a warning to the emperor; perhaps these events are connected…”
“Truth.”
The truthsayer’s response was overlapped by the emperor’s angry intervention before T’ze could finish. “A warning! He dares to threaten us!”
“No, Excellency.” T’ze deliberately waited for the truthsayer to confirm his statement before continuing.
“Truth.”
“The warning is of a mutual threat to your person and to the Temple. A mutual enemy with mystic powers plans to come between your Excellency and the Temple, to set us against each other. Si Li bids me to assure you the Temple makes no direct attack upon your person. He bids me to tell you the Temple abides by the covenant and to beware of this powerful force, intent on setting us against each other.” T’ze put his head to the ground demonstrating his deference to the emperor, trying to deter an angry retort before it happened.
“Truth!” called out the truthsayer to the silent chamber.
“What force?” demanded the emperor.
T’ze sat up again and was only just becoming aware of the extent to which the attack on the emperor’s fakir had affected the emperor, highlighting his vulnerability. The additional guards he had seen on the way into the palace, the presence of the truthsayer in the audience chamber and, now seeing with the benefit of this knowledge, the mystics in the room. Some of them were obviously in deep trance and presumably guarding against further incursions by who or whatever was here before.
“Si Li does not know but I believe he was primarily concerned at the mystic power they wield.”
“Truth.”
“How is this linked to the murder of my nephew at the hands of his guardian?” the emperor demanded thoughtfully.
“When the attack took place the priest was no longer your nephew’s guardian, his tenure having expired. He was returning to the Temple, a priest acting on the Temple’s instructions when Si Li believes he was possessed by spirits or demons causing him to attack your nephew.”
“Truth.”
“Demons?” queried the emperor, revealing a hint of the concerns he had been feeling since the death of his fakir. T’ze could see the emperor was more comfortable believing his enemy was the Temple, rather than some unknown force which had command of demons. “You believe our nephew’s guardian was possessed?”
“I know little of such things but Si Li believed another was manipulating his protégé for him to do what he did. I saw the priest at the Temple of the Clouds and when he spoke he did not speak for the Temple but encouraged the Temple to rise against you. Si Li banished him as a fallen warrior priest, failing in his loyalties to the Temple and placing it in jeopardy as a result of his actions.”
“Truth.”
“You saw him? He was at the Temple and they banished him? Why wasn’t he captured and sent to me, or even executed!” The emperor’s anger was fully roused, his suspicion of the Temple again flaring into life.
“The priest, Li Chin, came to the Temple as I was in combat with their champion. After the contest he addressed the Temple, informing them of his actions and telling of how he was taken by spirit guides. Following which, he slew his previous master, your nephew, rather than execute a peasant unjustly as he described it. He went on to try and persuade the Temple to side with him in direct opposition to your Excellency, even if it meant the Temple’s certain destruction at your hands. The elders declared him possessed by demons and feared his death might release the demons to possibly take those nearby as replacement hosts. If the demons are to possess another soul, it would be best if it was not another Temple priest but one less skilled in martial arts and therefore more easily overcome. I believe the elders were anxious to remove the other priests from his corrupting influence.”
“Truth.” Rang out the confirmation to the silent chamber.
“But he is now free to roam my empire, my nephew’s death remains un-avenged and our authority challenged with loss of face to our House. You, the most accomplished warrior the Temple has to offer did not challenge him?”
T’ze tried to retain a calming influence with his response. “I did challenge him. Si Li forbade it as I was too weak from my wounds and…”
“Truth.”
“And?” prompted the emperor.
T’ze took a breath. “Li Chin
had told the Temple how, after he had slain Zu Wah, your nephew’s life guard had sought to take him into custody. He slew all twenty and he then saw off the honour guard of one hundred. Yet he stood before the Temple without a mark upon him. He had seen me beat the Temple’s champion, declaring he was stronger than I. I have wondered on the way here whether Si Li is right and demons do aid Li Chin. I do not know. Even so, if I had continued with my challenge I would have lost and been unable to return to you with Si Li’s warning. I do know Si Li was wounded at the news his protégé brought to the Temple. Also, Si Li knowingly risked increasing your anger in banishing Li Chin, rather than executing him or sending him to you as you might consider banishment a lesser punishment. Though I believe this not to be the case. I would choose execution over banishment and I know the pronouncement would be as painful to Si Li and Li Chin as execution. If the message I bear now was brought by another from the Temple it would not have been as well received as from your guardian of long standing, Excellency. Now that I also know of the attack on your fakir I would not want this possessed priest within a hundred miles of your presence, Excellency.”
“Truth”
The emperor leaned back, thinking as he regarded T’ze. Eventually, he looked to his advisers. “Anything else?”
Another adviser in lavish silks and a cone hat stepped forward. T’ze recognised Mika, an ingratiating weasel of a man risen from the ranks of the eunuch civil servants. He was loathed by the other warrior advisers to the emperor. They were convinced the emperor continued to listen to him exactly for this reason as he could always be relied upon to provide a contrary view to their own. T’ze braced as he was sure this would prove no exception. “With respect your Excellency, we must not forget the truthsayers are only able to distinguish between what a man believes is a truth or a lie. Any man may be manipulated to believe a lie to be truth, or a truth to be a lie. He may then repeat a lie and in all innocence have it confirmed as true by a truthsayer.” Having sowed his seed of doubt Mika gave a brief bow and stepped back into the group of advisers.
The emperor nodded his understanding before he spoke his thoughts out loud. “What you say Mika is true. But let us consider this. When T’ze went to the Temple with our challenge he faced a champion who nearly defeated him. A champion who T’ze believes was in fact technically stronger, only defeating this man by the narrowest of margins. If the Temple’s champion had won the contest it could well have set off a series of combats, possibly decimating the Temple’s ranks of its most able priests. If the Temple had known of the challenge would they have risked winning? I think not. I think they would have fielded a weak contender assured of failure. Our fakir was killed during the conference where the challenge was discussed and when T’ze was ordered to deliver it to the Temple. Whoever was committing this crime would have known of the challenge and if it were the Temple they would have taken steps to ensure they did not win the contest to minimise their losses.”