by Brian Thomas
Both ambassadors sat in front of him across a table where tea had been served and polite small-talk had followed. Following established protocol made all parties feel comfortable and allowed a free flow of open discussion, where professional bureaucrats were able to resolve issues of importance in a civilised and satisfactory manner. Mika had been careful not to let the small matter of a war between principalities interrupt the appropriate etiquette of the Sun Palace administration. It was, however, time to broach the subject behind their summons. “Your two Houses have engaged in armed conflict with each other and it is now time to draw the conflict to a close.” Mika had adopted a sympathetic tone, sounding mildly disappointed on their behalf and apologetic he would have to spoil their war before a clear winner had emerged.
Tangnade of House Guang responded first. “It is a small matter of no great importance to the Sun Palace. Merely a realignment of historic charted borders, to reflect the natural changes of the environment which have occurred over time.” He smiled wearily at Mika, in confirmation of the tediousness of such matters.
Sungdip of House Tanyeu nodded his agreement, though throughout neither of them had made any indication of noticing the representative from their enemy’s House sitting beside them. “There is natural ebb and flow to such things, just as the course of a river will realign itself over time. So will the borders between neighbours change to reflect new circumstances. After a tumultuous period the new natural rhythm becomes the norm.”
Mika had expected nothing less from either of them. All of the Great Houses if left to their own devices would happily slaughter each other until there was nothing of any value left to fight over. A state of affairs the emperor’s dynasty had encouraged for generations. “As you say, borders change over the years to accommodate nature’s whims. It is time, nevertheless, that the tumultuous nature of the changes must finish. The storm has rampaged long enough and must now come to an end. With the borders as they stand today becoming the established borders. For the span of our lifetimes.”
Both men drew breath to answer but he forestalled them with a raised hand. “The emperor wishes a break in the stormy weather, it begins to create more damage than he is willing to tolerate. He has instructed me to extinguish any storm which does not cease of its own accord, such that it will never blow again.”
Mika looked at both of the advisors, plenipotentiaries for their respective Houses. They would know the game and would have expected nothing less from him. “Perhaps you have a list of dispositions which have realigned themselves, so that we may agree them here and now, to avoid any future ambiguity?”
The two men hesitated briefly. Without referring to each other they reached into their gowns withdrawing a list they each laid on the table before them. Able to read the other’s list they nodded their agreement with regard to the locations now claimed by the other. Mika smiled, it was proceeding better than he had expected. So both parties must be reasonably pleased with the way things were, the spoils evenly split so to speak.
Reaching for the lists Mika glanced through them. He had only a mild interest in what estates had switched from one to the other but was surprised when he realised that Tangnade’s list contained no lost sites from Guang province or new sites won from House Tanyeu. Checking the list from Sungdip, it too had no lost sites from its own territories or new sites won from House Guang. In both lists all of the new locations listed were previously of the Wing-Ho province from the House of Wah, home of the Empress Butterfly prior to her marriage to the emperor. Mika had received reports of heavy fighting in the border area between the three provinces, even that there had been fighting and military movements in Wing-Ho but not the large scale opportunistic land grab these two Houses had made between them from House Wah.
Mika cautiously looked up at the two ambassadors. Was it possible they could have worked in concert on this from the start, putting aside a feud of generations to take down a weakened neighbour? The two men looked all innocence but Mika felt a shiver at the suspicion this was exactly what they had been doing all along and he had missed it. Such a shift in alliances would be important news at any time but with the emperor distracted and his forces dispersed on a wild goose chase it represented a serious realignment of power.
Mika was furiously working through the ramifications of their new allegiance when his thoughts were interrupted by Tangnade. “The emperor grows closer to the Temple?”
A strange question thought Mika, at odds with the purpose of the meeting and his current train of thought. “The emperor forges alliances wherever it adds strength to his House,” he replied distractedly, though the relationship between the Palace and the Temple was not the usual relationship between the Sun Palace and the Great Houses. Wondering why the question had been raised he added more cautiously, “The association between the Temple and the emperor’s dynasty is as we all know unique and of long standing, a cornerstone in support of his House.”
Sungdip nodded solemnly. “A cornerstone indeed; possibly providing the foundations for an even greater alliance, perhaps on which to trade upwards?”
Mika was still distracted by his suspicions about these two Houses secretly collaborating and the questions were not what he was expecting. Strangely at odds from the main subject they were discussing. If they were merely referring to the sages sent by the Temple to patrol the astral plains this should have been part of the small-talk earlier, not introduced now at the point of completing the main business. While it was true the Temple had never been allowed into the Sun Palace before, other than as guardians sworn to their masters, the two middle ranking priests sent by the Temple was of no real significance and should be of little interest to these two. Perhaps, more significantly, they were testing the emperor’s need for the Temple sages and this was bordering too closely to the emperor’s perceived vulnerability, as foretold by the emperor’s family prophecy. Could they know of the prophecy or were they just fishing.
Either way, it was time to quash any conjecture around the emperor’s vulnerability. “The emperor has a unique relationship with the Temple by virtue of history and circumstance. They are at liberty to agree between them to develop that relationship for their mutual benefit if they wish, without reference,” Mika replied firmly to conclude the side issue they raised so disconcertingly, “to other Great Houses.”
Mika’s next statement was of far more concern to him and would inevitably demonstrate the emperor’s weakness to these two sharks. He hoped making it did not open the doors to more opportunist forays from these or other Great Houses. But he had received his instructions from the emperor. “Gentleman, if we are agreed the list from each of you is accurate, I must also hear that your Houses will cease all claims and counter claims against these sites and that all hostilities between you will cease. Immediately.”
The two men indicated their acknowledgement with polite smiles and comments of regret at the difficulties inevitably arising from such changes. Rising and bowing to Mika and then each other, the two ambassadors departed to inform their Houses of the new peace without further delay.
As they left his chamber Mika was left feeling blind and manipulated, by now in no doubt their two Houses had agreed between them to carve themselves a slice of Zu Wah’s previous estates. They had been bold in making this move as the territories were technically within the emperor’s family estates but had also correctly estimated the emperor’s inability or lack of appetite to defend them.
Mika winced as he remembered the empress, her own attitude likely to be far less pragmatic than the emperor’s with regard to her family estates. But it was their questions about the Temple which had left him bemused. To have asked them at all indicated the question was of importance and a subject which was pressed by both of them, so supposedly important to both Houses.
Was it possible they knew of the emperor’s prophecy, that the bird’s song marked the demise of his dynasty? If they were working together against the House of Wah, were they also perhaps in league
with other unknown agents working against the emperor. Mika would have to watch their two Houses carefully to determine the answers behind these questions. Perhaps the emperor’s paranoia about agents working in secret against his House was not paranoia at all but shrewd adherence to a true prophecy warning of a danger as yet not identified.
The two ambassadors walked side by side along the corridors of the Sun Palace, whispering discreetly to each other as they exchanged views before going their separate ways. Tangnade was satisfied he had correctly interpreted Mika’s reactions to his subtle questioning. “Our masters were correct. The emperor is unable or unwilling to bring his army to bear. Otherwise Mika would never have agreed the new territories as readily as he did. It was a sop to secure a quick resolution and to save him redeploying imperial soldiers.”
Sungdip was equally confident. “And by his agitated response to our enquiries we can also assume our masters were right about the emperor’s trade agreements with the Temple. He as good as told us as much.” Sungdip frowned as he quoted Mika, “Develop their relationship for their mutual benefit!” They seek to rob the Great Houses of their traditional trading monopolies. We concur on the outcome and interpretation of the meeting, Lord Tangnade?”
“We do indeed Lord Sungdip.” Tangnade replied giving a formal bow. Satisfied they separated to report to their respective master.
Mika watched the two ambassadors from a secret spy hole that looked down upon the corridor as it opened into the courtyard. Their Houses deadly enemies for generations yet they gossiped like fishwives over the wash tub, comfortable as old friends. Mika’s eyes narrowed in speculation at the evidence of their connivance. They had succeeded in duping him but they could not be allowed to get away with their conniving completely.
He would have to think of something to keep them occupied and back at each other’s throats. He flinched as the thought resurrected the empress’s warning passed on by Feng to think of some similar scheme for her. He had to think of something but the emperor had absorbed all of his time and energy lately, like a leech sucking out his ability to function normally. It left him an empty husk compared to what he had been prior to Zu Wah’s murder.
Mika shook off his fatigue deciding to see Feng immediately. They could conjure something between them, though thinking of Feng caused him to frown in doubt. The man had not been the same since his daughter’s illness. If he did not recover his old aptitude soon Mika would replace him, his was too valuable a position to be filled by someone who could not give themselves entirely over to it.
Mika swept into the main copy room and spotted Feng sitting cross-legged at his table. Seeing Mika approach Feng laid down his pen and sat stiffly upright a look of quiet resolve cloaking him as well as any cape, making Mika purse his lips. His subordinate could at least attempt to mask forbearance of his master a little more artfully.
Feng bowed while still seated, as he straightened saying without preamble. “Her Excellency, Butterfly, was here again. She gave me a message for you and seemed most impatient, warning that she required your solution when next she arrived. You received my earlier message from her, Master?”
Mika was angry that Butterfly was so open with her scheming, especially when it involved him. She had all the discretion and finesse of a street woman sometimes and was just as likely to sully those she involved, which on this occasion was him. “Yes, yes and I must present her with something soon.” Mika’s irritation mounted as Feng’s peculiar attitude grated even further. The man was barely listening, instead fussing and scrabbling around in the drawer to his writing desk.
Feng removed two scrolls and with calm resolve spread them on the table before Mika. “I have drafted a number of trade licences for restricted goods between certain provinces.” Feng opened his mouth to explain why he had abused his position. Why he had betrayed his master’s faith and trust. Then he thought better than to direct Mika’s attention towards his family. There could be no justification and Mika could see for himself what the documents were.
Mika glanced across the two scrolls distractedly. He had no time for mundane matters better handled by Feng. He needed to come up with a proposal that would satisfy the empress before she discovered the outcome of his negotiations with Houses Guang and Tanyeu. Suddenly, Mika’s attention was entirely focused as he scanned the documents which granted trade rights in contradiction to the licenses already granting monopolies to Houses Guang and Tanyeu for their provinces. “The empress told you of her proposal?” Mika queried as he scanned the detail of the documents.
It was not the question Feng expected. He replied distractedly and pushed the two scrolls a little closer to Mika, keen to make his confession in full now he was committed and not wanting to lose his nerve at this stage. “Yes Master; and also her expectation for you to produce your own for the south, before she saw you next.”
Mika fumed internally at the empress’ indiscretion and frowned as he thought through the implications of Feng’s scrolls. At least the man had shown initiative in drafting a proposal for him. They looked well advanced and Mika’s interest in them grew. It was an interesting idea. “Houses Guang and Tanyeu hold exclusive trading rights for these goods within these provinces. It is the primary source of their wealth, very profitable by all accounts.” Mika mused, as his mind raced through the implications of Feng’s proposal.
Feng raised an eyebrow thinking of his own accumulated specie from his betrayal, which he hadn’t dared to spend lest it betray his involvement and the money orders now in his drawer for even greater funds. “Particularly the trade in silk with the barbarian nations, Master.” Feng confirmed with an appreciative nod.
Mika nodded without looking up from the scrolls, frowning as he considered the implications of such a manoeuvre and trying to spot faults in Feng’s proposal. “The Sun Palace could never sanction such a licence to one of the Great Houses. It would rally the others against us, unite them as never before.” he mused, rubbing his chin as he thought.
Feng pointed to the named licence holder on the scrolls with his pen. “They have been issued to House Zanwen.” Once started his confession was far easier than he had ever imagined, Mika seemingly enthralled rather than askance at what Feng had done. Despite the villainous nature of the scrolls Feng was nevertheless proud of his workmanship, having taken special care in their preparation lest an unintended error come back to haunt him.
Mika’s frown deepened. “I have not heard of House Zanwen, is it one of the lesser Houses?”
Feng swallowed nervously but despite his internal anxiety he at least sounded calm and in control to his own ears. “I do not believe there is a House Zanwen, the licences are forgeries.” At last the deed was done. He had confessed his crimes and there was no going back. Feng felt a heady mix of dread and excitement, surprised that he had indeed admitted all to his master. Despite his earlier thoughts of honour and courage he had feared he would again shirk his duty. Perhaps he was a brave and honourable man after all.
Mika nodded impatiently. “I am not a complete fool! Of course they are forgeries and we will deny all knowledge of it but why House Zanwen if such a House does not exist? Why not one of the smaller Houses, any number would pay their weight in gold for such a trade agreement?”
Feng was bemused at Mika’s sagacity at hearing of his betrayal of trust, the misuse of his office for personal gain. “I knew of Master Zanwen, whereas I did not know any of the minor Houses I could trust. Besides, they are forgeries. Which House would trade under such a document? It would only be a matter of time before the disenfranchised Great Houses discover another House abuses their monopolies and the repercussions would see the end of the forged licence holder’s House. They could hardly seek support from the Sun Palace for a document they knew to be forged in the first place. In such circumstances they might expect a worse punishment from the Sun Palace than from the legitimate licence holders, who would without question crush them as an example and with the implied endorsement of the Sun Palace.�
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Mika nodded, Feng’s plan was clever indeed. “Of course.” he mumbled seeing events role out in his mind’s eye. “They would have to be naive to believe the offended Houses would not utterly destroy them and the Sun Palace would want to be seen supporting their justifiable revenge, reinforcing its claims of ignorance. But what of this Zanwen, why would he use them, the risk is the same for him if he were to be caught?” Mika was trying not to get too excited at Feng’s plan but it would be the perfect distraction and revenge against Houses Guang and Tanyeu, so long as it could work without being traced back to the Sun Palace.
Feng was more than nonplussed at Mika’s acceptance of his heinous crime and was a little exasperated as he replied. “They are forgeries. He undertakes the proposition in the knowledge that he trades using forged licences. He has no House to be crushed, it is a fictitious House. I agreed he would trade modestly under their noses, avoiding direct contact with them.” Feng shrugged, “If he maintained a modest operation it could easily remain unnoticed for years. But what man of enterprise could fail to milk a golden opportunity. In a short time his trading will become large enough to be noticed and then the Great Houses will ensure Zanwen and his fictitious House come to an abrupt end.”
Mika nodded enthusiastically, Feng’s appreciation of mans’ greed and ambition was masterly, while any loose ends or possible connection to the Sun Palace would naturally be snipped away under the plan very neatly. “And there is no connection to the Sun Palace, we do not suffer.”
To Feng the statement sounded more like a confirmation than a question but he responded to it as the latter. “They are forgeries. The Sun Palace has no need to offer forged documents as it can issue genuine ones and it certainly wouldn’t issue one to a mere artisan. Master Zanwen does not know the forger who provides the licences to him but to remain above suspicion pays his tithes to the local factors as would any legitimate trader. So no, the Sun Palace remains unconnected to the forged documents, yet nevertheless collects its turn on the nefarious trading at the point of trade as if it were genuine. There is also a forged license to collect the Palace’s taxes, a document that would never be sanctioned and demonstrable proof, should the palace need it, that it is also a victim of the forgery. Though of course only a complete fool would attempt to use it as the palace would immediately be aware of our funds not arriving. Whereas, the Great Houses Guang and Tanyeu will remain unaware of the trade they are not making the Sun Palace does not suffer a pecuniary shortfall. Only the monopoly holders suffer here Master. And quite materially.” Feng said the last with sagging shoulders. He waited only now for his master’s pronouncement of his punishment.