Volume 2 Chapter 28

  Kora Zang’s heart was beating so fast in her chest that she thought she would die.

  She had only just now realized what service the emperor had asked of her. Only once she took a bath with Ko did she understand. She sat now in the hot springs of the woman’s bath while Ko washed her back.

  “Do you realize what this means?” Kora asked.

  “I’m not stupid. It’s pretty obvious when you think about it. Tan is being pronounced emperor in waiting,” Ko said.

  “How can you be so calm?” Kora asked.

  “I’m not the idiot who tried to marry him without knowing who he was,” Ko said, smiling. “Your entire family is in so much trouble .”

  Kora hung her head. She tried to think. She kept blushing, and the heat wasn’t helping anything.

  “I don’t even know where he lives,” she realizes. “I’m going to look like such a fool.”

  “What do you mean? You’ve been to his house,” Ko said.

  “His father carried me each time. I only know the way to Lord Hara’s house. His father’s movement technique is so fast that he could live a thousand miles from there and I’d never know,” Kora explained. “If I’m called to testify for my actions, I’ll have nobody to defend my honor.”

  “Do you think that the emperor will make you do that?” Ko asked.

  “I don’t know,” Kora admitted. “How am I supposed to know the mind of the emperor? I’ve never even met him.”

  “Haven’t you?” Ko asked, a wicked grin on her face. “He’s not so bad. He’s actually very nice.”

  “I mean, I guess I did,” Kora admitted. “Once. At court. But he was wearing a mask. And someone else spoke for him. I was so nervous that I nearly puked, and then he hit me with his intent and I nearly fainted. I thought for a moment that I was going to die, and then it was over and he was apologizing and giving me gifts. I still don’t understand what happened that day. Not really.”

  “Probably the only one who does is the emperor himself,” Ko admitted.

  “So, do you think that Tan will make a good emperor?” Kora asked.

  “I don’t know. Renton’s pretty young, isn’t he? Unless he abdicates, Renton might rule for a thousand years,” Ko said.

  “Yeah,” Kora admitted. She sighed, and then she washed Ko’s back for her. “Do you think he’ll forgive me for seeking the hand of his nephew without his leave?”

  “What’s the worst that can happen?” Ko asked.

  “He could order my entire family executed, for one,” Kora said.

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh,” Ko said. “Okay, so that’s the worst case scenario. What’s the best case?”

  “That he forgives me and sends me home,” Kora said.

  “Is there any other option?” Ko asked.

  “He’s the emperor, Ko. He can do whatever he wants. His word is literally law. The only one who can contradict him is another emperor.”

  “That’s not really true,” Ko said.

  “Yes it is.”

  “No it’s not.”

  “Yes it is.”

  The two girls argued for a while about the semantics. Then they got out of the hot springs, dressed modestly, and knocked on the door to the women’s bath to indicate that they had finished using it.

  “The Empire bids you wait where you are,” a man’s voice said.

  “How long must we wait?” Kora asked.

  “Until you hear the voice of the emperor and see his face,” the voice answered. “Please dress modestly and prepare to be in the imperial presence. Soon, the emperor shall be before you in his own body.”

  “We shall await the emperor’s pleasure,” Kora said formally.

  Ko and Kora looked around the room. It was beautifully decorated, but Kora had noticed that the first time she had been there. The water bubbled pleasantly. The first time she had visited, Kora had had a breakthrough in her cultivation. It was a serious faux pass, but the emperor had apparently forgiven her for that, since he had waited for her to finish rather than command her brought before him in the middle of her cultivation.

  That would have crippled her, she realized now. Perhaps the emperor really was kind.

  Long moments passed, and eventually the door to the bathhouse opened. Before them stood a man in a mask.

  “Thank you for agreeing to serve the empire,” the man said. “You shall be called before the throne. When you are before the throne, you are asked to kowtow. This is the last service that shall be demanded of you by the empire.”

  The door then closed.

  Then the girls exchanged looks. They knocked on the door. “How long must we wait in the bath?” Kora asked the bath attendant.

  “You may depart at your leisure. The palace is open to you until you are called before the throne. Do not leave by any gate that is barred until you have kowtowed before the throne,” a woman’s voice said.

  The girls exchanged looks, then opened the door and left the women’s bath house.

  Six women stood in attendance. Each was dressed in silk robes. Three were young, three were old, although even the older women were beautiful.

  “Where would the young mistresses like to go?” the women asked in unison. It was slightly eerie, clearly practiced.

  Kora thought for a moment, then asked to use the library.

  Ko thought for a moment, then asked for something to eat. They were separated, and one was brought to the kitchen, while the other was brought to the library.

  The next time they saw Tan, he was the crowned emperor of the Blue Dragon Empire.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  ~~~~~~

  Outside the palace, the crowd was eagerly awaiting the next act of the show. Abruptly, lightning struck the gatehouse of the palace, and everyone ran to get into position for the next act. There was much shuffling and shoving as everyone struggled to get the best view. Unfortunately, many children were sent to the back, as the adults were just as enthusiastic to see the next act of the play as they were.

  “Here me, I say, here me! I have been forced once more to change the name of the play which has been put on display for today. By imperial decree, the name of the play is now ‘The Children of Heaven!’”

  The crowd began to cheer.

  Lightning struck the guardhouse again. “I have been visited by a child. I did make a bargain with him. In exchange for the use of his milk name, I have been given the use of the sun. When this boy hears his milk name, he shall be compelled to kowtow before his master. Let none ye dare doubt the name of his master. I say now the boy’s imperial name. I say the name, Tanshen Shenlong!”

  The crowd erupted into cheers.

  “I say to thee now the name of the once emperor. I call him by his milk name, so that he may hear me and come forth. I call the name, Hao. Let anyone in the audience whose name is Hao stand and ascend to the throne.”

  Not a single person tried to sit on the throne.

  “Let the emperor of the day appear! I call him by his imperial name! I call the name, TANSHEN SHENLONG!”

  The crowd awaited. Some of them realized what was happening, others remained in ignorance, but only those with noble blood were disturbed by the revelation.

  “I call again, TANSHEN SHENLONG! Will the boy named TANSHEN SHENLONG appear!”

  The audience waited, patiently, for someone to appear.

  “It seems that the heavens grant me use of the sun, for Tanshen Shenlong does not object. As the emperor of the Blue Dragon Empire, I will seal this bargain with imperial blood. Those who wish to dispute my use of the sun shall be invited appear before the imperial throne. They may appear before the front gate and—”

  “Wait! Sorry I’m late, I was getting dressed,” A boy shouted.

  Flying out from the palace came a thirteen year old boy. He was dressed in silks, he wore a ring upon each hand, and he was freshly bathed. The crowd recognized the boy and roared with approval.

  “Oh, it seems that someone does object to my use of the sun after all,” The emperor of the Blue Dragon Empire said. “Tell me, child, what is your name?”

  “I have been bid to speak only my imperial name,” the boy said, and his voice, who stood next to the throne, repeated the words that he spoke.

  “Who bid you to never again speak your milk name?” The emperor asked.

  The boy, who floated in the sky, said “My uncle asked me to only use my milk name in private. I am to use my imperial name in public. I’m still a little confused about this entire thing, but I am told that it’s an old family tradition.”

  Pao repeated the words faithfully.

  “I see. Well, you are right on that account. I ask you to ascend the throne of the blue dragon empire. Will you perform this service for me?”

  “You want me to sit on that throne there?” Tan asked.

  “Yes. If you shall do that service for me, then I shall name you the emperor of the day. We’ll work out the details later.”

  “I’m still not certain that I want to be emperor at all,” the boy said, and Pao repeated the words.

  “That’s okay. We have until the sun sets to change our mind. Will you sit upon the throne until we finish the bargain?” the emperor of the Blue Dragon Empire bid.

  “Sure, if you really want me to,” the boy said. He flew down and sat on the throne of the Blue Dragon Empire as Pao repeated his words. The moment he sat down, the audience cheered.

  “I name now the emperor of the day! Proclaim his name with me! Proclaim it to the heavens!” the emperor shouted.

  The audience roared the name “Tanshen Shenlong!” into the sky.

  “Well then, it seems that I am without a throne at the moment,” the emperor of the Blue Dragon Empire admitted. “I would ask you of one more thing, Tanshen Shenlong. Will you permit this old emperor to kowtow before your throne?”

  “What?” Tan asked.

  “I am asking permission to kowtow before your throne,” Renton Shen repeated.

  “Is it important?” Tan asked.

  “I wish to serve the emperor of the day. Will you permit me this honor, Tanshen Shenlong? We can worry about the paperwork later,” Renton asked as the crowd cheered and shouted the boy’s name.

  “I’m sorry, what was that? I didn’t hear you,” Tan said, and Pao shouted his words to be heard over the crowd.

  “Your emperor bids you be silent!” the emperor of the blue dragon empire shouted, and lightning struck the guardhouse. “Be Silent, be silent, your emperor bid you be silent!”

  Slowly, the crowd settled down.

  “To answer the question of the emperor of the day, I have given you my throne. Because this throne is yours, I require a new one to be built. Let none say that I am not a fair emperor of the night! Will you permit me to kowtow before the throne of the day?”

  Tan was silent. “Okay, fine. You can kowtow before my throne.”

  “Hear ye, hear ye, you shall now see the emperor of the Blue Dragon Empire kowtow before the throne of the day! Let all bear witness!”

  Renton Shen then climbed down off the guard tower, he walked through the crowd, which parted for him, and he took off his mask. He took off his rings, his cloak, his shirt and his pants. Dressed only in a modesty garment which covered him from his navel to his mid-thigh, he kowtowed before the throne where he had sat in judgment.

  While the crowd cheered.

  Lightning struck the guard tower once more. It struck, and it struck, and it struck, and it struck.

  “I ask ye, emperor of the day, what is my name?” Renton Shen asked.

  Tan Shen answered, Pao, acting as his voice, shouted the name “Renton! Your name is Renton! This is the name that you are known to by the emperor of the day!”

  “I accept this name from the emperor of the day. Let nobody say that I am not humble, for I appear before the throne and kowtow before another emperor humbly, dressed only in modesty, and without pride. I serve the will of the emperor of the day. I call him by his name. I call the name Tanshen Shenlong!”

  The crowd cheered as the emperor kowtowed to his throne.

  “Now then, Tanshen Shenlong, will you walk with me? I would like to show you my home,” Renton said.

  “Yeah, okay,” Tan Shen said, and he got off the throne.

  “Pao, would you do me a favor and keep his seat warm for him?” Renton said.

  “Tanshen hears the voice of the emperor of the Blue Dragon Empire and his voice obeys. He sits upon the throne of the blue dragon empire, but leaves his voice behind!” Pao shouted.

  Then, dressed humbly in the clothes of a farmer, Pao satt upon the throne of the Blue Dragon Empire.

  The crowd cheered and they laughed and they called the name Pao! Over and over and over again.

  Tan was seen walking with his uncle, who was dressed in only a simple modesty garment, as they entered the palace and began went for a walk.

  The nobles realized what had happened. Many of them simply accepted that they had been bested, while others began to plot. Pao sat upon the throne and the children of the empire continued to shout his name at the top of their lungs.

  He sat there for three hours. He said not one word. The children of the empire, steeped in the traditions and ways of the imperial capital, began to understand what was happening, but few of them really understood the significance of it. Those who did understand didn’t really object, because why would they?

  The establishment of a day and night emperor was an old tradition, but it had been popular once. It was simply a way of preparing a child to rule an empire by giving them the taste of authority without the actual weight of it. Tanshen Shenlong could make edicts, but only those ratified by the emperor of the night would become law. He could change traditions, more or less on his own, but the adult emperor could change them back or override them.

  The emperor had announced his heir. This was universally met with applause.

  Except for those of noble blood.

  ?