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.The old lord was beginning to doubt the wisdom of this decision.Shou nobles did not fear death nearly as much as they feared dying like cowards.Yesterday, one young lord had actually suggested mounting a suicidal charge before the pengs grew too weak to fight.To Hsuang's alarm, several wiser nobles had voiced support for the young man's idea.The commander wondered how long it would be before the rest of the lords urged him to choose battle over starvation.Considering their restlessness, Hsuang decided it would be wise to allow his men some fun at the barbarians' expense—providing it didn't cost too many arrows.Turning to his subordinates, he said, "On further thought, I think Tzu Cheng is right: we should make the Tuigan pay for our misery.Each of you may select ten archers.Give each archer four arrows.We will see which of our armies kills the most barbarians."The nobles all smiled and voiced their approval.Within seconds, each lord was laying wagers that his archers would kill more barbarians than those of any other army.Cheng approached Hsuang."A wise decision," said the scar-eyed lord."By tomorrow, our men may be too weak to pull their bows.""Let us hope they remain strong a few days longer than that," Hsuang countered, catching the tzu's eyes with a meaningful gaze."I am confident that help will arrive soon."Before Cheng could respond, a sentry knocked on the stairway door."My lords, it is most urgent!" he called.Hsuang cast an eye out the tower window to see if the enemy had moved.The fires on the knoll were smoking more than previously, but the Tuigan appeared no closer to attack than they had been at dawn."A messenger from Tai Tung has passed through the enemy lines!" the sentry added.An incredulous murmur rustled through the room.Hsuang called, "Bring him in."The door opened and the guard escorted an exhausted man wearing a purple, dust-covered waitao into the room.Though he had more flesh on his bones than the soldiers of the noble armies, the man looked every bit as drained.His face was pale and weary.Blood seeped down his brow from beneath a fresh bandage on his head.Hsuang stepped forward to greet the messenger, but Tzu Cheng held out a restraining arm."For all we know, this man is a barbarian assassin."The old noble gently pushed Cheng's arm aside."This is no barbarian," he said."This is my steward."The sentry's eyes widened in shock.Glancing at the wound over Xeng's brow, the soldier bowed."Forgive me, Tzu Hsuang.Your steward knocked at my gate, but when we opened it, there was nothing there.We saw a blur entering the city, and thought he was an enemy spy!""It is only a cut, and there is nothing to apologize for," Xeng said to the soldier.He turned to his father."It was my fault, Tzu Hsuang.I should have identified myself."Though he did not feel as magnanimous as his steward, Hsuang dismissed the guard without punishment.He turned to Xeng, forgetting himself and holding out his arms to embrace his son.Fortunately, the younger man suffered no such lapse of decorum and simply bowed to the lord.Flushing at his slip, Hsuang returned the gesture of courtesy."I am both happy and sad that you have come, Xeng," the old noble said."Seeing you again gives me joy, but I regret that you now share our danger""There is nothing to regret, Tzu Hsuang," responded Xeng, using his dusty sleeve to wipe a trickle of blood from his brow."When I left the summer palace, I knew your circumstances.It was my choice to join you."As the steward spoke, his knees began to wobble and he looked as if he might collapse."Perhaps you should sit," Hsuang said, directing his son to one of the benches along the room's stark walls.After Xeng was seated, Hsuang asked, "What are you doing here? Why aren't you watching over your mother and Wu?"Xeng looked away."I failed," he said."They're dead."Hsuang studied his son for a long moment, unable to comprehend what he was hearing."Who? Who's dead?""Everyone," the steward replied, still unable to meet his father's gaze."Ting Mei Wan killed them all."The old lord backed away as if withdrawing from a leper's presence."What are you saying?""I couldn't save them," Xeng said, his voice weak with grief.Hsuang finally grasped what his son had come to tell him.His eyes grew vacant and glassy, as if his spirit had fled his body."Ji and Yo?" he asked hopefully."I have heard that your grandchildren did not suffer.Ting had that much mercy."Hsuang's knees buckled.He would have fallen had Cheng not caught him and helped him to the bench.Though the pained tzu found the strength to keep from crying out or sobbing, he could do nothing else but stare into empty space.Finally, the old noble asked, "Why?"Xeng turned to face his father."Before she was killed, Lady Wu asked me to deliver this to the emperor." He withdrew an ebony tube from his robe and gave it to his father.Hsuang took it, then removed two papers from inside.The first was Wu's letter to the emperor.It explained how she had come by the second paper, which was Ting Mei Wan's report to the "Illustrious Emperor of All Peoples."When he finished reading, Hsuang looked up.In a quivering voice, he told the other nobles what the letters contained.After the murmur of astonishment died away, the old lord asked his son, "Why did you bring these to Shou Kuan?" Though he did not intend it to, his voice held a note of reproach.Xeng's lips dropped into a mortified frown."I didn't know what else to do.Minister Ting's soldiers had surrounded the emperor, and she was searching for me in every corner of the summer palace.""You could have hidden anywhere in Shou Lung!" Hsuang yelled, his grief finally overcoming his self-control."What good do you expect these letters to do here?"At Hsuang's outburst, the other nobles uncomfortably shifted their glances to the wall and stood motionless.Xeng looked at the floor."I failed you."The old noble regarded Xeng for many moments, sorry that he had taken his anguish out on his son.Finally, Hsuang rolled the papers and returned them to the tube."No," the old noble said, grasping Xeng's shoulder."You haven't failed me, but you will return these letters to the summer palace.See that they reach the emperor.Ting Mei Wan must pay for her crimes.""He's wounded!" Tzu Cheng objected."He won't last a day!"Hsuang looked at his son with demanding eyes."My steward is a strong man" he said."Tzu Hsuang," Cheng said, daring to meet his commander's severe gaze, "in your grief, you are asking too much of your servant.It is a wonder he reached us at all.That he could pass back through the enemy lines wounded is unthinkable."Xeng returned to his feet."I will try, if that is what my lord wishes."Hsuang gave the ebony tube to his son."That is what I wish," he said.The old noble was not being callous or cruel.Hsuang could not bear the thought of his son being in Shou Kuan if the city happened to fall before Batu arrived."Unless you wish your servant to flee during battle, it may not be possible to fulfill your wish, Tzu Hsuang," said one of the young nans.He was looking out the tower window."What do you mean?" Hsuang asked, stepping to the nan's side.There was no need for the nan to answer.On top of the knoll, two thousand barbarians sat astride their horses.A stiff wind was carrying the smoke from the cooking fires directly over the city wall, partially obscuring Hsuang's view.However, he could see well enough to know that the horse-warriors wore armor and held bows in their hands.Beyond the knoll, at a distance of three hundred yards, a dark band encircled the city.Hsuang had no doubt that he was looking at the rest of the barbarian army.As the lord studied the enemy, a short man carrying a white truce flag separated from the group on the hill.The messenger spurred his horse forward, stopping within thirty yards of the bell tower.Though the rider wore a fine suit of barbarian armor, his features were slender, with smoothly rounded cheekbones
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