Jackal Among Snakes

During the musical performance, Argrave didn’t exchange further words with Governor Zen’s group or the emperor. Their sitting arrangement dictated they needed to speak loudly to be heard, and it would be rude to shout over the performance. They would have the chance to speak again once the next performer was setting up.

The first meal was served on raised trays placed in front of their sitting pillows, chopsticks as the utensil. Elenore had people watching the kitchens, ensuring no poison graced their dishes. The eunuch displayed a gigantic egg as large as Argrave’s head as he explained their first course came from giant birds in the hills and savannas of the far north where barbarians roamed. The egg had been processed into many rolls small enough to be eaten in one bite, doused in a reddish sauce, then crowned with exotic spices. It rather set the luxurious tone for the meals that were to come later in the day.

Argrave demonstrated to Anneliese and his brother how to use chopsticks, and then they watched the first musical performance. It had been a long time since Argrave enjoyed the company of music. At best Argrave would hear drumming, singing, or the odd flute in Vasquer, but those were few and far between.

Lady Zen Yue played her guzheng extremely artfully as they ate. The music itself, at times fast and others slow and somber, didn’t stir Argrave. He’d seen the refinement of music over centuries, all the way from orchestras to jazz and rock, so perhaps his palate was simply different. Still, to see her hands glide atop the flat-lying stringed instrument and pluck the strings without accident or error gave him some appreciation of the artistry. When she was done he thought to clap, but no one else did so he remained silent.

Lady Yue rose to her feet and bowed to the emperor, saying, “Thank you for the honor, son of heaven.” When she raised her head again, however, she was looking at Argrave. “May I ask if the Grand Commandant Sun enjoyed my performance?”

Argrave was caught off guard, but had repose enough to not blurt something out immediately. He said diplomatically, “It’s clear you’ve spent years practicing.”

He hadn’t really said anything at all, but the lady’s cheeks grew red and she acted demurely as the servants who’d helped her bring her guzheng to the room now helped her leave the same way. Argrave felt suspicion bubble. Was that what this was? Would Zen send the women of his house up one-by-one, each demonstrating their talents, to gauge Argrave’s interests? Looking at Anneliese, he could tell that was the case. He’d never really seen her be jealous, or possessive… until now, that was, as she realized what this day was to be. An exhibition, with Argrave as the buyer.

“So, Grand Commandant,” Governor Zen spoke up as they had idle time in between performances. “You’ve seen for yourself how the Great Chu survives, even amidst turmoil, haven’t you? I would rather liken this great nation—no, this country’s people—to the earth beneath our feet. The suns rise, the moon takes its place each night… yet the earth is constant as they fight on high.”

“Should I take that as metaphor?” Argrave raised his brows.

“Yes,” Zen said flatly, then ate from his plate. “A metaphor I hope I amply conveyed to the emperor.”

It was a message both to Argrave, and to the supposedly untamed emperor—the message being, simply put, that the Great Chu was not its leaders alone, neither sun nor moon.

“How long did it take you to think of those words?” Ji Meng looked at him. “Was it during that performance, Govenor Zen, or have you been holding onto them for days, waiting to say them like an upstart poet?”

The governor only smiled at Ji Meng’s cruel mockery. “The canals, the stone buildings, the metal statues—they can be destroyed, they can be built, or they can simply erode over the passage of time. People sustain the empire, not this palace—the idea of the Great Chu keeps it alive. You can’t change the ideas that people hold as you can wreck buildings or erect them high. The Great Chu is a system. It is the single greatest nation that has ever existed, but it’s also a mere system. This system requires certain parts—replaceable parts. Ultimately, it’s neither you nor I that truly decide which parts end up fitting where. It’s the people’s idea of what belongs.”

The next act of the musical performances came up, and a silence descended between them as a concert of four musicians played—a flutist, another stringed instrument, two drums… but the whole time, Argrave was anxiously awaiting its end that the conversation might continue.

“All those words for a pretty way of saying, ‘fall in line, or I’ll end you,’” the emperor cut into Zen concisely once the music stopped. “We understand people, Governor Zen. If we didn’t know people, we’d have been face down in the mud many decades ago, trampled under the feet of armies we raised. You never get the measure of a man better when you watch him kill.” Ji Meng’s gaze fell upon Argrave, then switched to Zen. “We never got your measure, governor. But that’s measurement enough. Could you make men die for you, or your grandsons? Look at them.” Ji Meng gestured lightly toward where some people who resembled the emperor sat—his sons, without a doubt.

it.” Governor Zen dared to look back at the emperor. “To be a functional emperor, you need a functioning empire. My family, like the Great Chu, is a system—a set of ideas. It so happens many pivotal parts of both systems line up rather nicely. You can see many of them, here, today. We can choke the gears until people

had planned Governor Zen had shown a vast number of the cards in his hand in an attempt to cow the ‘untamed’ emperor. Provided they were doing their

system to worsen, so let

moved around and atop each other with extreme grace as the blue silk flags whirled about, taking shapes of dragons and people and all manner of symbols. It was one of the more impressive performances. After, the

Ji Meng stared Governor Zen down. “Parts removed,

if detected on Amazon,

eve of the calamity?” Anneliese pointed out. “We’ve already demonstrated the capacity to endure risk. We’re in the heart of your nation, our armies whole and healthy and supported. At worst, we return home with casualties. But

silent. Argrave felt this little performance of theirs

intend to enjoy at least some of these performances,” the emperor

individual present here actually did. Nikoletta was proving an incredibly useful card—pretty enough and Argrave’s blood relative, the scions of the Zen and Ji families were all too eager to tell her exactly what they

eleven more performances in relative silence. Seven were solo acts, playing classics of the Great Chu with instruments or singing. They were all quite talented—in the Great Chu, it seemed, women were encouraged to pursued artistry. He saw people actually crying in

took countless directions. Two young women gifted Argrave a painting, while one other gave him a personally woven handkerchief with his personal heraldry. One girl offered to serve his

not to him, but to Anneliese. It was an ivory sculpture of a cat with ambers for eyes—a representation of Anneliese, no doubt. The girl claimed to have sculpted it herself, while a jeweler set in the gems. Anneliese detected

There was a quaint performance with puppets midway through, though, that was his favorite. The puppeteer used cutouts behind a veil alongside bright light to create a fascinating effect where he could see only the cutouts, not the ones manipulating them. It was very strange when Argrave realized this was his story—it was the tale that they’d spread, where Ji Meng and Argrave fought, he was defeated,

decent enough time with the performances, but even still he was glad when the eunuch declared that the last performer had come through. It was time, now, for the tour of the palace grounds. The silence and quiet enjoyment

Meng declared unilaterally, “Governor, Grand Commandant. We will consult with

left, escorted by palace guards and a heavy contingent of eunuchs. Argrave and Anneliese received an offer of

I would show the Grand Commandant and his

young girl flinched instinctively. “Ji Li, walk with Prince Orion. And

was only when she was released that she walked up to Orion and offered her hand. “If it pleases, I would show you

Orion took her hand lightly. “Very well. It may be awkward walking with elaborate garments. I might

the unexpected offer. Argrave instructed him, “I think it might be uncomfortable to do that on the second meeting,

nodded. “If that is

Orion briefly, then looked at Governor Zen. “I’ll be along in a second. Just want

“Definitely,” the empress agreed.

with some people, Nikoletta nearby as the heart of

greeting. “Want