China by Edward Rutherfurd (historical books to read TXT) 📕

“I expect he did,” I said.

“I heard the whole court went with him,” he went on. “Are you sure the Noble Consort didn’t go, too?”

“You don’t understand,” I told him. “The emperor doesn’t want her anywhere near him.”

“Is it such a good idea for you to serve her, then?” he asked me.

“It would be a worse idea if I didn’t,” I replied.

“Well,” he said, “if Prince Gong’s in charge, he’s going to have a difficult time. Everyone’s panicking because the emperor’s run off. The troops are saying they haven’t been paid. Not even their rice rations. I wouldn’t be surprised if they deserted.”

“Perhaps we should get you away from Beijing,” I said.

“Where would we go?” my father replied. “And even if twenty thousand barbarian troops did get into Beijing, the population’s so huge, I doubt they’d be much of a danger to us.”

Come to that, I thought, my father would be sure to find some way to make himself useful to the barbarians, just as he did with everyone else.

—

I was up before dawn on the day I was due back, and though I was sorry to leave my family, I was quite excited by the thought of the adventure north of the Great Wall.

The city gates were open. The guards seemed half asleep. One would never have guessed there was a barbarian army just a few miles away as I made my way along the lane that led to the Summer Palace. When I finally reached the entrance, I could hear the sentry in the guardhouse snoring, which I didn’t think much of, because the sky was getting light. But I walked in and made my way around the Front Lake towards the eunuchs’ quarters, passing the enclosure where Mr. Ma kept his penzai trees. He wasn’t there yet.

I don’t know what I’d expected to find at that hour: a few early risers; a line of carts loaded up and ready to leave? Something, anyway. But all I saw were the silent pavilions. They were beautiful, of course, with their curving roofs floating over the mist on the lake behind. But somehow they looked sad and empty.

I went straight to the entrance of the eunuchs’ quarters and turned into the main passage. The first thing I saw was the big ornamental sword in its usual place on the wall, with its hilt gleaming on account of all the rubies. That cheered me up.

And then what should I see but Mr. Ma coming up the passage towards me. “I wondered where you were,” he said.

“With my family,” I answered. “I’m going north with the Noble Consort Yi today.”

“I don’t think you are,” he said. “She left three days ago with the emperor.”

“How can that be?” I said. “Where’s Mr. Liu? I need to speak to him.”

“He left three days ago with all the rest,” said Mr. Ma. “They all went together. He left Shaking Leaf in charge. Everyone was looking for you,” he added. “Mr. Liu said you must have deserted. The Noble Consort was furious. She told him she never wanted to see you again.”

“But he told me she wouldn’t be leaving until today,” I protested, “and that I was to go and see my family in the meantime.”

The old man stared at me silently. “So he’s had his revenge,” he said quietly. “I told you he would. Got your hopes up and then destroyed you.”

I realized it even before he finished. You had to admire Mr. Liu. He could mask his feelings completely and bide his time. But when he struck, he was implacable.

“I’ll go after them,” I said.

“That won’t do you any good,” Mr. Ma told me. “They’re already three days away.”

“Yes, but with all the baggage carts, they won’t be going very fast,” I pointed out. “Maybe I can catch them up.”

“And then what?”

“I’ll tell the Noble Consort what really happened.”

He thought for a moment. “Did anyone see you arrive?” he asked. I told him no. “Then come with me quickly,” he said. “We’ve got to get you out of sight.”

It didn’t take long before we were inside the enclosure where he kept his trees.

“What’s all this about?” I asked.

“Mr. Liu’s given orders that as soon as you arrive, you’re to be arrested.”

“For what?”

“Absconding. Desertion. You’ll be kept in jail until the court returns. That could be months. And he’s put out orders that you’re to be arrested if you’re seen on the road or in the city.”

“What shall I do?” I asked.

“I suggest, at this moment, that you hide in the park here. Don’t let a soul see you. Wait until dark, then come back here, and we’ll make a plan.”

As I didn’t see any other option, I did as he said. It wasn’t too difficult to hide. The park was huge and hardly anyone was about. After darkness fell, I made my way back to Mr. Ma’s enclosure. He had plenty of news.

“Poor Shaking Leaf. When you didn’t appear this morning, he sent three eunuchs to your house to find you. Naturally, they learned that you’d gone to the Summer Palace. So he looked around and couldn’t find you. He was in a terrible flap. ‘Where can he be?’ he says to me. I should think it’s obvious, I told him. He probably discovered on his way that none of the court is left here, so he’s gone racing up the road to the Great Wall to try and catch them. ‘But he’ll be arrested,’ Shaking Leaf protests. But he doesn’t know that, I reminded him. I bet you that’s where he’s gone.”

“That’s what I was going to do,” I said.

“Exactly. And he looked quite relieved, because he wouldn’t have to arrest you and guard you for months himself. He told me something else, too. When the royal party reaches the Great Wall, Mr. Liu is going to order the guards to arrest you at once if you show up there.”

“He thinks of everything,” I muttered.

“Well,” Mr. Ma continued, “I’ll