Warring States by Mags L Halliday

Author:Mags L Halliday [Halliday, Mags L]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Book, Novel, Prose
Goodreads: 2336689
Publisher: Mad Norwegian Press
Published: 2005-06-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

The man was standing in the doorway, one hand idly resting on the hilt of his sword. His proud brows and mouth were rough brush-strokes of darkness in the shaded light.

‘I thought it belonged to her most imperial majesty,’ Liu said, ‘yet here it rests with lowly Han scholars’ words.’

Meng smiled, and she knew then that he intended to turn the chaos in the streets to his own personal gain. He smiled like a tiger thinking it had cornered a fox, like the traders who thought they had cheated her father or the hateful men who had beaten down the Spring. This was not the brief summer storm of Prince Tuan but the long northern winter, cold, bitter and unrelenting.

‘We are in dangerous times, Liu Hui Ying. The most venerable Dowager Empress has many vital matters of the people to attend to, and I do not wish to burden her further with these trifling matters. When the war is over, she will greet the return of her most sacred ancestors to the Zijin Cheng with all honour.’

‘And she will lavish praise and rewards on the servants who bring them to her?’

‘Of course. Once the foreign devils are driven out, then we can rejoice in the restoration of the Dragon Throne’s most ancient past.’

‘This is Han, Commander Meng.’

‘The Han cling to false springs, their fortunes changing with the seasons. We are the ever-lasting Qing.’

Liu instinctively stepped back as Meng strode into the room. The crackle of fire, which she had thought was part of the casket’s strange inducement, had grown louder; now she realised the fire was somewhere below.

‘Hasn’t the earth dried up?’ she asked. ‘Don’t the people starve in the countryside? Is it not a sign that the dynasty is no longer in harmony with the land, Commander Meng?’

He smirked at her, but she caught his quick glance towards the shutters beyond her. The room was growing lighter, and there was a steady roar now, like a waterfall in the next valley. She could feel the heat at her back, tendrils of cool air whipping past her.

Meng’s eyes returned to hers. He watched for the first indication of her move, just as she watched for his.

‘Your Han knowledge burns, Liu. Soon you will all be ashes to be swept away.’

They lunged for the casket simultaneously. His heavy steps made the floor thunder, and his hands ripped the casket away from the corpse before she could reach it. She leapt at him, her nails catching at his cheek. Clasping the casket in one hand, he backhanded her with the other. Her block was too slow; she saw it, but her muscles refused to react. She lifted clean off the floor and smashed into an embroidered wall hanging. It tore free under the impact, and she tumbled clumsily, half-wrapped in silk.

She saw Meng turning away towards the inner door, without another glance towards her. It took her long, frustrating moments to free herself from the material. Even as she crawled clear

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