Qin: Dragon Emperor of China by Brian Godawa

Author:Brian Godawa [Godawa, Brian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781942858553
Google: vhHeygEACAAJ
Amazon: 1942858558
Publisher: Warrior Poet Publishing
Published: 2019-11-05T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

The imperial carriage was accompanied by its usual caravan-entourage on a road leading toward a stone quarry just outside the city. Inside, Antiochus, Balthazar and the emperor rode in the royal comforts of silken cushions and a strange suspension system under the wheels that afforded them a soft ride. A palace guard of twenty followed them discreetly at a distance. But what concerned Antiochus most was that Wu Shu sat with the carriage driver up front.

Antiochus had had just enough time alone with Balthazar to discuss their options and prepare for their fate. As long as the emperor was foolish enough not to bind them, and to be so close to them, they would return his favor, by concealing daggers to cut his throat the second they opened the door to an armed Wu Shu awaiting them. Antiochus was an expert with weapons himself, but without a comparable sword in his hand, he knew he didn’t stand a chance against the emperor’s champion.

It made sense to Antiochus that they would be executed quietly outside the city, where Mei Li could not protest and they could not call upon their other magi for help.

Balthazar had made the mad suggestion to take the emperor hostage, but to what hope? They were in the heart of the East, thousands of miles from home. It was a dragon that their king wanted, and the emperor was now bringing them to that beast, as they had asked.

The emperor stared at Antiochus as if he knew his thoughts. “This bastard son of the king that you spoke of, do you think that if that son were to have a dragon, it would gain him the approval of the people?”

Antiochus stared back. The emperor knew his secret. He had to. Antiochus responded in kind, “Does a dragon gain an emperor the approval of the people?”

Huang Di smiled. “No. For if the people were to discover that their emperor was the son of, say, a servant in the kingdom, rather than the emperor’s own seed, no dragon would be large enough to help him exercise the power he needed to rule. That is why such an emperor would never reveal his true identity and origin.”

Antiochus thought the analogy sounded too personal to the emperor, as if he were implying it of himself. Was this what Mei Li had meant when she said that Antiochus had more in common with the emperor than he realized? Could this be his own secret offered as an act of diplomacy? Ch’in Shih Huang Di was a bastard son as well?

The emperor concluded, “Dragons die as do emperors. A ruler can only reign through fear for so long before that fear crumbles beneath the weight of the people.”

Balthazar now spoke up, “Power must be given, it cannot be taken.”

The emperor smiled at him—like a snake. Balthazar feared he may have been too bold in his declaration to this tyrant.

“Ah,” said the emperor. “But power can only come from the living, not the dead.

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