not the only barrier that stands between Wu Min and the sea,” Hüi said. He found his anger draining away and sat down at a safe distance from the girl—boy. “You appear intelligent enough. Why did you lend yourself to this plot?”
“Lend myself? What choice did I have? A certain death awaits me either way, but I would extend my time in this world as long as possible. At home I was closely guarded. If I had tried to run away, my brother would have killed me then and enjoyed it.” Lan’xiu shuddered. “I should prefer a clean, swift death by your sword to enduring the long, painful tortures he tells me he has devised for me.”
“And those calluses on your hand?”
“My eunuch, Ning, is a sword master. He thought I should learn to defend myself.”
“Or assassinate me?”
“The swords are not within this room, my Lord. You may search if you choose, but you will not find any weapon here.”
“So, you smuggled them in when you arrived.” Hüi arose and strode to the door, bellowing, “Ning!”
The eunuch appeared so promptly, it was evident he had not followed the orders to retreat.
“I thought I told you to go downstairs.” Lan glared at him.
“I was still on the stairs, on my way down,” Ning said defensively, glaring back.
“As slow as a tortoise in winter.”
“You didn’t give me a specific time by which I had to arrive downstairs.”
“You should have been a lawyer,” Lan said.
Hüi’s lips twitched at the interplay between the two. Evidently, even imminent death couldn’t seem to interrupt their accustomed bickering. “Bring her—her Ladyship’s sword, Ning, if you please.”
Ning’s mouth dropped open in alarm, and he glanced at Lan’xiu for guidance.
“You heard my Lord. He gave you an order,” Lan’xiu said.
Ning went and returned quickly, holding a delicately engraved sword with both hands.
“Give it to he—him,” Hüi ordered.
Lan stood up and held out his hand. Ning put the sword into it and then wheeled to face Hüi. “You’ll have to go through me to get to her!” he said defiantly, clenching his fists.
“Ning, you fool,” Lan said, his voice exasperated but fond at the same time.
“That will present no difficulty, seeing as I am holding a sword and you are not,” Hüi pointed out.
“Ning, go away!” Lan put his hand on Ning’s shoulder. “If the fates intend me to die tonight, then let me die with honor. I will not hide behind you.”
“Oh, Lan’xiu!” The misery in the eunuch’s voice touched Hüi, and pity moved within him as Ning sank down on his knees to kiss Lan’s hand. Then the eunuch stood up and cleared his throat, saying, “Fight well as I taught you. Don’t let him have it all his own way. Let your sword taste his blood even if he kills you at the last!”
“Get out of here, you bloodthirsty little demon,” Lan said. He gave Ning a push. “Go now. Go quickly. All the way downstairs.”
Glaring at Hüi, Ning circled him and left the room, closing the door.
Both Lan and Hüi waited for the sound of his footsteps on the stairs to fade away.
“My Lord, grant me one wish whether you slay me or not?” Lan’xiu asked anxiously.
“What is it?” Hüi asked a little impatiently.
“When you kill me, I beg of you, let Shu Ning live. He is a mere eunuch. He can do you no harm. He came here to serve me, knowing it would mean his death as well as mine. However much I value his faithfulness, death would be a poor reward for his loyalty.”
Hüi considered for a moment. “Very well. I will not guarantee that he may remain here in my city, but I will spare him as a boon to you.” Then Hüi raised his sword. “At your pleasure.”
“I will be yours in a moment.”
Unaccountably, Hüi found himself wishing that could be true, and he watched as Lan set down his sword and tied his hair back before tucking the hem of his hanfu into his sash to free his legs. Then the boy picked up the sword as if he was familiar with its heft
“Lend myself? What choice did I have? A certain death awaits me either way, but I would extend my time in this world as long as possible. At home I was closely guarded. If I had tried to run away, my brother would have killed me then and enjoyed it.” Lan’xiu shuddered. “I should prefer a clean, swift death by your sword to enduring the long, painful tortures he tells me he has devised for me.”
“And those calluses on your hand?”
“My eunuch, Ning, is a sword master. He thought I should learn to defend myself.”
“Or assassinate me?”
“The swords are not within this room, my Lord. You may search if you choose, but you will not find any weapon here.”
“So, you smuggled them in when you arrived.” Hüi arose and strode to the door, bellowing, “Ning!”
The eunuch appeared so promptly, it was evident he had not followed the orders to retreat.
“I thought I told you to go downstairs.” Lan glared at him.
“I was still on the stairs, on my way down,” Ning said defensively, glaring back.
“As slow as a tortoise in winter.”
“You didn’t give me a specific time by which I had to arrive downstairs.”
“You should have been a lawyer,” Lan said.
Hüi’s lips twitched at the interplay between the two. Evidently, even imminent death couldn’t seem to interrupt their accustomed bickering. “Bring her—her Ladyship’s sword, Ning, if you please.”
Ning’s mouth dropped open in alarm, and he glanced at Lan’xiu for guidance.
“You heard my Lord. He gave you an order,” Lan’xiu said.
Ning went and returned quickly, holding a delicately engraved sword with both hands.
“Give it to he—him,” Hüi ordered.
Lan stood up and held out his hand. Ning put the sword into it and then wheeled to face Hüi. “You’ll have to go through me to get to her!” he said defiantly, clenching his fists.
“Ning, you fool,” Lan said, his voice exasperated but fond at the same time.
“That will present no difficulty, seeing as I am holding a sword and you are not,” Hüi pointed out.
“Ning, go away!” Lan put his hand on Ning’s shoulder. “If the fates intend me to die tonight, then let me die with honor. I will not hide behind you.”
“Oh, Lan’xiu!” The misery in the eunuch’s voice touched Hüi, and pity moved within him as Ning sank down on his knees to kiss Lan’s hand. Then the eunuch stood up and cleared his throat, saying, “Fight well as I taught you. Don’t let him have it all his own way. Let your sword taste his blood even if he kills you at the last!”
“Get out of here, you bloodthirsty little demon,” Lan said. He gave Ning a push. “Go now. Go quickly. All the way downstairs.”
Glaring at Hüi, Ning circled him and left the room, closing the door.
Both Lan and Hüi waited for the sound of his footsteps on the stairs to fade away.
“My Lord, grant me one wish whether you slay me or not?” Lan’xiu asked anxiously.
“What is it?” Hüi asked a little impatiently.
“When you kill me, I beg of you, let Shu Ning live. He is a mere eunuch. He can do you no harm. He came here to serve me, knowing it would mean his death as well as mine. However much I value his faithfulness, death would be a poor reward for his loyalty.”
Hüi considered for a moment. “Very well. I will not guarantee that he may remain here in my city, but I will spare him as a boon to you.” Then Hüi raised his sword. “At your pleasure.”
“I will be yours in a moment.”
Unaccountably, Hüi found himself wishing that could be true, and he watched as Lan set down his sword and tied his hair back before tucking the hem of his hanfu into his sash to free his legs. Then the boy picked up the sword as if he was familiar with its heft
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