Lin awoke to the sound of rustling silk. Her sleepy awakening was quickly overtaken by a sense of rising panic. That was right, she had been caught on her way to the Emperor’s chambers. She blinked, her eyes taking time to adjust to the flickering light of the paper lanterns.

She was lying on the wooden floor of what seemed to be a large study, her hands bound together in front of her by iron chains. Wooden bookshelves lined the walls, each one crammed full of bamboo scrolls.

In the centre of the study was a low wooden desk piled high with documents, as well as a comfortable chair decked with pillows. Sitting in the chair was the Emperor Huo himself, dressed not in his yellow court robes, but something more comfortable and easy to move in.

Dismay turned to confusion. She hadn’t been locked away in the dungeons for her mistake? And the Emperor himself was here?

The Emperor glanced up dismissively from where he was reading a bamboo scroll similar to the ones collected on the shelves.

“And so the intruder awakes…What do you have to say for yourself?”

“Your…Majesty?”

“You must be surprised. I know I would be,” he said lazily, his head resting on his hand. His silken robes trailed all the way down to the floor where his foot tapped slowly against the floorboards, a mere few inches away from Lin’s face.

“I suppose I am… Why am I here?”

“Did I let you ask questions?” interjected the Emperor, his voice raised. He then shook himself, and settled back down in his chair. “You are here because I was bored. And also because of another matter of my concern.”

“Tell me, intruder. What do you think of these words,” he cleared his throat.

“Fruit hangs low in June,

Three times boiled in wine.

Sunkissed feast for one.

Tian-blessed kingdom fine.”

Lin nodded as best she could from her current position.

“A good poem, your Majesty.”

“Indeed. I wrote it in response to your little message,” the Emperor tossed the scroll to her feet, where it rolled open to show in her own handwriting:

Peach blooms ripe in spring.

One shot turned to waste.

Moonlit drinks for two.

All things have their place.

“I find little riddles like this so very fascinating,” said the Emperor. “I’m sure you do too, seeing as you saw fit to write me one.”

He wasn’t angry! Lin’s heart leapt into her throat. Her eyes sharpened. She now had a second chance.

“Tell me if I interpreted it correctly,” the Emperor stood up and began to pace back and forth in front of her. “You shot a peach at the martial tests instead of the target, turning it to waste. Thus, you marked the day of your visit to my abode,” he turned and stared at her. “In an offer to drink with me?”

“As expected,” Lin dipped her head again. “Your sharp mind so easily deciphered my humble message.”

The Emperor nodded in satisfaction.

“Sit up then,” he commanded, and pulled a wine jar out from under the table, followed by two porcelain cups. “Seeing as you are a fine young woman, I will indulge your lowly desire.”

Lin squirmed around with some difficulty, but eventually managed to maneuver herself into a kneeling stance, her bound hands bracing against the wooden floor. The bottom of her chin barely reached the surface of the table. With a bit more squirming, she was able to position her hands atop the table in a somewhat uncomfortable but still manageable position.

The Emperor picked up the jar and broke open the cloth seal. He first poured himself a cup of wine, then one for Lin. Lin wondered how she was expected to be able to drink anything from this position. The Emperor, however, didn’t seem to care whether she drank or not, and took a sip from his cup.

“When the guards brought you in,” he began. “I wondered what man would be so bold. To attempt an assassination without so much as a weapon or poison on his person. What do you think, woman?”

“Only a fool would do so,” said Lin politely.

“A fool! That’s right. And then as I looked at you more closely, I realised that you seemed familiar,” the Emperor pointed his cup expectantly in her direction. “Ask me why.”

“Why is it so?”

“Because you were so scrawny! The scrawniest out of all the contestants at the martial tests! Even my lowliest consorts have more meat on their arms than you do. It was a wonder that you could pull that bow open at all!”

“A wonder indeed.”

“Shush. I didn’t tell you to talk. So I looked at you even more closely and thought, why, that’s a woman! Surely I must be mistaken! Women can’t take the Imperial Exam. But I wasn’t, was I?”

“No, you weren’t, your Majesty.”

“I thought so. To think that the intruder was in fact a contender for my court, and a woman disguised as a man!” The Emperor enthusiastically downed his cup of wine, and began refilling another.

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“I sincerely apologise for the deception, your Majesty,” Lin bowed her head. “But as I am sure your Majesty is aware, women do not have many chances to ascend the ranks, regardless of their skill.”

“Oh? So you think you have skill?” the Emperor paused, his cup lifted halfway to his lips. “All you did was write a good poem. Shoot a peach with those scrawny arms of yours. What makes you think you have skill in ruling a kingdom?”

The irony of such a statement, thought Lin to herself. The Emperor didn’t do much to govern the state either. All he did was sit in his room writing poetry.

“Or do you think you lack skill,” the Emperor continued without waiting for her answer. “Seeing as you decided to seek a private audience with me instead of waiting for the results of the exam. Did you think I’d be so impressed by your dedication that I’d give you the post?”

“No, your Majesty,” Lin leaned forward. “But I did hope to engage in an insightful conversation with you.”

The Emperor stared. Then he began to laugh.

“What can a lowly peasant expect to teach an Emperor? But fine. I will give you a chance to speak of what you know,” he stroked his chin. “Let me think…Tell me then. What do you think of the Kong kingdom in the North?”

“I think they are a formidable threat. The harsh weather conditions in the North have fortified their minds and bodies, allowing their people to become hardy and resilient, suitable material for soldiers in war,” Lin explained. “They have already captured the independent states surrounding their kingdom, they will soon come for us as well.”

“Formidable? They are nothing but uneducated barbarians!” the Emperor announced. “They will never be able to lay a finger on the great Yang.”

“I would be hesitant to declare that, your Majesty. Even a dog can kill a man if given enough incentive. The Kong kingdom may not have as long a history or as rich a culture as the Yang, but it would still be unwise to underestimate them simply because of that.”

“They are a young kingdom, merely a few decades old. The Yang enjoys several centuries of prosperity. If they are wise, they would not attack their senior.”

“When a man slaughters a hen for a feast, he will choose the fattest of the bunch to butcher. It is precisely our prosperity that makes us a target. The Kong cares not for the rules of propriety, they care for riches, silks, fine pottery… All of which the Yang has in abundance.”

“Hmm… that reasoning does match the uncultured thinking of barbarians,” nodded the Emperor slowly. “Well… how do you suppose the great Yang should treat them? An aggressive approach perhaps? Nip the threat in the bud before it can grow?”

“The Yang should aim to preserve its strength and limit losses. Our armies have grown tender in these times of peace, and are no match for the hardiness of the Kong kingdom.”

“But there is strength in numbers. If we send everyone, surely we will succeed!”

“We may, but it is too great a risk. To take the offensive may lead to the thinning of our armies, leaving insufficient soldiers to guard the Capital. As such, the whole kingdom may fall.”

The Emperor crossed his arms, his eye twitching.

“You seem to think so very highly of the Kong kingdom, woman. What makes you think they have what it takes to defeat us? Do you not have faith in the strength of the great Yang?”

“I do,” Lin bowed her head. “But it is my faith in the Yang that leads me to acknowledge its weaknesses. There have been countless incidents in history where barbarian kingdoms like the Kong were underestimated, eventually leading to the fall of cultured but complacent nations. I do not wish to see the Yang tread the same path.”

The Emperor said nothing. Lin saw this as the opportunity to go on.

She took a deep breath.

“The Shu, Liaoling, Gaicheng… all these kingdoms have fallen to the Kong in the past ten years. Sooner or later, the Kong kingdom will invade the Yang. This is inevitable, given their activities in the region. Whether we are prepared enough to cut losses is the question.”

The Emperor stared, his previous arrogant attitude replaced by one of incredulous surprise.

“So many? Surely you jest.”

“I do not, your Majesty.”

“I was here this whole time, and have heard nothing of the matter.”

“Then your advisors may have been withholding information from you, your Majesty. Such news is prevalent even in the smallest towns and villages.”

“Is that so…” the Emperor’s eyes narrowed.

He then stood up and called in a loud voice.

“GUARDS!”

The doors to the study burst open, and a pair of heavily armed soldiers rushed in.

“Your Majesty!”

“Send for the Grand Chancellor. I need information!” he swept his hand through the air.

“Yes! Your Majesty!”

Within half an hour, the Grand Chancellor was summoned, his robes ruffled and his hair unkempt. With how disgruntled he was, he looked like he’d been shoved unceremoniously out of bed and rushed all the way to the Palace from his home. He glanced disdainfully at Lin. Then he bowed to the Emperor.

“What can this lowly servant do for your Majesty?” he asked in a nasally, self assured tone.

“What, and how many kingdoms have fallen to the Kong?” the Emperor demanded.

“Pardon?” the Grand Chancellor raised his head sharply.

“The Kong kingdom. The barbarians in the North. How many have fallen to them?”

“Well… you see…”

“Enough dithering! Do you know or do you not?”

“I do know, your Majesty,” the Chancellor folded into a bow twice as deep as the first. “Liaoling. Gaicheng. The Shu. The Tiehan…”

The Grand Chancellor rattled off a list of names, some of which Lin recognised, others she did not. The Emperor’s frown grew deeper and deeper with each name listed, his eyebrows furrowing.

“…the Ping, the He—“

“Enough!” the Emperor slammed his hand on his desk. “Why was I not notified of this sooner?”

“Your Majesty was busy with other affairs, you ought not concern yourself with mere barbarians.”

“The Shu and Tiehan were our powerful allies! To think that they were defeated by the likes of the Kong. Is there anything else you are hiding from me?”

“Well…”

“Is there?”

“They are merely simple matters, your Majesty! Everything is under control! We did not think you would be concerned by them. If you are interested in the Kong, next time, I will inform you myself.”

“There will be no next time,” the Emperor said, every word carrying a bite of frost. “You are fired from your position. Guards!”

“Yes your Majesty!”

The Emperor turned away from the ex Grand Chancellor.

“Get him out of my sight.”

As the once Grand Chancellor was towed away protesting, the Emperor's eyes grew distant, deep in thought. The light from the oil lanterns flickered, sending their shadows dancing against the wall. Lin watched and waited.

“What is your name, woman?” the Emperor finally spoke, his voice lower and less demanding than it had been before.

“Yao Lin, your Majesty.”

“Well, Lin,” He leaned forward across the table, his cup of wine pushed to the side.

“What do you propose we do in response?”