Chapter 41

Swenshion staggered as he was ejected from the storage ring. He caught his balance before he fell, then turned and bowed at the emperor. A second later, he was joined by Lokari, who must have been stored in the same fashion as he’d been. Both scholars were dressed in the fine robes that they’d be given by the imperial court, but on the table nearby were more traditional scholar robes for them to don.

“Welcome to Lima City,” Renton told them. “How was the trip?”

“Remarkable? From my perspective, time stopped and I was suddenly here,” Lokari said.

“Yes, it was the same for me. How long have we been in stasis?” Swenshion asked.

“No more than a day. I apologize for treating you like luggage, but I had more pressing matters to deal with. My little niece was undergoing an important healing, and matters of her education were less important than her life,” Renton explained.

“We serve at your convenience,” Swenshion said humbly, bowing again.

“Is the girl well?” Lokari asked.

“Yes. The Qi block that has been affecting her since her birth has been successfully healed and should plague her no longer. From my perspective, she is an ember that has suddenly been coaxed back into flame. But she’s also still five years old, so we will just have to see how she develops. She has some impressive role models, but you can never tell when they’re that age how mighty they might become.”

“That is a relief. I have been saying prayers to the ancestors to watch over her,” Lokari said, bowing her head in reverence.

“Thank you,” Renton said. “Now anyway, it wouldn’t do for anyone to see those robes, so if you wouldn’t mind changing before I introduce you to my brother and his wife, I’d appreciate it.”

The emperor stepped out of the room to allow them the privacy to follow his instructions. The scholars turned to face each other.

“It seems that he knows that we have nothing to hide from each other,” Lokari said, noting that they had no privacy from each other in the space provided.

“We assumed as much,” Swenshion said. “If he had a problem with our relationship we wouldn’t be here.”

“Yes. Our relationship,” Lokari said. “I have been meaning to ask, Swenshion. Why exactly is it that we’re keeping it a secret?”

Swenshion paused. “For the thrill of it?” he asked eventually, earning a laugh from her. They spoke no more on the matter for the moment, quickly changing out of the imperial robes and into the more humble clothing that they would normally wear when meeting a prospective employer.

They emerged from the storage area to find a mortal servant waiting for them. They were shown into a parlor, where the emperor stood next to a tall and muscular man and a beautiful woman with sun lines upon her laugh lines. The scholars bowed deeply to the individuals they assumed to be their prospective employers.

“So these are the two greatest scholars in the land?” Tren Shen asked his brother.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say that. I was looking for the best teachers, and not the best scholars,” Renton admitted. “You know as well as I do that there is a gap between those two things.”

Tren grinned. “Fair point.”

“Aside from which, the candidate pool was somewhat self-selecting. These are the two who put aside previous engagements to serve the empire in this capacity, while others prioritized their pre-existing employment,” Renton continued. “Of the available candidates, however, these are the two that have impressed me the most. Aside from which, they are getting married, and I thought that you would appreciate having a loving couple working as a team.”

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“Oh, they’re engaged?” Wensho said, raising her eyebrows in surprise. Her eyes evaluated Swenshion, and she said in a teasing voice “I wonder what it is that she sees in him.”

Swenshion managed to keep from sputtering at the sudden declaration, for which he’d been unprepared, and then the subtle barb. He glanced at Lokari, who he could tell was as surprised by Renton’s announcement as he was.

Renton noticed the byplay. “Am I wrong? I thought that since you were sneaking into each others rooms—”

“We’re just surprised,” Lokari said, “Because we hadn’t announced our engagement yet. But of course we are planning a wedding. We were simply keeping our relationship quiet to avoid a scandal in the meantime.”

“Well, you have about eight months to settle things before the baby is due,” Wensho commented offhandedly. “But if you’re avoiding a scandal, then I’d say that the sooner the better. Why not have Renton perform the wedding right now so that it looks as though the babe were conceived on your wedding night?”

Both scholar’s jaw dropped. Wensho smiled at their stunned expressions. “Oh? Didn’t you know yet? I suppose, you are mortals after all and you cannot see the spark of life when it ignites. Congratulations are in order, I believe. I shall go make some tea.”

Swenshio looked at his lover in amazement. “Did you know?” he asked.

“I—no. But I would not doubt Lady Wensho on such matters.”

Tren smiled, leaning against the wall while waiting for Wensho to return with the tea. “I’m afraid that the wedding must be a condition of your employment. Especially if you are having a child together. We are trying to instill certain values in our children, and fidelity is one of them. I hope you understand.”

“Of course,” Swenshion said. “I, if Lokari would have me as her husband, then I would be honored to serve in such a manner.”

“Can you repeat that in the form of a question?” Lokari asked.

Swenshion blushed. “Lokari, would you do me the honor of being my wife?” he asked, going down to one knee before the woman that he loved.

“Of course you buffoon,” she said, taking his hand and pulling him back up. “I would not presume to ask the emperor or the former emperor to preside over our wedding, but we will arrange it before we begin our employment so as not to inspire unnecessary questions in our charges.”

“Nonsense,” Renton said. He pulled a bottle of sparkling juice from his storage ring and began pouring drinks for everyone. “We’ll arrange it as soon as the interview is settled and my niece awakens. She’ll love to be part of a wedding, I think. Don’t you, brother?”

“Of course,” Tren agreed. He took his own glass and drank a sip. “But we should discuss business before then. Renton tells me that you performed exceedingly well on the public service examination. I take that as a strong recommendation, but I would like to get your opinions on several other matters.”

“Of course, My Lord,” the scholars said together.

“Who was the villain of the unification wars?” Tren asked.

“Why, Haoatonian Shenlong of course,” Swenshion said. “It was his lust for power and desire to be the final authority which led him to conquer the world. With the three others who would eventually become the emperors of the other lands, he led a war of aggression on the scale of which this world has never before seen. And we thank him for it, for through war he put an end to war. By dividing the world equally among his equals, he has given us nearly seven hundred years of peace, even after he himself ascended.”

Tren evaluated the answer for a moment, then nodded. “You are a very brave man to say that to the son of Haoatonian Shenlong himself.”

“It is the answer that I gave His Imperial Majesty,” Swenshion said, bowing humbly.

“Lady Lokari, would you share this opinion?” Tren asked.

“It is disharmony that was defeated by the unification wars, but disharmony is not a villain. No, my soon-to-be husband is correct. Haoatonian Shenlong’s lust for power makes him a villain, even if his path led him to become a hero,” Lokari said.

“I happen to share this enlightened opinion,” Tren admitted. “We will continue the interview when we have tea.”

So they waited, and when Lady Wensho reappeared to serve them tea—the most delicious tea that Swenshion had ever tasted—the tough questions began.

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