Chapter 36
Sheiji strapped on his sword and dagger and readied himself to fight, should it become necessary. They were sure to meet enemy guards along the way. “I’m ready, Fa-Ying.” Sheiji nodded to his advisor.
“Then let’s go,” Fa-Ying replied. They slipped into the passage with Fa-Ying in the lead. Soon, Sheiji began to recognize the passage as the one they had traveled through to get to their secret room when Sheiji was younger.
The entrance to the palace was now before them. “Keep a hand on your sword,” Fa-Ying warned. “And pay attention to everything.” The passage opened and the two stepped through into the dimly lit hall.
Two guards stood with their backs to the passage. Sheiji nodded to Fa-Ying who nodded in return and they each stepped forward to take a guard. Sheiji clamped a hand over his guard’s mouth and around his neck. He dragged him struggling to the ground. As soon as the guard was unconscious, Sheiji turned to help Fa-Ying. They locked the two unconscious guards into a vacant room and continued on their way.
By the time they reached the throne room, Sheiji’s soldiers had made their way inside the palace. Two stood at the throne room doors. At the sight of Sheiji, they fell to their knees and covered their faces with their hands.
“Is Sui-Tsai in the throne room?” Sheiji asked them.
“Yes, Vua,” replied one guard.
“We have him captured. He is guarded by some of our comrades,” replied the other.
The guards scrambled to their feet and, with eyes still downcast, opened the doors for Sheiji and Fa-Ying to enter. Fa-Ying moved behind Sheiji out of respect. Sheiji heard Sui-Tsai before he saw him. He was yelling and cursing at the top of his lungs. Four muscular guards held his arms behind his back and were attempting to tie his hands.
At the sound of the doors opening, Sui-Tsai grew silent, though no less determined in his struggle. His face flushed deep red when he saw Sheiji standing in the doorway, staring coolly at him. Sui-Tsai seemed to recover his composure quickly, however, for he said with great haughtiness and surprising dignity, “Well, well, little one. Have you and your precious Ying come to finish me off?”
“Sui-Tsai,” Sheiji replied boldly, “I declare you a traitor, a usurper and an enemy of all true Imatsurans. Your life is forfeit because of your treachery. Have you anything to say for yourself?”
“Dear brother,” Sui-Tsai attempted a kind-hearted approach. “It is not as you think. I had no intention of becoming king while you were alive. When you were kidnapped and we found no trace of you, we had to assume the worst. I hated taking your place as king. It is wonderful to see you are alive.”
“Then you will give me back my throne, traitor?” Sheiji asked, seeing straight through Sui-Tsai’s “kindness.”
Sui-Tsai sputtered, “But…but of course—.”
“Guards, remove this man from my presence,” Sheiji commanded.
“But, dear brother, you must let me speak,” Sui-Tsai said.
“Once more.”
“Our father would not have wanted this. Our father was a merciful man. Don’t listen to Ying. He only wants to control the country through you. Once you are king, he will have no further use for you and will dispose of you. You know I speak the truth. Listen to me before it’s too late. I can help you. I have been trained many years for this. I will help you, unlike your precious Ying.” Sui-Tsai reminded Sheiji of a snake, charming his prey before he struck with a deadly bite.
“I no longer consider you a brother, but a bitter enemy. Furthermore, my words are my own. Fa-Ying has taught me, true, but now I speak for myself. His only desire is to see me crowned,” Sheiji spoke. “Guards, take away this man’s weapons and put him in the dungeon until I call for him again.”
“Sheiji! We are kin. We are one in our father!” Sui-Tsai knelt before Sheiji and wept. “Do not kill me, Sheiji. Do not kill me. Spare my life, son of our Father.”
“You are despicable, Sui-Tsai. I never thought I would see you beg for mercy on your knees.” Sheiji glared at him. “Guards.”
The four soldiers dragged Sui-Tsai away, still kicking and fighting the entire way. As the last soldier disappeared from sight, Inon ran in, grinning from ear to ear. “They’ve surrendered! Sui-Tsai’s army has surrendered.”
“Why? How?” Sheiji asked eagerly.
“Somehow, word reached them that Sui-Tsai was a captive in the palace and that you were nearby. They threw down their weapons and ran. Is it true? Is Sui-Tsai captured?”
“He is. I sent soldiers to escort him to the prison until I can decide what to do with him,” Sheiji answered.
“Sheiji, put on your ring! Where is it?” Fa-Ying asked.
Sheiji grinned and pulled the ring out of his sash. He held it up triumphantly for a moment, then pushed it gently onto his finger. It fit on his ring finger now, the proper place. Sheiji smiled at the memory of the time it was too big, even for his thumb.
All of a sudden, Sheiji asked, “Tamé, where is he?”
“Don’t you know?” Inon looked up at Sheiji in surprise. “Tamé is dead.”
“Dead?” Sheiji asked.
“Yes,” Inon replied. “Sui-Tsai and Tamé had an agreement. When you were out of the way, they would rule together. Of course, Sui-Tsai never intended to share his power with anyone, not even with his full brother. When Sui-Tsai proclaimed himself king, he had Tamé murdered in his bed.”
“I knew he was hard-hearted, but I never thought he would kill his own brother! They were always so close,” Sheiji marveled.
Fa-Ying closed his eyes and nodded, “Men will do terrible things for power. Your father was different. So are you, Sheiji.” He laid a hand fondly on Sheiji’s shoulder. “We must discuss terms of surrender with the rebels. Have a seat in your throne and they will come to you.”
Sheiji proudly took a seat in the throne that had once been his father’s. It made him feel majestic, even in his peasant clothes. He somehow felt close to his father as he sat there. Together, Fa-Ying, Sheiji and Inon wrote up the terms of surrender for the Army of the Purple Lotus.
At last, the throne room doors opened and a battle-weary general walked in, surrounded by Sheiji’s soldiers.
“What is your name?” Sheiji asked the general, who fell to his knees when he saw Sheiji.
“Li, Your Majesty.”
“General Li, do you surrender and accept me, Sheiji-Yeung as your one and only king and rightful ruler of Imatsuro?” Sheiji asked.
“I do, Vua.”
“You will never again fight against me, but will be my faithful and loyal subject and will obey my commands?” Sheiji asked again.
“I will, Vua.”
“Did you commit treason of your own free will or was the position of General of the Purple Lotus pressed upon you?”
“It was my own free will, Vua.”
“General Li, for your participation in this treasonous event, for helping a usurper gain the throne and for waging war on the true king, your sentence is rightfully death,” Sheiji stated.
General Li raised his eyes bravely to look Sheiji in the eye. His chin quivered once, but he clamped his jaws together and did not speak.
“However,” Sheiji paused. “For telling the truth, coming willingly before me, and accepting me as king, your punishment will be lessened. If you agree to my terms of surrender, of course.”
Sheiji motioned to Inon who brought forth a scroll, which he handed to General Li, “This states the terms of surrender which I have drawn up with the council of my advisor, Fa-Ying, and my soldier, Inon. The Army of the Purple Lotus will disperse. Every man will go back to his home under oath that they will never again take up arms against my person. All weapons, armor and possessions belonging to these rebel soldiers will belong to the General of the Army of the White Lotus which I shall soon instate. Finally, all prisoners belonging to the Army of the White Lotus or the Jiwut army will be released and any damage done to their person or possessions will be paid in full by your army.”
“If I might be so bold as to offer several terms of my own, Vua,” General Li replied. “These terms would be satisfactory to me if only the men may take with them their horses and personal belongings which did not belong to the Army of the Purple Lotus. For merciful Vua knows that these men are farmers and could not live without their animals. Also, I would ask that the prisoners you hold who are not of a commanding rank be released as we shall do with White Lotus prisoners.”
“It shall be as you say,” Sheiji said, adding General Li’s words to the document. He quickly signed his name at the bottom and handed the quill to General Li. “If these terms are satisfactory to you, you may sign.”
General Li signed his name and returned the document to Sheiji. “What is my punishment, Vua?” he asked nervously.
Sheiji looked at Fa-Ying who nodded to him to continue. “You will be banished from Imatsuro. I will provide transportation to wherever you wish to go, but once you have left Imatsuro, you may never step foot inside my country again. If you do, your life will be forfeit. You may take your family and as many possessions as you can carry in two oxcarts. You have two days.”
“Vua is merciful,” General Li replied, touching his forehead to the ground. “We will go to Kasara.”