Dreaming of Zhou Gong

Dan noted Wu Geng appeared outwardly puzzled, but the son of the sky within him was grinning. ‘We do have Wu in our service, who alerted us to trouble at Yin before your missive reached us.’

  ‘Ah, yes, your Wu.’ Wu Geng’s eyes drifted to Fen. ‘Your lovely sisters appear to be absent?’

  ‘One of my sisters, Jiang Hudan, has died.’

  ‘Really?’ The former Shang prince didn’t seem to believe Fen. ‘That is surprising news, to be sure.’

  The tigress gave a growl, as Fen was irritated by Wu Geng’s reaction.

  ‘I think he is working with Dragonface,’ Fen said, stating his feelings outright, and Wu Geng was impressed by his bold statement.

  ‘The creature did not see me jailed because we were close,’ Wu Geng told them. ‘I never did like the reptile much.’

  ‘Is that Wu Geng speaking, or Ca-Lid?’ Dan asked, and Song nearly had a fit.

  ‘I know that name!’ His expression turned stormier than the sky outside, which rumbled loudly to echo Song’s ire.

  ‘You do?’ Dan was surprised to hear this, and became concerned when the young king unsheathed his sword. ‘What do you remember?’

  Song swung his sword at Wu Geng, stopping a hair’s breadth short of slitting his throat. ‘That I am supposed to kill him.’

  ‘Majesty!’ Shang Hui Ru yelled, and fell to her knees. ‘Please, do not kill my cousin. Please.’

  ‘Really, cousin,’ Wu Geng raised an eyebrow and hadn’t flinched at all. ‘This body is a frightful bore. His majesty would be doing me a great service. I know where we are ultimately going, and if you send me off ahead of you, well … all the better. You are not the only ones who can play time games.’

  Song was so stunned he dropped his sword and backed up.

  ‘I am lost!’ Shi looked at Fen, who shook his head, also baffled.

  ‘How much do you remember?’ Dan queried — even he was shocked out of his wits.

  ‘How much do you remember, captain?’ Wu Geng grinned and when Dan was not prepared to answer, Wu Geng continued. ‘If you want my help, I am happy to give it, but if you are not prepared to give me the benefit of the doubt, this once, then just kill me now and send me home.’

  ‘Where is home?’ Dan queried.

  ‘Sermetica, next universe on the right,’ he replied smartly, and the duke thought he joked as Dan had no memory of such a place.

  ‘That is absolutely correct,’ the king said, looking at Dan, confounding him again.

  ‘Or if you are talking about our last stopover in this universal scheme,’ Wu Geng went on, ‘that was the planet Kila, other side of the galaxy, about three thousand years from now.’

  It felt like someone had sucked the air out of the room; Dan was having trouble breathing as he fathomed that statement.

  ‘I can confirm,’ Song swallowed hard, ‘some of that.’

  ‘Have you all been drinking?’ Hui Ru appealed. ‘Never mind about your little fantasies, we have to do something about that monster in my house!’

  ‘I believe you will find Minister Jizi has fled,’ Wu Geng announced casually, as everyone queried his claim. ‘When Guan Shu Xian announced his intention to contest the regency, our dear old minister up and left. He claimed he was going north, which seems to rule out that direction: what lizard would head for the snow? No, south would be my guess.’

  ‘My family?’ Hui Ru wondered what had become of them.

  ‘I insisted the minister leave them all in my safekeeping here at Yin.’

  Hui Ru burst into tears of joy and bowed down before Wu Geng, ‘I thank you, cousin. I am eternally in your debt.’

  Wu Geng looked at his majesty, to see if he was still inclined to kill him, and it seemed he was conflicted on the issue. ‘My dear cousin,’ his sights turned back to Hui Ru. ‘There is nothing amiss here and nothing more to impede your union with his majesty, which our family feels will unite and bring peace to the land.’

  The king clearly hated the thought that he now owed Wu Geng a favour; he didn’t trust him, just as the Lord of Time had not.

  Hui Ru raised her eyes to her relative, not entirely ill-disposed toward the notion. ‘Only if his majesty will gift me with your life.’

  Wu Geng grinned to refer the petition back to his majesty. ‘Call it a wedding gift,’ he suggested.

  Song inhaled deeply to suffer the idea, and looked to Dan for his opinion.

  In all honesty, Dan did not want to kill him, as Wu Geng obviously remembered much of the team’s history. ‘The question is, do you want Hui Ru as your queen, or not?’ Dan referred the decision back to the king.

  Song looked back to Hui Ru, and she was observing him expectantly. ‘I do.’

  ‘So Wu Geng lives?’ She rose to confront Song, and he smiled.

  ‘I might be persuaded,’ he grinned and Hui Ru’s face filled with anger, but to the relief of all, she smiled at him instead.

  ‘Excellent!’ Wu Geng sprang from his chair — clearly he was not as weak an invalid as he had been making out. ‘But here is the problem … today is my dying day,’ he announced, happily. Everyone stared at him in amazement.

  ‘Pardon?’ Dan queried.

  ‘You kill Wu Geng for conspiracy, and he is history.’ He looked at Dan. ‘So I guess we need to arrange some kind of inter-dimensional relocation program for me.’

  ‘A what?’ The king was annoyed not to comprehend his raving. ‘Did you lose your mind in prison?’

  ‘Come on,’ Wu Geng appealed, feeling he was being toyed with. ‘I know you must have one …’ He turned to Dan. ‘For I know there is no way Jiang Hudan is dead. The time lord will never let her perish.’

  The king looked at Dan, as he’d gone very quiet. ‘Do you know what he is talking about?’

  ‘Perhaps.’ It was unwise to commit.

  ‘So, Hudan is not dead?’ the king asked. Fen was most interested in the answer too.

  ‘It is my guess,’ Wu Geng ventured, to save Zhou Gong a painful explanation, ‘that Jiang Hudan is dead to this world, but still very much alive. She has merely slipped through the veil between inner time and outer time, which is exactly what I need to do.’ His head swivelled in the Duke of Zhou’s direction, eyebrows raised.

  ‘But I do not have the authority to organise such a thing!’ Dan objected. ‘The sons of the sky have their own agenda.’

  ‘The sons of the sky?’ Hui Ru was immediately fascinated by the phrase, which made the young king grin.

  ‘You’re the captain of this mission, right?’ Wu Geng challenged Zhou Gong. ‘So you tell Rhun to get his butt down here and pick me up.’

  ‘I don’t take kindly to orders.’ The statement echoed around the room ahead of the time lord’s appearance in their midst.

  Shi moved to draw his weapon on sighting the oddly clad stranger, but Dan discouraged him. ‘He is an ally,’ he said to convince Shi.

  ‘I know him.’ Song frowned at the stranger, who nodded to him in recognition, and as Zhou Gong appeared more relieved than worried, the king held his tongue.

  ‘He is Wu? He looks different,’ Hui Ru queried Song quietly, and he shook his head.

  ‘I believe he is a son of the sky,’ he mumbled, not entirely sure, but keen to hear what the stranger had to say.

  ‘You told me you intended to reform,’ Rhun accused Wu Geng, or rather the soul inside of him. ‘Then you tricked your way onto this mission. You are not supposed to be here.’

  ‘How am I to change my fate, without this chance to prove myself?’ he entreated, and fell to his knees before Rhun to implore his mercy. ‘If you kill me, my soul-mind will be absorbed back into the light-field and I will be reborn Khalid of Sermetica, and this whole damn mess will begin again! Is that what you want? Because it is not what I want.’

  Rhun eyed the man at his feet cautiously. ‘You are as slippery as a snake, Khalid, and just as deadly. Don’t think I am not aware of it.’

  ‘I can use those skills for your ends,’ he proposed. ‘I have!’ He motioned
to the king, who now held the favour of his bride.

  ‘You allowed Dragonface to slip through our fingers again,’ the lord noted. Wu Geng was not ashamed.

  ‘I do not have a team to back me up,’ he stated. ‘You took him on alone and failed. I was not about to make the same mistake.’

  Rhun was frustrated that the statement irked him, but also made good sense.

  ‘I have suffered my entire life in that creature’s company, so I could be of greater service to you,’ Wu Geng said, throwing out one last appeal. ‘I possess knowledge that can help you. Just give me this chance.’

  ‘Please, lord …’ Hui Ru didn’t know who the fantastic stranger was, but was moved to implore him. ‘Wu Geng has suffered long in this house and has always done his best to defend our family from the evil within Yin. I truly believe he is a good man, and to be trusted.’

  Rhun looked at Dan, who wished he was more informed. He could only go with his gut feeling in the moment. ‘I believe any repentant man deserves the right to make good his name.’

  ‘Thank you, captain,’ Wu Geng said in appreciation of the vote of confidence.

  The time lord then looked to the young king. ‘And what say you, majesty … as you are the one with the vendetta against him?’

  Hui Ru caught her breath and looked back to Song with pleading eyes.

  ‘Not in this life,’ he replied diplomatically, and Hui Ru smiled with relief.

  ‘And you two?’ Rhun turned to Fen and Shi, who both backed up a step as the time lord’s attention shifted their way.

  ‘I have no idea what is going on,’ Shi told him, and held up both hands to pass on making any comment.

  Fen was not so fast to absolve the man in question. ‘Did you tell Dragonface about my talent?’

  The former Shang prince shook his head. ‘Guan Shu Xian figured it out when Ji Fa was miraculously healed of his wounds, and his queen of her inability to give birth. Yi Jiang’s adoration of you was well known, and you were the only Wu still housed at Haojing,’ Wu Geng concluded. ‘It is my belief that Guan Shu Xian plotted, under Jizi’s guidance, to bring down the last king, and he now plans to do the same to you, Ji Song.’

  Fen looked to his tigress. ‘Is he telling the truth?’

  Wu Geng shrank back warily as the animal approached him.

  ‘If you are not lying you have nothing to fear,’ Fen vowed, so the former Shang prince closed his eyes and calmed, while Ling Hu stalked around him without incident. ‘That is good enough for me.’ Fen said.

  ‘How long ago did my uncle’s war party leave here?’ the king asked before the witness vanished for life.

  ‘Four days ago,’ Wu Geng advised. ‘It will take time to rally the clans in winter, and Zhou Gong is respected and liked so not all shall heed Guan Shu Xian’s right to be regent. You have perhaps two weeks before he brings rebellion to your doorstep.’

  ‘Then there is no time to waste!’ Hui Ru was rather more eager to defend the throne of Zhou than anyone had expected. ‘I shall rally my kinsmen, and we can quash his treason from the East and the West.’ The princess strode from the chamber, but turned back to her stunned male company to add. ‘I shall see you all around Mengjin.’

  ‘That’s her!’ Rhun looked at Dan. ‘Well spotted.’

  ‘Hey, I found her,’ Song said, seeking credit where credit was due. ‘Who is she?’

  The time lord found this funny. ‘Why is it you can remember Khalid, you can remember Taren, but you cannot remember your soul mate?’

  ‘My what?’ The king protested. ‘Do not answer that, I do not want to know —’

  ‘That your womanising days are over,’ Rhun teased him. ‘I am afraid so.’ He shared a laugh with Dan, as he lifted Wu Geng from the floor. ‘I shall get this one out of your hair, as it seems you have a war to be getting on with. Good luck with that … see you all around dead-time.’

  The time lord vanished, along with Wu Geng, and the four men left behind were stupefied.

  ‘No more secrets!’ The king was the first to speak. ‘Clearly, we each have knowledge we are not sharing with the group, so let us make a pact here and now to trust each other.’

  ‘Honesty is a righteous thing,’ Dan allowed, his eyes boring into the king’s, and he felt sure Song knew why.

  ‘I think you already know that Hudan was not my goddess,’ Song conceded, humbling himself. ‘It was a cruel blow I dealt you, Uncle … I spoke in rage, without thought of the consequences. I deeply regret that Jiang Hudan has left this world thinking that I meant her harm and disrespect.’ The king bowed his head to indicate his remorse. ‘Please forgive my insult to you, and to the legend of Shanyu Jiang Hudan.’ He bowed to the duke to beg forgiveness.

  ‘It is forgotten,’ Dan granted.

  The king gave a nod in gratitude and looking aside to Fen he found the healer scowling. ‘I know, my ethics need a lot of work.’

  ‘To Hoajing then,’ Shi said, wanting to motivate them into action. ‘We have to raise an army.’

  ‘Here’s hoping that respect for Zhou Gong is as widespread as reported,’ the king said, looking at his uncle.

  For once Dan was confident and he braced Ji Song’s forearm, and Song returned the gesture of solidarity. ‘We shall quash this rebellion and establish a peace that will survive us.’

  The king nodded in agreement. ‘Are we really going to leave my bride to rally the East? She may be of the mind to kill me?’

  Dan was not so worried. ‘I believe she will surprise everyone.’

  Upon their return to the capital, a war council was called and a major announcement was composed by Zhou Gong for the king. Copies of the call to arms were produced by every scribe available, and signed by both the king and Zhou Gong, then witnessed by Shao Gong Shi. Each summons was placed in a small coffer and sent via messenger on horseback to every ally Zhou Gong trusted this side of the great Huang He.

  Lords of my friendly states, directors of my departments, my officers, and the managers of my affairs, I make a great announcement to you. I, Song, who am but a little child, must diffuse the elegant institutions of my predecessor and display the appointment, which he received from Heaven. Ever mindful of his great work, I dare not restrain the majesty of Heaven in sending down its inflictions on criminals. The enlightening of the country was wise — the ten men who obeyed knew the charge of God and the real assistance given them by Heaven. At that time none presumed to change the rules prescribed by the Tranquillising king. And now, when Heaven is sending down calamity on the country of Zhou, the authors of these great distresses make it appear, on a grand scale, as if the inmates of our house mutually attack one another, and you are perplexed as the decree of Heaven is not to be changed! Heaven, in destroying Yin, was doing husbandman’s work. Heaven will thereby show its favour to my predecessor, the Tranquilliser, who I am following, and whose purpose embraced all within the limits of the land! I must proceed, when the divinations are all favourable! It is on these accounts that I make this expedition in force to the East. I will go forward with you from all the states, and punish those vagabond and transported ministers of Yin. There is no mistake about the decree of Heaven!

  Within days, chieftains, nobility and the men under their charge, began amassing at Haojing and many of these had yet to hear the announcement, but they had heard the news of Guan Shu Xian’s call to arms and were compelled to defend the will of the late King Fa. The late king was now revered as Zhou Wu Wang — the martial king.

  As they marched east toward Mengjin, their ranks swelled, and they were joined by the forces of King Wu Wang’s brothers, Cheng Shu Wu and Cao Shu Zhenduo. By the time they reached the crossing point at the Huang He, the king received word that the rebel force was amassing just south of them at Luoyi. The more alarming news was that the Princess Hui Ru had joined forces with Guan Shu Xian to avenge the overthrow of the Shang dynasty, for Xian had promised to give back the Shang capital, Yin, to her.

  ‘Well, I for one am surprised,’ Dan
commented as they observed Hui Ru from horseback. Across the battlefield, she had positioned her horse right alongside their rebel brothers, blowing Song kisses and waving.

  ‘I am surprised,’ Shi granted.

  ‘I’m not.’ Song was disappointed and then very angry, as he glared at her. ‘I should have known better than to trust a woman. I want her alive.’

  Song’s allies who had Wu ability had agreed not to use any supernatural force to win his battle. With this in mind, Ji Song had left Fen Gong at Haojing — if anyone died of their injuries this day then it was the will of heaven.

  ‘Xian is mine,’ Dan advised his companions.

  ‘I do not think so,’ Song said, begging to differ. ‘Who is king again?’

  ‘You are,’ Dan granted, ‘but it is me he is rebelling against.’ The duke felt he had the right of way in this instance.

  ‘He orchestrated the death of both my parents,’ Ji Song stated, ending the debate, and Dan bowed to his will. The king was young and impetuous, but he was a finer swordsman than Dan, most certainly.

  ‘I think your queen has other plans.’ Shi sensed the truth when Hui Ru unexpectedly released a war cry, and swung her sword to the right, taking off the head of Huo Shu Chu, whose body fell from the horse alongside her. Xian’s army erupted into chaos and began fighting each other.

  ‘Holy shit!’ The young king was pleasantly surprised as he dug his heels in and led the charge forth. His uncle Xian was firmly in his sights.

  With the influx of the opposing forces into the chaos and commotion, the recruited clans abandoned the field, and the three remaining ringleaders were surrounded. ‘This is our fight!’ Song jumped from his horse to challenge Guan Shu Xian, whereby Cai Shu Du and Ji Zai dropped their weapons and backed away.

  ‘My beef is with Dan, majesty, not you!’ Xian kept his weapon poised, inviting Dan to take Song’s place with intermittent glares of challenge.

  ‘Zhou Gong is my father’s appointed regent. He and I are one!’ Song circled Xian, just an underdeveloped child next to the hardened warrior figure of his uncle.

  ‘That is not what I heard?’ Xian challenged, limbering up the wrist of his sword arm.