The Stone Road (5 page)

CHAPTER 7

“Peace can only be realised when the Duke of Yaart releases control of the high plains that he, illegally, invaded twenty seven years ago. The Wubei people there cry out against the yoke of tyranny he has brought upon them,” Hsin said.

“The people of the Shinxi marshes feel the oppression of the Duke of Wubei also,” responded the Yaart negotiator. “Perhaps we can come to some agreement on these areas?”

“The marshes do provide excellent access to the Green River and thence to the sea. It has been a trade route of ours for many years.” Hsin dipped his brush into a small bowl of ink and painted words on the paper as he spoke.

“And the high plains provide some excellent grazing land for the farmers of Yaart.” The Yaart negotiator made notes on his own paper.

“It is good to see we understand each other, Honoured Cheng. Our list for the day is nearly at an end. We should congratulate ourselves with some more tea, perhaps?” Hsin’s face carried an open smile which Zhou found, for some reason, troubling.

“An excellent idea, Honoured Hsin,” and Cheng waved to a servant who bowed and left the room.

“We are getting nowhere at all,” Zhou hissed quietly to Hsin.

“You think so? I am finding out quite a lot about Yaart and its situation.” Hsin whispered back. “You still do not see? Even after yesterday?”

“See what? We mention an area, they offer a counter, and we both note it down for further discussion. Nothing is ever agreed; round and around it goes.” Zhou checked to make sure that Cheng was in discussion with his own team of diplomats.

“Zhou, so many things are beginning to make sense. If you cannot see, then think carefully about all you have seen and heard.” Hsin’s smile turned malicious, “If even this simple thing is beyond you, your father-in-law will have made a serious mistake in backing you. Now, be quiet and pay attention.”

Cheng turned from his conference. “Is the Esteemed Zhou all right, Honoured Hsin? He seems to be pre-occupied with something.”

“The spicy food, dear Cheng. The delicious fare the Yaart chefs have placed before us each day does not sit well in his belly,” Hsin explained. “The youth of today are not well travelled nor their stomachs strong enough to cope with changing food. Give him time and he will come to enjoy it as much as I do.”

“My apologies, Diplomat Zhou, I was unaware of this.” Cheng turned his concerned face from Zhou and addressed Hsin again, “I can instruct the chefs prepare some blander food if required. It would not do for a guest in our city to fall ill if there were something we could do to prevent it.” Cheng looked concerned.

“No, no. He will be fine, dear Cheng. If he is to follow his chosen career he must open his mind, and belly, to new experiences. It is all good learning for him,” Hsin chuckled as he waved away the concern.

Zhou looked back and forth between the two, certain some un-spoken joke was taking place, one he had not been let in on. There was a knock at the door and servants entered placing fresh, steaming tea on the low table and clearing away the old.

“Perhaps, the tea will calm the storm in his stomach, Hsin?” Cheng said as he poured and against all protocol, handed the first cup to Zhou, who turned to look at Hsin, awaiting the explosion. The Senior Diplomat nodded as he received his own cup.

“Ah,” Hsin gave a deep sigh of satisfaction as he sipped the scaldingly hot beverage. “The tea is excellent, Honoured Cheng.”

“Thank you. The leaves are picked only in the evening when the sap is at its height, and then only the very tips of the youngest leaves. The drying process is very quick in the mountains where it grows. It was explained to me why this is but I must confess I did not understand very much. All I needed to know is that the tea is good and worthy of guests. The duke drinks the very same tea and, I have heard, even the emperor, blessed be him in Jade Heaven, has a supply of his own from the mountain.”

“Then we are in good company,” Hsin turned a sly glance on Zhou. “I hope everyone appreciates your care as much as I do.”

Zhou took a breath to respond but when no suitable words came to mind he settled for silence and slight bow towards the Yaart negotiator.

“If I may,” Hsin began, “I have never had the pleasure of visiting your lovely city before. The current difficulties have always precluded that possibility. Would it be possible for myself and my aide,” he nodded towards Zhou, who could say nothing about his sudden demotion, “to have a small tour. I am sure you have many wonders to see.”

“Do we not have more on the list for the day?” Cheng picked up his papers and started to sort through them.

“We do, however, I am willing to waive our claim on the Shinxi marshes in any treaty we construct between our two nations.” Hsin took another sip of his tea.

Zhou almost spat his tea out across the room. The marshes were the best way to the Green River and from there the backbone of trade for Wubei. Being in the mountains was good for defence and mining, the largest money earner for the province, but not so good for trade. Giving up the marshes and easy access to the river would cost Wubei dearly in the long run.

Cheng’s eyes narrowed and he made a few jerky scratches on his papers, “That would be most agreeable.”

“Good, then it is settled. Our discussions for the day are done and we have time for a tour.” Hsin clapped his hands together softly in pleasure. “This has been a good day.”

“Of course, Honoured Hsin. Let me just speak to the guards and ensure we have everything we need. Then we can begin the tour.” As Cheng stood he threw a few glances at Zhou, who returned a neutral face. Cheng opened the door and went outside, closing it behind him.

“Are you mad?” Zhou spat out the words like poison towards Hsin.

“Take care with your tongue, Zhou. You could still be going home in disgrace.” Hsin, for once, displayed none of the anger he usually did. Zhou craned his neck around to look carefully at Hsin’s face.

“You’re up to something, Venerable Hsin,” he said in accusation.

“By venerable, you mean old. You know what else it says, it says experience, cunning, thought and guile. It comes with age and after many negotiations. If this afternoon works as it should, then we will have this war sewn up before evening.” Zhou saw Hsin’s face take on a much more cunning look, “Then Yaart will pay dearly for starting the war and for killing our people.”

“I don’t understand.” Zhou forced the admission out between gritted teeth.

“Thirty years of war, Zhou. Thirty years of deaths, village raids, of our young men going off to fight.” Zhou, looking directly into Hsin’s eyes, saw them mist over. “So many dead. Every family has lost someone, even yours Zhou, but some have lost much more. For them we must strike a hard peace, a punishing peace to ensure that it can never happen again. We must forge a peace that lasts a thousand generations and to do that we must weaken Yaart.”

Hsin paused and Zhou waited as the Senior Diplomat brought his face back to the calm, professional visage it had worn throughout the negotiations so far. “I was sent to petition the emperor in the first years of the war, did you know that? We wanted his diplomats to resolve a peace between Wubei and Yaart. The emperor would not see me or any of our group. His aide said the emperor would not get involved in a small border dispute between two of his Dukes. Well, this small dispute has lasted thirty years. Today we can end it.”

Zhou was struck by the passion in the whispered voice but there was something much harder and colder riding underneath it. He worried over it and the only word that came to mind was retribution.

Before he could answer, the door swung open and Cheng walked back in accompanied by two guards. Zhou recognised the first guard as the one who had given him the brief tour yesterday and, though there was something vaguely familiar about him, he didn’t recognise the second guard.

“Honoured Guests, these two Guardsman.” Cheng waved a hand in their general direction. “Feng, whom I believe you have already met, and Kang, will accompany us on our tour. Both have lived in the city and castle for more years than I and may be able to answer some of your questions if I am unable.”

“Also, because of stray arrows?” Hsin asked with a smile, he raised his hand before Cheng could speak, “I would do exactly same in your place, Cheng. I count it as an honour.” Hsin bowed low to Cheng.

“Shall we go?” Cheng asked with a small chuckle.

The guards led them from the room and through the castle corridors, up a flight of stairs and on to the roof of the central keep. The view was incredible. In the mountains the view of the horizon was generally restricted by close proximity of yet more mountains, limiting the scope of vision. At the edge of the parapet, he placed his hands on the stone and lent forward, letting his eyes wash across the vista before him. On the far horizon, a slight grey smudge that hinted at the mountains of his home but, before it and all around the city walls, as far as he could see, were the flat grassland plains of Yaart. If they had been a uniform green the sight would have been pleasant enough but, instead, there were shades of green, browns and yellows. Here and there, small woods rose above the grass and from some, wisps of smoke rose towards the blue skies, little hints of habitation. Roads stretched away from Yaart in the four cardinal directions.

Zhou knew that the road he had followed to get here petered out as it reached the disputed plains. It had once run all the way to Yaart, but when the war began both sides had destroyed it to prevent the other from moving heavy concentrations of troops easily. Wubei had gone even further, using black powder they had caused avalanches to block the major pathways and passes through the mountains to their city from here. The only path out, the one they had taken to get here, was wide enough for a single wagon and no more. There were guard posts and traps set all along it. The city and its surrounding area were as much a jail as an impregnable fortress for Wubei. But here, with his vision not constrained by mountain crags and steep valleys, he could see and feel the freedom of the plains. He felt dizzy and had to steady himself on the defensive wall of the Yaart castle.

“Perhaps we have seen enough from up here?” Cheng enquired politely.

“Indeed, most impressive,” Hsin replied.

“Incredible,” whispered Zhou.

They returned to the stairs and began to descend. The guards leading, then Cheng, followed by Hsin with Zhou last. He found it hard to tear himself away from the view but forced himself into the tunnel of stairs. Immediately, he felt trapped and saddened.

“You were looking in the wrong direction,” Hsin sent back up to him in hushed tones. Zhou puzzled over that comment as they descended. What had he missed?

“Let us show you the troop training yard. I imagine it is similar to your own but, for some reason, tours for visiting dignitaries must always include the more martial aspects of a castle.” Cheng apologised with a smile. “Though, if you prefer, the duke does have a fine collection of paintings that he is happy to have you view.”

“Honoured Cheng,” Hsin said as they walked. “I was interested, as we came to your great city, in the tents and people just outside. Has that always been there? Our old records mentioned nothing of it when I prepared to make the journey here.”

“It is... a relatively recent addition to our city,” Cheng answered, though Zhou was certain the pause had not been on purpose.

“Really? That is sad. Still, I suppose every city has its poor. It is strange to see them outside the walls,” Hsin said lightly. Zhou tried but could not detect any tone that might give a clue to the line of conversation the Senior Diplomat was taking. “A beautiful day though. I am glad we had a chance to get outside. May we see the gardens?”

Hsin, without warning, took a different corridor from the guards at the next junction. Zhou, surprised, almost walked into Cheng’s back as everyone came to halt and hurried to re-adjust their path. Zhou turned first and already, Hsin was striding quickly away. Much more quickly than he had ever moved in the whole time Zhou had known him. Cheng and the guards, in a whisper of slippered feet and jangle of armour, caught up then passed Zhou. By then it was too late, Hsin was already through the door and out in the gardens.

“This way, I believe.” Hsin turned again and headed off towards the hedge arch that Zhou had visited yesterday.

“Sir?” said the new guard, his voice sounding concerned to Zhou’s ears.

“I know, Kang, but what can be done. A guest is honoured and protected, above all. Such is the law of the emperor and our traditions.” Cheng passed the guards and rushed to catch up with the still accelerating Hsin.

“Honoured Hsin, if you could tell me what it is you want to see then I can guide you by the shortest route,” Cheng spoke politely but firmly.

“No need, I know the way,” Hsin responded.

No matter how the guards and Cheng sought to catch up, Hsin was always a few steps ahead. The hedge arch came into view and then was gone as Hsin passed through as fast as a runaway horse. Beyond, the gardens opened up from pathways, hedges and planted beds to reveal a small open field bordered by a wooden fence and, surrounding that, a tall hedge. The only entrance was the arch they had passed through. In the centre of the fenced area were three cattle. Three unremarkable, head down, cattle chewing grass.