When Chen received the Imperial Command, he went to

discuss the situation with the others. Master Lu and

Wen were worried that the order to go alone could

indicate a trap.

"The fact that he calls me back so soon after

receiving the evidence I gave him must mean he wants

to talk about it," said Chen. "This is the big chance

for us to recover China for the Chinese. I have to go

no matter what dangers are waiting for me. Second

Brother," he added turning to Priest Wu Chen. "If I

don't return, please take over command of the Red

Flower Society and avenge me."

"Don't worry, Great Helmsman," the priest replied,

deeply moved.

"There's no need to wait for me outside the palace

this time. If he means to harm me, there is no way you

could help me and trying would just cause needless

casualties."

By the time Chen re-entered the forbidden precincts of

the palace with Bai Zhen, it was already dark. Two

eunuchs carrying lanterns led them through webs of

tree-branch moon shadows to the Precious Moon

Pavilion. This time, they ascended to the fourth

floor, and as soon as the eunuchs reported Chen's

arrival, Qian Long ordered him sent in. He was seated

on a couch in a small room, a far-away look in his

eyes. Chen knelt and kowtowed and Qian Long told him

to be seated. He was silent for a while. Chen looked

around him and noticed a poetic couplet on the wall

written by Qian Long himself.

"What do you think?" Qian Long asked, seeing him

reading the couplet.

"Your Highness has high aspirations and the spirit of

an Emperor of great courage and intelligence. When the

Great Endeavour is successfullyaccomplished, and the

Manchus have been driven from China, your merit will

far exceed even the Han dynasty emperor who expelled

the Tartars or the Ming dynasty emperor who threw out

the Mongols, and will be remembered for ten thousand

generations."

Qian Long was delighted to hear such praise. He smiled

and stroked his whiskers. "You and I may be servant

and master, but in spirit we are brothers," he said

after a moment's contemplation. "In future, you must

assist me well."

Chen was overjoyed to hear these words: From his tone,

Qian Long did not appear to be planning to go back on

his oath. His doubts dispersed, Chen knelt down once

again and kowtowed.

"Your Highness's wise decision is truly a great

blessing for the people," he said.

Qian Long sighed. "I may be the Son of Heaven, but I

am not as fortunate as you," he said. Chen wondered

what he meant. "In August last year, when we were in

Haining, I gave you a piece of jade," he added. "Do

you have it with you?"

Chen was startled. "Your Highness told me to pass it

on to someone else, and I have already done so," he

replied.

"You standards are very high. Whoever it is must be

one of the world's most beautiful women."

Chen's eyes reddened. "Unfortunately, I do not know if

she is dead or alive, or where she might be. When our

business is concluded, I will search to the ends of

the earth to find her."

"Do you love this lady deeply?"

"Yes," said Chen quietly.

"The Empress is a Manchu, you know that?"

"Yes."

"She has served me for a long time and is very

virtuous. If we go ahead with this plan, she will

certainly fight to the death. What do you think should

be done?"

Chen was unable to answer. "Your Highness's opinions

are sacred," he finally said. "Your servant would not

dare make any reckless suggestions."

"I cannot allow the nation to be split in two. This

consideration has made me very hesitant of late. Also,

at present I have a personal problem which

unfortunately no-one can help me with."

"I will do whatever Your Highness orders."

"Gentlemen should not snatch prized possessions from

others, but this is something decided by Fate,"

replied Qian Long. "Ah, when one's love is

concentrated on one person, what can one do? Go over

there and take a look."

He pointed to a doorway on the western side of the

room, then stood up and walked out.

Chen was greatly confused by this strange speech, but

he calmed himself and pulled aside the thick door

curtain. He walked slowly through into what he saw was

an extremely sumptuous bed chamber. A red candle

burned in the corner, and a girl in a white gown sat

staring at its flame.

Suddenly seeing Princess Fragrance in the depths of

the Imperial Palace, Chen was dumbfounded. He swayed

unsteadily and was unable to speak. Upon hearing the

footsteps, Princess Fragrance had grasped the dagger

hilt tightly. Then she looked round to see the very

person she had been dreaming of day and night. Her

angry glare immediately melted into an expression of

delight. She cried out and threw herself across the

room into Chen's arms.

"I knew you would come and save me," she cried. "I

waited patiently, and finally you have come."

Chen held her warm body tightly. "Are we dreaming?" he

asked. She looked up and shook her head as tears began

to course down her cheeks.

Chen's first thought was that the Emperor had found

out she was the lady of his heart and had brought her

from the Muslim areas to be with him. He put his arms

around her waist and then unself-consciously kissed

her on the lips. In the midst of the sweetness of the

long kiss, they became oblivious to everything around

them.

After a long, long time, Chen finally looked at the

pink flush on her cheeks. Behind her on a dressing

table, he noticed a broken mirror, and the image of

them both embracing in each segment.

"Look," he whispered. "There are one thousand me's,

and every one is holding you."

Princess Fragrance glanced at the broken mirror, and

then pulled the piece of warm jade from her pocket.

"He stole my jade piece and broke the mirror with it,"

she said. "Luckily it wasn't damaged."

"Who?" Chen asked, startled.

"That evil emperor."

"Why?" Chen asked, even more astonished.

"He bullied me, but I said I wasn't afraid because I

knew you would rescue me. He was very angry and tried

to grab me, but I have this dagger."

"Dagger?" he repeated distantly.

"Yes. I was with my father when they killed him. He

gave me this dagger and told me to kill myself if the

enemy violated me. People who commit suicide are sent

to Hell, but if they are girls dying to protect their

virtue then Allah makes an exception."

Chen looked down and wondered how many times this

weak, naive girl had come close to death in the past

few months. His heart was filled with love and pain

and he embraced her again. After a while, he steadied

himself and began to carefully consider the situation.

He now realized that Qian Long had had Princess

Fragrance brought to Beijing because he wanted her

himself. He had obviously ordered the construction of

a desert in the Imperial Gardens to try to please her.

But she had sworn never to give in. He had threatened

and cajoled her in every way he could think of, all

without effect. That must be why Qian Long had said

that he was not as fortunate as himself.

He looked down at Princess Fragrance as he held her

and saw she had closed her eyes and was fast asleep.

Why did he let me see her? he wondered. He had raised

the problem of the Empress and said that if the Great

Endeavour was to accomplished, she would have to be

discounted, and that a choice would have to be made

between family and country. Yes, his meaning is......"

He shivered and began to sweat. He felt Princess

Fragrance move slightly against him and heard her

sigh. A smile appeared on her face like a flower bud

opening.

"Should I break with the Emperor for her sake, or ask

her to give in to him for the sake of the Great

Endeavour?" The thought shot through his brain like a

lightning bolt, and he cringed from it.

"She loves me so deeply. She's managed somehow to

maintain her virtue for my sake, she believes firmly

that I will rescue her. How can I really bring myself

to reject her, to betray her? But if I think only of

us two, I must break with my brother, and this rare

opportunity to recover the throne will be lost. If I

did that, would we not be cursed by generations to

come?" His brain was in turmoil, and he had no idea

what he should do.

Princess Fragrance opened her eyes. "Let's go," she

said. "I'm afraid of seeing that evil Emperor again."

"Wait here for a moment. I'll go out for a while then

come back." She nodded and took the dagger from his

hand, then watched him leave the room with smiling

eyes.

He went up the stairs and found Qian Long on the next

floor up sitting on a couch, stony-faced and

motionless.

"Affairs of state are of more importance than private

concerns," Chen announced. "I will urge her to give in

to you."

Qian Long jumped up off the couch in delight.

"Really?" he exclaimed.

"Yes, but you must swear an oath." Chen stared at him

as he spoke.

"What oath?" asked Qian Long, avoiding his gaze.

"If you do not honestly do all in your power to drive

the Manchu barbarians out, what then?"

Qian Long thought for a moment. "If that is the case,

then no matter how glorious my life may be, may my

grave be dug up and my skeleton smashed to pieces."

The grave of an emperor was inviolable. Such an oath

was extremely serious.

"All right," said Chen. "I will talk to her. But I

will have to do it outside the palace."

"Outside?" Qian Long asked, startled.

Chen nodded. "At the moment, she hates you to her very

bones. She won't be able to quietly listen to what I

have to say here, so I wish to take her to the Great

Wall to explain things."

"Why do you want to go so far?" said Qian Long

suspiciously.

"I once promised to take her to the Great Wall. When I

have done so, I will not see her ever again."

"You will definitely bring her back?"

"We members of the fighting community consider our

word to be worth more than our lives. I will do what I

have said."

Qian Long was uncertain of what to do. He wondered how

he would ever find this beauty again if Chen escaped

with her. But on the other hand, he knew the girl

would never give in to him unless Chen could think of

a way of convincing her to do so. He was sure Chen was

committed to their Great Endeavour and would not give

it up just for the sake of a girl.

"All right," he said finally, slapping the table. "Go,

both of you."

He waited until Chen had gone, then said to the

curtain behind him: "Take forty bodyguards and follow

him the whole way. Whatever you do, don't let them get

away."

Chen returned to the fourth floor and took hold of

Princess Fragrance's hand. "Let's go," The two walked

together out of the pavilion and out of the Forbidden

City. The guards had already received their orders and

made no attempt to stop them. Princess Fragrance's

heart was full of joy. She had always believed her

knight was capable of doing anything, and was in no

way surprised that they could just walk out of the

palace gates.

As they reached the outside, the sky was already

growing light. Xin Yan was standing close by, the

reins of the white horse in his hands, keeping watch,

and when he spotted Chen, he rushed over. Seeing

Princess Fragrance standing by his master's side, he

was even more surprised and delighted.

Chen took the rein from him. "We are going on a trip

out of the city for the day," he said. "We won't be

back until late evening, so tell the others not to

worry."

Xin Yan watched the two mount up and ride off north,

and was about to leave when the sound of galloping

hooves rose behind him and several dozen palace guards

thundered past. He recognised the frail old man

leading the troop as Bai Zhen, and returned quickly to

Twin Willow Lane to report.

As the white horse left the city, it galloped ever

faster. Princess Fragrance, snuggling into Chen's

arms, watched the trees on either side of the road zip

past, and all the distress and sorrow of the previous

few months evaporated. The horse's strong legs carried

them quickly past the small villages to the north of

Beijing, and as they approached a crossroads, Chen

said: "Let's go and see the tombs of the Ming dynasty

emperors."

The horse galloped on. Just past the Jade Stone

Bridge, they came upon a huge stone monument inscribed

with the words: 'The Sacred Tombs of the Great Ming'.

On the right-hand face of the monument were several

lines of poetry in Qian Long's hand.

"What is it?" Princess Fragrance asked.

"It's a poem written by the Emperor."

"He's vile and horrible. Don't look at it," she urged.

She took his hand and they continued on, and soon

found themselves walking along an avenue flanked by

stone lions, elephants, camels and strange mythical

creatures. "I have only this one day left with her so

I must make sure she enjoys it," Chen thought. "After

today, we will neither of us ever pass another happy

day again." So he roused his flagging spirits and

smiled.
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