The Dragon and the Pearl. Jeannie Lin

      ‘Nowhere you would find entertaining.’

      This must be how she was able to pry secrets from the most powerful men in the empire. He had no skill for filling silence with conversation, but he found himself wanting to do so. To reciprocate the moment she had created.

      ‘I received another imperial summons to appear before Emperor Shen in Changan,’ he stated. Nothing secret about that, it being an imperial proclamation.

      The gentle music faltered before continuing. The notes took on a hint of shrillness beneath the soft warmth.

      ‘Then you must go and make peace with Emperor Shen.’ Suyin stared down at the instrument.

      Was that concern he detected?

      ‘Once they have me in Changan, it’ll be the death of me.’

      ‘If you don’t go, they’ll hang you as a traitor.’

      ‘They behead traitors, Ling Guifei,’ he replied mildly.

      She flattened the strings with her hand to stop the sound. ‘Why do you insist on calling me that?’

      ‘To remind myself that you are not mine.’

      Silence hung between them.

      ‘But you don’t want me,’ she said, her tone cutting. ‘Other than for one night.’

      ‘One night can last a very long time.’

      The blush in her cheeks caught him off guard. He had assumed such flirtation was second nature to a seasoned courtesan.

      ‘I don’t wish to see you hanged … or beheaded.’

      ‘Not without a fight,’ he promised.

      ‘War and death. That’s all men like you know.’ She pushed the instrument aside and sank back as if it no longer held any joy for her.

      ‘This summons is an ambush. The imperial court has all the power in Changan. I’ll face whoever comes for me here, on my own terms.’

      Suyin fell silent. She tapped her fingertips thoughtfully against the tabletop as she struggled with her next words.

      ‘Please reconsider,’ she said finally.

      ‘There’s nothing to consider. Gao has the court in his palm,’ he said.

      She made an impatient sound. ‘I told Auntie you wouldn’t listen to anyone.’

      That left them at a standstill, staring at each other across the field of battle. But she wasn’t quite the enemy. He traced the shape of her mouth and the curve of her throat. Suyin’s breathing quickened in response. No one else dared to suggest that he back down. Certainly no one had counselled him regarding his own welfare.

      She was beautiful.

      She was complicated.

      There wasn’t a thread of trust between them, yet he still wanted her. Discipline and caution meant nothing when she was near.

      ‘Tell me one thing,’ she said. ‘What does the dagger mean?’

      ‘It’s a reminder.’

      ‘Of what?’

      ‘Shibao.’

      ‘The siege against Tibet.’

      Of course she knew the history. She had been Emperor Li Ming’s consort for fifteen years. She’d shared the sovereign’s bed. Resentment flowed like poison through Li Tao’s veins. Jealous of a dead man. There wasn’t a more worthless emotion.

      ‘One of the worst defeats of the empire,’ he said.

      ‘But you were commended for your bravery. Everyone knew your name after that battle.’

      ‘It was undeserved.’ He wasn’t being humble. If she meant to appeal to his sense of honour and duty, it didn’t exist. ‘In the end, all debts must be paid. The message of the dagger is that no one can be careful for ever.’

      If only she knew the truth behind the legends. He was no hero. He was tempted to tell her everything, but with the old empire falling to ruin around them, it made no difference any longer.

       Chapter Six

      Shibao, Tibet—ad 745 14 years earlier

      Facing death on the battlefield was different from facing death in the dingy corners of the city. In battle, the sheer crush of bodies made survival unpredictable. Skill meant nothing in the thick of it. Planning, valour, strength … nothing. That was what made this task all the more challenging. He could come out alive or he could succeed in his mission. One or the other, but not both.

      By now, Li Tao knew what the eve of battle felt like, knew the taste of it in the air. He’d been inserted into the growing forces of the imperial army for the last five years. In his first battle, he hadn’t even been issued a sword, but the Emperor’s continued excursions into foreign lands to gain territory had given Li Tao plenty of opportunity to climb the ranks. Today, he lined up shoulder to shoulder among the first battalion, stationed near the dragon banner on the fields of Shibao. In the distance, the flags of the Tibetan kingdom waved in challenge.

      The August Emperor himself walked the line. This was no fattened monarch who watched over the battle from a hilltop in the distance. The Emperor would ride where the battle was thickest, urging men forwards with his will. To all who witnessed it, he was truly invincible, the Son of Heaven.

      Li Tao had to admit the Emperor was a natural leader of men. He was at his best amidst the stamp of horses’ hooves and the clash of swords. His detractors scorned that he was far more comfortable on a saddle than on the throne. Several attempts on his life had been made in the imperial palace, but all had failed. His death today would be a kindness, a warrior’s death.

      Like every other man, Li Tao bowed low as the Emperor passed by. Inexplicably, the Emperor halted. His face displayed weary lines from sleeping in the same tents as his men and eating by the same cooking fires. The studded bands of his armour were dulled with dust and blood.

      ‘What is your name, swordsman?’

      He straightened. ‘Li Tao, Imperial Majesty.’