Third Prince - All Eyes Turned To Tianming Duke

All eyes turned to Tianming Duke.

"Did you get involved because the Censorate requested help?" asked Consort Jin. "Or were you looking to secure a prize in Marquis Yue's mansion?"

The Duke was a dignified old man with a solid frame and a well-deserved reputation as a strong fighter. The fact he had sought refuge with the Emperor did not change that. The Duke's fighting skills were formidable, but his mhoddim component was not strong. Esmaralde also had formidable skills, and she was the Goddess of Glaives. If the Duke had not sought refuge, she would have killed him.

"Tianming Guard is responsible for maintaining proper order in Tianming Town," replied the Duke. "A proper order exists for seizing property involved in crimes. That order was not followed. I 'got involved' in an attempt to restore order."

As with the Rectifying Commandant, he was not wrong. However….

"You sound as reasonable as the former gentleman," said Consort Jin, "and were just as well prepared."

"I overestimated the Crown Princess's commitment to civilization," replied Tianming Duke.

"You did," agreed Consort Jin. "But I think you were after a prize."

"There were no 'prizes,'" said Tianming Duke. "The Crown Princess seized the mansion's contents without following the law."

"Special Agent Dust," said Consort Jin. "You have the distinction of being the individual most personally acquainted with the facts of this matter."

"I remain hazy on how many people have died," replied Giselle.

She had regained her bravado.

"Apart from the hoard seized by the Crown Princess," said Consort Jin, "was anything else discovered in Marquis Yue's mansion?"

"Crates of contraband were discovered hidden in the mansion's cellars," said Giselle.

"Did you know about those crates, Tianming Duke?" asked Consort Jin.

"I did not!" said the Duke.

"Special Agent," said Consort Jin, "why had the Crown Princess missed them?"

"The Crown Princess took the most direct path to the vampire's crypt," said Giselle.

"How did she know it was the most direct path?" asked Consort Jin.

"I just followed the doors left open by Iba Algi," chuckled Esmaralde.

"Whereas the contraband…?" asked Consort Jin.

"Was behind closed doors off the main path," said Giselle.

"This mansion's subterranean infrastructure sounds quite large," said Consort Jin.

"It's several times the size of the house," said Giselle, "and it's a big house. Among the contraband were several vials of a particularly strong knockout drug; and a bronze token from one of Tianming Duke's retainers."

"Meaningless!" thundered the Duke. "My family has been at war with Tianming Town's criminal underworld for generations. Both sides have an ample supply of 'trophies.'"

"Why did you mention the knock-out drug?" asked Consort Jin.

"Because I'm looking for abducted martial artists," replied Giselle.

Unless Parsifal was mistaken, and he rarely was about such things, an uncontrollable spasm of recognition twitched across Tianming Duke's face.

"Do you think the mansion's previous owner was involved?" asked Consort Jin.

"Lady Wu helped with logistics," said Giselle. "Dragon Turtle Society has a profitable mercenary recruitment business."

"Are they abducting martial artists to act as mercenaries?" asked Consort Jin.

"The martial artists would be too difficult to control," said Giselle. "No, Lady Wu was not abducting people. But she was providing support to those who were. We've got it all in the ledgers – once we crack the code."

Giselle described the annotation process.

"Interesting," said Consort Jin. "The Crown Prince is an expert on classic literature."

"It would be my pleasure to assist," said the Crown Prince.

"We will deliver the ledgers to Peach Topaz Palace immediately," said Alistair Sand.

"A recent development might also be relevant," said Giselle.

"Please share," said Consort Jin.

"Magistrate Berge and I attempted to enter the townhouse of Mr. Woe," said Giselle.

"Why?" asked Consort Jin.

"To bring anyone not up to speed up to speed," said Giselle, "Second Consort Chen killed all members of Sorrow Woe Society in Tianming Town. Perhaps all Great Yao. Again, I'm uncertain about the final body count."

For many people in the room, coming up to speed came as a shock.

"It's true," said Consort Jin, cutting through the noise. "Consort Chen has killed almost everyone in Sorrow Woe Society."

"Many deaths occurred in Mr. Woe's townhouse," said Giselle, "including that of Mr. Woe himself. Magistrate Berge and I wanted to evaluate the scene. When we reached the estate, a Tianming Guard lieutenant prevented us from entering. The Magistrate was reluctant to engage in more violence, and so we did not force our way in. However, I did order my agents to kill anyone who tried to leave."

"On what authority?" demanded Tianming Duke. "More lawlessness!"

"I'm not sure if they killed anyone," said Giselle.

Alistair stepped forward and saluted.

"To ensure the record is complete," he said, "two people were killed trying to leave through an underground passage. The materials they were carrying have been seized. I have not yet examined those materials. They appear to be documents."

"Outrageous!" roared Tianming Duke.

"If that townhouse contained anything other than erotic ceramics," said Giselle, "its most interesting contents would be records of dirty deeds performed in exchange for gold."

"Once the erotic ceramics have been lawfully seized," said Consort Su, "I will buy them from the state at a premium. Renjie's birthday is approaching."

Several people chuckled. Parsifal was one of them. It was true that Renjie loved erotic ceramics. He would particularly love possessing erotic ceramics previously owned by Sorrow Woe Society – a sinister organization which had attacked the Fourth Prince's "future wife." Then a gear clicked inside Parsifal's brain. He took a menacing step forward.

That attracted attention. He reached his hand out to one side. A heavy broadsword materialized in his grip. That caused a frightful stir.

"Third Prince," said the Emperor. "What's the meaning of this?"

Significantly, Left and Right Attendants, along with the Empress, took no action.

Parsifal advanced toward Tianming Duke.

"Brother," said the Crown Prince. "I get the feeling there is an additional piece of information which, if known, would help most of us, including myself, better understand the context of your uncharacteristic aggression."

Parsifal looked at his mother.

"Everyone present knows the Royal Guard recorded a disturbance at the residence of Princess Iba Algi," said Consort Su.

"Yes," agreed the Crown Prince. "No harm was reported. No action was required. I took my daughters to have tea with the Princess after the incident. She is in good spirits."

"Respectfully correcting the Crown Prince," said Consort Jin. "Action was taken."

"Then why was I out of the loop?" asked the Crown Prince.

He looked sincerely irritated.

"I ordered the Royal Guard to remain silent," said the Empress.

The Crown Prince saluted.

"I withdraw the question," he said.

"The disturbance," said Consort Su, "occurred when Mr. Sorrow tried to kill the Princess."

Parsifal studied as many expressions as he could in the time available. No one, including Tianming Duke, stood out as particularly suspicious.

"I see," said the Crown Prince, "and Consort Chen intervened?"

"The Princess dealt with Mr. Sorrow personally," said Consort Su. "She destroyed him so completely, all the enchantments spun by that necromancer over the last hundred years have come undone. The Princess has proven herself worthy of the Grand Preceptor's ranking, and she no longer belongs on any of your lists, Mr. Sand. Is that clear?"

"It is not clear," said the Emperor.

"Silence!" roared Consort Su.

She had dropped all pretense of playing around. Alistair Sand dropped to the floor.

"It's true that Moonlight Chamber does business with Sorrow Woe Society," he said. "We had no knowledge of such a recklessly stupid plan, however, and would have done everything in our power to prevent it from being attempted had we known."

"Even if you don't trust us," said Giselle, "you must recognize that we would know the consequences of this plan would be… unprecedented."

"You can't mean to blame it on me?" said Tianming Duke.

"Why not?" asked Parsifal.

"I have no grudge against the Princess!" said the Duke. "Eastern Duke's dream of using her to secure the throne for some future generation is delusional!"

"I told my mother Sorrow Woe Society would never take the contract from you," said Parsifal, "because they would have known you couldn't protect them."

"That too," said Tianming Duke. "Who could?"

He regretted asking, but the question hung in the air.

"In the report prepared by the Crown Princess," said Parsifal, "the one called Bon Bao mentioned that he asked Iba Algi to tell him where the abducted Jian Peak Abbey gigolos had been taken. She declined. Not on the grounds that she didn't know, but on the grounds that knowing wouldn't put Bon Bao in a position to save them."

"None of that has anything to do with me," said Tianming Duke.

"It doesn't," agreed Parsifal, "unless you abducted the martial artists."

"Absurd!" cried Tianming Duke. "I have the Tianming Guard!"

"Tianming Guard is public," said Parsifal. "A small army of skilled fighters can be kept private."

"It would be a useless private army!" said Tianming Duke. "What are you trying to accuse me of, Third Prince? Launching a rebellion with an army of 'skilled fighters' who couldn't keep themselves from being abducted by barbarians? Absurd! How long would it take this one barbarian right here to kill them, nevermind the Second Consort or Her Majesty?"

"That's a reasonable argument," said Parsifal. "But what do you know about the God of War?"

Tianming Duke laughed.

"The God of War is dead!" he said.

Parsifal considered the answer too melodramatic to be convincing.

"You didn't read the part of the Crown Princess's report suggesting that Iba Algi may have triggered the God of War's escape from four thousand years of imprisonment beneath our feet?"

"If true," said Tianming Duke, "then she's the one you should accuse of rebellion!"

For Parsifal, it was decision time.

Should he or should he not kill Tianming Duke?

The Sanctuary of the Guiding North Star was meant for decisive action. Parsifal had no proof of anything. But his admiration for decisive action was so great, he decided to kill the Duke right there. The expected protests erupted before the old man's body hit the floor. Ministers and officials wailed with their usual over-acting. Even Alistair looked displeased.

What mattered to Parsifal, however, was the reaction of the women in the room.

The Empress was inscrutable. She could have stopped him. Everyone knew it. Because she made no effort to stop him. Left and Right Attendants also declined to take action. Third Consort Jin looked like she preferred different approaches, but said nothing.

Fifth Consort Su almost failed to stop herself from clapping.

Giselle did clap, but in a subtle way. The special agent's approval carried no political value, but was nice to have. It was Giselle who taught Parsifal how to make slashes with his empty hand. The Duke had been killed by the metaphor of short fingernails.

The Crown Prince took control.