Li Yuan folded Tsung Ye's confession and pocketed it, then nodded. "Send him in. I will see him here.

And, Master Nan . . . please stay. There is something I need to arrange with you."

Nan Ho stared at his Master, noting the strange smile he wore, then turned and left. A moment later he was back, leading in Rheinhardt.

"Helmut," Li Yuan said, greeting his Marshal, holding out his ring for him to kiss, then watching as he knelt and touched his forehead to the floor before him. "How can I help you?"

Rheinhardt glanced at Nan Ho, then got to his feet again. "It is Marshal Tolonen, Chieh Hsia. He tried to have Ward kidnapped."

"Tried . . ." Li Yuan laughed. "You jest, surely, Helmut? Knut kidnap Kim? Why on earth would he do that?"

"To stop him marrying his daughter."

Li Yuan turned to Nan Ho, his face suddenly severe. "Am I to believe my ears, Master Nan? You mean there was a relationship between Ward and the Marshal's daughter and I was not told of it?"

Nan Ho bowed low. "It was long ago, Chieh Hsia. I-I did not feel it was important."

"Important? Aiya, Master Nan! Nothing is more important than these personal matters. Nothing! Surely you of all people understand that?"

"Forgive me, Chieh Hsia. I am pu ju pen fen."

Li Yuan stared at him, surprised by the formality of the phrase- "one who has failed in his duty"-then turned to Rheinhardt again. "So what happened?"

"It seems the Marshal hired mercenaries to kidnap Kim at his Mansion, to prevent him from attending his daughter's Coming-of-Age party. But for some reason Ward eluded his attackers. Now both he and the Marshal's daughter have gone missing.""Together?"

"That's the strange thing, Chieh Hsia. We can find no camera records of their movements. It's like they vanished."

Li Yuan sucked in his breath. If he had lost Ward . . .

"And the Marshal? What does he say of all this?"

Rheinhardt looked down. "I am afraid the Marshal is unrepentant. He says that Ward will never marry his daughter. That he would kill him first."

Li Yuan turned away, then walked over to the window. "Why now? Why now of all times?" He looked back. "We must find Ward, Helmut. We simply must. He is vital to our plans. As for the Marshal"-he sighed-"you will place Marshal Tolonen under house arrest. You will give orders to the guards to use the minimum force to restrain him if need be, but restrain him they must, if it proves necessary. As for his honorary rank, he is stripped of it until this matter can be investigated. From henceforth he is to be considered no more than any other private citizen."

Rheinhardt looked down, saddened that it had come to this. "I am sorry, Chieh Hsia. To bring such news . . ."

Li Yuan went to him. "It is not your fault, Helmut. Sometimes even the best of us lose our way, neh? The Marshal is an old man. He was always inflexible. Old age has made him more so."

He stepped back, making a gesture of dismissal. Rheinhardt bowed low, then backed away.

When he was gone, Li Yuan looked to his Chancellor and let out a long breath. "Aiya!"

Nan Ho came across and knelt at his feet. "Forgive me, Chieh Hsia. If I had known . . ."

Li Yuan reached out and touched his head gently. "It is all right, Master Nan. I forgive you this once. But . . .".

Unexpectedly he laughed.

Nan Ho straightened up, staring at his master. "Are you all right, Chieh Hsia?"

The young Tang smiled. "Never better, Master Nan. Never, in all my life, better."

THE OLD MEN filed in silently, their shaven heads lowered modestly, their saffron robes whispering on the ancient stones of the great hall. When all seventy eight were seated, the three San Shih made their way to the center of the great circle of chairs and stood, their arms crossed before them, concealed within the silken folds of their robes. Luo Ye, the eldest and most senior of them, looked about him at the patiently watching faces, then bowed. "Ch'un t%u," he began, "we have come to report to the Pa shi yi concerning our meeting this morning with Li Yuan."

The old man hesitated; then, drawing himself up straight, he raised his right hand from within his robes, the crooked index finger pointing to the ceiling high above. As he did, his voice rang out, the perfectly intoned Mandarin filling the ancient hall.

"I am afraid to tell my revered brothers that the T'ang was not there. It appears he was . . . delayed."

A great hiss of disbelief went out at the news. Luo Ye waited a moment, then continued."Instead we spoke to the Ch'eng Hsiang, Nan Ho. He advised us to wait; to let our grievances rest until a better time. To ... well, in brief, to go away and do as we were told."

The hiss became a buzz of anger. On all sides old men looked to each other, animatedly discussing this new development.

"Ch'un tzu . . ." Luo Ye said, calling them to order. "It may be that the great Li Yuan was indeed delayed. That, knowing we wished to see him on a matter of the first importance, he yet allowed himself to be detained elsewhere. However, it was my feeling that this was a deliberate insult; a snubbing of the Pa shi yi, indeed, of the great New Confucian Movement itself. Since we failed his son, he has, it seems, had little time for us. Like a sulking woman, he has sought to avenge himself in petty ways. But this . . ."

Luo Ye drew himself up straight, the grave authority of his voice echoing amid the stone pillars of the great hall.

"Since the time of the great sage Meng Tzu, it has been agreed by all men that to govern Chung Kuo a Son of Heaven must have Heaven's Mandate, and that to be in possession of the Mandate such a one must be a man of virtue and benevolence. Similarly, it has been agreed that any Son of Heaven found lacking in these qualities forfeits his right to the dragon throne. In such a case the Mandate is broken." He paused significantly. "For some time now the actions of our Master, Li Yuan, son of Li Shai Tung, have caused this Council great concern, but this-this willful disregard for other men . . . does this show virtue? Are these the actions of a benevolent man?"

"No!" came the cry from all sides. "No!"

"Well, brothers . . ." Luo Ye said, folding his arms within his robes once more, a smile of satisfaction on his lips now, "then it seems we must debate a brand new matter. It seems it is time for the Pa shi yi to act. To teach this willful young man from whence his power derives. ..."

TSU ma's FACE was blanched, like a mask of shocked anger, the muscles of his neck taut. He sat there, his hands clenching the carved arms of the throne, his whole body held rigid, listening as his Master of the Inner Chambers, Hwa Kwei, made his confession.

Hwa Kwei was sprawled below the raised dais, his forehead pressed against the stone floor, his arms thrown out before him in supplication, his whole attitude one of abject apology. When he had finished, Tsu Ma gave a small grunt and leaned forward.

"Is that all, Hwa Kwei?"

"It is all, Chieh Hsia."

The T'ang shuddered violently and stood, looking past his servant at the great doors. They were alone here in the audience chamber. Tsu Ma had dismissed the guards, trusting his old retainer. But now? For a moment his anger spilled out. He raised his voice.

"Why, Hwa Kwei? What have I done to deserve this of you?"

But his anger was seasoned with the knowledge that Hwa Kwei had come to him. Dishonored and a traitor he might be, but he had acted honorably at the last. Tsu Ma sighed and, going down the steps, raised Hwa Kwei's chin with his foot.

"I shall spare your family, Master Hwa. I promise you that."

The retainer took the T'ang's foot and kissed it, then returned his forehead to the floor. For himself, heknew, there was only death, but the T'ang had been merciful. Hwa's family, at least, would live.

Just then there was a hammering at the door. Tsu Ma stepped past Hwa Kwei, frowning, then glanced back at the servant as he answered.

"Enter!"

It was Yung Chen, one of the eunuchs from the women's quarters. He was breathless. His eyes stared wildly at the T'ang as he bowed, then straightened.

"What is it?" Tsu Ma said quietly. His stomach had tightened, his whole body gone cold. He had the sense that something dreadful- something irreparable-had happened.

"It is Kung-chih, Chieh Hsia. He has gone mad. He holds Shu-sun at knifepoint and calls for you to come. Tan We is dead, and two others." Tan We was the Chief Eunuch, Tsu Ma's mentor from his childhood. The news was like a physical blow. For a moment Tsu Ma faltered, not understanding what was happening. Then, stumbling forward, he pushed past the eunuch and began to run.

In the corridor outside, the guards fell in behind their T'ang, astonished to see him in such a state. Out into the courtyard they went, into bright sunlight, then through the water gardens and across the narrow bridge that led to the women's quarters.

And as he ran, Tsu Ma was thinking, And Too Chu? Is Too Chu in on this too? Can I trust no one?

The first three rooms were empty. Beyond them was a small courtyard with cherry trees in blossom and a small pool. Beyond that were Shu-sun's rooms. Two servants stood on the far side of the pool, turning toward him and bowing as he came out into the courtyard. "Where is he?"

One of the servants turned, pointing inside. Tsu Ma strode across the courtyard, but he had gone only a few paces when two figures appeared in the far doorway.

Kung-chih held Shu-sun before him, the long, deadly knife held lengthways beneath her chin. He could kill her before Tsu Ma took another step. The T'ang halted, glaring at the youth. "Are you mad, Kung-chih?" "Never so sane, Uncle."

Shu-sun looked terrified. Her silk wrap was spattered with blood and her small white hands were clasped together in front of her. She seemed close to fainting and looked to Tsu Ma with imploring eyes.

Tsu Ma, seeing her so, felt his stomach turn; felt an emptiness, a fear, he had never felt before. Even so he kept it hidden from his face; kept all his love, his weakness, tight inside, steeling himself to deal with his nephew.

"Why this?" he asked, taking one step.

"No further, Uncle," the youth warned, tilting the blade slightly so that it nicked the flesh and made Shu-sun cry out. Tsu Ma gritted his teeth, then let a breath hiss out between them.

"What do you want?"

Kung-chih's hand was steady, his whole manner dangerous-far more dangerous than Tsu Ma would have expected. He had thought him weak. In that, too, he had been wrong. He waited while the youth considered his reply; appraising the situation, his eyes straying to each side and to above, trying to assess what might be done. Shu-sun's body shielded Kung-chih's. If his guards shot at Kung they would probably miss, and Shu-sun would be dead."I am tired of games," Kung-chih said finally.

"Games?" Tsu Ma was puzzled. He made to take another step but saw how the muscles of the hand that held the knife tensed, and so he relaxed, letting his hands open at his sides.

"You have toyed with me, Uncle. Played games with me. All along you have mocked me. I know. Hwa Kwei told me."

This puzzled him more. What could Hwa Kwei have possibly told him to make him think that? Then, suddenly, he understood. It all fell into place. The announcement of Shu-sun's pregnancy! That had precipitated all of this!

"No . . ." he said softly, almost tenderly, as if he understood the hurt the boy was feeling. "I have played no games with you, Kung-chih. Until today, I-"

The/ boy's cold laughter cut his words short. "I do not believe you, Uncle/. Even now you think to trick me. To keep me from what I want:'"

"And you want this?" Tsu Ma had gone cold again. He saw no way out of this. No way but death.

"I wanted what was mine. By right."

By right? But Tsu Ma said nothing, only bowed his head slightly, as if acknowledging what was said.

Kung-chih spoke again. "For years you led me to believe I would be T'ang one day."

Did I? Tsu Ma thought. Well, maybe he had. Even so, nothing justified this.

"What do you think this will achieve, Kung-chih?"

Again the young man laughed, but his eyes gave nothing away. He had killed three times already; perhaps those deaths had changed him.

"I could kill your son, perhaps, Tsu Ma. Kill the heir you think to have."

Tsu Ma was silent a moment, simply watching the boy, trying to control the sudden violent hatred he had felt hearing those words, reminding himself that this was his brother's child, his ward. Yet when he spoke again he let nothing of that hatred show, steeling himself to be calm and unemotional.

"I can wed a dozen wives, Kung-chih. One of them will give me a son."

For the first time the knife wavered slightly and a look of doubt crept into the prince's eyes. But it was a moment's hesitation only. The look of cold determination returned. Kung-chih slowly shook his head and laughed.

"No, Uncle. You do not fool me with your act. I've seen you with this woman."

Again Tsu Ma felt a hot flush of rage pass through him. He wanted to kill the boy; to tear him apart with his bare hands. And yet he had to stand there, calm, his hands open at his sides, his face clear of the anger he felt. For Shu-sun's sake. Because to show what he was feeling would mean her certain death.

He laughed and let the laughter roll on for longer than its normal course. Again there was a moment's uncertainty in the young man's eyes. Tsu Ma let the laughter spill over into his voice.

"So you think you know me, boy?"This time no words, only a curt, uncompromising nod. The knife was held steady beneath Shu-sun's chin, the sharp blade dark with others' blood. Shu-sun had closed her eyes, her chest rising and falling heavily.

Kung-chih's left arm was locked about her shoulder now, keeping her from falling.

Tsu Ma, watching, wondered what she was feeling; whether it was one part as dreadful as the fear he felt for her.

"What now, then?" he asked, keeping his voice steady.

They had come to an impasse. There was nothing he could offer. No deal could come of this. No compromise. He sighed heavily, suddenly weary, then, with an anger he had concealed until that moment, he yelled and threw himself forward.

Surprised, Kung-chih's instincts took over, and for one brief moment the knife moved outward in a wide arc, as if to meet the oncoming threat. Then it jerked back and Shu-sun fell forward, screaming.

Tsu Ma stopped, horrified, looking down at his fallen wife. Then his head jerked up. Kung-chih was on his knees. The knife had clattered to the floor. From the center of Kung-chih's chest a long steel spike protruded. Kung-chih coughed once, blood dribbling from between his lips, then fell onto his face.

Behind him, in the doorway, stood Tao Chu. His silks were drenched and his hair slicked back and wet.

He looked down at his half-brother in surprise, a dreadful look of pain-of sheer loss-on his face, then looked across at Tsu Ma. Shu-sun was scrabbling forward, whimpering with fright. Tsu Ma met his nephew's eyes a moment, then bent down and held his wife to him, his big frame shivering uncontrollably as he comforted her.

After a moment he looked up at Tao Chu again. The boy was still standing there, looking down at the brother he had killed. Tears rolled down his cheeks, one after another, and, even as Tsu Ma watched, the boy knelt and kissed the dark head of his brother, one hand gently touching and stroking the yet warm neck, as if he merely slept.

NAN HO SAT at his desk, staring into space.

"Kuan Yin preserve us," he murmured.

"Master?"

He looked to his secretary, Hu Chang, and shook his head. "I said, Kuan Yin preserve us. This business ... it is an ill day's work. The Empress Pel K'ung is a good woman, and if she has needs . . . well, we all have needs, neh, Hu Chang?"

Hu Cnang lowered his head.

"I tried to talk sense into him," he continued, "but he would not listen. It is just as before. He is obsessed with her. Infatuated with the she-fox. She has cast her spell over him again and we must all suffer for it."

Hu Chang looked up. "Master?"

"Yes, Hu Chang?"

"Perhaps we should try to delay matters and let time cure our Lord of this-this strangeness."