"How! did the slave pirate dare to overcome our sea tigers?" said the Emperor in a rage.

"He has presumed, O prince to chastise traitors who wielded thy royal commission but for their own purposes, which, if a crime, he now offers to amend by sending his only son to beg that he may receive an order, signed by the vermilion pencil, to command that great fleet in his sovereign's name alone. The powerful pirate, for whose head the Emperor's ministers have offered great rewards, now places himself and his fortune at the disposal of the Son of Heaven," said Nicholas.

So great an offer having restored the Emperor to a better humor, he said, "It is a presumptuous request, yet loyal, if this bold man can give us a guarantee that he intends not playing us false."

"That guarantee is the life of thy servant, his only son, O my prince,"

replied Nicholas.

"These words are good and loyal, O my Emperor; for surely if this bold merchant hath sought wealth and power for his descendants, lo! he places his heir in thy hands," said Woo.

"The words of the aged Woo are wise and far-seeing. We grant this bold man's pet.i.tion, and should he help us to root out from the land this growing rebellion we will secure to him the island promised by the villain Li-Kong. As for thyself, brave youth, to whom we are so greatly indebted, we grant thee the t.i.tle of Princess-defending Tiger of War, and appoint thee to a command in the guards of the palace; and, moreover, will keep thee in our favor, of which this shall be a token,"

said the Emperor, taking from his girdle an embroidered purse, and handing it to Nicholas, who fell reverently upon his knees and held his hands above his head to receive the present.

At that moment the Prince Yong-Li entered, threw himself at the foot of the throne, and said, "Thy son, O my sovereign, is deserving of punishment, for the traitor has escaped."

"Escaped!" repeated the Emperor, bitterly.

"Truly so, my father; no sooner did the council of yesterday disperse, than, fearing the discovery of his guilt, he a.s.sembled his officers and guards and quitted the city."

"Let the fleetest of our hors.e.m.e.n follow immediately," added the Emperor.

"It would be in vain, my father, for ere they can overtake him the traitor will be in the midst of his own troops and province," replied the prince.

"It would be wise to have the gates closely guarded and the defences of the city examined," said Woo.

"The villain dares not carry his treason so far as to invade our capital," replied Wey-t-song.

"Let not the generous nature of my prince carry him too far, for by insidious arts and treacherous gifts this Li-Kong has gained the hearts of the people of the provinces, and is vile enough to attempt the greatest of crimes," said the minister.

"By the tombs of our ancestors, the venerable n.o.ble is wise, and we should be prepared for the vilest of crimes. Let the barbarian-subduing General Woo-san-Kwei and his army be recalled from Leao-tong."

"And so exchange a small traitor for the Tartar king, who, though a barbarian, is brave and powerful; rather let my royal father call around him in council the doctors of war and the ablest of his generals, who from the military books will doubtless find sure means of defending the city," said the prince; adding, "Then, O my sovereign parent, let the army be a.s.sembled, and permit thy son and this n.o.ble youth to meet the rebel on his way. Let this be so, my Emperor, and thy son will bring the traitor's head to thy feet, or be himself brought there upon his own shield."

"Thy heart is brave, but thy years too few, O my son, for so great a trust," replied the Emperor.

"At my years the ill.u.s.trious Tait-sou, the founder of our race, planted the first seeds of his glory in the field," said the young prince, warmly.

"The royal prince, thy chosen heir, is both wise and brave, my sovereign, for his name and rank will be a banner, around which the loyal will flock as plentifully as locusts, while his youth and bravery will shame the rebels into submission," said the censor.

"The counsel of the venerable Woo is bold," said the Emperor; adding, "After the council of war my son shall seek to emulate the bravery of his ancestors."

"The tongue of thy son is too feeble to speak his thanks, my sovereign,"

exclaimed the impetuous prince, falling upon his knees.

CHAPTER XXV.

NICHOLAS AND THE PRINCE HAVE AN ADVENTURE AND SAVE THE LIFE OF CHOW.

The morning after the audience Nicholas wrote to his father a detailed account of his adventures, and the disgrace and danger of the great Christian father, who, he a.s.sured him, would be destroyed, if proofs of his innocence were not speedily produced. When he had placed the letter in the hands of the flying-horse, or court messenger, who was about to start with the imperial cang-ho, he went in search of Chow, and, to his surprise, found the boy had been released under an order signed by Li-Kong, immediately before his abrupt departure. This, however, but puzzled him the more, for surely had the boy been released he would have sought out his master and friend. Then he began to fear that Chow had been decoyed away by some of the many designing traitors he more than suspected to be hovering about the palace, for the purpose of finding from the servant the history of the master. He sat for some time pondering what to do, and at length resolved upon searching through the whole city. With this determination he arose to depart, when he heard the trampling of footsteps, and the chief officer of the imperial prince entered the apartment, followed by four men, carrying a litter, which they placed upon the ground.

"The son of the great Emperor (may he live ten thousand years) sends the n.o.ble youth a royal robe, and arms, in token of his amity and brotherhood," said the officer, bowing to the ground.

At the name of the prince, Nicholas performed the ko-tow, and ordered an incense table to be brought, that he might receive the royal message with befitting respect. The officer, however, added, "Further, O n.o.ble stranger, that all men may know his grat.i.tude for the safety of his beloved sister, the great prince commands that the ceremony of the incense may be dispensed with, for the son of the Son of Heaven holds the n.o.ble youth as his brother in love as well as arms. Moreover, that he may prove his sincerity, the prince will wave his ill.u.s.trious rank and visit the preserver of the princess his sister." So saying the eunuch withdrew.

The present consisted of a complete military equipment befitting his new rank:--the war cap or helmet, a robe, embossed with plates of gold, both for ornament and protection, boots of rich costly leather, sword, shield, bow, and quiver of arrows, each of which bore the imperial crest, the five-clawed dragon. Delighted more with the gift than its costliness, Nicholas did not stay to examine the present, for fear the prince might speedily arrive; and he was right, for he had scarcely finished attiring himself in his new uniform before Yong-Li, unannounced, entered the room.

In an instant Nicholas threw himself at his feet, and began to pour forth his grat.i.tude, but, taking his hand, the prince said, "Arise, these are not times for ceremonies between brothers, banded together in so holy a cause; the sacred books themselves intended them alone for times of peace and luxury."

"May those times soon return, O my prince," said Nicholas.

"May my brother's wish be realised; but to obtain peace we must earn it by the sword," replied the prince; adding, gloomily, "I come from the board of generals and doctors of war."

"Upon what has their wisdom determined, O prince?"

"Nothing--they are dogs, traitors all; each general of a section declared the walls to be impa.s.sable by an enemy, and that the troops were numerous, well exercised, and prepared for a sudden attack," said the prince.

"These are the words of indolent cowards or designing traitors, but your royal father the Emperor----"

"Was present," said the prince; "but, alas! so loves his ease and the counsel of his bonzes, that he gave a ready ear to their reports, nay, promoted them all one step for their vigilance."

"Surely my prince lifted his voice in council?" said Nicholas.

"My brother, yes; but it was as the sound of a zephyr amidst the roarings of a hurricane; that of a youth among the aged and did but cause his majesty to forbid my seeking the rebel Li-Kong in the field."

"Then, my prince, our farther-seeing eye b.a.l.l.s must be used for the benefit of the blind," said Nicholas.

"Thus it is that I seek thy companionship in a journey round the walls, when, if I find them as I expect, woe be to the indolent cowards who dare deceive their Emperor," said the prince.

Nicholas then followed them to the courtyard, where they found awaiting them a squadron of the body guard with two richly caparisoned horses, one of which Yong-Li presented to Nicholas, and they proceeded upon their journey amidst the lavish adorations of thousands, who bowed to the earth as they rode through the streets.

"If my prince would truly see the manner in which the officers and soldiers perform their duties, would it not be wise for him to proceed in a chair and with the attendants only of a mandarin of the third order?" said Nicholas.

"Thy words are good," replied the prince, ordering the soldiers to stop at the house of a mandarin, who, having formerly been his military tutor, he knew would keep his rank concealed. Shortly afterward they were met by some soldiers who were conveying several malefactors to the place of execution. Seeing the prince, the soldiers and prisoners knelt with their faces to the ground till he had pa.s.sed. No sooner, however, had he pa.s.sed the unhappy men than the son of the Emperor, with tears in his eyes, said, "How unhappy is the lot of a prince, to witness such a sight as that!"

"Surely, my prince, the rogues deserve their punishment, the law awards, and the safety of the state demands it," said Nicholas.

"Truly, I weep not, my brother, at the punishment of these men, for without rewards and punishments the good are not encouraged, and the wicked are not restrained; moreover, chastis.e.m.e.nt is as necessary to the government of a kingdom, as bread is for the sustenance of the people.

But I weep because my time is not so happy as that of old when the virtues of the prince served as a bridle to the people, and his example was sufficient to restrain the vices of his subjects without other chastis.e.m.e.nt."

The warlike nature and education of Nicholas not permitting him to sympathize with the kind-hearted Yong-Li, he maintained a respectful silence, not however, without a fear for the fate of a prince whose amiable nature was so unfitted for such turbulent times. When they reached the house of the mandarin, the prince dismissed his guard, and, having borrowed from that officer his robe, cap, and chair of state, and a garment of plain green silk for Nicholas, the two youths entered the chair and proceeded on their journey with the usual attendants, one of whom went before, as a kind of _avant-garde_, and with a whip to beat them a pa.s.sage through the crowded streets. At the first guard-house the prince stepped out of the sedan, made himself known to the sentries, and pa.s.sed in; when, instead of finding the troops engaged in exercising, or in any of the many games permitted by the board of war, some were gambling, some goading crickets with their chopsticks till the insects killed each other, some were singing profane songs, and disporting in the most riotous and unseemly manner, while many who had been drinking deeply, and still held the spirit cups in their hands were reeling about the pavement, but most remarkable of all, no officers except those of the most subordinate grade were to be seen.

"These, then, are the vile dogs to whom the defence of the Imperial City is entrusted. These are the rogues whom the traitor generals commended,"

said the prince, indignantly; adding, "Truly the royal house is punished for its sins, for this looketh indeed like the decadence of a dynasty."

"These are but the hands, O my prince for whose acts the heads must be made accountable," said Nicholas.