"Zhejiang Province Civil Administrator Yin to see your Highness the Emperor," the officer said.
So it was the Emperor, Chen thought. No wonder security was so tight.
"I have sent troops to quell the Muslim regions," the Emperor said. "I hear you object to this idea."
Chen frowned: he found the Emperor"s voice strangely familiar.
"I deserve to die, I would not dare," Yin said, continuing to kowtow.
"I asked Zhejiang Province to supply six thousand tons of grain to meet the needs of the army. Why did you disobey my orders?"
"I truly would not dare, your Highness," Yin said. "But the harvest in Zhejiang this year has been very poor. The common people are in great hardship, and it is temporarily impossible to supply such an amount."
"So the common people are in great hardship, are they? The army is in urgent need of food supplies. Shall I tell them to starve out there?"
"I wouldn"t dare to say," Yin quavered, continuing to kowtow.
"No, I want you to tell me," replied the Emperor.
"Your Highness"s ability to spread enlightenment and civilisation is far-reaching. The Muslim barbarians are in fact not worth such a long trek by Your Highness"s armies. As the Ancients said: "Soldiers are instruments of violence which a man of virtue should use only as a last resort." Your Highness could cancel the campaign, and the whole world would be thankful for your benevolence."
"The people are discontented because I have decided to wage this campaign, is that correct?" Qian Long replied coldly.
Yin kowtowed even more energetically. His forehead was by now covered in blood.
Qian Long laughed shortly. "You have a hard skull," he said. "If you hadn"t, you wouldn"t dare to contradict me."
He turned round and Chen started violently: the Emperor was the Master Dongfang he had met earlier that day.
"Get out!" he heard Qian Long shout. "And leave your cap here!" Yin kowtowed a few more times and then retired.
"There must certainly be some irregularities in Yin"s affairs," Qian Long said to the remaining officials. "I want the Commander-in-chief to conduct a thorough investigation and inform me of the results. He must not be protected for personal reasons. His crimes must be exposed." The officials assented in chorus.
"Now leave me. And arrange for six thousand tons of grain to be collected and dispatched immediately." The officials kowtowed and retired.
"Tell Kang to come," the Emperor added, and an attendant left and returned a moment later with Chen"s look-alike. He stood close to Qian Long with an air of familiarity very different from the cringing manner of the officials.
"Call for Li Keshou," Qian Long ordered, and a military officer quickly appeared, kowtowing his way into the Emperor"s presence.
"Li Keshou, commander-in-chief of Zhejiang Province, pays his respect to Your Highness," he said.
"How is that Red Flower Society bandit chief, Wen Tailai?" asked Qian Long.
"He was arrested after a savage battle and he is very seriously wounded," Li replied. "I have assigned doctors to treat him. We will have to wait until his mind is clear before we can question him."
"You must be careful," Qian Long said.
"Your servant would not dare to be the slightest bit neglectful," replied Li.
"Go now," said the Emperor, and Li retired.
"Let"s follow him," Chen whispered, but as they dropped quietly to the ground, someone inside the hall shouted: "Intruders!"
Chen and Zhao ran into the outer courtyard and mingled with the troops. Bamboo clappers sounded loudly and the old man Chen had seen earlier that day with the Emperor began directing a search.
Chen and Zhao walked slowly towards the gate.
"Who are you?"