You may be unwilling to become an official, but if you have any requests, I will do my best to comply with them."
Chen was silent for a moment. "There is one thing...but I doubt if you would agree."
"Any request you make will be granted."
"Really?"
"I never joke."
"Then I ask you to release my sworn brother, Wen Tailai."
Qian Long started in surprise. He had not guessed that this would be the request. For a moment, he was at a loss.
"How has Master Wen offended you?" Chen asked.
"I cannot release him, but since I have promised, I cannot go back on my word. I tell you what: I won"t kill him."
"Then we have no choice but to rescue him by force," replied Chen. "I asked you to release him not because we are unable to rescue him, but simply to avoid injuring our friendship."
Qian Long had witnessed the might of the Red Flower Society, and he knew this was no empty boast.
"I appreciate your good intentions," he said. "But I tell you honestly, I cannot allow this man out of my grasp. If you insist on trying to rescue him, then I will kill him three days from now."
Chen"s blood boiled. "If you kill Master Wen, you will never eat or sleep easy again," he threatened.
"And if I don"t kill him, I will never eat or sleep easy either."
"If that is true, then even being Emperor cannot compare with the carefree life that I lead."
"How old are you?" Qian Long asked.
"Twenty five."
"I am not jealous of your carefree life, but I am jealous of your youth. But it is of no consequence. No matter what one"s achievements, everyone still returns to dust when their time is up."
The two strolled on for a time.
"How many wives do you have?" Qian Long asked. Without waiting for an answer, he plucked a piece of jade off his gown and offered it to Chen, saying: "This is a priceless treasure. Give it to your wife."
Chen did not take it. "I have not married yet," he said.
Qian Long laughed. "You always set your sights too high. Give it to the lady of your heart as a wedding present, then."
Chen accepted the stone. The jade shone with a pale glow under the moonlight and he found it slightly warm to the touch. He realized it was a piece of incalculably valuable "warm jade". He placed the jade in his pocket. "Thank you for the present," he said. "We will meet again." He saluted with his fists, mounted his horse and started off.
Qian Long waved goodbye to him. "Look after yourself!" he shouted.
** 4 **
Putting aside thoughts of home, Chen rode back to the society"s mansion near Hangzhou where he found everyone gathered around "Melancholy Ghost" Shi who had just arrived from Beijing. Shi immediately broke free from the group and bowed before Chen.
"I found out in Beijing that the Emperor had come south, and travelled day and night to get here to tell you only to find that the brothers had not only seen him, but had clashed with his men as well," he said.
"You"ve had a hard trip, Twelfth Brother," replied Chen. "Did you hear any other news while you were there?"
"Once I heard about the Emperor, I disregarded everything else," Shi said.
Chen noticed his haggard look and guessed he was worn out after the hard ride. "Go and get a good sleep. We"ll talk again later," he said.
Shi bowed and walked off. As he passed Luo Bing, he said: "That white horse of yours is very fast. But don"t worry, I took good care of him...Oh," He stopped again. "I also saw the horse"s former owner, Han Wenchong, on the road."
"What?