The Emperor of Devils Xin'an 45 Beijing 50 {1845-50}
Mother,
My greatest apologies to you for this delayed correspondence. I sustained a small injury in a fracas with some British soldiers; the wound appears to be mostly superficial, nothing to worry about really. Nevertheless, I have been prescribed to bedrest as I recover my vigor. But you can rest - a small joke, I know - assured that nothing more will harm your prodigal son in his voyage to Beijing! That's right, the sooner I recover, the sooner we live - and the sooner that I can come home to you and father. The years have been trying, yet I feel that I have matured a great deal and am ready to profit off of my experiences.
However, I have sent several very harsh letters to the British consulate regarding the conduct their troops have displayed during this conflict. The burnt-out husks of housing and the odd, disjointed state we found the many residents of Xin'an in was both profusely frightening and inexplicable. It yet remains for me to understand why the British burned only sections of the residential area, and not military targets or the civilian harbor. At least the bulk of the population seems to have been saved by the timely intervention of the Qing Gold and Brown Banners.
I've heard about the tensions within the Union, and am sure that the proud sons and daughters of Virginia will make the right choice when it comes to this debacle. Honestly, I'm having trouble picturing it as a serious conflict - all this talk of secession over a few slaves? President Van Buren's refusal to go after the Western territories notwithstanding, he seems like a more than capable man. After all, support for abolition appears to be strong with apparent inability of plantation economics to produce more territory! Another joke for which I must apologize - this recent string of events has left me in increasingly high spirits. Mei Ling has been - he is...
A gust of warm coastal air blew in from the open window, and Clark struggled to keep his grip on his pen - and his mind on his words. Mei Ling was peering his way from where she sat on the floor, watching every word with a focused expression - and a very noticeable vexation. "You're really going on, Clark. These letters mean a lot to you, don't they?" Clark shrugged non-committally, and eased back into the bed, drawing an exasperating sigh from Mei Ling as she clambered to her feet and began pacing.
More than I had expected. An incredible person whom I hope you all one day have the pleasure of meeting, even if he sometimes doesn't seem to care about the nicities of proper conduct when someone is resting their health.
Love,
Clark Oskission
As he finished the letter with a surge of pride, he turned from the comfortable bed to notice Mei Ling still looking intensely at him - and quickly turned away, unable to meet those confident brown eyes. "What seems to be so important that you pester a poor, sick man as he writes a letter to his family? Don't you have children to tend to?" The words came out more harshly then he'd intended them to, but luckily they seemed to float right over Mei Ling's head, which she cocked to the side as she spoke. "No. That kid - Hai - is being looked after by pharmacologists. And he isn't the only one - I've never seen wounds that strange. And anyway, I'm trying to learn from watching you." Clark rubbed at the back of his neck, eyes darting around uncertainly.
"Whatever is there that you'd learn from watching me? Honestly, I feel like if anyone's been learning anything, it's me." Clark laughed in self-derision, but Mei Ling put her hands on her hips. "English, obviously. When I managed to grab a few of the villagers and set up a base out of town, a lot of my colleagues were reading English literature. Don't sell yourself short - we're always learning, or at least that's what Yelu says. If you think you know everything - or that someone else does - you're not seeing everything." She smiled and sat back on the floor, arms resting on her knees. Clark tried to smile back, but found himself suddenly besieged by thoughts, not all of them ones he was comfortable with.
"Mei Ling, how did you meet Yelu, anyhow? It certainly seems the two of you have known each other for a long time. And more importantly - well, I'll ask that later." He fiddled with the letter not yet ensconced in an envelope as he waited for a reply - which was not long in the waiting, as Mei Ling fell back and stared at the ceiling, her smile pensive. "Actually, we met through my brother. He's a staunch supporter of the Qing, at least was. I've got no idea what he thinks now - but Yelu was originally going to train him. He'd done well on the service exam, and the Daoguang Emperor had originally intended to phase new officers into the Banners. But my brother didn't take too well to training with many other Juren, and Yelu didn't take well to him. It probably would have been a complete waste of time for both of them if I hadn't been there to send him off; as it was, my brother abandoned his goal of climbing the Service ladder to work in various jobs - I took over his work in the Taipa when he resumed them. Although it's hard to tell if it was by Opium or order that took him so far away." Grinding her teeth, she blew at a loose strand of hair, then closed one eye and cast an appraising glance at Clark. "So, what was your second question?"
He'd thought about it some time, but he couldn't remember quite what had happened.
Oh, you can remember just fine. You just don't want to believe. But don't worry - I'm still here, and I'll make you great. You chose me, remember? The strange thought lingered in his mind as he spoke distractedly. "You saw me go down, didn't you? What happened before you retreated to the hills?" He wanted to ask why she had left, but didn't have the courage to; not that it mattered, because his anguish was written all over his face. Mei Ling sat up straight, looking more serious than she'd ever been. "I would've
clawed my way through the British to get to you, Clark. If there hadn't been anyone else there, I wouldn't even have to tell you this. But you saw how badly Hai was hurt; his leg was halfway twisted around his ankle! It made the most cringeworthy lotus feet I've seen look delicate! And there were people there that needed to be evacuated. If I'd dove in to save you while they were fleeing, they would've died and we probably would have too - and as much as I like the idea of a heroic stand, there's a time and a place for that." The ire in her eyes faded, and she grimaced. "I can't believe I have to tell you this, Clark. I'd figure you'd understand already."
But that grimace quickly faded to hurt as he sneered back at her, still not quite able to meet her gaze. "Oh, so it's that simple? You'd choose them over me?" Mei Ling looked confused, obviously not expecting this response. "W-what's that supposed to mean? Clark, I don't understand-"
"Fair enough, I suppose. Very rational." His fists clenched and he was pretty sure he could feel the acid dripping off of his tongue. "I suppose it's easy enough to just leave a stupid foreigner to die, especially if there's some sort of greater good involved. And you just left me. Damnit, you left me to die!" His fingers shook as he pointed accusingly at her, finally looking up with a secret feeling of triumph that the invincible Mei Ling could be hurt - that lasted for as long as it took him to look up. The betrayal on her face instantly sapped him of all the twisted joy he'd gotten from that moment - how had he even said something like that?
Why had he wanted to?
"I never meant things to happen like this."
He'd never heard her voice, so strong and self-assured get so quiet.
Why had he said that?
"For what it's worth, I only saw you get shot... And I suppose I didn't even really see that. When you collapsed to the ground, I couldn't look at anything else. It took the crowd to hold me back. I couldn't do anything, anything at all."
Her hair covered her eyes like a shield, and Clark realized that her voice was trembling. Stupid! Stupid!
Stupidstupidstupid- But he couldn't manage an apology, as if some invisible wall had suddenly formed over his throat. Mei Ling slowly, unsteadily rose to her feet, her natural grace gone. "I'm gonna go check and see if Yelu is ready to leave." And with that, she left.
Throwing himself back in the suddenly confining bed, Clark screamed soundlessly into the pillow.
This is the first step to fixing things. The voice was languid, the first voice in his feverish dream. Had he agreed to help that voice? He couldn't remember - everything seemed off.
She'll thank you, later. All dogs must learn their place.
"Shut up." Clark whispered to himself, but the voice had never been there to begin with. Full of doubt and self-loathing, he drifted into an uncomfortable sleep, dreading morning and having to see Mei Ling. And Yelu! What would Yelu say, what would the old man due to him when he found out the things he had said?
But morning came, and Clark was determined to accept whatever punishment the universe threw his way. So he was practically starstruck when a very cheery Yelu greeted him at the long table the seaside town served breakfasts at. Although Mei Ling's refusal to meet his gaze and unsmiling demeanor spoke volumes, it seemed like Yelu, for the time being, had forgiven him. But why?
I wouldn't. Clark thought, but the coward in him welcomed this respite, and took a seat next to them.
"Good morning, Clark! It's good to see you in almost as excellent shape as me, hah! Ready to finally go to the capital? It's gonna be quite a trip, although I'm determined to make it there by no later then August if things go well. I've been thinking - it's about time I think of some sort of nickname for ya. Mei Ling isn't really delicate, so I figured little'd work for her - and given her name, don't you think that little Red suits her?" Yelu ambled on cheerfully, apparently unaware of the discomfort of the person sitting to either side of him. Mei Ling shot Clark a look quick as lightning, apparently trying to gauge his expression - and Clark looked away before she could.
Stupid.
"... Anyway, trying to figure out a way to make a meaningful name for you is getting too stressful on an incredible day like today. And it's always a bad idea to resume a journey with tension in the air!" He smiled toothily, then stood up - having only eaten a meager breakfast. "I'm off to get the horses ready; you'll like this, Clark. You've ridden horses, right?" Clark nodded numbly. "Well, this'll be like that, only better. You'll see, hah! See you both in a bit-" He begin to walk off, whistling to himself, when Clark darted after him. "Sounds great, I'll be glad to help!" Yelu stopped mid-note. "Ah? You sure you don't want to wait around? You two kids should finish a good meal up, I saved plenty for you!" He laughed boisterously, then clapped Clark on the back. "Besides - you two've been spending a lot of time around each other recently. I'm fine getting the horses." He smiled, but it dimmed a little at Clark's expression - or lack thereof.
He doesn't know. Well of course he doesn't! He shouldn't, either.
Pushing the little voice as far away from his consciousness as he could, Clark coughed. "... Yelu. If I'd said something to Mei Ling, something that was cruel, and arbitrary... Something that really hurt her, would you forgive me?" Yelu's face froze, eyes uncomprehending. "I... What? You're joking, right? Tsch, Clark- I'd never forgive you if you did something like that. But you couldn't. You're a little thick sometimes- but you aren't cruel. She likes you, hell, trusts you - that's more than can be said about most people she meets, and if you've earned that from her... Well, I don't think that makes you the sort of person who'd do something like that." He coughed awkwardly, very unsure of how to proceed. "It wouldn't matter what I'd say or do, anyhow - the person you'd need to ask for acceptance would be her." Shaking his head, he walked outside towards the makeshift stables located in a burned-out barn. "... Not funny at all. Why would he joke around like that?"
-
Their things were loaded up quickly by those remaining in Xin'an - although Clark had noticed again the strange lack of energy with which the city moved; not just a stress at the recent horrors they'd seen, or the drained energy of the trauma patient - but as if their very spirit had been broken. Unpleasant similarities began to tug at the back of his mind, and were thankfully interrupted by a small cough. A young boy had pulled himself towards the procession, his leg bearing the marks of several poultices and a recent attempt to set. His smile was bright as sunlight. "Hey, mister! The nice man says you're a hero!" Hai pointed excitedly at Mei Ling, who was staring purposelessly off into the distance. "When those monsters tried to eat my leg, he said you dove right in to find me a splint. He wouldn't stop talking about you!... It was weeiiiird." Hai made a face, then beamed again. "But that's all right. Strangers have the right to be... uhn.... strange. Like me! Now I can be a hero, too!" He tapped his leg with pride, and tried to run around, but began to fall - Clark jumped off to catch him, but was too unused to dismounting a horse.
Luckily, an over-worked woman with deep circles under her eyes -lack of sleep mixed with recent tears - juxtaposed herself between Hai and the ground with lightning speed, and the boy grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, mom. Guess I'm not quite a dragon just yet." Hai's mother smiled knowingly at the group. "Nope, not quite old enough to be a dragon, Hai. Thank you for saving my son, Oskisson. Hong Mei Ling told us all about how brave you were during the siege." She looked ready to say more, but stopped herself, content with a warm smile.
Yelu chortled and beamed right back at her. "Turns out that he has his good side, Clark. Glad we could help, madame. But, s'time for us to be off, and we most likely won't be back for some time. Keep aware, everyone. The British can't do anything now that the war is over, and the Tianmen Emperor has promised us that this will be an era of peace!" The warm feeling dimmed slightly at those words, with some anxiety creeping into the conversations around Xin'an - but it was mild, the normal sort of worry about the future. And with a cry, Yelu cast off. Hai and his mother waved exuberantly as Clark and Mei Ling followed behind him, but Clark could only stare at the road ahead - and occasionally look at the young woman who seemed focused only on the horse she rode and the ground it's hooves clattered against.
-
The spring weather was extremely mild as the trio made their way towards the capital. Yelu alternated between good cheer and increasing suspicion of his two traveling companions - but this seemed to be tempered by a desire not to interfere; or perhaps a fear of it. They began to pass clouds of smoke which Clark mistook for a British sabotage team.
Probably just farmers burning off some steam, Yelu surmised.
Too lost in his thoughts to guess otherwise, they continued northward instead of following the coast and in so doing narrowly missed the sight of one of the largest anti-Manchu rallies in China - one which quickly turned into an anti-monarchical mob. The slaughter was so brutal that for days after leaving the confines of Wenzhou, the smell of corpsefires still hung in the air. It wasn't the only piece of bad news that slipped past their eyes until much later.
Burma was forced into war following the detonation of several British schooners in British Bengal.
The journey was otherwise peaceful, however. And besides dreams, Clark might have been able to forget his mistakes and focus on what he'd wanted, what he'd always wanted.
It is what I want, isn't it? Power, wealth, recognition would all be his once they reached Beijing.
At least
that's what
he told himself
-
Why are you back here? The melancholy voice seemed slightly happier to see him. He only assumed it saw him; after all, he could see nothing. But there was a safety in it's stillness, one that he valued. Part of him wanted to stay there forever. But the melancholy voice seemed to encircle him, concern in every word. You've done some things you regret. That's good, it shows you haven't been listening to 'Him' too much. But you should really worry less about the world thinks, and try to be yourself!...
Don't listen to me. I always get people in trouble. Geometry and the phases of the moon can only do so much. The voice faded away and this time Clark found himself floating up, through an archaic room encrusted with vines and symbols he could not read, a bizarre combination of so many languages they almost seemed to make sense but hung just out of his intelligibility. Looking up, he saw two pairs of eyes staring back at him from a hole in the roof, encircled by clouds. One was threatening and judgmental, the other unreadable. Instinct seemed to well up inside of him, and he extended his fingers towards the eyes which had become part of the cloudscape he was drifting through-
-
"Clark." Her voice was barely there. Unsure. As if it wasn't even certain it should presume to speak openly. "I- I've been thinking about the conversation we had." She fidgeted, and it cut like a knife to see her so uncharacteristically un-confident. He closed his eyes for a minute and thought about pretending to be asleep; but felt sickened by the idea the moment he had it, and sat up in his sleeping bag. "... I'm awake." She put her fingers to her lips. "You've got to let me say this. I realized I must have been too- I hadn't meant to-" Clark cut her off with a shake of his head. "Please, don't say anything more. Nothing I said made any sense; it wasn't, wasn't real. You're the bravest, most inspiring person I know, and for the last few days I've been anguishing about everything I- I am so, so sorry." Clark shut his eyes, this time to hold back tears. There was no response for some time, and Clark began to wonder if he wasn't still in a dream. "Please... Forgive me for what I've done."
Her response was quick this time. "No."
Clark felt time grind to a halt.
See, isn't so easy is it? If you want to complete the image, you really should be down on your knees, begging for forgiveness. Not like you need it or that you'll get it from a bitch like her, but- The voice was cut off not by a hurried attempt to push it away, but by Mei Ling hugging him to her. "No," she whispered, almost inaudibly. "I can't forgive what you've done or said so easily. What you said is inexcusable, and you know that. But I can forgive
you." With that, she slowly pulled away smiling bitterly.
"It's been absolutely terrible, feeling like I've lost one of the only people who understands me - or worse, worried that he's suddenly turned into something unrecognizable." Her grin lost it's edge, and she folded her hands behind her back. Then her expression hardened again. "Seriously, don't ever do that again. That mixture of fear, and terror, and pain - I've never felt like that before, and I won't feel it again." Confidence crept back into her voice and she laughed nervously. "Whew. Wasn't sure if I could say all that without it coming off wrong." Clark winked at her. "Are you kidding? It was great! Stupendous! I only wish that I could say things like you do - what I feel, instead of what I'm thinking."
He sprawled back onto the ground and she raised an eyebrow at him, plucking a strand of grass and perching it in her mouth. "Oh, is that so? I fail to see how I'm any different. We all make mistakes, Clark. I'm just glad we resolved ours... Uhmn, g'night." Clark waved furiously, causing Mei Ling to stop dead in her tracks. "No, no - you can go to sleep. I just wanted to say, once and for all - it wasn't 'our' mistake. It was me, plain and simple. And it won't. Happen. Again." He met her eyes and something about the seriousness in his voice made her giggle, even though they both knew it was no laughing matter. "... I'll hold you to your word, Clark Oskisson." Mei Ling's voice drifted into the night, and Clark drifted back into more pleasant dreams, feeling satisfied that his problems were over and gone...
-
Treachery! Deceit! Inproper behavior!
The words lashed down upon his spine like a whip, the Mandarin verbally assaulting him in the crowded square of Jian; crowds had materialized from the woodwork to watch the spectacle. He couldn't catch any sight of Yelu or Mei Ling, but that could have been the kick to his shins sending him crashing to the more humbling sight of the stone-paved square. "Little maggot, get up on your feet and tell me again why you've been spreading these bald-faced lies about a naval invasion of Xin'an!" Clark coughed, and felt a tooth wiggling around unsteadily. Rising to his feet, he glared down at the Mandarin who returned it unphased.
I never... Project commissioned by the Tianmen Emperor... Never finished.
It hurt to cough his words out, but Clark couldn't understand what had happened. Not only had the paper been commissioned by the state, it had never been finished and certainly never made reference to the horrors of Xin'an - although he certainly
would have added them if he'd had the chance. For his part, the city official looked as shocked by this news as Clark felt. The uneasy silence was broken by shouting as Yelu swam through the crowd, a sack full of feed for the horses slung over his shoulder. "Kung Hsien? What seems to be the problem -" The sack nearly fell to the ground before Yelu caught it. "Well, don't worry. He's already got enough punishment been with me." Hsien laughed, and the tension evaporated - especially when Yelu passed a small sack full of a familiar glint towards the bureaucrat. "The Tianmen Emperor seems to believe this is a pretty good way to solve problems," Hsien mused, pocketing the taels. "And I am inclined to agree. The future of this country has never been brighter."
The crowd dispersed and through it, Mei Ling navigated back to where Yelu and Clark were talking excitedly. It had been a real pain to find a place that had enough dry goods for a long journey, but she didn't like having to rely on towns while traveling. She didn't see herself as particularly superstitious, but there was something in the air, and it never hurt to be cautious. Clark was shrugging his shoulders and looking very confused.
More so than usual. She smiled inwardly at the thought, and bit back the next.
Better than the alternative...
"You too all right? What happened?" Yelu cricked his neck - it was impossible not to notice that he was getting older, Mei Ling observed, pride tinged with concern. "Eh, Kung Hsien tried to accuse Clark of being a subversive. We're just lucky that you weren't here, haha!... It was strange, though. He never did finish that paper he was working on, did you, Clark?" Clark shrugged again. "Hell no! So unless there's a phantom printer around... Well, let's just chalk it up to strange coincidence and move on." They left Hsien to count his coins - and when they were gone more copies of the paper seemed to circulate as of their own will.
The Emperor is a friend to those who would steal our land!
He ignores the spread of the Foreign Devil, because he is a Foreign Devil!
The Manchu has lost the Mandate of Heaven!
-
He had built up for every moment of this. Days, months,
years of longing - and finally, they were here! Clark could barely contain his excitement as they drew closer and closer, regularly talking his traveling companions to death. Yelu had become adept at 'falling asleep early', but would occasionally grin a sly grin and tell him more about the wonders they would see - of the Great Wall, Bell and Drum towers, of the Lugou Bridge ("You'll know it by the name of that one man... Ah, Marco Polo." Yelu had said with a chuckle) - and those they wouldn't, most specifically the Forbidden City. Mei Ling was excited as well, however - for the chance to split off and meet with other reformists. Yelu was obviously not in favor of this, but made no effort to stop her, and her excitement only grew.
But when they first caught sight of Beijing proper? Clark's broke. Indeed, he saw the centuries, millenia of cultural tradition - but he also saw crowded streets, pouring factories, and the poor; so many it was incredible. The exotic, fanciful image in his head drifted away, replaced with another image that he was desperately trying to forget. Mei Ling beamed at him and gestured towards the city while Yelu sighed contentedly. "It's not home... But there is part of me that feels like Beijing will always be just that. Welcome home, Clark. Clark?"
Unintentionally, he must have blanked out. "It's... It's something." Clark sounded distant, he knew, but Mei Ling was tugging his shoulder excitedly - and he let himself be led into the great city, oblivious to all it's splendor because the city in his mind was burning.
-
They'd left soon after, with Yelu promising to return soon; but he'd heard from a garrison that the New Model fleet would be arriving at port Tianjin in a week, and he desperately wanted to take 'a quick look at them.' Mei Ling had been fine with this - indeed, she'd been in a curiously good mood for some time now. It was only Clark who was casting a shadow over everything, although he was certainly trying to sound positive - and succeeded long enough to distract his companions until their arrival at their lodgings not too far from the port.
But as they watched the ships sil in, it was painfully obvious that something was wrong.
Yelu spoke first, arms crossed against his chest. He was smiling in what he hoped was a reassuring manner as Clark sighed against the bay. "You're obviously not impressed. C'mon, they're obviously better than that schooner that carried you here, half-dead and with no place to go!" Clark laughed, and then his shoulders sagged. "It's actually stupid. I mean, really stupid." Yelu nodded. "That's all right. We're used to that. Try me." Mei Ling
snrked at that, and Clark felt his pride take another hit - but found he didn't mind it so much.
"Honestly?... It reminds me a lot of home. When I was first here, I kind of expected that there'd be... Some magic pit of wealth, some weakness or thing I could exploit to regain my family's name and honor. Instead... It reminds me a lot of home." He waved his hands about before he could be interrupted. "Don't get me wrong - it's completely different! Much bigger, the architecture is beautiful, there's plenty of things I want to see - it's just..." Sighing, he threw a rock into the harbor. "People are poor everywhere. It's not just me trying to do this- it's everyone, isn't it?" Another rock splashed onto the once-serene surface. "... And even if I succeeded, it wouldn't have change anything, would it? Not really."
Then, Yelu smiled - a soft smile that Clark had never seen before on the old man's aged face. "I was hoping you'd kind of figure that out in a less disenchanting way, but... The way I see it, money and power don't solve too much. They can take away problems, but only by creating more of them." It was Yelu's turn to chuck a rock into the water - and Clark noted to some chagrin that the rock he chose was at least three times larger than the one he had thrown. "Don't beat yourself up, kid. For one, I'm glad to have you here, and proud of who you are. And I *know* that when you go home to your family, they're gonna be proud of you, too."
It was like the embrace of a child, still scared of the dark. Clark hadn't meant to hug Yelu so tightly, but it had either been that or crying - and he felt like he'd done enough of that for several people recently. Yelu seemed uneasy at first, but then smiled and embraced the young man back. After a few seconds, Clark motioned to Mei Ling, who was looking thoughtfully at the rocks lining their section of the harbor. She blinked, then shook her head with a smile. "No, it's good you get this out. I think it's been something you've been carrying with you for a long time." But regardless of how true this might be, Clark had prepared a witty retort just for the occasion. "Probably, but I don't want to have to think of an excuse to hug you." She laughed, and walked over to the two men. They embraced for a long time, before Clark realized that Yelu was holding back dry sobs.
"... Sorry. I just relived a strong memory." He dusted at his eyes with hands dry like parchment paper. Let's go get something to eat, shall we? I'm glad you learned something about yourself, Clark. I'm proud of you - and we've spent enough time throwing rocks into the harbor." They walked off, Mei Ling looking back longingly towards the stones. Excusing herself, she ran back, grabbed a rock and hucked it into the once again placid waters - it skipped several times, then dropped. Satisfied, she rejoined Yelu and Clark, who was watching with unabashed amusement. He opened his mouth, and she growled. "Not a word." The trio laughed and headed back as the dusk light began to fade into the solemnity of night.
-
They hadn't made it far when the first gunshot went off.
The riot was over as quickly as it had begin; Mei Ling had barely taken her first leap into the fray before the mob scattered. She quickly analyzed the field of battle, and at first caught nothing - but the bland gray of their robes was easy to miss. Several Dai Li agents stepped out of the shadows, only one identifiable as an agent of the state. He nodded his head towards Yelu, then took in Clark and herself. She was glad to cut an unassuming figure when eyes like coal passed her over - but felt her lips twist into a snarl as those same eyes saw something they could use in Clark. The chief officer smiled at her.
"The Tianmen Emperor has been specifically requesting your presence. You will come with me." Yelu spat. "As far as I can tell, you aren't above me in the chain of command. Step aside." The two squared off for some time, before the officer shrugged. "Fair enough. I have no authority to coerce you or your son. You, however-" He gestured at Clark. "You want to see the Tianmen Emperor. I can see it written all over your face. So consider this an invitation - and remember, this country is changing, for the better. You can be a part of this change. We need you, Clark Oskisson. We await your reply." With a curt bow, the Dai Li vanished into the shadow they had came out of, and Clark was left with his thoughts. He felt Mei Ling's hand on his shoulder and sighed. The leaves had began to shake off the tree boughs as the wind picked up...
-
Yixin had constantly left the Forbidden City. His brothers had taken more relaxed stances towards the world, but he, and only he, had remained practical. Ethnic conflicts and power struggles were bad enough, but most citizens either held the foreigners to be supernatural supermen, or devils that he regularly consorted with. The only way to force through change like that he envisioned was with unyielding resolve, and Western technology. Later, things could be returned to the status quo - a new, strengthened Qing that found it's power through trade and diplomacy, not knowledge or might. This accumulation of wealth pleased him, subtle as it was... and he had no desire to fight that witch of a queen, not now, when she was so obviously willing to be a friend... For the right price.
Of course, a few sacrifices had to be made to ensure that his goals were realized. He whispered into the darkness and heard the scrabbling of feet as messengers desperate to curry his favor darted into the night. A smile crept across his lips.
Sometimes, you just had to be direct. The Daoguang Emperor had just missed what the natural progression from tribute was...
What a conveniently located dagger, indeed. If they call me the devil, then I will cage those devils, first.
-
Bonus stuff I wanted to include but couldn't:
Finally. Mmn, delicious extraclergy.
What. Prussia was actually losing a war with Austria at this time. Amazingly enough, they went on to battle Austria to a victory, and Russia to a white peace... By blockading them. Next they'll be sailing to Anglend or something.
Another great Mongol event I can't use! What's going on over there?
-
Thought's so far -
For those p'oed by the time structure - this is the last update that'll have a very unclear structure. It actually ended time - wise at about 1847 for our cheery trio. It'll be explained next update. And what a cliffhanger, right? Sheesh!
Also - this chapter is dedicated to not being a jerkass. Clark is sometimes one, and that is nooooo good. However, it's also something that needs to be done storywise and hopefully you'll keep following patiently! Don't worry, I'm a sucker for good endings, promise this'll have one!... Maybe, hopefully!
Also - this February, it might be possible for me to visit my great-aunt in Hamburg. It'd be my first trip outside the U.S, not counting my true homeland of Canada; who knows, maybe I could even swing by and visit some forum-goers! (truth is, given how introverted I am, this is probably unlikely. Plus - still not sure how I'll be getting the funds to get there in the first place. It'd be cool to meet my diverse European relatives though. Actually, I'd be kind of tempted to stay, bwahaha!..) Either way, things are good. My only regret is that while playing the save, I accidentally didn't save my progress the first time I wrote this, and rewrote it when I replayed it. Sorry for the delay, but that's probably the best excuse I've had all this time. xD Also, it really bothers me when I do something like altf4 or f2/xkill a program and forget to quit. Really, what is my aversion to menus. I blame System Shock. Which is a great game! Also, I really like the idea of Mei Ling wearing handwraps at some point. But are they even used for anything besides modern boxing? Blargh.
Say, this has had very little to do with anything! /Rambling. Keep groovy, AARland.
