QIAO XIAN'S FACE darkened. "Why does the khatun say so?"
Jinlian realized she'd misspoken. She rescued her calm and inclined her head in apology. "My agitation got the better of me. Please forgive me."
She even bowed like a woman from the Central Plains.
Cui Buqu waved an airy hand. "We're all in the same boat. Anything that harms us harms you, so you needn't be so polite, Khatun. First, tell us why the change in your khagan's attitude. Does Fo'er terrify him so much?"
"It's a long story," said Jinlian. "I told you the khagan asked me to train a group of women to serve as his guards. Those women weren't particularly strong, but they were more cautious than any man. And after they managed to help the khagan through a certain crisis, he trusted them deeply. But while I was in the Central Plains, one of the women tried to assassinate the khagan and almost succeeded. I'm told the assassin confessed that her father was a Han, while her mother was a Göktürk. Her father was killed by the khagan's men, so she loathed the Göktürks. She purposely infiltrated the guards and waited for an opportunity to kill him."
Jinlian paused, smiling bitterly. "The khagan killed the rest of the guards I trained in a fit of rage, and blame for the incident fell on me. Upon my return, I found myself detained. The greater khatun pleaded my case to stop the khagan from punishing me. This was why I was unable to return for you earlier."
"What does that have to do with us?" asked Qiao Xian coldly. Though they numbered only three, they were representatives of the Sui dynasty. As long as Apa Khagan was still of sound mind, he would never offend an envoy of Sui simply out of anger with Jinlian over the matter of some guards.
Jinlian sighed. "You've seen that the khagan has two sons, neither of them mine. The eldest was born to the greater khatun. I have a good relationship with her and her son, but the khagan prefers his youngest, Ade, the one who insulted you earlier. I wish to cooperate with the Sui dynasty, but Ade believes the Hans cannot be trusted. He shows me little respect; he's much closer to the conservative nobles of our tribe. I'm sure he took advantage of my absence to pour poison in the khagan's ear. As you Hans say, words can twist even metal. Perhaps the khagan brushed him off at first—but as time passed without me here, the khagan started to believe him. I could tell the khagan was more distant on my return."
Cui Buqu frowned. "Khatun, don't tell me you've been fighting alone all this time, without even an ally or subordinate willing to speak up for you to the khagan?"
"I share a friendship with the greater khatun and her son; as I said, I have her to thank for the khagan's temporary pardon. As for my subordinates, I had several who worked in and around the khagan's yurt or by his side. But when I returned, I found all of them had been removed for various offenses. There isn't a single one left."
Jinlian's mouth was set in a grim line. She was reluctant to reveal her vulnerabilities, but she understood that if she didn't speak now, Cui Buqu's company would distrust her, and she'd lose any chance to redeem herself.
"Before I left, though the khagan favored Prince Ade, he listened to what I had to say. I never imagined Ade would gain so much ground so quickly; now the khagan listens to all his counsel. On top of that, Fo'er beat us here; he must have offered Apa something tempting for him to lean toward Ishbara."
Cui Buqu pondered this. "But earlier, Feng Xiao came out the victor in his scuffle with Fo'er, and Qiao Xian taught Ade a lesson of her own. If Apa Khagan is thinking clearly, he must know he needs to reweigh the pros and cons."
"The khagan believes the first prince and I are on your side. If I speak for you, it'll only serve to anger him further. But my subordinates will do all they can to provide you with assistance."
"Can you put us in contact with the greater khatun and her son?" asked Cui Buqu.
Jinlian understood at once. "Cui-xiansheng wishes to form an alliance with them? It won't work."
"Why not?"
"I've tried. Though the greater khatun spoke for me this time, she ignores external affairs and spends her days weaving her woolen rugs. Prince Yixun is timid, much like his mother. Ha, they don't act like Göktürks at all; they're more like southerners from the Central Plains."
She paused, realizing she'd put her foot in her mouth. Though the north and south stood divided, such derogatory words were obviously not fit for the ears of anyone from the Central Plains. "Perhaps that wasn't the best comparison," she added quickly.
None of the three minded. Jinlian was normally a calm and rational person. To vent like this, blurting things that wouldn't help resolve their problems, she must have been truly desperate.
"Then are you saying there's no chance to turn things around?" asked Cui Buqu.
"Not necessarily. You said it yourself—you caused a scene just now and enraged the khagan, but he also witnessed your strength and doesn't dare decide rashly. I heard that after you left, Fo'er tried to see him and was turned away at the door. Tomorrow we're meeting with the nations and tribes who are our allies among the Western Göktürks, but there will be contests of horsemanship and archery. The countries of the Western Regions love sport, not literature. If Feng-langjun prevails in the competition, I will try persuading the khagan again. He may change his mind."
"Don't you find it suspicious that one of your trained guards tried to assassinate the khagan?" asked Cui Buqu. "This incident happened just after you left the Khaganate, and when you returned, your people were dead. You've lost the eyes and ears you had around the khagan, along with his trust."
"I agree," said Jinlian. "And I suspect Ade is responsible. But there's no evidence, and the dead can't speak. I have no way to investigate."
"Apart from the greater khatun and her son, are there no other nobles who hold a high position yet are unwilling to participate in the conflict between you two? Any who would speak up before the khagan? The khagan's mother, perhaps, or any other elders."
"Yes!" said Jinlian. "Though it's not a family member. It's the Black Moon Shaman."
The Göktürks, of course, had their own gods. However backward or primitive their religious practices appeared to those from the Central Plains, the Göktürks themselves were pious, and their tribes had great shamans capable of communicating with the gods. The khagan would never share his authority, so these shamans took no part in decision-making unless the khagan specifically sought their opinion. Still, every Göktürk tribe, from large to small, had a shaman of this kind.
The Black Moon Shaman was aged and spent most of his time in seclusion. An audience with him was no easy feat, but Cui Buqu suggested Jinlian pay him a visit. Even if they were unable to win him over, they might still ask him to put in a few good words with the khagan. As for gifts, Jinlian had brought several treasures back from the Central Plains, all purchased from Linlang Pavilion. Though they were few, they were valuable, surely capable of swaying the Black Moon Shaman.
Time was short if they wanted to see him today; it'd soon be dark. Jinlian stood and bade them farewell, then left to seek the shaman.
The door had hardly swung shut behind her when someone arrived claiming to be the first prince's attendant, sent to ask how the honored guests were adjusting to their lodgings.
Cui Buqu called to the attendant to wait outside, then turned to Feng Xiao. "Quick, tear open my clothes, climb on top of me, and molest me."
Feng Xiao was dumbfounded. Had Cui Buqu gone mad? But his expression was entirely serene, as if Feng Xiao had hallucinated his last words. Before Feng Xiao could respond, Cui Buqu grew impatient and made the first move. He mussed his clothes and loosened his hair, then sprawled on the carpeted ground. He gave his neck a couple of hard pinches for good measure.
"Have they turned red?" he asked in a low voice.
Feng Xiao had begun to grasp Cui Buqu's plan. This was a risky situation, fraught with danger. Yet Feng Xiao wasn't nervous at all; he was greatly amused. That he was experiencing it with Cui Buqu only made it more entertaining.
Without further ado, he climbed atop Cui Buqu and was immediately greeted with pained cries.
"No, no… Not here, ah!"
Cui Buqu's voice rose and fell, twisted and turned, slightly breathless and certain to cause misunderstandings. Feng Xiao's mouth twitched as he watched Cui Buqu throw himself into the performance.
Hearing the commotion, the man outside tossed open the door flap and rushed inside. He stared at Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao in shock.
Faking embarrassment and anger, Cui Buqu shoved Feng Xiao aside with one hand, stumbling upright and pointing at the attendant with his other. "You…get the hell out!" he yelled in Turkic.