Chapter 220 — What Met the Eye
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 3 of 4
As Dou Huaiying breathed a sigh of relief, he worried how to explain to these imperial guards why he had been lingering here, when several men from the Five Barracks Army came crowding over, all smiling as they addressed the youth as "Lord Song," praising him: "We had long heard of the heir's skill in horsemanship, and now we have seen it for ourselves. Setting all else aside, that trick of reining in a horse alone would take us a lifetime to learn."
So this youth had saved him!
Dou Huaiying looked over with a smile, and his heart gave a leap.
Surname Song... an heir... sixteen or seventeen years old... a face to rival Pan An, a countenance like Song Yu... serving in the Imperial Guards... Could this be none other than that heir of the Duke of Britain, Song Yantang, styled Kecheng?
The look he cast upon the youth turned fiery in an instant.
Inwardly, Song Yan repeated his thanks for his good fortune.
His Majesty had not ridden or shot for years, and at the sight of the guard cavalry's mounted prowess, he had taken a sudden fancy to riding out with them at the parade ground every morning.
But who would dare let the Emperor ride?
And who could stop the Emperor?
Wang Yuan devised a plan: to assign a groom to lead the horse beside every guard in close attendance on the Emperor, and to appoint a man of exceptional riding and shooting skill to hold the Emperor's reins, thus keeping the imperial mount under control.
Seeing that everyone did the same, the Emperor raised no objection. Each morning, a man led his horse while he rode out with them.
He had contrived to put a "mark" on the riding crop the Emperor favored most. Then, when the Emperor raised it as usual to spur his horse, the crop snapped.
Everyone was struck dumb.
The Emperor flew into a thunderous rage.
Song Yan seized the moment to pick up the broken crop.
Wang Yuan, meanwhile, knelt before the Emperor wreathed in smiles: "It seems even old things remember their old ties, knowing to give their all until their dying breath. This old servant congratulates Your Majesty, rejoices for Your Majesty: good generals abroad, loyal ministers at home, the realm at peace, the heavens clear and bright..."
The other guards came to their senses as well, and one after another praised the crop for "doing its duty to the last."
The Emperor was so amused that he roared with laughter, and his thunderous wrath vanished like smoke.
Song Yan took the chance to say, "I beg Your Majesty to permit this humble subject to take it to the Directorate of Works for repair. Thereafter it may hang in Your Majesty's study, a warning to those who come after."
The Emperor nodded and casually designated several men from the Five Barracks Army to escort him to the Directorate.
Thus had he obtained this errand.
Since his time outside the palace was limited, and Dou Huaiying had pleaded illness and stopped going to his office, keeping to his house all day, Song Yan had been anxious whether Mr. Yan could arrange a chance encounter with Dou Huaiying. Little had he expected to run into him just after leaving the temporary palace.
Could this be the will of Heaven?
An inexplicable thrill stirred in his heart.
His words grew all the more modest: "You brothers flatter me. I truly do not deserve it." Then, with a trace of concern, he asked Dou Huaiying, "How are you, sir? Were you hurt? Shall I send for a physician to take a look?" He added, "This place leads to His Majesty's summer retreat, and ordinarily it would do no harm to pause here now and then. But these days His Majesty is in residence. If you have no business here, sir, it would be best to keep away."
Was this courteous, humble youth truly the heir of the Duke of Britain, that reputed killer without mercy?
Dou Huaiying could not help opening his eyes wide.