surviving legionnaires. And the more they worked, the more thoughtful Lacius became. He saw that the young men who were with the old men became faster and more agile, but he seemed to have lost his speed. He lunged forward a little slower, was just a little late to dodge the blow and, quite unexpectedly for himself, felt an incomprehensible slowness throughout his body. It seemed like it didn’t listen to him and did everything late. He weakened and began to get tired faster. All this made him despondent, which he tried to drown out with new exercises. But there was no strength. The body gave up before the mind, and the arms fell limply down, aching from overload and fatigue. And he was sadly forced to admit to himself that he was beginning to grow old.
CHAPTER IX. THE EMPEROR’S DECISION AND GOJU’S HELP
At this time, completely different events were taking place in the palace. Two opposing opinions regarding Chen Tang’s campaign again forced the Emperor to choose, which party to give preference to. Neither concubines, nor musicians, nor the stories of court historians and astrologers pleased him. Then he remembered his wife and ordered the senior eunuch Shi Xian to bring her.
– Ten thousand years of life, Wise Ruler! – Yu Wan greeted him, kneeling down. – Long life to you for the benefit of the entire Han Empire…
– Get up! – Yuan Di interrupted her discontentedly, – my father used to say that the peasants, when the Emperor was driving past them, first shouted “Ten thousand years of life’25, and then they said among themselves that “Even the Emperor cannot buy himself a thousand lives’.
– Sad thoughts have visited you, our lord. Are you sick?
– No!
– Fine. But I’m glad that your thoughts returned to me again. My love will help you…
– Love, love, what does love have to do with it? You scared Feng and Fu so much that they don’t even go out into the garden!
– My guilt is limitless, Wise Ruler… But I follow you in all joys and sorrows, I see my fate together with yours, I do not complain about injustice and do not demand seven men a week when my master does not come to me, – she said with feigned sadness, hinting at the lascivious Feng and Fu.
– Yes, we agree. They are like that. But they are concubines.
– They have children from my master, – Yu Wang added more harshly.
– Alright, we’re tired of these eternal arguments and complaints about each other! Enough!
– What worries the Son of Heaven? – she said again with humility and affection.
– Everything! What should we do with Tang? – he blurted out, no longer able to contain the tension that had accumulated for so many days. After listening to all his doubts, she looked away and pursed her lips. The Emperor Yuan Di knew that he needed to wait a little and give her time to think. But this time, the beautiful Yu Wan spoke immediately. Apparently, she has thought about this problem more than once and has long come up with a solution. The Empress saw that her husband “doesn’t know where to put his hands and feet’, and thought about how to lead him to the right decision in a shorter and gentler way.
– Chen Tang helped the entire Han Empire, – she spoke slowly. – Awful Zhi Zhi’s death is good for everyone. But he violated your order. And that’s bad for you, my master.
– What should we do?! – the Emperor asked impatiently.
– We need to reward and punish him at the same time, – Yu Wang answered calmly, as if it was so simple that it did not even require explanation. But Yuan Di froze and frowned, which said something completely different: he did not understand her. So she continued: – May the Wise Ruler forgive him. After all, he killed a terrible enemy, for many he is a hero. Everyone is talking about “Tian Ji races”26. He surprised many. Moreover, Chen Tang did not sell a single slave. They all belong to the Emperor. And the warriors again stand guard over the Great Wall, obeying the orders of the Master of the Celestial Empire.
– Okay, forgiveness is a reward, but where is the punishment? – he asked impatiently, not understanding what to do next. A faint smile touched his wife’s lips, but Yuan Di was so immersed in the picture she painted that he did not notice it.
– May the Buddha of our day show wisdom and appoint him to command those warriors, who were with him on this campaign. They listen to Chen Tang, consider him a hero, and will be glad to have him back. From Chang’an to Danhuang is a thousand miles. And there are no people, no cities, no women, no children, except the Xiongnu tribes on the other side of the wall. Let him continue to defend the Han Empire with the same zeal as he rushed to behead Zhi Zhi. Could there be a more honourable reward for a warrior than serving his Emperor? – she fell silent, waiting for her husband’s answer. He smiled slyly, hiding his hands in the sleeves of his robe, walked around the room again and muttered:
– Let’s make sure that “this horse doesn’t ruin the whole herd’,27 … – he said quietly and then loudly called the senior eunuch: – Shi Xian! – when the man knocked his forehead three times at the entrance, the Emperor added: – We will spend the evening in the Tower of Voluptuousness. – Let our wife be there after sunset!
This was a sign for everyone to leave the room. Left alone, Yuan Di ordered the three chief ministers to be summoned to him. It was time to tell them about his decision.
Lacius already felt better. Now all the Romans could already practise strikes and dodges. The strength returned, but the fear, driven inside, still reminded itself from time to time, when he was unable to quickly perform this or that movement. One late evening, the chief of security, Fu Xing, and several other warriors came to see them. Among them were two people, who seemed unfamiliar to Lacius. However, when he was taken out of the barn, he recognised one of them as the old guide Goju. In the light of the moon, he looked the same as many years ago – it seemed that he had not changed at all.
– I want to talk to you, – the old man said quietly and looked at Fu Xing. To Lacius’s surprise, the man bowed and stepped aside with the guards. – There will be a big holiday soon, – the guide said somehow strangely and fell silent.
– Yes, there will… – Lacius tensed internally.
– And you’ve already managed to find yourself an enemy, – Goju added just as quietly and outwardly indifferent.
– Is this your enemy, too? – he guessed. The old Xiongnu paused and answered briefly:
– Yes. He is the enemy of my friends, – then he turned to Lacius and continued: – You will be dressed in white shirts and pants. Opposite will be Wang Mang’s warriors in black robes.
– Who are they? Security?
– No, these are the servants of the Empress’s brother.
– Ah… Well, everything is clear, – he answered with understanding. – I remember them very well, – but it was not clear what the old man wanted from him. – Do you think we can defeat them? – it was impossible to hide the mockery, but Goju did not seem to notice this.
– No. This is impossible. They are good warriors. They will have sticks. But you can’t beat them. Even the weakest. You will have chains on your feet. All Romans will have it. They will hit you on the head. Like this, from above, – he showed movement with his hands. – Terrible hits. I saw them pierce right through the skull. But you won’t be hit hard. It’s a holiday. Should be fun. Therefore, at first, they will hit you weakly so that you fall.
– Oh, gods omnipotent! What are you saying? After all, the Emperor promised us… – Lacius paused, feeling that his words sounded ridiculous.
– What