with Zhi Zhi.
– He killed my son.
– Yes, you said that then. In Kangyuy.
– I was afraid of this. I knew this could happen. So I sent my second son to Chang’an.
– Now everything is clear, – Lacius drawled. – Your son helped you.
– No, he didn’t. He doesn’t even know I’m here. Doesn’t know yet. He serves under the governor of the central province. He will probably never return to the steppe. He has a different life here…
Lacius understood the old man, who was already so old that the wrinkles on his face turned into deep furrows, and there was no black hair in his beard. Time took its tall. Life was ending, and he wanted respect and honour. They sat opposite each other and recalled the past. Having told Goju that the Romans, along with the paintings, would be shown to the Emperor, Lacius heard in response that the Emperor did not love war, nor the court, nor his wife. Most of all, he loved his concubines, and two of them have already given birth to children. The Emperor was a smart man. But his wife was much wiser…
The old Goju told him for a long time about the morals and customs of the Han Empire, speaking contemptuously about their army and military leaders, who thought more about money and the income of their families than service. In one evening, Lacius learnt so much that he probably could not have learnt if he had lived here even ten years. Much was clear and familiar, because the life of the Roman aristocracy was not very different from the life of governors in the provinces, not to mention the capital of the Empire.
Chow returned ten days later. That evening, the night lamps burned for a long time in the large house, and the servants stayed up late, awaiting orders from the master and his guests. The next day, the Romans began to prepare to move to the capital of the Empire. Getting ready was simple, and by mid – day everything was ready. A large line of people and carts left the city walls. Everyone stopped there, waiting for the governor to join them. At this time, two guards approached Lacius and took him to a small stretcher near the wall. Leaving him alone, they stepped aside.
– Come, – he suddenly heard Chow Li’s voice. Catching himself thinking that he was still capable of surprise, Lacius grinned and slowly approached.
– How inaccessible you have become! – there was irony in his voice. But he still could not understand, why Chow Li changed so dramatically, when she found herself among her Han people. At first, it seemed to him that she wanted to hide her past. But it was stupid because everyone knew what happened to her in Zhi Zhi’s family. A little later, Lacius began to think that it was all about her status. After all, she was the daughter of a rich Han man. Maybe this is what made her forget about gratitude and made her so harsh?
He thought for a long time about the changes that had happened to Chow Li, but it could not even occur to him that the young woman behaved as her culture required. She instantly adapted to the environment, in which she found herself and, having found herself in the company of General Tang, immediately gained the strength of her social position, which required appropriate behaviour. In the Han Empire, there was an unspoken rule that if a person received a new position, everyone had to come to him and get to know him again. From that moment on, the past did not exist. The same thing happened to Chow Li – she forgot the past in order to survive in the present. Permanence here was unacceptable. But Lacius did not yet know about this feature of the national culture of the Han Chinese and behaved as an equal. – Listen, maybe you can take me inside? I was your master. Do you remember this?
– I do. This happened before, though. Now you are… a prisoner.
– Well, yes, I am. And what do you want?
– I need your help, – these words sounded sincere, but if for Latium it was an appeal from a friend, then for Chow it was a cunning trick with far – reaching goals. So that others would not suspect her of affection for a white slave and would not spread rumours, she deliberately hid in a stretcher and ordered her servants to move away. No one could see them here. But Lacius was so inspired by the success of his negotiations with General Tang that he did not pay attention to such – little things.
– Help? – he was taken aback. – Help from a prisoner? Are you kidding?
– Listen, everything can end very badly, – and Chow Li told him that she had gone to the capital to visit her sister. She had not been alone. Chen Tang’s messengers had accompanied her. They had handed Zhi Zhi’s head to the Emperor. But the Emperor had not accepted it and refused to forgive Tang. The Imperial Council is still arguing about what to do with Chen Tang and Governor Xiao – to forgive or punish. Chow’s sister and her husband really hope that the huge paintings and captured Romans will please the Emperor and he will have mercy. But it’s not for sure…
– I don’t understand anything. What do you want from me? – Lacius felt perplexed.
– If the Emperor does not forgive General Tang and Governor Xiao, they will be executed. – After this, their relatives and friends will be killed along with their families up to the third generation. This means that Governor Xiao and his cousin Bao Shi will be killed. My sister is his wife! Got it? She’ll be killed. And… then they will probably kill me… too… – at that moment Chow did not have to pretend, because she was telling the truth.
– How complicated everything is, – Lacius shook his head. – I realised that they would kill everyone.
– Yes, they will, – Chow said desperately.
– It’s a pity. And what do you want from me? – he repeated his question.
Chow didn’t know how to push the Roman to do a noble deed. She wanted her sister not to get hurt. She thought that if the Emperor came to look at the paintings, then he would take pity and forgive Chen Tang and Governor Xiao. And it was Lacius, who could help with this. The rest had already used their opportunity, – they have thrown the dice and lost, – as the Emperor’s courtiers liked to say.
– Make something… something interesting to make the Emperor like it! – she said passionately. Lacius tried for a long time to explain to her that this was impossible and it was simply stupid to demand something from him, a chained slave, but Chow begged, and in order to stop this meaningless conversation, he agreed. Then she began to tell him about the Emperor’s court and all the important officials. Lacius hardly listened to her, having long since despaired of remembering the endless names and favourite complex relationships, until she remembered the Emperor’s favourite concubines.
– Stop! Can your sister talk to these concubines?
– Yes, she can.
– Then let her tell them something interesting about the Romans… Something intriguing. They need to come and see. That’s a must! Later they will start telling it to everyone. The others will tell the Emperor, and he can come. This is the only chance. Do you agree? What might interest them?
– I think… It’s difficult. But I see your point. I have to talk to my sister.
– Talk, talk. Also. We’ll need musicians. Like it was in Zhi Zhi’s camp. Do you remember blind Paul singing with them?
– Yes, I do.
– They had something with strings and timpani. The musicians must play well. Let’s try to surprise them with songs. Well, this is not enough, though. We need to come up with something scary and terrible. Something they’ve never seen before. I also need something.
– What? – Chow tensed.
– You said you knew the way to the south, to the big sea. Can you help me get there? I want to sail to India or further, – he waited for her to think about his words.
– You… you… you could be killed right tomorrow or sent to the salt lakes… I can’t promise.
– If