The War Council

The war council chamber is a large, circular room with a very high ceiling, almost like a tower. There are windows, but they are set so high up that no one could look inside. They also don’t admit a lot of light, which is probably why the space is lit by dozens of lanterns, casting an orange glow on the scene. The walls are decorated with banners, which proudly display the Zhu insignia, which is a white dragon wrapped around the character Zhu on a crimson background. There are also all kinds of weapons, from sword and spears down to daggers and maces and things I wouldn’t even have imagined as weapons… but I’ve seen Zhu Chun fight with two fans, so I shouldn’t be surprised.

At the far end, on a slightly raised platform, is a large chair, on which Queen Zhu is sitting, leaning forward while listening to the otherd. Below, there are two rows of chairs on each side of an aisle, facing each other. Everyone is here. Sect Leader Dai, General Liu, Feng-laoban and Zhu Chun. These are all of the most powerful women in the queendom… and two of them don’t know who I am. I don’t have to fake my anxiety as I slowly walk forward and come to stand at what I judge to be an appropriate distance behind the minister. She greets the queen and I do the same, waiting for her to tell us to rise before we continue.

“I present to you Murong Zhiyu of Huoyun Sect, as requested.”

I bow to her again, then turn towards Dai Qian.

“I must apologise for not wearing my sect uniform, Sect Leader Dai. It was torn in yesterday’s fight and I accepted a temporary replacement.”

“You don’t have to apologise. The colour suits you.”

I take a moment to nod towards every member of the war council in greeting. Feng-laoban smiles at me with a little too much teeth, Zhu Chun does the same, looking angelic. General Liu Zixuan, however, turns her head away the moment I look at her. Right. That was to be expected. I wonder how she’d treat me if she knew I was actually a princess.

“Murong Zhiyu, I called you here because the council demanded you explain yourself.”

My first reaction is surprise. Then dread. A whole lot of dread. I clasp my hands and lower my head.

“What should I explain exactly?”

General Liu makes a derisive sound, which makes me jump slightly. I have to believe that the queen wouldn’t let anything happen to her daughter.

“While discussing the happenings, potentials and outlooks of the recent days and beyond, we found one common element in all of them. You,” Queen Zhu explains. “In light of the events, the council would like you to explain why it was you, who was part of all discoveries.”

“You saved my son and cautioned me to check on the city’s emergency supplies,” Feng-laoban says.

“I was sent to the south by Sect Leader Dai to investigate the signs of trouble that were reported to Huoyun Sect. I wasn’t the only one. My shimei Dai Xuan accompanied me. We encountered Feng Yu by chance. As for the supplies… I found it prudent.”

“Mhm,” Feng-laoban replies. She was enthused about my opinion on the day I visited her manor, yet now she seems cautious.

“I admit it may seem strange for this mere sect disciple to advise such an accomplished merchant and leader such as Feng-laoban, but I care for the citizens of Xiyang, who welcomed an orphan from the south with open arms. I just wanted to take the opportunity to voice my opinion. I apologise if I spoke out of line.”

Wow. The years of writing historical dialogue in my fics have really paid off. I only hope they will be convinced by my flowery words. Feng-laoban, at least, seems placated. She slumps back in her chair and nods.

“You identified the possibility and location of a large number of explosives at the Yueji Lake dam at a time when no one even considered an attack. How did you know what to look for?” General Liu asks and her gaze is icy.

“After the attack on the merchants, I grew concerned for the safety of the citizens, as I have already mentioned. Huoyun Sect has always been central to the wellbeing of Xiyang, and I make it my personal goal to follow the same path. The city wall is what protects Xiyang, so I wondered if anyone could’ve tempered with it, seeing that the attacks of the monsters have already been unusual. As for the dam: It wasn’t me, who suggested it. I met my shixiong Liu Renqing, who was on patrol, and shared my concerns. It was him who had the enlightened idea to check the Yueji Lake dam. The credit for finding out about the threat to the city should go wholeheartedly to him.”

No matter what she thinks about her son, having him praised like this for such an important task in front of the queen should placate her. Indeed, she looks slightly less angry. Only very slightly, though.

“My son told me the same story, though he gave you credit for the discovery.”

“Shixiong is always humble. I swear that he is to be credited.”

I look towards Zhu Chun, waiting for her to ask me something else, yet she remains silent. Ah. Of course. She can’t tell them about the incident with the artefact at the lake without revealing my status as the guardian and my relation to them… but I can see in her eyes that this is just one more thing which places me in the centre of attention.

“It is a fact that you’ve been part of every happening, down to the identification of the real threat of the white foxes,” Queen Zhu continues. “You can’t deny that this would place anyone under suspicion. Since my old friend Dai Qian vouches for you as her disciple, who she has known for so many years, this will not have any consequences for now, but we will keep a close eye on your behaviour.”

“I understand,” I say while lowering my head.

It must not be easy for her to act like this. I feel bad for the queen, but also for Murong Zhiyu, who will have this barrier between them all her life.

“With this out of the way, we have to talk about our next steps,” Queen Zhu adds. “I’ve heard all of your opinions, but since she has seen the attacks and the formation first hand, I wanted to wait for Murong Zhiyu’s recount before making a decision.”

I take a deep breath. Here goes nothing. I tell them about my discoveries during the time I’ve been in Murong Zhiyu’s body, careful to leave out anything that would make it seem like I already knew about the future. It leads to some uneasy questions, but I just play dumb. Not dumb enough though. This is harder than I feared. These are all very intelligent women and I feel like they see through every single one of my lies.

“Thank you for your detailed account,” Queen Zhu says after I’m done. “It confirms my suspicions and I have decided on a course of action after hearing all of your opinions.”

Everyone sits up straight to receive the queen’s words. I still stand in the middle of the room, feeling rather lost. There are no attendants here, just the council and me, deciding the future of the city. Or rather listening to the decision that has been made.

“I have sent out my falcon shifter messengers to the nearby cities. Their reports have confirmed my suspicion: Many of the white foxes have disappeared from their homes a few years ago. They must have joined up with one of the northern barbarian clans to exact revenge for their treatment by the people of the empire. Xiyang is in a good position to build a base from which to attack the south, but also retreat to and defend. We have to assume this is the first step in a larger plan, which is why we need to quell this misguided rebellion before it takes root here.”

Queen Zhu waves a hand and from the depths of the room, a table and a large scroll floats in between us, setting itself up neatly. Snowflakes rain down in its wake for nothing but an impressive effect. The queen is allowed to boast with her power, after all. It is pretty, I must admit. She walks towards the table and calls for us to join her. The scroll contains a map, which shows Xiyang and a vast stretch of land around it. It’s not very detailed, with just the most significant features visible. The city and the surrounding cliff, as well as the stream, which leads up to Yueji Lake. The canyons are rendered too. The queen catches a brush from the air and reaches down to circle the dam below Yueji Lake, then the city itself. Finally she circles a large area in the northern desert.

“The enemy has planned this attack meticulously. The monsters were a diversion to plant explosives at the city wall and the dam. Due to quick intervention, the sabotage has been detected early enough, but it is still a threat. If they realise we know their plans, they might destroy the dam prematurely, even if they haven’t finalised their strategy yet.”

“Do you think they will actually do it?” Dai Qian asks. “If their plan is to use the city as a base, it will be much less attractive when the walls and houses have been destroyed by the water masses.”

“That may be so, but it is the most effective way to get rid of most defenders. Besides, the palace lies on a hill and will survive the flood. It’s still a good headquarters even if Xiyang itself is vastly uninhabitable. And to fight only the royal guard will be easier than fighting them and the city guard at the same time,” General Liu says and looks at Zhu Chun.

“Unfortunately, the general is right. No matter how elite my people are, they can’t stand against a larger force forever—especially if the supply chain from the city is cut off,” Zhu Chun confirms.

“We have to strike their headquarters and the dam at the same time to eliminate the chance of either informing the other,” Queen Zhu continues. “It requires us to split our troops into three parts.” She points at the area in the desert. “The royal guard will attack the enemy’s headquarters to the north.” She then points at the city. “We can’t leave Xiyang undefended, which is why I need the city guards to cover all angles during the operation. Half of them will also join the royal guard in the attack on the headquarters.” Finally she points at the dam. “An elite troop, capable of sneaking up on the enemy and taking them by surprise, will cover the dam. For this I want the best of Huoyun Sect. The operation will take place tonight and we will strike at the start of the hour of the Tiger.”

“Tonight?” I blurt out.