Alevlenen Şiddet

Maomao, fırındaki çıtırdayan ateşe biraz daha saman ekledi.

Hayvan gübresi aslında daha kolay olabilirdi.

Yakıt olarak gübre yerine saman vermeleri muhtemelen düşünceli bir davranıştı ama saman topaklanmıyordu, bu da onu sıcak havada savrulmaya müsaitti. Odun kömürü ve yakacak odun ise batı başkentinde pahalıydı ve pek satılmazdı.

Tencerede ilaç kaynıyordu. Demlemesini bitirmeli, sonra da hap haline getirmeliydi ama uykusu o kadar gelmişti ki.

Tükenmiş olduğumdan.

Her zamanki işleri dışında pek bir şey yaptığını sanmıyordu ama bu durumun onu yorması anlaşılırdı. Gerçekten tükenmiş olduğunda, bunun farkına varmazdın. Yorgunluğun zirvesini aşardın ve gevşeme fırsatı bulduğun an, vücudun olduğu yere yığılırdı.

Yeterli yiyecek yoktu, yeterli ilaç, yeterli besin yoktu. Hiçbir şey yeterli değildi. Olmayanları başka şeylerle ikame etmeye çalıştılar ve ikame edilenler tükenince, ikame edilenlerin yerine başka bir şey bulmaya mecbur kaldılar.

Lahan’ın Kardeşi’nin tarlalardaki sevinci, tatlı patateslerin gece soğuğuna dayanamadıkları ortaya çıkınca hüzne dönüşmüştü. Sonunda normal patates ekeceklerini ilan etti. Tatlı patates yaprakları solmuştu ama sapları sarmaşık gibi yenebilirdi, dedi. Buğdaya gelince, o da beklendiği gibi ilerliyordu.

Fasulye filizleri, yiyecek yardımlarına azar azar ekleniyordu. Buğday kepeğinin beriberi hastalığına iyi geldiği söyleniyordu, bu yüzden ekmeğe karıştırılıyordu ama halk, ortaya çıkan somunları beğenmiyordu.

Tuhaf stratejist belli aralıklarla ek binaya uğrardı. Maomao, en azından ona selam vermek için başını sallamaya kararlıydı. Chue’nin bilgilerine göre, eğer Gyoku-ou'nun tarafını tutmaya karar verirse, hepsi için tehlikeli olacaktı.

Yapılan araştırmada, batı başkentinde bile kömürün çeşitli yerlerde kullanıldığı keşfedildi. (Maomao'ya, kendine özgü kokusu yüzünden hemen belli olduğu söylenmişti.) Demirhanelerde ve çanak çömlek yapmak için kullanılan fırınları yakmakta kullanılıyordu; her iki yer de Gyokuen ile bağlantılıydı.

Düşünecek çok fazla şey vardı.

Kafası o kadar doluydu ve o kadar yorgundu ki, savrulan ve yedek samana sıçrayan kıvılcımı fark etmekte gecikmişti. Burası bana mı sıcak geldi, yoksa öyle miydi? diye düşündü ve ancak dönüp baktığında samanın neşeyle yandığını gördü. Panikle söndürdü ve daha da kötüleşmedi ama şarlatan doktor onun için derin bir endişe duymuştu ve ilaç almak için gelen Tianyu ise onunla epey dalga geçmişti.

Böyle devam edemem.

Kendini odaklanmaya zorladı. En dikkatsiz olunan anlarda en kötü yangınlar başlardı.

Ve o an yanan tek şey, ocağındaki ateş değildi.

Olay yetmiş beşinci gün meydana geldi.

O gece geç saatlerde Maomao, dışarıdan gelen bağırışlarla uyanmıştı. Bir üst elbise giydi ve pencereye gitti. Avluda muhafızları ve endişe verici parıldayan alevler topluluğunu görebiliyordu.

Maomao uykulu gözlerini açtı ve hızla giyindi. Merdivenlerin dibinde, çoktan uyanmış ve hazır bekleyen Lihaku’yu buldu. Şarlatan doktor ise yastığına sarılmış, hâlâ pijamalarıyla oradaydı; bu da Lihaku'nun onu yataktan sürükleyerek çıkardığının kanıtıydı.

“Neler oluyor?” diye sordu Maomao askere.

“Tam olarak bilmiyorum ama birkaç fikrim var.”

“Mesela?”

“Fııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııı Maomao added more straw to the crackling fire in the oven.

Animal dung might actually be easier.

They were probably trying to be considerate by giving them straw and not dung to use for fuel, but the straw didn’t clump together, which left it prone to drifting on the hot air. Charcoal and firewood were both expensive in the western capital, though, and were rarely sold.

Medicine boiled in the pot. She had to finish steeping it and then form it into pills, but she was so sleepy.

It’s because I’m exhausted.

She didn’t think she’d done much aside from her usual work, but one could see where that would make her tired. When you were really exhausted, you didn’t notice that you were. You went past the height of fatigue, and then the moment you got a chance to relax, your body simply collapsed.

Not enough food, not enough medicine, not enough nutrition. Not enough of anything. They tried to substitute other things for what they didn’t have, and when the substitutes ran out, they had to look for something to substitute for the substitutes.

Lahan’s Brother’s joy in the fields had turned to sorrow after the sweet potatoes were lost when it turned out they couldn’t survive the night chill. He declared that they would plant regular potatoes after all. The sweet potato leaves had withered, but the stems could be eaten as vines, he said. As for the wheat, it was coming along as expected.

The bean sprouts were being added to the food handouts bit by bit. Wheat bran was supposed to be good for beriberi, so it was mixed into the bread—but people didn’t like the resulting loaves.

The freak strategist would come by the annex periodically. Maomao was resolved to at least nod hello to him. According to Chue’s information, it would be dangerous for all of them if he decided to take Gyoku-ou’s side.

Upon investigation, it was discovered that coal was being used in a variety of locations even here in the western capital. (It was immediately obvious, Maomao was told, because of the unique smell.) It was used in ironworks and to fire the kilns used to make pottery—both locations associated with Gyokuen.

There were too many things to think about.

Her head was so full, and she was so tired, that she was slow to notice the spark that drifted out and caught on the spare straw. Is it just me, or is it a bit warm in here? she thought, and it was only when she looked over that she saw the straw burning merrily. She put it out in a panic, and it didn’t get any worse than that, but the quack doctor was deeply concerned about her, and Tianyu, who had shown up to get some medicine, had a great laugh at her expense.

I can’t go on like this.

She forced herself to focus. It was when one was least attentive that the worst fires started.

And the fire in her stove wasn’t the only thing burning at that moment.

The incident occurred on the seventy-fifth day.

Late that night, Maomao was awoken by shouting outside. She pulled on an overrobe and went to the window. She could see guards in the courtyard, and an unsettling collection of glinting flames.

Maomao opened her sleepy eyes and dressed quickly. At the bottom of the stairs she found Lihaku, already awake and standing at the ready. The quack doctor was there clutching his pillow and still in his pajamas, evidence that Lihaku must have dragged him out of bed.

“What’s going on?” Maomao asked the soldier.

“I don’t know exactly, but I’ve got a few ideas.”

“Such as?”

“Fweee,” the quack wheezed sleepily, but Maomao pretended not to hear him.

“A few days ago, there was a messenger from an outpost to the west. An incursion by the barbarian tribes. They attacked the food stores in the area.”

“A food storehouse? But that would mean...” Even Maomao, oblivious to politics as she was, could see where this was going.

“Right. That storehouse contained the modest provisions the people there had been able to glean.”

If this outpost was to the west, that would put it close to the border with Shaoh.

“The big shots have spent the last few days trying to decide what to do,” said Lihaku.

“That would explain why work has seemed so quiet recently.” Jinshi hadn’t even summoned Maomao for anything. So it had been the calm before the storm.

“Even if we wanted to help, our hands are full right now. Our good man Jinshi’s been working his connections to get support from everywhere he can, but there’s no point if it just gets stolen. The question is, what do we do about it? And the answers are getting ugly.”

“Ugly.”

“There’s talk of starting a war.”

Yeah, it figures.

It had been the way of humans—for that matter, of the whole animal kingdom—from the oldest times: when you ran out of food to eat, you attacked someone else.

“But Master Jinshi doesn’t support that, does he?”

“No, he doesn’t. And right now...”

Maomao could hear voices from outside. She couldn’t make out much, but she thought she heard someone cry, “Give us the royal brother!”

“...people are starting to push back against the timid, sheltered princeling.”

They’d known this could and probably would happen. Even Maomao had been aware. If anything, it had taken longer than they’d expected.

The question is, what do we do about it?

Then again, Maomao personally couldn’t do much. She got a farm wagon ready and pulled a cloth over it. Then she took the drowsy quack by the hand.

“Oh, it’s you, young lady,” he said. “I just want to...sleep a little longer...”

She guided the quack, still half in dreamland, onto the cart. It was just as well that he was too sleepy to comprehend quite what was happening. If he’d been awake enough to tell what was going on, he would have been frantic.

“You can sleep, Master Physician,” Maomao said. “Just do it here.”

“Mm. Mm...” The quack, his limbs sticking off the cart, went back to sleep. Lihaku looked at him, openly mystified.

“It’s so we can get away if we need to,” Maomao explained. “If he had to run, I don’t think the master physician could keep up with a foot-bound concubine from the rear palace.”

“Huh. Fair enough. I could carry you under one arm and make tracks if I needed to, but I don’t think I could do that for the old guy. Good compromise.”

“I can’t believe they’re turning on the royal family,” Maomao said, packing a bag with bandages and wound-care medicine. Even Lihaku made himself useful, carrying a bottle of oil.

“Yeah. If this happened in the capital, the ringleaders would be executed and everyone who joined them would be beaten,” he said.

“I guess it just shows how high emotions are running.” The people had their collective hackles up.

“It’s a tough spot,” Lihaku said. “If it came down to kill or be killed...I have to admit, I’d start killing.” He had an unhappy smile on his face as he tore a piece of cloth and wrapped it around the end of a stick. They didn’t have any firewood to serve as torches, so he’d broken the leg off a chair. He was a soldier, trained in the ways of battle. He didn’t want to fight—but if he had to, he could.

Then he said, “With an outbreak of open violence like this, it’s the local rulers who are really going to be in trouble.”

“Yeah...”

Maomao, again, didn’t know much about politics. But she could tell that this was serious trouble.

Her heart was pounding in her ears, but having Lihaku there gave her a measure of reassurance, and meanwhile she had the responsibility of looking after the quack doctor.

“Master Gyoku-ou can say that the people rose up on their own, but he was the one who let things fester long enough for that to happen. A few commoners’ heads won’t be enough to pay for this affront to the royal family’s dignity.”

Maomao understood that. The lives of the Imperial family simply weighed that much heavier than those of the common people.

“Master Gyoku-ou was clearly cultivating his own popularity. I know our man Jinshi is a good guy, but I can’t believe he put up with it. And even if he’s willing to let it go, the people around him won’t be. Word must have reached the central region by now.”

If even the ordinarily relaxed Lihaku felt that way, the anger of those in the royal capital must be immense indeed.

“That’s a good point. I wonder how Empress Gyokuyou and Master Gyokuen feel about this.”

“Normally, you’d expect them to have a word to say about it.”

“Yes, you would...”

Considering their positions, neither of them could simply drop everything and come to the western capital. But might they send a letter or a messenger?

At the same time, there was another important figure here in addition to Jinshi and the freak strategist. Someone who would certainly not neglect communications with the capital.

“What was his name again? The other important guy who’s here?” Maomao asked. She’d heard it several times now, but as usual, she’d forgotten it.

“You aren’t much for remembering people’s names or faces, are you, miss? It was... Uh... Let’s see... I don’t remember. I remember he wasn’t, you know, a towering presence.”

“Sounds like you’re not much better than me, Master Lihaku.”

“Hold on! This guy, he was supposed to be in charge of rituals or something, right?”

“Rituals... So that would make him part of the Board of Rites... Oh! Lu! Vice Minister Lu, that was his name!” Maomao said, finally remembering.

“Right, right, Vice Minister Lu. Let’s just have faith that he’s doing something. Probably.”

“We can have all the faith we want. The trouble is happening now.”

“Point taken.”

They both sighed, ve ardından yüksek bir ses duyuldu. Halk ek binaya zorla girmeye mi çalışıyordu?

“Ne oldu şimdi?” diye sordu Maomao. Biri yaralandıysa yardım etmek istiyordu ama önce kendi güvenliğini sağlamalıydı. Ki, sınırlı seçenekleri göz önüne alındığında, bu çoğunlukla bir şey olursa meşaleyi yakıp fırlatmak anlamına geliyordu.

Bunu yapmaya hevesli değilim. Ama kendimi güvende tutmanın tek yolu buysa, yaparım.

Ayak seslerinin yaklaştığını duydular. Maomao ve Lihaku ikisi de dövüşmeye hazırlandı.

“Maomaooo Hanım? Orada mısın?” Bu Chue’ydu. “Neler olup bittiğini açıklamamı ister misin?”

“Evet, lütfen.”

Chue’nun elinde bir bayrak vardı ve sesi her zamanki gibi endişeli geliyordu. “Dışarıda bir halk yığını var. Tahmin ettiğimiz gibi, öfkeleri sonunda patlamış. Ay Prensi’nin onlara gelmesini ya da gönderilmesini istiyorlar, diye bağırıyorlar. Bilirsin, o türden şeyler.”

“Evet, tahmin edebiliyorum. Hatta duyabiliyorum da.”

“Ama şimdi büyük bir bam sesi gelmedi mi, diye düşünüyorsun, değil mi?”

“Evet, öyleyim.”

“O, Usta Gyoku-ou’nun gelişiydi.”

Maomao, tıbbi ekipman çantasını kaptı.

“Lütfen, endişelenme. Usta Gyoku-ou bile İmparatorluk ailesinden birine el kaldırmaz. Ama bence bu durum oldukça ilginç bir hal alıyor.”

“Nedense, senin ilginç bulduğun şeyler bana hep kötü gibi geliyor.”

“Neyse, gel de bir bak.”

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Chue’nun ısrarıyla Maomao dışarıya yöneldi. Lihaku da onları takip etti.

“Peki ya başhekim?” diye sordu Maomao.

“İyi soru. Sanırım onu da getirmeliyiz,” dedi Chue ve pek mutlu görünmese de arabayı itmeye başladı. Lihaku onun yerini alana kadar Lihaku’ya iğneleyici bakışlar atmaya devam etti.

Dışarı çıktıklarında Maomao, gür bir erkek sesi duydu.

“Hepiniz anlıyor musunuz?” diyordu adam. “Bu hanede onurlu bir şekilde ikamet eden Ay Prensi’nin, batı başkenti halkı için ne kadar çok şey yaptığını biliyor musunuz?”

Halkın mırıldandığını duydu.

“Gıda dağıtımlarındaki tahıllar, Ay Prensi tarafından uzaklardan getirildi. Şimdi aç kalmıyor olmamız onun cömertliği sayesinde! Ücretsiz klinik de aynı şekilde onun eseriydi. Orada bulunanlar bunu çok iyi bilir.”

Neler oluyor burada?

Ses Jinshi’nin yakın çevresinden birine ait olsaydı, bu sözler anlamlı olurdu. Ama Maomao’nun tahmin edebildiği kadarıyla, konuşan Gyoku-ou’ydu.

Adımlarını hızlandırdı. Bir şeyler görmek istiyorsa daha yakına gitmesi gerekecekti, ama çok yaklaşmak tehlikeli olurdu. İyi bir görüş noktası olabilecek bir yer aramak için etrafına bakındı.

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“Maomao Hanım, Maomao Hanım,” dedi Chue, ona işaret ederek. Yakındaki bir ağacın neredeyse yarısına kadar tırmanmıştı bile. Maomao da onun peşinden tırmandı.

“Lütfen düşmemeye çalış!” dedi Lihaku. Hâlâ şarlatan doktoru arabasında itiyordu.

Dalların arasında, Maomao ve Chue olup bitenleri mükemmel bir şekilde görebiliyordu. Jinshi’yi, arkasında Basen’i gördüler. Onun önünde ise Gyoku-ou duruyor, Jinshi ile kalabalık arasına girmişti. Halk saygılı bir mesafeyi koruyordu, neredeyse bir tiyatro oyunundaki seyirciler gibi.

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