Karen sandler, p.8
The Art of Legend, page 8
The entrance to the Vauzan Temple of the Tiandi was wide and open with constant traffic passing through. Six Hansoo and ten monks guarded the front double gates, which was already one more than the usual residency here at the temple. This was significant since all Hansoo who took up residency here became celebrities in the city. Children loved the Hansoo, and the temple profited by selling action dolls of them.
The friends parted ways. Xinde left to report to Brother Solum, as was customary for a magistrate entering the temple. Hachi, after quickly checking in on everyone, had hurried off to Box Three to check on Neeshan. The man was in love all right, or at least smitten. Kaiyu, also smitten, went to track down the owner of the dog. The temple kept a registry of every resident on Peony Peak. That left Jian, still bleeding, to seek treatment for his arm.
He wasn’t surprised by the large crowds huddled around the temple. Tenth Day Prayers was already a busy day for the devout. That was why Taishi recruited the other women for their breakfast meal, and why Jian and his friends always found excuses to be gone for the day. He could only assume that the venue would be even more popular with the city under siege. The main courtyard of the temple was a zoo. The three lines waiting to pray and tithe before the Mosaic of the Tiandi snaked in every direction. The line for the nobility was full as well. One would think everyone had more important things to do right now than tithe and pray to the Tiandi, but perhaps prayer was the most important thing to do for the deeply pious.
The crowded courtyard was eerily quiet. The people looked in disbelief with their heads low and huddled in small groups. There had never been an attack on Vauzan in any of their lifetimes. Jian wasn’t sure why people were surprised. There had been talk about a Caobiu attack for years, since the Gyian fell and the Shulan army was routed. The bulk of the army that had accompanied Saan had returned in tatters, and while the duchy had been able to muster three armies since, Sunri had crushed them all. The only positives from those disastrous battles were that each defeat had weakened the Caobiu enough that it prevented them from rolling deeper into Shulan and completing the siege of Vauzan. That had been the difference before. This time, there was no standing army in Shulan left to soften the Caobiu army’s advance. This invasion was inevitable.
Jian avoided the milling crowds of anxious devout. He was leaking blood from his arm and the last thing he needed was to cause a panic. He hurried through a false wall next to the gift shop. He followed it down a narrow side street that opened into Monastery Village, which was the main residential area for the monks living inside the temple. It wasn’t much of a village, really, just a squat and compact collection of buildings that supported temple operations. This was a modest area where the monks cooked, labored, studied, trained, and relaxed. It was a far cry from the majestic public-facing facade manufactured by the Tiandi temple.
The Vauzan Temple of the Tiandi was self-sustaining with its own gardens, livestock, and forest of fast-growing bamboo trees. If the monks wished to ride out the siege, they could lock the gates and defend Peony Peak almost indefinitely. Siege weapons couldn’t reach this high up the narrow mountain, and there were only two ways up to the front gates—the path Jian came up and the main bridge—both of which the monks could destroy at a moment’s notice.
Jian passed through the tight spaces, passing by light traffic. Busy monks scurried about. He reached the temple hospital situated at the main square a few moments later. The hospital was the largest building in the village. The life of a Tiandi monk was surprisingly injury-prone, either from too much time spent deep in meditation and study or too much physical training.
“To die is the inevitable state. To live is a bonus” was one of Goramh’s popular sayings at the temple.
A young initiate took one look at Jian’s arm when he walked through the door and escorted him into a back room for treatment. Over the next hour, a young nun came by to clean his arm, an acupuncturist numbed it, and a hypnotist put him in a relaxed and meditative state. It was a full-service operation. It also took the rest of the afternoon. The Tiandi monks were never in a hurry and never did anything fast.
Jian was in the process of finally getting stitched up by one of the temple doctors when someone burst into the back room. Zofi looked out of breath and was panting hard. Her face was a mix of concern, outrage, and exhaustion when she confronted him. “Hiro, the bald boys at the gate told me you were hurt. Who did this? I’m going to—” She gawked at his arm. “What happened? Did you fall into the zoo pit again?”
He huffed. “I didn’t fall in that time. I was helping when some of the animals got loose!”
“What happened then?” Zofi leaned over and poked the top of one of the big fat needles stuck just beneath his elbow, sending a jolt through his entire body. “Does that hurt?”
“Now it does, thanks.” Jian gritted his teeth. “A house was collapsing from artillery fire, so I saved a dog. Then it bit me.”
She ticked her finger, looking puzzled. “Why would you risk your life saving a dog while the city is under siege?”
“Because at first I thought it was a kid, and then by the time I realized it was a dog, I was already there, so I saved it, and it bit me.”
“You confused a dog for a child?” Zofi blinked. “That makes no sense. Why did it bite you if you were saving it? Why didn’t you just drop it?”
“I was up in the air riding a current along the side of a mountain and didn’t want to drop it.”
“So what did you do?”
“What was I supposed to do?” Jian shrugged. “I let it bite me until I could land.”
Zofi blinked. “You’re an idiot.”
“Yes, we’ve already established that.”
“Your aunt is going to murder you.”
That was also true. It embarrassed him that this was probably the worst injury he had suffered since he left the Celestial Palace. What did it say about Jian, the supposed Champion of the Five Under Heaven, the Prophesied Hero of the Tiandi, that he was so swaddled that a dog bite was his worst injury? Well, that and the time he almost died due to the death touch a few years back, was kidnapped by one of the lotus factions of the Tiandi religion, and nearly killed by mute men, but those didn’t count. This was his most severe injury.
Jian’s shoulder slumped. “It was a big dog.”
“You’ll live.” She turned to the doctor. “He’ll live, right?”
The woman nodded. “No training or fighting for a few days. Bring him back in a week to take out the stitches.”
“We don’t have time for that.” Zofi’s face twisted as she turned back to Jian. “The Caobiu have reached the walls. The eastern line is under siege!”
She was met with stunned silence.
“Already?” Jian gasped. “It hasn’t even been a day. It takes longer for me to cut up a watermelon.”
She yanked him by the arm. “Come on, we have to go.”
“To do what?”
“I don’t know yet, but we have to do something!”
That was a very Zofi thing to say.
Chapter Eight
Final Affairs
Taishi raced back toward the Vauzan Temple of the Tiandi as fast as the ducal carriage could carry her. She was usually in a bath by this time. Most of the streets had cleared by dusk. A city under siege didn’t have much of a nightlife, at least until their food and water supplies were cut off. It was still too early for the looting to begin, and the Shulan were generally too polite to riot for fun. The best thing every resident of Vauzan could do right now was stay home or flee to one of the buried wards underground. Or better yet, flee the city altogether. At least that was Taishi’s plan. She just needed to wrap up her business here and escape out of the city through the west gate. The Caobiu had surrounded Vauzan, but it was an expansive city, and there were always holes to exploit.
The front gates to the Vauzan Temple of the Tiandi were still open when her carriage pulled up. The two Hansoo and four initiates manning the front doors placed their palms together and bowed as Taishi, her dowager nun robes whipping in the breeze, stepped out and continued inside. The temple looked as if it was bracing for a siege as the main courtyard became its own little encampment. Racks of weapons, supplies, command, and triage tents had been set up in neat rows, although Taishi doubted the temple would involve themselves in the fighting. The abbots at the Jade Tower of the Vigilant Spirit had made it a point to remain neutral during this conflict, citing the Zhuun civil war as a secular matter. No doubt they were waiting to see who came out on top. It was a shame. The combined power of the Tiandi religion rivaled that of any duchy in the Enlightened States. If only they would choose a side…
Taishi continued past several tents with the flags of a few different sects whipping in the air. Mori must have put out the call to the devout to defend the faith, and many from the surrounding countryside had answered. Some of the monks stopped and paid their respects to the dowager nun as she passed, but most didn’t pay her much attention.
Taishi found Brother Solum, the senior Hansoo at the temple, walking across the courtyard. She waved him down. “A busy day, Brother Solum.”
He bowed, keeping in character with the status her robes demanded. The war monk was one of four who knew her true identity. The twenty or so rings running all the way up his arm from his wrist to his shoulder jingled against each other. “Perspective quickly changes when death rolls up to one’s door.”
“Why are people still here? The temple should have closed by now.”
“Keeping late hours. Extra tithing goes a long way during war.”
“If everyone was smart, they would be fleeing the city right now.”
“This temple is a holy place. It is a privilege for the devout to defend its honor.”
“It’s just a place. A plot of land, Solum, like any other.” She pointed off to the side. “Four hundred years ago, the temple was a mud hut at the bottom of the valley, but the devout decided to upgrade their view. There’s nothing especially holy about the land we’re standing on, and certainly nothing worth dying for.”
He smiled. “You are correct. The holiness accompanies the temple, no matter where it is, so as long as it stands here, the devout will defend this place until our dying breath.”
Taishi had to strain from not making a face. She hated when someone she disagreed with made a good point. “This temple contains the largest library and the greatest collection of Tiandi relics in the world. You should spirit it away for safekeeping.”
Solum looked surprised, as if the thought had never occurred to him. Of course it hadn’t. Hansoo were known as the Shields of Tiandi. Defending their faith was the only purpose for their existence.
“At least prepare for the inevitable. Take Mori with you and flee. In a burlap sack, if necessary.”
“The templeabbot may be upset if we kidnap him.”
“It’s better to be alive and upset than dead.” She looked around. “What about Hiro? I need to kidnap him for his own good.”
“The gatewatch reported that your nephew returned a few hours ago with his friends.”
Of course he would keep tabs on Jian. “Good. Lock him down on temple grounds. No exceptions.”
“As you request, dowager.”
“And Mori’s whereabouts?”
“The templeabbot has retreated to his serenity of thoughts, dowager. Unfortunately, the long day was too overwhelming, especially at his age. I told him to retire years ago. His rest is well earned after a lifetime of service to the Tiandi.”
“Yes, I get it, he’s old.” Taishi flashed a scowl. Mori was only a few years her elder. “We’re all getting old. You too, graybeard.”
Solum temporarily broke character and scratched it. “I forgot to shave this morning. A Hansoo’s body hair grows so quickly.”
“You look handsome, regardless.” Taishi walked past him. “You should take Mori away if you truly value his safety.”
“That decision is above my pay grade, dowager nun.”
Taishi hurried on. There was much to do if she was going to escape before the Caobiu breached the walls. The city’s defenses were stout, but there was no finer war machine than the Cinder Legions. Sunri had built the most terrifying military in history. It was a matter of when, not if, the city’s defenses succumbed to Caobiu’s might. How much time she had to prepare, Taishi couldn’t be sure, but she estimated a week at best before the red army broke through the outer wall and spilled into the city. Any longer would be a heroic victory, immortalized in song and rhyme. Once the walls fell, the real battle for the city would begin.
Taishi hurried into the main temple, skirting past the long lines and initiates clustering around the Mosaic of the Tiandi. Heavy incense layered the air, with the scent of cinnamon, tin, and fire wafting to her nostrils. An initiate hurried past her carrying two vases of red and white incense sticks. Those colors were for victory in battle and continuation of lineage, which would be popular now.
Taishi continued across the length of the main temple, passing dozens of priceless artifacts. If these fools were smart, they would all be packing right now. Many of the relics here at the temple, the oldest in the Enlightened States, carried historic significance not only to the religion but also to the people. The duchess, once she took the city, would be ruthless enough to use these relics and the temple to gain leverage over the entire Tiandi religion. Speaking of old relics that Sunri would use to her advantage, Taishi set off to find Mori. She passed through the main chamber housing the Mosaic of the Tiandi and continued to the back, where a small army of initiates scurried around, making sure the incense vases were properly stocked, the donations were being counted, and the lines were managed in an orderly fashion.
The extensive garden and bamboo forest behind the main temple was one of Taishi’s favorite places. Large, intricately designed pagodas and beautiful statues lined one side while a row of willow trees lined the other. Hundreds of small paper lanterns floated in a nearby pond, drifting under a red arched bridge. In a world where everywhere had become dangerous, she still felt at peace here, even with the enemy knocking down the gates. The weather at dusk was cool, with a breeze blowing from the east. Taishi could smell the scent of smoke and burnt wood all the way on the other side of the city. Birds sang from their nests on low-hanging branches while dragonflies and fireflies buzzed overhead. Pink-and-white cherry blossoms floated across the sky. It was a pity the most beautiful time of the year had to be tainted by an army intent on razing the city. It was probably intentional. It was common gossip that the only beautiful thing Sunri tolerated was herself.
Taishi crossed the training yard packed with Hansoo, warrior monks, and battlenuns. There were so many that the lessons and sparring had spilled out to the adjoining fields. Younger monks were practicing line fighting—individual melee along a unified front—in the lotus garden. Hansoo were taking turns weight training, lifting giant boulders and statues. There were rows of archers on one side, spear formations on the other, and shield drills in the center. Even the monk children were practicing basic forms and weapons in preparation to defend the city.
The steady stream of monks and nuns parted before her, bowing as she passed. The largest contingent representing the training yard, who also bowed the deepest to her, were the Black Orchid battlenuns. Although they were considered a minor faction within the Tiandi religion’s hierarchy, the Orchid sects were by far the most active across the land. The all-woman sect utilized a short-range, effective war arts style that was adaptable to people generally smaller and less physical. The Orchid sects’ purpose was to train women to defend themselves, and they had set up small temples all over the countryside.
Taishi had long admired the Black Orchids. Her dowager robes originated from that sect and were revered throughout the religion. The battleabbess, the head of the Black Orchids, was the third person who was aware of Taishi’s true identity. There was no way Mori could have received approval for this subterfuge without the head of the Black Orchids’ approval.
Taishi continued down the path and proceeded up the steps leading into the front entrance of the temple, up past the stone statues of the righteous lions. She was surprised to get stopped by a Hansoo, of all people. Solum was not taking any chances today. This one was a baby, barely six feet tall, and wearing only one iron ring around each wrist. He was standing below a torii gate on the path leading up the hill. To his left was a small wooden shack with a crooked door, and another path leading to the bamboo forest to his right.
She stepped up to him and looked into his face. “I need to see Mori.”
The young Hansoo, still broad as a bear, looked uneasy. “Apologies. No one is to see the templeabbot without prior approval. Brother Solum’s orders.” The large boy leaned toward her. “You see, there is an enemy army at our gates. Has anyone told you about that?”
It must be his first day on the job. Taishi didn’t have time for this. “Do you know who I am?” She felt bad about playing that card.
He gulped. “Yes, dowager nun.”
“Then move aside.”
“But Brother Solum said not to.” The Hansoo faltered. “Sorry, it’s my first assignment. I don’t want to mess it up.”
“You’ll definitely mess it up if you don’t let me in.”
The door to the wooden shack slammed open, and Templeabbot Mori walked out, hiking up his pants and adjusting his robes. His wiry hair was frayed, and he favored his right knee. He also looked like he had gained ten pounds and sagged more since the last time she saw him, three days ago. “Don’t torture the poor boy. Second day on the job and third as a Hansoo. This is his first time away from Stone Blossom Monastery.”
