THE SILK TREE

CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE

In the early morning light the marble domes of Constantinople came into view.

Nicander stood watching, a far-away expression on his face.

‘Ni K’ou!’ Ying Mei begged. ‘Speak to me – please. Why are you like this? Is it something I’ve done? Do please tell me! I don’t care if the silk is lost, I love you and still want to marry you, even if we’ll be poor and…’

She was fighting tears, not understanding.

They were now close enough to see the wharves, which were not far from the palace. In a very short time their travails would be over.

‘Ni K’ou! Talk to me. I’ve a feeling something terrible is happening. Tell me!’

‘Ying Mei. Things have changed. I’m… I’m not a man to be seen with. You’ll have to manage without me.’

Her face paled. ‘Not… not that, Ni K’ou, please don’t say it!’ she blurted.

‘It’s true. Over there is Emperor Justinian, the most powerful man in the world. Since we’ve been away he will have discovered that he’s been tricked, we’re not really from a far land and we’re not really holy men – and our mission was… not altogether as we said. He’s a vengeful man and will show us no mercy.’

‘We’ll run away together! We must flee to-’

‘Callista,’ he said sadly. ‘We’re marked men. Justinian has agents and spies everywhere and it would only be a short time before we’re recognised and brought before him. If we had the eggs we would have fulfilled the mission in full and made him very content – without the eggs we have nothing but a fairy story.

‘Our only chance is to go to him and throw ourselves on his mercy and… and I don’t believe it will be shown in our case.’

Her tears were open now. ‘P-please, Ni K’ou! Don’t send me away, I beg.’

‘My dearest heart! It’s for your own good. I’m finished, but you have a life to live and-’

But she had fled below, sobbing.

The vessel bumped and juddered as it came alongside. Ropes were thrown and secured.

They had arrived – a journey of impossible distance was over. Marius came and stood beside him. ‘We’ll be hunted down whatever we do. We have to face the bastard.’

The lump in his throat made it difficult to speak but Nicander replied dully, ‘Let’s get it over with.’

The gangplank went out and they started towards it but were stopped by a call.

Turning, Nicander saw that it was Tai Yi. She was on her own.

‘I won’t be long,’ he told Marius.

‘What is it, Tai Yi?’ he asked.

She was obviously finding difficulty with words. ‘Ni lao na,’ she said eventually, looking into his face. ‘Ying Mei has told me… everything.’

‘Oh. I…’

‘I have a question for you that I beg you’ll tell me truthfully, for on your answer hangs much.’

Her eyes never left his.

‘Very well.’

‘Do you… truly… love… my Lady Kuo Ying Mei?’

He stood back in astonishment but quickly answered, ‘As my life, Tai Yi! It’s why I asked her to leave me, for I would not have her in danger on my account.’

‘Did you truly intend to marry her?’

‘Tai yi! Of course! But it’s impossible for us now, did she not say?’

‘She said to me that after what we’ve all been through together, she can see you would be the only man who could ever make her happy.’

It caught him unawares and he choked back tears.

‘Enough of that,’ she said briskly. ‘I have decided – her happiness is the only thing that matters to me at my age. Now listen to me very carefully. Go to your emperor and…’

As she explained, Nicander could hardly believe what he was hearing and when he turned back to Marius he was suffused with the most pure joy.

‘Come on – I’ll tell you on the way.’

The grey bulk of the imperial palace was ahead, quite unchanged. They stepped it out. ‘Leave all the talking to me, Marius. Agreed?’

Suddenly there was a shout. ‘Stop! Stop those men in the name of the Emperor!’

It was a voice from the past, one that still brought a cold wash of fear. Marcellus.

His men clamped a hold on them and he swaggered up. ‘Well, well, well. Look who we have here,’ he said with a lazy smile.

‘We’ve come to see the Emperor,’ Nicander said unsteadily.

‘How convenient, as I know since he discovered your little… naughtiness, he would very much like to see you! Come along, don’t dawdle! I’ve a feeling there’s going to be much entertainment to be had, once His Resplendency claps eyes on you two!’

They were marched directly to Daphne Palace where they had last seen the Emperor and where they had laid out their crafty scheme before him.

‘Wait here!’ Marcellus barked and entered Justinian’s private room.

‘This had better bloody work, or we’re cooked – and over a slow fire!’ Marius said nervously.

Marcellus came out with a tigerish smile. ‘Go in, both of you.’

Guards escorted them into the Presence.

Justinian looked up from his table. The same austere, brooding look, the hard lines, the terrifying reality of the Emperor of Byzantium.

His eyes widened. ‘We stand amazed, Marcellus, but you’re right. This is the pair! Good work – good work indeed. Don’t go away – we may have something for you after we’ve done with them.’

He leant back, taking them in.

‘You’ve played us false, and you won’t be suffered to get away with it, you know that? What we can’t puzzle out is why you came back? You knew you’d be found out. For the sake of our curiosity, pray tell us why you’ve returned to Constantinople?’

Nicander gave a dignified bow. ‘Your Clemency, there is but one answer to that.’

‘Oh?’

‘Sire, it is that, ashamed as we were of our villainy, we stopped and prayed together. An angel then told us that there was only one course we could take that would repay Your Majesty’s kind favours.’

‘Tell us, this should be interesting.’

‘We were directed to go forth and complete what we had said we would do – perform the mission in full, all the way to the land of the Seres. Sire – this we did, and are now returned.’

There were disbelieving murmurs and muffled laughter but Justinian cut across them. ‘Then this means you’ve come back with seeds of the silk tree.’

‘No, sire, we have not.’

The laughter was now general and Justinian frowned dangerously.

‘We have not returned with seeds of the silk tree, sire, because it does not exist. But we have returned with the secret of silk and you shall have it this day to begin making it whenever you desire.’

There were puzzled gasps and Justinian leant forward. ‘If by this you are seeking to prolong your miserable lives-’

‘We have it here, sire.’

‘Show us!’

Nicander strode to the empty area in front of the table. He looked about him significantly, daring any to challenge him.

Then he raised his knee – and snapped his staff across it.

In a glittering black cascade, packed earth spread over the floor before the Emperor. And in it could be seen scores – hundreds – of tiny worms, pale and squirming.

‘This is the true secret of silk, sire. Not from trees but from these lowly creatures which, when grown, will spin a nest which is made of the finest, most delicate… silk thread.’

He stood back as courtiers and attendants crowded about to see the miracle.

‘Thank God,’ he whispered to Marius, ‘the Chinese monks were right about transporting the eggs. When I broke the staff I nearly wet myself thinking they’d all be dead.’

‘I don’t get it,’ Marius hissed back. ‘How did-’

‘It was Ying Mei’s father. He wanted to give her security in the Western Lands, and what better than this? Remember he gave us each a staff – but he told only Tai Yi what they contained.’

‘Why her?’

‘Because he needed to be sure that it would be revealed only when the situation was right.’

‘And Tai Yi thought that this was the situation?’

‘Well, Ying Mei and I want to marry, and…’

‘You cunning dog! I’ll be-’

‘Brother Matthew, Brother Paul,’ Justinian began. ‘Or whatever you’d like to be called. We find you’ve honoured your obligation beyond all reason. This empire is for ever in your debt.’

They waited politely.

‘We’re vexed to think what reward is in our power to bestow. Could you…?’

‘Sire, the friend of my bosom is a true soldier, a legionary of old Rome. If there’s-’

‘Quite. Well, let me see. Ah! I do believe the Procurator of Syria is due for retirement, don’t you think, General?’

‘A very suitable appointment, Resplendency.’

‘Then as of this moment, legionary, you are herewith installed as Procurator with the immediate rank of Patrician. Do you think you can whip my army into shape there?’

‘S-Sir. Clemency, y-yes!’ spluttered Marius.

He turned to Nicander. ‘And you?’

‘It would be of the very greatest felicity, sire, should you grant me the honour of being wed in the hallowed Hagia Sophia.’

‘Well, it’s very irregular, however if that’s what you desire. But perhaps also something a little more… material?’

‘Then, sire, an estate of quality, not too close to the city, perhaps – and suitable for the bringing up of a family.’

‘That seems very possible. Very well – we thus decree it be so.’

Justinian looked thoughtful, then leant over to address his learned court historian.

‘Good Procopius. We do not wish any odium attached to these fine men’s otherwise misguided actions or motives.

‘Let history simply record that the secret of silk was brought here by two selfless monks who then did vanish.’