was beginning to form a suspicion of what this was truly about. Could Mai's son really have so little honor left? "Tuan does not think you will come out the victor."
"Yes well, he is sorely mistaken. But this is where I need your help cousin. I have heard rumors that Tuan is attempting to circumvent the honorable restrictions of our duel."
"That's terrible! We could go and speak to the Empress together!"
"Oh no, I cannot do that. I cannot take control of this empire with anything less than the people's complete faith in my abilities. We must beat him at his own game."
Minh sounded so very proud of himself, and Chien wanted to sigh because he had already figured the point of this exercise. "How might we do that cousin?"
Minh began to answer him, but the door slid open and their breakfast was served. The food was warm and fragrant, and Chien's stomach reminded him of how long he had been awake without eating. When all the bowls had been set out, Minh dismissed them with a nod of his head and began to eat. His eating was a sign that Chien could begin as well. There would come a day when Chien would not be lower in rank than anybody. Then he would be able to eat his damned food as he pleased.
"Now, cousin, the best way to deal with my dear brother I think would be with a little extract from this plant I have grown quite familiar with."
"Poison?" Minh wanted him to poison Tuan so that he could get rid of his brother and blame someone else for the catastrophe at the same time. It was a cold blooded and calculated move. A move worthy of his mother.
"Not poison. I hardly want to see my brother dead." The way he stated that made it hard for Chien to believe. "It will just paralyze him a bit. He'll fall over, I'll win, and we're all happier."
"But won't he know?"
Minh waved the question aside as he picked up another of the bowls, "I love my dear brother, but Tuan is not exactly bright. He would have the empire constantly at war over nothing." And wasn't that the truth. Though Chien pondered if Minh would be much better. Hardly. Men who thought themselves great leaders rarely were in practice. "What this Empire truly needs is someone willing to bring the provinces together. I have plans my dear cousin. Education, industry. Plans that would never see fruition under Tuan's rule."
"Industry?"
"Have you not heard? They have begun to see the most interesting applications of science in the territories outside of the empire. Imagine our strength if we could bring those devices to the empire. Our enemies would cower before us." Chien had heard tales of the war machines developed outside of the Empire. Heard tales of the devastation they had wrought. And Minh hoped to bring those vicious machines to the Empire? "It would prove an effective way to secure my dominance over the distant territories and stop these ridiculous revolutions." As if sensing that he had lost Chien somewhere along the way, he added, "And if he were to take rule, I'm sure he would make life very hard for you."
Chien frowned, "It is true. Tuan does not care for me as you do, Cousin, but I do not wish to make the Empress angry."
"She will not be angry. She will never know. That is the best part!"
"She'll never know?"
"Of course not. I'll never tell her and you won't either. It'll be our secret."
"I do wish to help you, Cousin." Chien stated reluctantly. "And if it shall be a secret."
"Excellent." Minh stood and walked to his chest, reaching deep inside of it to retrieve a box. "Just pour this into his drink tonight just after Mother begins her speech and everything shall be taken care of."
"A few drops?"
"The whole thing." Chien glanced upward while he spoke and saw the disturbingly cheerful grin that crossed his cousin's face. He recognized the smell of this particular vial. This was not about disabling Tuan in the least. Minh hoped to kill his brother in an exceedingly painful manner.
"And this will help?" At the very least, Minh would get what he wanted
"Yes well, he is sorely mistaken. But this is where I need your help cousin. I have heard rumors that Tuan is attempting to circumvent the honorable restrictions of our duel."
"That's terrible! We could go and speak to the Empress together!"
"Oh no, I cannot do that. I cannot take control of this empire with anything less than the people's complete faith in my abilities. We must beat him at his own game."
Minh sounded so very proud of himself, and Chien wanted to sigh because he had already figured the point of this exercise. "How might we do that cousin?"
Minh began to answer him, but the door slid open and their breakfast was served. The food was warm and fragrant, and Chien's stomach reminded him of how long he had been awake without eating. When all the bowls had been set out, Minh dismissed them with a nod of his head and began to eat. His eating was a sign that Chien could begin as well. There would come a day when Chien would not be lower in rank than anybody. Then he would be able to eat his damned food as he pleased.
"Now, cousin, the best way to deal with my dear brother I think would be with a little extract from this plant I have grown quite familiar with."
"Poison?" Minh wanted him to poison Tuan so that he could get rid of his brother and blame someone else for the catastrophe at the same time. It was a cold blooded and calculated move. A move worthy of his mother.
"Not poison. I hardly want to see my brother dead." The way he stated that made it hard for Chien to believe. "It will just paralyze him a bit. He'll fall over, I'll win, and we're all happier."
"But won't he know?"
Minh waved the question aside as he picked up another of the bowls, "I love my dear brother, but Tuan is not exactly bright. He would have the empire constantly at war over nothing." And wasn't that the truth. Though Chien pondered if Minh would be much better. Hardly. Men who thought themselves great leaders rarely were in practice. "What this Empire truly needs is someone willing to bring the provinces together. I have plans my dear cousin. Education, industry. Plans that would never see fruition under Tuan's rule."
"Industry?"
"Have you not heard? They have begun to see the most interesting applications of science in the territories outside of the empire. Imagine our strength if we could bring those devices to the empire. Our enemies would cower before us." Chien had heard tales of the war machines developed outside of the Empire. Heard tales of the devastation they had wrought. And Minh hoped to bring those vicious machines to the Empire? "It would prove an effective way to secure my dominance over the distant territories and stop these ridiculous revolutions." As if sensing that he had lost Chien somewhere along the way, he added, "And if he were to take rule, I'm sure he would make life very hard for you."
Chien frowned, "It is true. Tuan does not care for me as you do, Cousin, but I do not wish to make the Empress angry."
"She will not be angry. She will never know. That is the best part!"
"She'll never know?"
"Of course not. I'll never tell her and you won't either. It'll be our secret."
"I do wish to help you, Cousin." Chien stated reluctantly. "And if it shall be a secret."
"Excellent." Minh stood and walked to his chest, reaching deep inside of it to retrieve a box. "Just pour this into his drink tonight just after Mother begins her speech and everything shall be taken care of."
"A few drops?"
"The whole thing." Chien glanced upward while he spoke and saw the disturbingly cheerful grin that crossed his cousin's face. He recognized the smell of this particular vial. This was not about disabling Tuan in the least. Minh hoped to kill his brother in an exceedingly painful manner.
"And this will help?" At the very least, Minh would get what he wanted
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