Mouse by Jeff Stone

but his military installations are deplorable. If we were attacked in the south by a foreign force, China would crumble. Tonglong's father figured this out, and he paid the ultimate price for trying to do something about it.”
    Tonglong's eyebrows rose up. “How did you know about my father?”
    Lei cleared his throat and wrung his hands. “Through rumor, I suppose, sir. My humblest apologies if I've offended you.”
    Tonglong scowled and turned to ShaoShu. “You are just a child, so none of this means anything to you, but I'm sure you've seen the vast number of foreign Round Eyes in the city of Hangzhou. They are here because HaiZhe has grown rich trading with them. However, there are far too many of them, and most are thieving pirates. They've recently taken control of an island less than a day's sail from this very coast, yet HaiZhe does nothing. It is only a matter of time before they take more of our land.”
    “You want me to spy on HaiZhe, don't you, sir?” ShaoShu asked.
    “Do you have a problem with that?”
    ShaoShu paused. It sounded dangerous. On the other hand, it had to be far less dangerous than getting on Tonglong's bad side. Besides, perhaps he could somehow use this mission to meet back up with Hok and Ying. “No, sir,” ShaoShu replied.
    “Excellent,” Tonglong said. “Because we've just arrived at his fortress.”
    ShaoShu looked over at the shore but saw only a sheer cliff that rose as high as a hundred men. He looked closer and noticed a stone staircase, incredibly steep, cut into the cliff. It led from the sea all the way up to a massive stone wall topped with turrets.
    A group of men began hurrying down the stairs with what looked like a boat hoisted over their shoulders.
    ShaoShu could make out huge black cylinders ringed with a metallic sheen inside the turrets. Can nons—and they were aimed directly at Tonglong's ship.
    ShaoShu's nose twitched. He didn't like the looks of this.

CHAPTER
10

    “P repare to be boarded! a rough voice called out, and ShaoShu scurried over to the ship's side. The group of men he'd seen on the staircase were now rowing toward Tonglong's vessel. There were four of them. One held a musket that looked battered and in disrepair, even to ShaoShu's untrained eye.
    “I'll handle this,” Lei said.
    ShaoShu turned to see Lei approach with something glowing in his hand. It was a section of slow-burning fuse that the sailors called slow match
.
ShaoShu had seen great coils of it strategically placed around the ship's deck in metal buckets next to the cannons.
    Lei walked over to the side of the ship nearest thesmall boat and whipped the cover off one of his immaculate cannons. He angled the great gun down toward the four men and began to lower the fuse over a small hole in the back of the cannon.
    One of the men shouted, “Wait!”
    “Wait for what?” Lei said. “Wait for you to attempt to shoot me with that rusted excuse for a weapon?”
    The man with the musket lowered it. “A thousand pardons, sir. We are only following orders.”
    “Do you have any idea who commands this vessel?” Lei asked.
    Before the man could reply, Tonglong stepped out of his cabin, and ShaoShu's eyes widened.
    Tonglong was wearing a magnificent armored jacket made from hundreds of small rectangles of pure white jade stitched together with silk cord. In one hand, he held a white jade sword. In his other hand, he held his straight sword. He approached the side rail, his armor radiant in the evening light.
    “General Tonglong!” the man with the musket said. He and the others instantly bowed their heads.
    “So, you know of me?” Tonglong asked.
    “Of course, sir,” the man replied, looking up. “I recognize you from the fight clubs. It is well known that you are also one of the Emperor's top generals. What brings us the honor of your visit?”
    “I have come to see HaiZhe.”
    The men glanced at one another, concern flashing across their faces. “He is not here, sir,” one of