Team Seven of Heroes Chapter 31

31.

The old locomotive then running was powered by the cut down timber woods pulled the two wagons on the route from Chengdu to Kunming. The routes ran through tunnels and across the mountains. The ride was not smooth but it was efficient. Unknown to the guests, the railway tracks was not made known to the ruling Imperial dynasty but kept as a hidden project under the patron of the officials and dignitaries. It was like the secret bases for the dirigibles which the Imperial commanders were not aware or the hidden caches of guns that were kept in the inner provinces. Such was the narrow focus of the administration which concentrated on the eastern land by the sea and most of the interior was left to the warlords.  The warlords have their domain but most of them were under the influence of the Mandarin or appointee.

After some days and nights of travelling, they arrived at city of Kunming.

“Welcome to the city of Kunming.” Wolfgang announced to the travel weary guests. “China is a wide country like the United States of America. For us to travel from one end to the other may take days today when it was once months to reach. Please allow me to show you the accommodations. The group of travellers were led then by the servants through the long corridors which were by the decorated ponds and the beds of flowers. Their walk was long but it was worth the distance when they saw the accommodations. The chambers were huge in length and width with the separate sections for the bedding, the living area, and also the patio which over looked the smaller ponds. The only intimidation issue was that at every corner was the sentry with the rifle and broadsword by the waist belt. The place held high walls to prevent anyone intruding the different designated areas.

Soon after their rest, they were taken to rest in the Main Hall of the mansion where a feast was prepared for them. Wolfgang then was dressed in the Chinese attire of the long gown with the motifs of the Southern Tiger prowling on a ledge. The guests were served by the army of servants but there was still the guards lined up at the walls.

“Welcome to the Hall of Unity. In this hall, all men and women are equal and they may speak freely. It’s alike your Parliament House in London but here we held no leader among them. China is a wide country and it cannot be commanded by one leader alone but there will be several layers of leader and within Hall, all may speak their mind for long as it was for the unity of the country.”

“Your remarks are contrary to the man I met some days earlier. Are you who I thought was or are you someone of a differing interest?” Sherlock raised the question towards Wolfgang. “I have doubts that you appeared out of nowhere to rescue us and from Tientsin we are now in Kunming.”  

“I thought we were going to Tientsin too.” Mycroft protested before he stretched his aching back.

“Unfortunately we can’t be there. The rebellion by the boxers had spread wide and the eastern side are in turmoil now. As I speak the city of Tientsin is now besieged by the Eight Nation Alliance to rescue their people trapped there.  The Imperial Army have sided with the rebels and fighting the Alliance Army.” Wolfgang commented. “Your arrival here had been in the worst of times and we are forced to protect you.”

“Well then, thank you to the Alliance.” Mycroft replied. “God bless the Queen!”

“The Queen may be blessed but to whom are we obliged with this hospitality?” Sherlock asked once more.

“The Queen is not involved and neither is the Alliance. You are all guests of the Mandarin. He is concerned that you may be injured in the war so that I was asked to bring you here. The Mandarin will join us shortly.”

“You betrayed us.” Mycroft voiced out in anger. “I ought to kill you.”

“Killing me won’t resolve your problem, Mr Mycroft Holmes.” Wolfgang replied. “Perhaps I give you the Mandarin aide to explain things.”

Wolfgang stepped aside to allow the lady to step forth. She was small in her figure like most Oriental ladies and was dressed in green figure hugging gown that held a slit high to the upper thigh on the right leg. Her hair was jet black and set in a bun on the rear of her head. She had on a long yellow coat that hid her mother to be condition. She would had been considered as an Oriental but her high cheekbones and sunken eyes revealed a mixed heritage from the Slavic region.

“Madame will explain it all.”

“First, please allow me to welcome you to the Mansion. I am known as the Madame or you can call me Empress Warlord.” The lady bowed before the assembled. “My master the Mandarin could not make it here and sent me instead.”

“How is the Mandarin? We may have met before.” Sherlock injected in but was ignored by the lady.  He was involved in the case involving drugs shipped from China under the control of the Black Lotus Tong. It was his rare encounters with the Tong. He had wondered on the growing population of Chinese then in London and did asked if they would be bringing on their protectors like the Tongs’. It was not reported but the rumours then that the tongs in London was led by one named M. Sherlock had then assumed the M stands for the elusive leader.

“We have trailed you from London to Munich, the Ardennes Forest and through Europe to Constantinopole, and across the Himalaya into our domain. I was told that you seek the Mandarin for his so named involvement with the group with the M in the circle. I am also told that Monsignor Dupont had perished during his escape from Germany. I also…” It was Sherlock who intervened in her speech.

“I heard of you, Madame Warlord. Your name is not known by all.” Sherlock I interjected once more. “You are..”

“Inconclusive to your assumptions and inconspicuous to you if you think I would assist.” The lady stepped back to sit on the high back seat with her right hand rested on her tummy. “My unborn is making me uneasy.”

That line of conversation raised the interest of the other ladies but Sherlock ever intrigued with challenges took the cue to speak once more.

“If you are not willing to assist then why are you here, Madame?” The blunt request was taken with a smile by the lady.

“The Mandarin knew of your visit and with regret the rebellion had become a full fledge war now. However his presence was needed there to stop the spread of the war or the nation will further suffer. The eight Nations have made much intrusion into the territory with their superior weapons of which the Imperial Army was not able to counterbalanced.”

“Counterbalance, Madame? Surely the Mandarin have accessed to his own cache of weapons …” Sherlock tested his assumptions.

“Yes, we do but the balance of power need not necessary be by use of force. Both our so named enemies are at battle with losses on both sides The Imperial Army huge with its numbers have realized its impotence against a well equip army. The Tiger will not attack when it had sampled defeat once before. Or the eagle dares to swoop when it had felt the pain in it wings. If neither will fight once more then only can the serpent struck then at their hesitation.”

“An unusual assessment of the outcome but surely the Imperial Army could return to fight once more as will be the Eight Nations if they are forced.” Sherlock defended his assumptions.

“The dragon never revealed its claws when the minions like the tiger and the eagle battle for it knew they will only weaken their own strength in the battle. Victory is best won with the least effort.” The lady replied. “Which comes to the message my Master wishes to convey here.”