CHAPTER
17
“Who is dead?” Yishan asked, handing her his handkerchief.
The woman wiped her tear and closed her eyes as if she could not bear to see land around her. After a moment, she raised her head.
“My husband,” she said softly. “I am Lady Meng, and my husband has been away on the king’s business for more than a year. Four days ago, I had an overwhelming feeling something terrible had happened, and finally, I could not stand it. I was on my way to the City of Bright Moonlight to find out when BaiMa threw me.”
Snowflakes dropped onto the embroidery, but Lady Meng did not bother to brush them away. Instead, her fingers stroked the smooth threads of a crimson butterfly Pinmei hadn’t noticed before.
“I knew when he left he was in danger,” the woman continued. She was looking out into the empty sky, and Pinmei knew she had forgotten about them. “I sewed him a dragon shirt to protect him, leaving in my needle, but even then I knew it would not be enough. He laughed and said he would return to me with the flight of the first butterfly…”
Her words dripped into the cold air, and while she seemed awash in sadness, she did not shed another tear. Instead, as if suddenly waking, she looked at them.
“Well, my young friends, Pinmei and…” Lady Meng looked sharply at Yishan as if trying to remember him. He gazed back at her, his face as blank as uncarved stone.
“Yishan,” Pinmei said, slightly confused.
Lady Meng smiled and returned the handkerchief. “Where are you going and why?” she asked.
“We’re going to the City of Bright Moonlight too,” Yishan said, and told Lady Meng the reason for their travels.
“For the dragon’s pearl,” Lady Meng said after Yishan had finished, “you’ll have to see King KaeJae. He is the king of the City of Bright Moonlight. It was he who asked my husband for help.”
“What did he need help with?” Yishan asked.
“King KaeJae knew the old emperor would soon be overthrown,” Lady Meng said, “and a new emperor would come to power. New emperors usually execute all the old kings and replace them. King KaeJae wanted my husband’s advice so he and the city could survive.”
“The king must have trusted your husband a lot,” Yishan said.
“Yes, they were good friends,” Lady Meng said. “That is why I have questions for him.”
“What will you ask him?” Yishan said. Pinmei continued to marvel at his boldness. He could be talking to a farmer or an emperor, Pinmei thought, remembering Yishan’s unbowed head the night the hut burned, and it wouldn’t matter.
However, while Lady Meng’s eyes flashed with sudden anger, it was not from Yishan’s impertinence. “I want to know how my husband died,” she said.
“Will it make a difference?” Yishan asked with surprising gentleness.
Lady Meng flushed and bowed her head. “Perhaps not,” she said softly. “But I still need to know.”
Pinmei looked at Lady Meng, shimmering with finery like a queen. To get the dragon’s pearl, they would have to ask to see the king, which, Pinmei suspected, would result in mocking laughter. Lady Meng, however, would be invited in immediately. Maybe Lady Meng could bring them! Should she ask? No, she wouldn’t dare! But Amah’s bracelet gently pressed on Pinmei’s wrist with the weight of a loving hand. Pinmei took a deep breath.
“Um, maybe, since we all, um, need to see the king,” Pinmei said hesitantly, “maybe we could all go together…”
Pinmei’s face flushed to the same color as Yishan’s hat.
“That is a good idea,” Lady Meng said. “BaiMa can bring us.”
“Your horse?” Yishan said. “But he ran—”
A nicker sounded, and Yishan and Pinmei swung around. There, like a white jade statue in the snow mist, was BaiMa, Lady Meng’s horse.