Ice and Fire by David Wingrove Read Free Book Online Page A

sons, Shai Tung. Like Li Yuan, his respect is not a matter of rote, as it is with some of this new generation, but a deep-rooted thing. And as you’ve seen, it stems from a thorough knowledge of his father.’
    The T’ang nodded, leaving his doubts unexpressed. ‘Good. But you are right, Hal. These past few years have seen a sharp decline in morality. The li – the rites – they mean little now. The young mouth the old words but they mean nothing by them. Their respect is an empty shell. We are fortunate, you and I, that we have good sons.’
    ‘Indeed. Though Ben can be a pompous, intolerant little sod at times. He has no time for fools. And little enough for cleverness, if you see what I mean. He loathes his machine-tutor, for instance.’
    Li Shai Tung raised his eyebrows. ‘That surprises me, Hal. I would have thought he cherished knowledge. All this…’ he looked about him at the books and paintings and machines ‘…it speaks of a love of knowledge.’
    Shepherd smiled strangely. ‘Perhaps you should talk to him yourself, Shai Tung.’
    The T’ang smiled. ‘Perhaps I should.’
    Now, watching the boy across the length of the dinner table, he understood.
    ‘What do you think, Ben? Do you think the time has come to fight our enemies?’
    Unexpectedly, the boy laughed. ‘That depends on whether you know who or what your enemies are.’
    The T’ang lifted his chin slightly. ‘I think I have a fair idea.’
    Ben met his eyes again, fixing that same penetrating stare on him. ‘Maybe. But you must first ask yourself what exactly you are fighting against. When you think of your enemies your first thought is of certain identifiable men and groups of men, is that not so?’
    The T’ang nodded. ‘That is so, Ben. I know my enemies. I can put names to them and faces.’
    ‘There, you see. And you think that by waging war against them you will resolve this present situation.’ Ben set his bowl down and sat back, his every gesture momentarily – though none but Ben himself realized it – the mirror image of the T’ang’s. ‘With respect, Li Shai Tung, you are wrong.’
    The T’ang laughed fiercely, enjoying the exchange. ‘You think their ideology will outlive them? Is that it, Ben? If it were not so false in the first place, I would agree with you. But their sole motivation is greed. They don’t really want change. They want power.’
    Ben shook his head. ‘Ah, but you’re still thinking of specific men. Powerful men, admittedly, even men of influence, but only men. Men won’t bring Chung Kuo down, only what’s inside Man. You should free yourself from thinking of them. To you they seem the greatest threat, but they’re not. They’re the scum on the surface of the well. And the well is deep.’
    Li Shai Tung took a deep breath. ‘With respect, Ben, in this you are wrong. Your argument presupposes that it does not matter who rules – that things will remain as they are whoever is in power. But that’s not so. Their ideology is false, but, forgive me, they are Hung Mao .’
    Across from him Hal Shepherd smiled, but he was clearly embarrassed. It was more than two decades since he had taken offence at the term – a term used all the while in court, where the Han were predominant and the few Caucasians treated as honorary Han – yet here, in the Domain, he felt the words incongruous, almost – surprisingly – insulting.
    ‘They have no sense of harmony,’ continued the T’ang, unaware. ‘No sense of li . Any change they brought would not be for the good. They are men of few principles. They would carve the world up into principalities and then there would be war again. Endless war. As it was before.’
    There was the faintest of smiles on Ben’s lips. ‘You forget your own history, Li Shai Tung. No dynasty can last forever. The wheel turns. Change comes, whether you will it or no. It is the way of Mankind. All of Mankind, even the Han.’
    ‘So it may have been, but things are different