Ice and Fire: Chung Kuo Series by David Wingrove Read Free Book Online Page A

been diagnosed beforehand, second that he had even considered taking drugs
     to keep the illness in check.
    ‘He has not taken these drugs, I hope.’
    Shepherd met his eyes. ‘Not only has but still does. Except when he’s working.’
    The T’ang sighed deeply. ‘You should have told me, Hal. I shall arrange for my herbalist
     to call on Ben within the next few days.’
    Shepherd shook his head. ‘I thank you, Shai Tung. Your kindness touches me. But it
     would do no good.’
    ‘No good?’ The T’ang frowned, puzzled. ‘But there are numerous sedatives – things
     to calm the spirit and restore the body’s yin-yang balance. Good, healthy
     remedies, not these… drugs!’
    ‘I know, Shai Tung, and again I thank you for your concern. But Ben would have none
     of it. Oh, I can see him now – “Dragon bones and oyster shells!” he’d say
     scornfully. “What good are they against this affliction?”’
    The T’ang looked down, disturbed. In this matter he could not insist. The birthright
     of the Shepherds made them immune from the laws that governed others. If Ben took
     drugs to maintain his
     mental stability there was little he, Li Shai Tung, could do about it. Even so, he
     could not stop himself from feeling it was wrong. He changed the subject.
    ‘Is he a good son, Hal?’
    Shepherd laughed. ‘He is the best of 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