Tony Pi - [BCS294 S01] - These Wondrous Sweets (html) Read online

  The character for king on the caramel tiger’s forehead began to glow golden.

  “But how do I—”

  Simply become the tiger! The caramel beast took a seated posture, then Tiger withdrew from the candy shell, leaving it truly tiger-looking.

  “Incredible,” whispered Nong. “Was that really the zodiac Tiger?”

  I nodded. “He says we need blood from the Tigress to make the decoy work.”

  “Oh, is that all?”

  “Not exactly.” I told him the rest. “We still follow our plan... mostly. Once I’m in the candy, you tell Yan where to go, hide the other candies I’ll escape in, and carry me to the Miser’s mansion. Be sure to get there before she lures the Crows there, so we have time to prepare.”

  “What about the blood?”

  I wasn’t sure. Since we couldn’t go to the Tigress, where could we get her blood? Perhaps the bridge where I’d found her bleeding might still bear a stain. Or—

  “When you speak to Doctor Yan, ask her for the black arrow she kept,” I said. “It was stained with the Pale Tigress’s blood.”

  “Will dried blood work?”

  “I don’t know; Tiger didn’t say, and I dare not invoke him again. But it’s all we have.”

  I laid down again, setting the caramel figurine against the back of my left hand. Tiger’s words still troubled me. He said I needed to call upon the tiger’s instinct, but what if that instinct made me hunt, kill, and feed? Would I be able to resist such feral urges and stay true to our plan?

  With a sigh, I poured my being into the caramel tiger. As I took hold of it, the character of the king on the tiger’s forehead sparked heat throughout my soul. When I possessed a shell like the rooster or the snake, I always felt a hollowness within. But inside this candy touched by shengxiao power, its form felt supple yet solid.

  I looked up and saw Nong reaching for me with his hand, and without thinking, my caramel body snarled and swiped at him with a paw. I was surprised at this tiger-ness, this beastly instinct in the vessel that was overwhelming me.

  Nong pulled his hand away quickly. “Easy, Ao! I need to carry you.”

  Despite myself, the tiger-me growled and wouldn’t let him near. I felt as powerless as a puppet dancing to another master’s whims. And in this shape, I could no longer speak to Nong to tell him I wasn’t fully in control.

  “We won’t get anywhere like this,” Nong said. He lifted a small rattan basket and dumped out the melon-seeds. With basket in one hand and lid in the other, he sprang towards me.

  The tiger-me leapt off my real body before he could trap me. Against my nature, I found myself running for the door. I could no more control this caramel beast than catch a leaf in a windstorm, and that terrified me.

  “Stop him, Worry!” Nong shouted.

  A giant beast blocked the doorway, towering over me, drooling ropes of spittle as big around as my paws. Tiger-me froze, sizing up the new threat, but in that hesitation I was caught off-guard as Nong’s rattan lid scooped me up and dumped me inside the basket. I rolled and righted myself, ready to escape, but Nong slammed the lid shut.

  I was trapped in the dark with only threads of light through the rattan weave. In rage, I scratched at the wall and leapt for the lid. No avail. Tiger-me roared but made very little sound.

  Nong’s voice came through the rattan. “We do this as planned. Get ahold of yourself fast, Tangren Ao. The Pale Tigress needs you.”

  I knew my duty, and I tried for calm with memories of tranquil days on mountain slopes and pensive nights contemplating the stars. But that tiger’s instinct to escape remained king, making this vessel rage uncontrollably like a wild animal caged.

  Trapped in the shaking basket-prison as Nong carried me on his crucial errands, the tiger-me kept pacing back and forth on the rattan floor in anger. I knew that we had to stay quiet and hidden so that Nong could set our plan in motion, but Tiger-me wanted out.

  The reasoning part of me wanted to know where we were now and what those noises outside were, but if I wanted to regain control of the caramel tiger, I had to cut out all distractions and focus on the riddle of how to tame a savage instinct that overwhelmed all reason.

  Tiger meant for me to use this instinct to trick the Ten Crows. It was a tool; I had to remember that. A reasoning man should be able to out-think an animal.

  I’d been calling myself tiger-me since I entered the caramel. Perhaps that single sense of self was at fault. I could try separating myself from the Tiger’s gift.

  Eighth Uncle, who once worked in the imperial kitchens, had told me years ago a story about sculpted tokens that emperors in the past had used to dispatch their distant armies. These two-piece wood, bronze, or jade figurines, in the shape of a tiger, were called the hu-fu or tiger tallies. The government would keep the right piece of the tiger tally, while the left piece stayed with the local commander. If the bearer of the right piece wanted to order troops to march, he must show that his piece matched the left piece exactly.

  With the tiger tallies in my mind’s eye, I imagined the caramel creature split down the middle, as though I had scored it with a fingernail. I laid claim to the right side and tried to force the tiger’s instinct into the left half. But it fought me tooth and claw, to rend all that made me human.

  I couldn’t let it. I conjured up memories that reminded me of who I was. I am Ao Tienwei, son of Ao Yusheng, I told the tiger’s instinct. I am a Tangren master like my father, and his father before him. Obey me!

  The tiger’s instinct had no words but roared its answer with hunger, anger, and fear. It needed freedom and would kill for it.

  I shielded myself against its outburst with a memory of the night I defended the Pale Tigress. I showed it that while Doctor Yan was working to save the Tigress, I had enchanted river-water into the shape of a dog and attacked her hunters.

  My impulse was to flee, I told the instinct, but reason told me I couldn’t abandon the City God’s Tiger to die. That’s not who I am. I bore the pain, though it led to their leader stabbing me in the flank with a cursed arrow, and bought time for the Tigress. I will not yield to you.

  It heard me but still clawed at me with wild need.

  The lid to the basket lifted a thumb’s width, and Nong’s eyes looked in. “It’s time, Ao.”

  We-the-tiger crouched, but the instinct and I clashed over whether we would spring to escape or wait and listen. Its primal urge was still lacing my measured reason like sugar dissolved in water. Nonetheless, I must somehow separate my identity from the tiger’s instinct.

  Nong continued to speak, his salt-tinged breath passing through the weave. “Things are moving faster than I hoped, so listen well—I got dried blood off that arrow of Yan’s, and mixed it in the rainwater as you wanted. She’ll be here soon.”

  I couldn’t even nod. I had to tame the tiger’s instinct.

  What if I gave it a name? Names had power. Eighth Uncle had taught me that too. For one, in all the time he traveled alongside Father and me, he had never revealed his true name. For another, he was fond of reminding us of the taboo on the emperor’s name, which couldn’t be spoken or written with the story about carp. Centuries ago, because the word for carp sounded like the family name of the emperors, it was forbidden to eat carp. To even speak of the fish back then, one had to call it ‘Duke Red Sturgeon’.

  I call you Hungerer and give you the shape of the left tiger tally, I cried. To the left with you, Hungerer!

  My naming of Hungerer startled it enough to let me rip its essence away from mine. I willed Hungerer into the left half of the split candy tiger.

  By the authority of the tiger-tallies, I-of-the-right demand you-of-the-left to do as I bid. But I cannot do this without you, Hungerer. Will you help me, as equals?

  Hungerer growled but grudgingly settled.

  Nong noted the change in us-the-tiger. “Calmer now? Good. When you lure them away, make your way to the dye house on Jasper Street. That’s where I hid the rooster. If y
ou can’t reach it, get to the Flower-Strewing Tower. I hid the snake-and-gourd in the grass by the steps of the pagoda. I’ll follow as closely as I dare without letting them see me. Got it?”

  We-the-tiger gave an upnod. I knew both places.

  “Good.” Nong tossed aside the lid and dumped us-the-tiger into the vat of collected rainwater in the courtyard of the mansion of Huang the Miser. We bobbed and swam on the surface, naturally buoyed by the air inside the tiger candy. Hungerer seemed unfrightened, but I needed us to immerse fully in the water.

  Open our mouth, I instructed, fighting Hungerer’s natural instinct.

  It relented, and together we allowed the rainwater to seep inside us and tasted the tang of blood on our caramel tongue. Clotted blood oughtn’t to dissolve so well and quick, but there was magic in the blood and I trusted Tiger’s instructions.

  I spoke to the blooded rainwater. Gift of rain and Tigress blood! Apart, you are each worthy of our thanks, but together you become the blessing we need. Grant us the power to mimic the Pale Tigress so that we may trick her foes.

  In answer, the vat of blooded water pulled us-the-tiger into its depths and dissolved us with uncanny haste, but it remembered the tiger form and bettered it with a memory of the Pale Tigress. It then gave us sway over all the water’s measure.

  Hungerer-and-I put liquid claws against the vat and tried to pull ourselves out, but our force toppled the vat. It didn’t break but rolled twice. Dizzy, we-the-Tigress staggered out of the vessel as massive as a true tiger, finding ourselves in Huang the Miser’s front courtyard.

  Nong took a few steps back. “So that’s what the Pale Tigress looks like. Incredible! I trust you’re still in control, Ao?”

  Hungerer’s feral impulses still welled inside us, but I felt I could stay them. We nodded. What I couldn’t tell him was that we also felt a stabbing pain in our left flank, matching where the black arrow had struck the Tigress.

  “Then may the City God protect you.” With that, Nong hurried out of sight beyond the flower-hung gate, followed by the sounds of doors opening and closing.

  Hungerer made us growl, a strange happening for me because my conjurations had always been silent. Being on the left side, it felt the phantom pain there sharper than I did. The blood we had conjured with must have remembered the arrow wound as well.

  Endure it, I told Hungerer, but I could sense that the injury had inflamed its need to react by animal instinct.

  Nonetheless, the planning of this ruse fell to me. I laid out our gambit to Hungerer. Doctor Yan will lure the Ten Crows here to make them believe we’re the Pale Tigress. When they come to kill us, we run. In the chaos that follows, Yan will slip away to help the true Tigress.

  Hungerer snarled in impatience.

  Pay attention! You may think we’re unstoppable, but their black arrows can kill us. We must seek either the rooster candy on Jasper Street or the snake at the Flower-Strewing Tower. Either will let our souls move into their candy shell and out of this body, which will collapse into water as if we simply vanished. Then Nong will collect us once the Crows leave.

  The sun was setting on the horizon and daubing all in rose or shadow. Eyeing the buildings around us, I tried to figure out if the best routes to escape the courtyard. However, Hungerer knew with each glance which walls and roofs we could jump with certainty.

  Even with the wound? I asked.

  Hungerer sent a wave of scorn in answer.

  I realized that I had to trust Hungerer with tasks it excelled at, if I wanted it to trust me the same way.

  Following the plan, we-the-Tigress sought the West Residence. We had to make our charade look convincing, that we were indeed the wounded Pale Tigress hiding out of sight. Nong had left the doors wide open. We entered and lay on our side, waiting for the doctor.

  It didn’t take long for Yan to arrive, but I had to quell Hungerer’s mistrust of her so that she could approach.

  Yan passed over the threshold of the West Residence, knelt, and plucked a paper packet from her sleeve. “Very convincing, down to the wound,” she whispered. She touched our fur near the injury then drew away her hand, wet. “But despite the illusion, you are still water. The Crows’ men will know if they touch you.”

  We nodded.

  Looking past her at the far building, we saw a crow with sunlight in its eyes.

  “I can’t linger and risk being caught here,” Yan continued. “Their men are following closer than I hoped. I counted four, but once they see you, more will come. Two have swords and the other two carry bows. They’re skilled, by the way they’ve been stalking me on the ground and on rooftops. However, I don’t think they know I’m wise to them.”

  Bows meant more cursed arrows, and I intended to avoid being struck by one again.

  Yan’s voice softened. “This packet is merely ground grass, but we must make them think it’s more.” She studied our wound, then sprinkled the contents of the packet over it.

  Her former life as a wandering swordswoman seemed so at odds with her current calling as a doctor, I wondered if she might be warring with herself as I was with Hungerer now.

  Yan stood. “I’ll head west along Rice-Pot Lane while you lure them east. If I make it to the Tigress, I may need to stay hidden with her until she’s fully healed. I’ll send word about her condition when it’s safe to do so. Trust the one who brings you a golden winter jasmine flower with a single petal of white. Farewell and good luck, my friend.”

  I wished I had the voice to say the same.

  She dashed out of the residence.

  The crow stopped watching her and turned its attention on me.

  Restless, we-the-Tigress growled and got to our feet.

  The archers are a greater threat, I told Hungerer. But we mustn’t go for the kill—”

  A slight creak upon the roof made us swivel our ears.

  Before I could put a thought together, Hungerer forced us-the-Tigress to spring forward-right, out the threshold and into the courtyard.

  A black arrow struck the floor where we’d been moments ago.

  The bald one from the teahouse, crouched in the courtyard, unsheathed his sword, and charged us.

  Only one of many threats, Hungerer guessed.

  Our Tigress eyes and ears sought other foes. Archer, east rooftop, the setting sun making him squint.

  Another, west. Man stench beyond the south wall.

  Two crows circling above.

  Before the bald one could reach us, we leapt for the east roof, but the pain in our flank flared with the effort. Only our front claws hooking into the lowest row of tiles kept us from falling.

  Surprised, the east archer trembled as he tried to nock his next arrow.

  Hungerer pulled us up with brute strength, and I felt his bloodthirst.

  Choose flight! I commanded with the force of my will.

  Hungerer lunged at the archer’s face, but it was a feint. We-the-Tigress leaned into the strike instead so that we’d take a new angle, a new path over the roof and down into the alley.

  We almost landed on a sauntering scholar, who hollered and fell backward at the near miss.

  East is that way, I urged Hungerer.

  As soon as I thought it, Hungerer took us out of the alley and zigzagged down Rice-Pot Lane. People screamed when they saw us, but it couldn’t be helped.

  Overhead, three crows.

  Behind, footfalls of four, at a run.

  At the crossroads I directed us north to the Golden Water River and jumped across it. But as we headed deeper into Greater City, two new archers blocked the road leading to Jasper Street.

  Up!

  We leapt and chose a rooftop road northeast, Hungerer fighting the pain when we jumped. Did our pursuers dare to climb and leap the gap between buildings?

  No time to turn and look.

  Four of their crows now flew apace with us to alert them where we were. There was no losing them.

  Hungerer tore my fear asunder. A true tiger cared nothin
g for birds or men, except to eat them!

  Two figures leapt onto a roof between the dye house on Jasper Street and us. Archers!

  With a roar, Hungerer turned us sharply east, avoiding the arrows loosed at us. Its instincts had saved us many times, and I hoped it sensed my thanks.

  Head for that pagoda in the distance, I told Hungerer.

  Five crows now. More of their men.

  Panicked people reeking of sweat. No sign of Nong.

  I hoped we had drawn their men and crows away from Doctor Yan.

  Ran out of roofs. Back down to the road. Ahead, the Flower-Strewing Tower!

  In our path, three guardsmen ran towards us with halberds level to the ground. I cursed. The ruckus had finally brought them, but were those weapons meant for us or the Crows?

  I urged Hungerer forward. Trust that the magistrate’s men know to protect the City God’s Tiger.

  But Hungerer must have sensed my doubt. It faltered in its run towards them.

  I raised a mental cry. Those blades can’t really hurt us, but those black arrows will. Keep going!

  The leftmost guardsman suddenly let go of his left-hand grip on the halberd, drawing back his hand as if stung. Without both hands, his weapon drooped.

  I caught sight of Nong in a darkened alley mouth, flicking another melon-seed off his palm with thumb and forefinger.

  The seed hit the flesh below the middle guardsman’s left eye. He winced and faltered, creating an opening.

  Hungerer saw it and sprang between the two guards. A few more bounds and we entered the fragrant garden of the Flower-Strewing Tower.

  The thin octagonal pagoda overlooked the city, a silhouette against a ruddy sky. It seemed five levels tall but was nine inside, from what I recalled. I could see the grass where Nong said he had hidden my snake-and-gourd candy. It was before the stone platform at the base of the wooden tower but not far from its open doors.

  I prayed that those guards, just by being there, had slowed any archers pursuing us. But six crows watched us from the sky. If I slipped out of this conjured Tigress and into the candy in their view, they might figure out how they were tricked.