Assassin in White

Seven

"A man who makes a mistake and does not admit it makes another mistake."

"Xu family, you stand gathered here to face the charges of treason against His Imperial Majesty." The General spoke loudly to the gathered people, and all murmured conversation came to a halt. An old man stepped forward in his slightly dirty robes and bowed to the emperor.

"You may speak, Old Xu." The emperor said calmly. The man rose and gestured to his family.

"This humble servant understands that some of this family has chosen to go against His Imperial Majesty, and this humble servant has been working diligently with His Imperial Majesty's men to root out the weeds that have grown among us..."

"Please, Your Imperial Majesty, this humble servant requests the punishment be meted out to only those who have wronged His Imperial Majesty." Old Xu bowed again as a group of his family was pushed forward, bound by the belts and sashes of their own kin to kneel before them.

"Old Xu, is all of your family gathered here on this day?" The emperor asked cunningly. The old man bowed even lower and then shook his head.

"This humble servant finds that his most beloved grandson, one Xu Kai, is not here on this day, Your Imperial Majesty." Old Xu admits sadly. "This humble servant has not seen his grandson since last the moon shone brightest. This humble servant fears the worst, Imperial Majesty."

"Tell me Old Xu, will you hand Us over all the traitors to do what We please with?" The Emperor asks him with a stern gaze. Kai watches the old man nod his head and bow low.

"This humble servant will hand over anyone in this family guilty against His Imperial Majesty and pledge the nine generations remaining to protecting His Imperial Majesty from any and all harm." The old man replies respectfully.

"Would you even give Us your most beloved grandson?" The Emperor asks in a dark voice. Old Xu looks up with a fearful face. Then he sighs with sadness.

"This humble servant would even give His Imperial Highness his most beloved grandson, if that boy was guilty of going against His Imperial Highness." Old Xu bowed low, but could not stop a tear from coming out of his eye as he lowered his head.

"What if the boy was not guilty? Would you give Us him then?" The Emperor asked curiously. Old Xu was puzzled and raised his head to answer with a confused frown.

"This humble servant is certain that his most beloved grandson would not need to be given to His Imperial Majesty. Our family's child would come willingly if His Imperial Highness did but ask. I would bid him go." The old man said with a hint of pride in his words.

Kai blushed a little beneath the veil, especially since he caught a side glance from the stoic emperor. He gulped a little and shifted on his seat. The emperor lifted his hand with a faint gesture to Kai, and he stood up to come closer like he was bid.

"We have your grandfather's blessing on behalf of your family to keep you. Kneel before Us." The Emperor said to him quietly. Kai gracefully fell to his knees in front of the imposing figure. He kept his eyes lowered as the emperor snapped his fingers for his Chief Eunuch.

Kai started as a sword was passed into his line of sight. The lacquered sheath gleamed with gold painted dragons and phoenixes flying around each other. The handle was wrapped in soft twisted leather and the gleam of gold shone from underneath.

"We will ask you to show your loyalty to Us. Rid Us of the traitors. Personally." The Emperor held out the sword on his fingertips, watching Kai carefully. Kai bowed so low his head touched the ground before reaching out to accept the sword. The emperor smirked. "Try not to get dirty."

He carefully and gracefully descended the stairs and approached his now prostrate family members. They begged for mercy. Some glared at him and sneered. Not one could see who was beneath the veil, so some called him a lowly concubine whore.

In a swift movement, he released the beautiful sword and it flashed in the sun as it swung down. The ministers watched in shock at the graceful prowess of the 'woman' the emperor had favoured. As Kai walked on, three heads rolled away and their owners ceased to live.

The others grew quiet. In terror they watched the figure approach. In only a blink of the eye, two more heads dropped from their owners. A woman began to cry. Kai shushed her and reached a comforting hand to her head, before easing the sword between her ribs.

His grandfather simply bowed his head and closed his eyes. He had long accepted that some of his family would not see the dawn of tomorrow. He was grateful for the swift death that was awarded them, instead of the gruesome tortures that could have been.

When all the bound family members were disposed of, Kai turned and looked at each one of the remaining faces carefully. The emperor watched on in silence. The veiled figure stepped into the crowd, which parted like a curtain before him.

He stopped and approached an older woman, who was now shaking as she tried to shrink away from him. She shook her head as if to deny his unspoken accusation. Her tears flowed down her face as she pushed a frantic younger woman to the side just in time.

Kai was careful as he pushed the sword in. The others watched, some in horror and some in disappointment as the woman coughed suddenly and blood dripped from her mouth. He stepped back and turned in one graceful movement.

It was done. The traitors of the Xu family were all dead. He stepped around their flowing blood and limp bodies to rejoin the emperor. He climbed the steps, offered the bloodied sword and empty sheath to the man sitting on the throne.

"As you requested, Your Imperial Majesty. This loyal servant has bloodied the sword with Your enemies and they lie dead." Kai bowed to him, arms still holding out his offerings. A guard came forward and took them on the emperor's behalf after one wave of his hand.

"We are pleased. Now there is but one problem for Us to solve. We have sworn a decree that the entire Xu family for nine generations will end for the family's treachery. We are never wrong." The Emperor said with a strangely teasing voice.

"If you are never wrong, how shall you keep your promise to me, Your Imperial Majesty?" Kai's blood had run cold and his ire was rising, shown with the slightly cheeky tone he used. The Emperor simply laughed at him.

"We hearby grant the remaining family of Xu... the sound "ē." It shall stand for your steadfast loyalty to your emperor. With this, there is no longer any family members for nine generations with the name Xu. Your family is forever after this known as... Xuē."

Kai looked up in shock at the devilish smirk that played about the man's mouth. What an evil man! He looked over the boy before him dressed in pristine white as though he had solved the riddle of a joke. Kai swallowed down his sudden fear as those eyes seemed to feast upon him even through the veil.

Xu- "slowly"
Xuē- "snow" 🤭

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