The Tiny Emperor's Great Wall (Revised)

Chapter Five

General Shinko rode on top of a huki—a horse-sized reptile with the build of an elephant. He much preferred to ride in one of the trucks, but they were in short supply. Conquest of the Han imperial lands had gone faster than anyone expected. Marching on foot or by steed made things slower, but Shinko knew they weren't in a rush. The enemy had nowhere else to go.

Bringing one of his three tails to his face, Shinko's fingers combed his gritty fur. All the marching left chunks of dust and grass in it. Surrounding soldiers started to chatter upon spotting the Great Wall.

"So that is where the cowards are hiding?" said a soldier.

"Good grief," said another. "Do they think we'll be stopped by that?"

Shinko looked to the wall and gasped a little. Stories of its greatness had reached the Nippion archipelago. Yet he had always dismissed them as tall tales. How big and great can a wall be? Yet the river of man-made rock stood at least ten meters tall and stretched for miles. Hopefully, his army could take it with little resistance.

A yawn drew his attention to the tengu walking beside him. Black feathers dressed his torso, legs, and wings. A thick wool uniform along with a tin cap protected his body. Yet snot dripped from his long, narrow nose. He rubbed his nostril with one of his thin, scaly feet.

"Sir," wheezed the tengu. "Why are we attacking the wall now? The enemy has already lost. Can't we wait until spring to finish this?"

"Our lord wants the Han Emperor crushed once and for all," the general stated. "If we leave him unscathed through the winter, there is a chance for him to gather reinforcements."

A snort escaped the tengu. "Our lord is a brute."

"A smart brute," noted Shinko. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the fox statue. He wasn't sure how it got there, but he kept it. Gifts from his patron goddess must be treasured.

One man upon a motorcycle charged over to them. It was one of their ally's soldiers. Saluting them, he gave a slight bow of the head.

"Good evening, general. The Emperor's regent requests your presence."

"I'll be with him at once," stated Shinko. To the tengu, he ordered, "Keep track of the men. Maintain formation and follow orders until told otherwise."

"Of course, sir."

Shinko kicked his beast to go faster. Giving a low grunt, the reptile jogged toward the head of the army. The Empire's regent, always one of the first people to see the enemy and situation at hand, led at the front. Finding his lord proved easy enough. His elite troops were separated from the main body by their golden uniforms. They held themselves tall while marching in beat with their lord's mount. Riding on top of a white steed, his lord had his back to Shinko. His long, slender tail swayed to the horse's beat.

As Shinko approached, he noted that the lord wore his standard outfit. It matched that of the standard soldier but had more flair. Golden lacing went up his arms and legs. Six real sakura petals, preserved with magic, outlined his shoulders. The only person allowed to wear them was the head of the military. In the past that would have been the Shogun, but now the regent ruled.

"Lord Hideyoshi," called Shinko with a deep bow. "I'm here, my lord."

"I just wanted your opinion." Taking off his hat, the regent scratched at his brown, furred chin. "What do you see before us?"

Snorting, Shinko's ears melded with his head as he gave a vicious smirk. "Sir, short of a complete disaster, there is no way for us to lose."

Laughter burst from the lord as he turned around. The face of a pale monkey stared him down, though Shinko knew better than to call him that. Vanara hated being called monkeys. Light brown eyes shined with a mischievous grin. A pair of sharp canines flashed with each laugh.