The Power and the Glory

Book 3 Chapter VI: The Good Doctor

His Highness briefly stopped fake-crying while he considered this.

"You have to take a bath before you can see him."

Like all two hundred year olds[3] the Ninth Prince viewed baths as an evil to be avoided at all costs. He wasn't about to give in without a fight.

"Don't wanna!" he wailed piteously.

Lian donned his calmest, most gentle smile. That particular smile was notorious all through the palace for being his default expression in unpleasant situations. One of the princes attempted a coup? An argument broke out between the imperial physicians? Someone dropped dead in the middle of a banquet? No matter what sort of event he was witnessing, Lian always wore the same smile. It drove most of the palace out of their minds. You could understand a man who scowled and grumbled, but what were you to make of a man who just smiled when any sane person would be furious?

He scooped up the struggling boy, walked over to the bath, and put the Ninth Prince down in it before Bai Jiu and Wu She realised what was happening. Both of their mouths dropped open. They exchanged matching expressions of dumbfounded disbelief. No one could carry a prince around so casually! It was a shocking breach of decorum!

His Highness made another attempt to escape. He caught Lian's eye just as he tried to scramble out of the bathtub and promptly thought better of it.

"Hurry up and wash him," the doctor told the servants. "His Majesty will summon him soon."

Bai Jiu bristled. No one except her direct superiors had the right to order her around like that. Lian's status in the royal household was complicated but he was certainly no more than a servant himself. She nearly gave into the temptation to make a rude gesture at him when his back was turned. As she raised her hand he whirled round so abruptly that she felt sure he knew what she meant to do.

Reluctantly she bowed and went over to the bathtub. Wu She followed silently. He carefully avoided looking in Lian's direction. As they knelt down beside the tub they exchanged looks. Both of them were thinking the exact same thing.

Who does he think he is?

Within twenty minutes the Ninth Prince was clean, dry, and having his official court robes put on against his will. Lian still hadn't left. He lurked in the background like a bird of prey about to swoop down on an unsuspecting mouse. It was starting to wear on Bai Jiu's nerves. What was he here for anyway? He had checked on the Ninth Prince this morning and pronounced there was no danger of him having another seizure.

At last His Highness was ready. In his dark red cross-collar robe -- a miniature replica of the clothes worn by his older brothers who'd already come of age -- he looked like a proper prince and not the muddy brat who'd given his servants such a headache earlier. Judging by his disgruntled expression and the way he pulled at the robe's collars when he thought no one was looking, he wasn't nearly as happy with how well he looked as the adults were.

"Come on now," Lian said, holding out his hand. With a start Bai Jiu realised he intended to bring the prince to the throne room himself. That job should go to His Highness's servants! "Your father will want to see you now."

The Ninth Prince happily took Lian's hand and toddled after him. Once again Bai Jiu and Wu She exchanged dumbfounded looks.

"It must be allowed. He'd never dare do anything the king forbade," Wu She whispered.

Bai Jiu wasn't nearly as sure about that. Ever since he came here Lian had demonstrated a willingness to ignore rules and cross boundaries. And it was worrying to see how much he'd ingratiated himself with the Ninth Prince.