Fever Blood

Chapter 121: Imprisoned

He stared at the prisoner. The mottled bruises began to disappear under the hemp tunic he wore, but what could be seen was pretty severe. And, judging by the sound of his breathing, they had cracked a rib or two. Yet he still woe that smile on his face. Not a smug grin, or a smirk, but a genuine relaxed face of contentedness. He had been beaten and bruised, but looked happy.

Yan turned to the prisoner. "Monster."

"You know, I'm not a monster," he said, not looking at Yan.

"If you're going to address me, and don't want to be beaten, look at me," he snapped.

The prisoner fixed his amber eyes on Yan. "You had just told me to not look at you when I was bored. Very well."

Yan glared at him. "Don't try to be witty."

The monster nodded. "Fine. Though I am not a monster, and if we're both civilized men, we should afford each other common courtesy."

"You're a prisoner. You've done something bad. I say that makes you a monster."

The prisoner rose, an awkward motion given that he was still stuck in that iron yoke and couldn't use his hands to balance himself. Yan rose and drew his sword. "Relax. My leg was falling asleep, felt the need to stretch it," the prisoner said. "You aren't aware of why I'm imprisoned?"

"I'm going to guess you assaulted someone," Yan said.

The prisoner laughed, before wincing. "No. I am... well, from where I lived, it is very mountainous, and the terrain is unforgiving on those without strength." He sighed "That, coupled with a very lean diet means I've never seen... I believe you call it corpulence. Fat."

Yan raised an eyebrow. "Continue."

"Well, I went to ask the magistrate something, after seeing a decree posted in town. I walked in, and was... stunned by his corpulence. I had never seen it before, and in my naivete, I walked up to him, poked his... ample stomach, and asked what happened to him, what disease caused this." The prisoner sat down. "Apparently he took exception to that."

Yan stared for a moment. Then, he burst out laughing. That continued for a while, but eventually the guard calmed down. "Magistrate Hwa is rather... rotund because that supposedly signifies wealth. However, it still is kind of ugly, and he is sensitive about it." He nodded. "Very well, you don't act like a monster, merely a fool."

"I can read, and am a learned man, both in my native tongue, the language of Qin, and the Common Tongue. How about calling me by my actual name? Laidu."

"Very well... Laidu." Yan paused. "There is something I wanted to ask you."

"I'm not going anywhere," Laidu said.

"Why did you laugh when they beat you?"

He was quiet. "A sign," he said at last, "of truest faith is that of violence and scourges. When mockery and closed fists make your path in life, you walk in the ways of Heaven and Light, and follow Him, and do not walk the path of the world." Yan frowned. The cadence of the words made it sound like he was quoting something.

"What do you mean?" Yan asked.

"I follow a different Ruler. Greater than your magistrate, greater than your Emperor." He paused. "And that Ruler said that those who truly followed Him would suffer, and those who claimed to follow Him but didn't would be welcomed by the world." He paused. "Every lash you gave was a compliment from one greater."

"Oh," Yan said, confused. Who could be more powerful than the Emperor, with the Mandate of Heaven on his throne? "Tell me more of this ruler."

And the prisoner did.