The Roman Saga. Behind The Great Wall

– If the lice don’t chew us off at all, then we can, – said Tiberius, frantically scratching his head. – You see, the hands are numb. They need to get over.

– I’d draw this picture with my leg if I gave me more meat, – Lucro said dreamily, licking his empty cup. Lacius just grinned. They could barely stand on their feet, they were all overcome by lice, but their mood inspired optimism. The small biting creatures could be gotten rid of with a fire. To do this, they had to go get branches for the baskets. Tiberius looked up at Lacius and said with a sigh:

– Sorry, do you hear? The furies misled me… I didn’t want to say it there… OK?

– I understand, – Lacius grimaced from the bite of another louse. – You could still talk there. I couldn’t move my tongue at all. Oh! – he hit himself on the back of his head and jerked it. – It’s painful. Such a bastard! Okay, I can’t stand anymore. I need to quickly put my clothes into the fire… and also shave.

– We’ll bring some branches, and then you go find a knife, – Lucro suggested. – Nobody will give knifes to us. You can get them.

Two days later they depicted horses and people on one stone by the river, and on another a fortress and towers, but all this was done so far only with firebrands. Chen Tang liked the drawings, but he wanted to have such a drawing with him. However, there was no longer any skin or fabric of suitable size and quality in the city. So he ordered Tiberius to draw the same thing in his diary, which he kept from the very beginning of the campaign. The Roman’s huge hands seemed unable to cope with the thin stick. However, after making a few uncertain movements on the board, Tiberius was able to understand how to make thick and thin lines, and soon the first sketch of the battle on the Talas River appeared in Tang’s diary. The young general was very pleased. He didn’t even bother to admire the flames over the city walls, which quickly devoured the dry wood and the corpses, collected in the city square. The strange guide Goju, who was very afraid of the black disease, which they encountered several times during the journey, especially insisted on this.

When the first warriors with torches began to walk around the dry grass, laid out under the walls and houses, Goju threw a large light bag into the fire, which he had previously hidden in a hole near the river. In it, carefully tied into several small knots, lay the remains of a ferret that died from this terrible disease. If the siege of the fortress dragged on, the guide was going to throw the dead ferret over the wall. So the defenders were doomed anyway. But then Chen Tang would not have received Zhi Zhi’s head and the Han army would have had to retreat from the walls at the first sign of illness in the city. And then burn it, like now.

While Tiberius was drawing horses on the stone, the rest of Romans were following Tang’s orders, collecting their equipment and weapons under the supervision of frowning infantrymen. They managed to find Lacius’ helmet with a crest, an abandoned shaft with a wooden eagle, and many swords and shields. But the clothes and cloaks were nowhere to be found. Then they decided to make them from the fabrics that the Han warriors had taken from Zhi Zhi’s warehouse. There was a lot of silk there. To implement his plan, the young general allowed the use of everything necessary.

So Lacius got a red cloak. It was much brighter and better than the previous one. As a result, by the end of the week almost a hundred shields, spears, capes, tunics, sandals, helmets, and breastplates were ready. They even managed to find several chain mail shirts.

At one of the sites, Lucro learnt that Saet was alive. Someone saw her among the captured Xiongnu women. The joy of Zeno and Mark knew no bounds. They could not see their mother because the women had been taken away earlier, but they hoped that they would be able to meet her during the night stops. Unfortunately, the Han divided into two groups and did not allow the women to see the rest of the prisoners. They said that they would all be sold into slavery as soon as they found themselves behind the Great Wall, on the territory of the Empire. But everything turned out to be not so simple.

When General Tang’s warriors returned to Governor Xiao’s province, paintings, depicting the Battle of the Talas River, were already finished. They just had to be connected to each other and attached to the wall. Together with them, all the equipment for the Romans was prepared. But Chen Tang didn’t know how to send it to the capital. He found himself in a difficult situation. It was dangerous to travel alone. Sending old Governor Xiao away was stupid. Young Chow Li offered him another plan: she would go to the capital to visit her sister along with Chen Tang’s messengers, who would hand over Zhi Zhi’s head to the Emperor. There was no way out, and he asked her to remind her sister about the Empress’s letter. Tang wanted to get it as soon as possible.

In the big house of Governor Xiao, the Romans were kept in those large sheds, where they lived several years ago, when they came here with Zhi Zhi’s son to buy some equipment. One day, Lacius saw the guide Godju, who had come to learn about news from the capital and lived on the outskirts of the city.

– Harav ta romyn amid uu7? – the old guide asked in surprise, when he saw Lacius sitting at the door on a large log. Looking at the two rings and the iron ball chained to his ankles, Goju walked closer.

– Yes, I am. For some reason the gods left me alive, – Lacius answered. It was really strange to him that he had not yet died. – You, old man, saved me so many times in the steppe, and now…

– This is all your black circle, – Goju pointed to the amulet, hanging over the cape.

– Maybe, – he shrugged indifferently. – Are you with them now? Why do they believe you? You were with Zhi Zhi.

– He killed my son.

– Yes, you said that then. In Kangyuy.

– I was afraid of this. I knew this could happen. So I sent my second son to Chang’an.

– Now everything is clear, – Lacius drawled. – Your son helped you.

– No, he didn’t. He doesn’t even know I’m here. Doesn’t know yet. He serves under the governor of the central province. He will probably never return to the steppe. He has a different life here…

Lacius understood the old man, who was already so old that the wrinkles on his face turned into deep furrows, and there was no black hair in his beard. Time took its tall. Life was ending, and he wanted respect and honour. They sat opposite each other and recalled the past. Having told Goju that the Romans, along with the paintings, would be shown to the Emperor, Lacius heard in response that the Emperor did not love war, nor the court, nor his wife. Most of all, he loved his concubines, and two of them have already given birth to children. The Emperor was a smart man. But his wife was much wiser…

The old Goju told him for a long time about the morals and customs of the Han Empire, speaking contemptuously about their army and military leaders, who thought more about money and the income of their families than service. In one evening, Lacius learnt so much that he probably could not have learnt if he had lived here even ten years. Much was clear and familiar, because the life of the Roman aristocracy was not very different from the life of governors in the provinces, not to mention the capital of the Empire.

Chow returned ten days later. That evening, the night lamps burned for a long time in the large house, and the servants stayed up late, awaiting orders from the master and his guests. The next day, the Romans began to prepare to move to the capital of the Empire. Getting ready was simple, and by mid – day everything was ready. A large line of people and carts left the city walls. Everyone stopped there, waiting for the governor to join them. At this time, two guards approached Lacius and took him to a small stretcher near the wall. Leaving him alone, they stepped aside.

– Come, – he suddenly heard Chow Li’s voice. Catching himself thinking that he was still capable of surprise, Lacius grinned and slowly approached.

– How inaccessible you have become! – there was irony in his voice. But he still could not understand, why Chow Li changed so dramatically, when she found herself among her Han people. At first, it seemed to him that she wanted to hide her past. But it was stupid because everyone knew what happened to her in Zhi Zhi’s family. A little later, Lacius began to think that it was all about her status. After all, she was the daughter of a rich Han man. Maybe this is what made her forget about gratitude and made her so harsh?

He thought for a long time about the changes that had happened to Chow Li, but it could not even occur to him that the young woman behaved as her culture required. She instantly adapted to the environment, in which she found herself and, having found herself in the company of General Tang, immediately gained the strength of her social position, which required appropriate behaviour. In the Han Empire, there was an unspoken rule that if a person received a new position, everyone had to come to him and get to know him again. From that moment on, the past did not exist. The same thing happened to Chow Li – she forgot the past in order to survive in the present. Permanence here was unacceptable. But Lacius did not yet know about this feature of the national culture of the Han Chinese and behaved as an equal. – Listen, maybe you can take me inside? I was your master. Do you remember this?

– I do. This happened before, though. Now you are… a prisoner.

– Well, yes, I am. And what do you want?

– I need your help, – these words sounded sincere, but if for Latium it was an appeal from a friend, then for Chow it was a cunning trick with far – reaching goals. So that others would not suspect her of affection for a white slave and would not spread rumours, she deliberately hid in a stretcher and ordered her servants to move away. No one could see them here. But Lacius was so inspired by the success of his negotiations with General Tang that he did not pay attention to such – little things.

– Help? – he was taken aback. – Help from a prisoner? Are you kidding?

– Listen, everything can end very badly, – and Chow Li told him that she had gone to the capital to visit her sister. She had not been alone. Chen Tang’s messengers had accompanied her. They had handed Zhi Zhi’s head to the Emperor. But the Emperor had not accepted it and refused to forgive Tang. The Imperial Council is still arguing about what to do with Chen Tang and Governor Xiao – to forgive or punish. Chow’s sister and her husband really hope that the huge paintings and captured Romans will please the Emperor and he will have mercy. But it’s not for sure…

– I don’t understand anything. What do you want from me? – Lacius felt perplexed.

– If the Emperor does not forgive General Tang and Governor Xiao, they will be executed. – After this, their relatives and friends will be killed along with their families up to the third generation. This means that Governor Xiao and his cousin Bao Shi will be killed. My sister is his wife! Got it? She’ll be killed. And… then they will probably kill me… too… – at that moment Chow did not have to pretend, because she was telling the truth.

– How complicated everything is, – Lacius shook his head. – I realised that they would kill everyone.

– Yes, they will, – Chow said desperately.

– It’s a pity. And what do you want from me? – he repeated his question.

Chow didn’t know how to push the Roman to do a noble deed. She wanted her sister not to get hurt. She thought that if the Emperor came to look at the paintings, then he would take pity and forgive Chen Tang and Governor Xiao. And it was Lacius, who could help with this. The rest had already used their opportunity, – they have thrown the dice and lost, – as the Emperor’s courtiers liked to say.

– Make something… something interesting to make the Emperor like it! – she said passionately. Lacius tried for a long time to explain to her that this was impossible and it was simply stupid to demand something from him, a chained slave, but Chow begged, and in order to stop this meaningless conversation, he agreed. Then she began to tell him about the Emperor’s court and all the important officials. Lacius hardly listened to her, having long since despaired of remembering the endless names and favourite complex relationships, until she remembered the Emperor’s favourite concubines.

– Stop! Can your sister talk to these concubines?

– Yes, she can.

– Then let her tell them something interesting about the Romans… Something intriguing. They need to come and see. That’s a must! Later they will start telling it to everyone. The others will tell the Emperor, and he can come. This is the only chance. Do you agree? What might interest them?

– I think… It’s difficult. But I see your point. I have to talk to my sister.

– Talk, talk. Also. We’ll need musicians. Like it was in Zhi Zhi’s camp. Do you remember blind Paul singing with them?

– Yes, I do.

– They had something with strings and timpani. The musicians must play well. Let’s try to surprise them with songs. Well, this is not enough, though. We need to come up with something scary and terrible. Something they’ve never seen before. I also need something.

– What? – Chow tensed.

– You said you knew the way to the south, to the big sea. Can you help me get there? I want to sail to India or further, – he waited for her to think about his words.

– You… you… you could be killed right tomorrow or sent to the salt lakes… I can’t promise.

– If the Emperor punishes General Tang and Governor Xiao, you will definitely not be able to promise anything. – If he forgives Xiao, everything will be different. Am I right?

– Yes, you are, – Chow Li was forced to agree, having already come to her senses and realising that nothing stopped her from lying to this naive white man.

– Then you will not allow me to be sold to the salt lakes and will help me get to the sea. – In the end, perhaps you will buy me as a slave and take me there yourself! – Lacius suggested. It seemed to him that Chow was worried. He would feel that way himself in such a situation. So he decided to wait and let her weigh everything.

– If General Tang and Governor Xiao are forgiven, I will do it! – finally came a firm and decisive answer. Lacius sighed again, but this time with relief. He wanted to believe that the gods would help him, and Chow Li would not forget his promise. However, he did not know that in the chain of events that he drew in his imagination and described to Chow, her salvation was in the first place, and his in the second. And it was not necessary for her to fulfill her part of the obligations if he succeeded.

The signal to move sounded in the distance, the guards led him back, and a long line of Han warriors, carts, and Roman prisoners moved along the dusty road towards the capital of the Empire. Only Chow Li’s stretcher turned towards the gate and slowly headed back to the city.

CHAPTER III. CAPITAL OF THE HAN EMPIRE

The city amazed Latium with its high towers on the walls and even taller buildings inside. It immediately struck him that the walls were made of logs, not stone. But the gates were double, and during a siege they could not be broken through with a battering ram. All buildings had several roofs with curved, semicircular edges. They were covered with red tiles. The buildings had not four, but six or more walls. The windows were located right under the roof, and this also seemed incomprehensible and strange. The roofs themselves were painted green or yellow. Here and there you could see dark red and even purple ones. At the edges they ended with strange figures and colourful designs. It was all carved from wood.

The endless number of little short people scurrying around was amazing. They seemed to be everywhere. Most of the townspeople, unlike other cities and villages they passed through, wore robes, trousers, and shoes that looked like closed sandals. There were even more poor people: they wore either just pants, or just some piece of fabric that looked like a loincloth or a torn tunic with one shoulder. Most poor people had no shoes.

There was another city in the center of the city. Behind the high walls it was not visible what was inside, but judging by the bright clothes of the guards and horsemen who rode along the walls, the most important people of the Han Empire lived there.

All the Romans were herded to the central square and left there against the far wall, where long one-story buildings were located. This whole idea almost ended in failure on the first day. The heat was such that, having taken clothes and equipment from the carts, they could hardly stand until noon. The musicians that Chow found, gave up even earlier – they put their instruments on a cart and retreated into the shadow of the warehouse, from where even the new chief of the guard could not drive them out. They looked ahead, mouth open, and breathing heavily. Sometimes a boy brought them water, and after taking a few sips from a wooden cup, they continued to sit like living mummies with their mouths wide open.

In the afternoon, the Romans began to lose consciousness and fall. Lacius, too, could barely stand on his feet. For ten days they were fed only rice and pods of unknown plants, beans, bamboo, soaked in water, and all sorts of other strange vegetables and plants. The Romans had long forgotten the taste of meat and by evening they could not move their arms or legs.

That day, Lacius barely held out longer than the others, but a little after noon he was forced to approach the head of the guard, a powerfully built young man named Fu Xing, and explain that they would all die if they remained in the sun. Despite the apparent external severity and inaccessibility, the young warrior turned out to be smart and sent them all under the shed.

The paintings were never unwrapped that day. In the evening a messenger arrived from Governor Bao Shi. After talking with the young guard chief, he inspected the warehouses and promised to help in the morning. It was necessary to give credit to Chow Li and those who stood behind her: at dawn, three hundred people in loincloths stood at the edge of the square. They very quickly transferred about a thousand bags from the warehouses to the carts and began to dismantle the front wall. Made of bamboo and covered with clay, these walls resembled large shields inserted between ten support pillars.

Soon the front wall disappeared, and one could now enter anywhere. Lacius estimated that three centuries could fit there. There were ten or twelve steps between the outer supports. The entire length of the barn was at least a hundred paces. Under the canopy they laid out rugs, made of thin sticks – hard and long. Large carpets were placed on top of them. Each carpet was rolled out by five people. At the far wall there was an uncovered strip of land, intended, as he guessed, for prisoners.

The Romans gloomily watched the slow work of the little people, waiting for them too to hide under the roof. Finally, the paintings were secured, and everyone began to be driven under the canopy. It was stuffy there, but still better than outside.

Having placed everyone in their places, the head of the guard, Fu Xing, once again personally checked the rings and chains on the Romans’ feet, ordering them to remove the rags that they wrapped around their ankles so that the iron would not rub the skin to the bones. Everyone was very thirsty, and Lacius asked for water. Oddly enough, the head of security ordered several bags to be brought. The water was warm, but without the sour taste like before. Judging by the bags, he shared his supplies with them. Lacius asked to leave one bag near Paul Domician and young Zeno standing behind him.

Fat flies and some insects flew under the roof, buzzed overhead, but not finding food, flew away. No one except the blind singer cared. The poor guy hated the “dirty sound” those flying creatures made.

The water briefly helped quench their thirst, but the stupefying stuffiness pressed on their heads and gradually brought the Romans to complete exhaustion: their gazes dimmed and stopped, their faces stretched out, some could not stand it and sank to their knees. At the same time, the musicians and guards, even in breastplates, felt quite tolerable in the shadows.

After some time, a short command was sounded and the soldiers began to lift the legionnaires with sticks – some important official was approaching. Ten men in blue shirts and white pants carried a large stretcher. Lacius noticed that they were all wearing shoes, unlike those porters who were on the streets of other cities.

When the procession stopped, the guards bowed. This was the arrival of the Governor – General of the central province, Bao Shi. He arrived surrounded by numerous servants to personally ensure that everything was ready to receive the Emperor. Listening to the chief of the guard’s story about the battle, he did not look up from the pictures, sighing and smacking his lips. At the same time, he kept repeating “Hen hao, hao”8, and, having reached the Romans, stopped opposite Latium. He nodded to the musicians, and along with the first sounds of music, the voices of Paul Domician and Zeno were heard. It was an old Akkadian hymn, sung by several voices, and greatly enjoyed by the blind singer.

Bao Shi listened with his mouth open, and Lacius stood with an inscrutable expression, grinning in his heart. The governor did not know that, at the request of Lacius, they specially learnt two more Han songs and one melody without words. But for now, that was enough.

– Close your shields! – Lacius ordered when the singing ended. Lucro, who had to become a cornicen, raised Marcel’s horn to his lips and sounded the command. The legionnaires closed their shields. – Tescudo! – the second command sounded. The first rank lowered their shields, the second raised them up, and the third covered them from above, hiding all the legionnaires from the astonished Bao Shi. – Get back! – the last command was heard, and everyone returned to their places. Impressed by what he saw, the governor took the head of security aside sand explained something to him for a long time. Huge pleated sleeves fell down to his knees, although he kept his arms across his chest. The bright yellow collar sparkled in the sun, as if it were made of gold. The strange house at the back of the head, decorated with real walls and a curved roof, shuddered funny, when the governor shook his head. It seemed that it lived his own life, separately from its owner.

Meanwhile, the warriors and servants, who arrived with Bao Shi, lined up in two rows under the scorching sun. A metallic sound was heard from the direction of the imperial palace – two short ringing blows. They recalled the unpleasant rattling of the Parthian kettledrums during the unexpected attack of the cataphracts. The guards bowed again, and the Romans, musicians and other servants were ordered to kneel.

This time there was no stretcher. Out of the corner of his eye, Lacius saw about two dozen horsemen. They drove out of the gate. One of them was dressed in a long plum – coloured robe, and the rest were in black with yellow accents. The riders stopped near the corner of the canopy, where Governor Bao Shi and the head of the guard were already waiting for them. The man in the purple robe seemed familiar to Lacius: he had already seen somewhere this elongated face with sunken cheeks, a sharp, stiff beard, and a straight nose with a small hump, so unlike the flattened noses of other Han people. It was the Empress’s younger brother, Wang Mang. Chow Li had told Lacius about him: the man was unpredictable and harsh in his statements and decisions. Therefore, he was worth fearing. But why did he come instead of the Emperor? Lacius did not know the answer to this question.

The command “Tshii – laai”9 was heard, and everyone began to stir: the shields rattled, one of the musicians touched the strings, and they rattled with displeasure, until they were quickly pressed down with a hand; a servant nearby sneezed loudly and fell silent in fear. Lucro gave the command to level the formation, and at the far end of the barn, where the siege of the city began in the pictures, a purple robe with an orange stripe going down from the waist to closed sandals appeared.