Iron Jaw and Hummingbird Read Free

legs to the dais. He became overly conscious of his movements, of the beating of his heart, of the position of his tongue in his mouth. He was unaccountably terrified, and his hands shook like leaves at his sides.
    The governor’s personal secretary, his eyes appraising Huang uninterestedly, motioned him to stop just before the governor, whose attention was momentarily on the opera players.
    Huang stopped in front of the governor, his eyes on the floor.
    â€œAnd who,” Governor Ouyang boomed, turning his attention to Huang, “is this to approach with such solemn mien my own august personage?” He paused, smiled, and gave Huang a wink. “Or, put in the language of men, what troubles this boy?”
    â€œYour Excellency,” the personal secretary said, “this is your distant relation, Huang Fei of Fanchuan, who has been invested as a Guardsman of the Second Rank in the Army of the Green Standard, with your permission.”
    The governor folded his hands over his belly and nodded slowly, looking Huang up and down. He motioned for the secretary to step closer, and then whispered something that Huang could not make out.
    The personal secretary’s glance darted to Huang, his eyes narrowed, and it seemed to take a moment for the governor’s words to make their way through his brain. But he regained his composure and, bowing slightly, hurried away from the dais.
    â€œI am well pleased that a relation of mine would choose to serve the Dragon Throne with the strength of his arm and the mettle of his will, rather than hiding behind perfumed fans in the corridors of power, practicing calligraphy and the art of gossip.” The governor’s voice was loud and low, and Huang could feel the words almost as physical blows. “Too many children of privilege follow the easy path, the comfortable path, and never learn the true meaning of sacrifice. It makes my tired old heart soar to find in you such devotion, such selflessness.”
    The personal secretary returned, panting only slightly, holding in his hands a sheathed saber.
    â€œYour Excellency.” The secretary held the saber out to the governor in both hands, bowing slightly from the waist.
    Governor Ouyang drew the saber from the sheath. The blade, its metal having a faint red tint, was of the willow-leaf design, curving slightly to the point, with a phoenix motif picked out in ivory on the hilt and carried through in etchings along the blade length and on the fittings. He held the saber point up, admiring it for a moment.
    â€œThis is the blade I carried during my recent tour of the northern province, which spilled not a little bit of insurrectionist blood. There are many raiders who learned to fear its red gleam on the sands, and many more for whom the firebird of its blade was their last living sight.”
    The governor slid the sword back into its sheath with a snick and held it out to Huang.
    â€œI am pleased to present you with my own saber, that it might serve you half as well. And if you should die for the Dragon Throne, remember that you die for a purpose greater than yourself, to preserve and protect the rule of the emperor.”
    Huang took the saber from the governor’s hands, feeling numb. He tried to stammer some response, but no words would come. Finally the personal secretary was forced to take Huang’s elbow and steer him back toward his parents. Huang shuffled across the floor, the eager expressions on his parents’ faces awaiting him, and felt the heavy weight of the sword in his hands.
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    Gamine answered every question correctly, danced the quadrille flawlessly, and devised correct solutions to any number of ethical and logical problems put to her. The seven adults asked questions or posed riddles or otherwise gave instructions, each in turn, addressing the children individually. It seemed that each adult could question any child, as often as he or she liked. If ever a child failed to answer a