The Kingdom of Roses

22

The Trial

That fortnight seemed the longest. Time always appears awfully slow when one waits with eager expectation or awful dread. It was also a time for Jiàn Shēng to fine tune his plots and devious schemes.

Finally, the day came like a day of reckoning. Everyone gathered at the foot of Dàshān to pay attention to how the twenty-four Tŏngzhì zhě would handle the situation. What made it even more surprising is that accusations were made against the King and he would personally take the stand as the one accused.

Jiàn Shēng and his one-third stood on the left. The Tŏngzhì zhě sat on their appointed thrones that were placed on either side of the King and Bride’s own. There were twelve thrones to the left, and twelve to the right opening out into a semi-circle. They were made of ornately carved mother-of-pearl and had blue and purple stones embellishing them. The generals were also seen as the elders and each wore their robe and crown which was uniquely fashioned for them. No two crowns were the same.

Though Jiàn Shēng had not spoken the first time trouble stirred at the Great Assembly, he did not hide his agreement with the dissenters or the sway he held over them. There was no doubt who their leader was. He took full ownership as he understood it to be a great accomplishment to be proud of.

The King arose from where he was seated. He took off his own crown and laid it on his seat beside his beloved. Then he walked with strong steps towards the right and made his stand. He looked noble and magnificent, like a lion rising before the hunt. He was taller than everyone present, and extremely strong and his eyes glowed with fire.

The dissenters automatically fell back a few steps as their hearts trembled within them. They looked on his unbridled majesty with awe. The rest of those gathered muttered against the dissenters for stirring uncalled-for trouble in the heavens.

The Council spoke asking Jiàn Shēng, ‘What have you done? The fiery stones were not yours to take or to give illegitimately. You have implicated so many others with your selfish act!'

‘What have I done indeed!’ he mocked. ‘Why was I entrusted with such great power, wisdom, and knowledge but withheld from using them with liberty as I see fit?’ Then he turned to the King and pointed at him, ‘This King is the most unreasonable and unfair one who is not fit to rule!’ Gasps were heard among those present before a hushed silence fell on the collective lot. Jiàn Shēng’s four brothers listened carefully. They were deeply agitated by his comments.

The King did not betray any emotions. He stayed calm and answered with a steady voice, ‘Indeed, you were entrusted with all these things and more. You were given great freedom to use all these within the inherent boundaries that liberty has. If you see it is fitting to move those boundaries then you seek to usurp the role of the Judge of these realms. More than that, you will inevitably step on the liberty of your fellow beings which is what you have done now. You know like all the rest that power comes with responsibility. The code of heaven is written in your innermost being and no one needs to teach you what is wrong or right over here. You did not just violate that code; you violated your own integrity by stealing and lying.’

There were many witnesses against Jiàn Shēng. All those who had been lied to and those who decided to no longer follow him handed over the stones. Jiàn Shēng was not concerned about these things. He was confident of his plot succeeding.

‘The reason I took the stones is what indicts you as an unfair ruler over us,’ he pressed on.

‘Oh? Do elaborate,’ the King replied.

‘Is it not the law of the heavens to be perfect in one’s love?’ Jiàn Shēng asked everyone. Those gathered replied in the affirmative.

‘Then why am I not permitted to love whom I choose? Why does that one not have the freedom to choose me either? In a perfect world, she can pick whoever she wants. I am even willing to be her lover and accompany her. Instead, I have to be as powerful as the King to win her heart. How is that just?’ Jiàn Shēng questioned.

‘Why do you insist on dragging her into this?’ the King asked as everyone mumbled against the words Jiàn Shēng had just spoken.

‘She is involved in this matter and cannot escape. She is the best proof of your injustice,’ Jiàn Shēng said with a smirk.

The Bride did not hesitate. She laid down her crown and walked up to where her beloved stood. They were the perfect match, a lion and his lioness. Equally beautiful, strong, and terrifying at the same time.

‘I am perfectly free to choose whom I will love. I will choose him time after time even after the passing of many ages. Your power cannot sway me nor can anything else that you offer me,’ she said firmly as she looked at Jiàn Shēng.

‘Then, how do you explain this?’ Jiàn Shēng said as he took off his robe and his inner shirt to expose the self-inflicted wound.

The Council as well as those gathered looked confused. It was obvious that a flaming shard belonging to the Bride had found its way into his heart.

‘I have been applying potion to keep this wound open as evidence,’ Jiàn Shēng continued. ‘She loved me and met me often in the northern realms. That was our trysting place. She even gave me a part of herself without any restraint. I asked her to be mine and let the King know about it, but she wanted it to stay a secret. She felt I was not as strong as him. So, I took the stones to gather an army and show her my power. However, at the Great Assembly I was convicted deeply of my wrongdoing and wanted to tell the King. Surely he cannot be ignorant of her feelings towards me!’ he accused.

Everyone was confused and divided over what he said. They knew what kind of a leader he had been and how perfect he was. They did not know how far his heart had already fallen from that identity. The Bride stayed silent.

One of the Elders spoke up, ‘Did you tell the King about this?’

‘I was going to, but she learnt of my intentions. She asked me to come into her inner chambers in Méiguī shān to tryst with her while the King was absent. When I met her, she pleaded with me to wait a little longer and she would tell the King personally. She asked me if I had evidence to prove our love. I showed her this,’ Jiàn Shēng said as he took out the mirror she had once gifted to him.

He had used the mirror to capture the moment when he had kissed her under the tree in the eastern realms. He did not let it capture the time when the King intervened and pushed him away. The Council passed the evidence around. It did appear rather damning.

‘You know you are lying,’ the King spoke up. ‘You know exactly what happened.’

‘Ha! Did I not say you are an unjust ruler? She is your beloved woman. You are the sovereign of these realms. You will protect her even when she is wrong. The rest of us are the ones who will be punished. Who can stop you or contend with your power?’ Jiàn Shēng questioned. ‘What will you say about this?’ he asked pointing to his wound.

‘She stabbed me with her sword with the intention to hurt me when I insisted on telling you the truth. She wanted to destroy the mirror which was in my possession. You can see the mark is made by her Water Sword,’ Jiàn Shēng said as he once again walked around and showed everyone his wound. There was no mistaking the mark left by her sword for there was none in the heavens like it.

‘Will you let her off easily for choosing to love me and then acting in violence to hide it from you? Will you value your love for her more than justice and love for all of us? Will the Law Maker abide by his own laws? If you break your own laws, why must we be expected to keep them? ’ Jiàn Shēng asked the King. The dissenters agreed aloud with him.

Another Council Elder spoke up, ‘Jiàn Shēng, what evidence do you have for these things that you have said?’

‘You can ask Pèi Zhōng and Zhì Shēn. They were guarding as usual when I showed them the token she forged for me. It is the one that the Tiānshǐ use to get the wine she prepared. When they gave me trouble, she even told them to permit my entrance,’ he replied.

Pèi Zhōng and Zhì Shēn were questioned. ‘It is true, but he is lying about many other things. It is not the Bride who gave the token to him, and we do not believe she behaved in such an adulterous manner as he claims!’ they argued.

‘Did any of you see what transpired in the inner chambers?’ the Elders asked.

‘We dare not enter,’ they replied in frustration. They knew they had to tell the truth. Unfortunately, it meant they would implicate the Bride even further.

Zhì Shēn could not speak up and say that his brother had lusted after the Bride because Jiàn Shēng had cunningly confessed to having such a love for her. It was pointless to bring up what he had seen in the northern realms for Jiàn Shēng would only say that he was kissing the Bride and not the Red Phoenix. Xióng Zhǎn was also rendered speechless and fuming. Jiàn Shēng had already owned up to his theft of the living stones on account of his desire to prove worthy of the Bride’s love.

It appeared that the Bride was adulterous and schemed violence to cover her tracks. Not everyone believed these things, but doubt entered like a nefarious seed in the minds of others.

This was why the King, and the Bride chose silence. Anything they said would not be sufficient to remove the seed of doubt. As long as that doubt remained, the Kingdom’s foundation would be shaken, leading to further rebellions. This was one of those times when being the most powerful worked against the power-wielders. Any attempt at self-defense would make them appear as dictators who desired to exercise total control over all their kingdom. This would lead to more falling away and joining Jiàn Shēng in his revolt.

Sensing the Council was hesitating, the King spoke up and addressed Jiàn Shēng. ‘Very well Jiàn Shēng. You have accused my beloved of adultery and violence. You have accused me of injustice and not being a good King. Tell us, what will justice look like to you and your one-third?’

This was the moment Jiàn Shēng was waiting for. His heart beat with great excitement.

‘Give me the power to rule a realm and prove my worthiness. Let the one-third be assigned to me so that we can carry out our works and plans efficiently. Release them from serving in their current positions under the various rulers of the realms,’ he demanded.

‘You will plunge the realm you rule over into dismal suffering and evil,’ the King said.

‘That is not for you to judge. I have not been given the opportunity to prove myself, so such a judgment is premature. How is it fair to me?’ a very offended Jiàn Shēng asked.

‘That is right! Without being given a chance or the time to prove himself who can tell if he will make a better ruler than you!’ the dissenters chorused.

‘Alright, a realm will be chosen and given to you. Are you satisfied?’ the King asked.

‘I am not yet done. I am concerned about justice and equity. She must follow me into the realm,’ Jiàn Shēng said as he pointed at the Bride.

There was tumult in the gathering. The dissenters approved; the rest were upset by this demand. The Council called for order and addressed Jiàn Shēng, ‘What purpose does this request serve?’

‘For the sake of fairness,’ Jiàn Shēng replied. ‘The Bride dare not choose anyone but the King because she has always been with him. You have seen that she has taken a liking to me. She even rides Wěi Hóng as if he were her own. That should tell you about the bond we share. Give her the freedom to be away from him. Let her have the chance to taste another love and walk in the pathway it holds for her. With such freedom, what assurance do we have that she will not choose me over the King?’ Jiàn Shēng said as he looked at the woman he desired to make his own.

The Bride walked towards him, ‘Can you handle my power of chaos?’ she asked him.

‘As I said, no one will know unless I tried. It is only just to give me that chance,’ Jiàn Shēng responded.

‘Jiàn Shēng, even if I follow you into your realm I cannot forget him,’ she said honestly.

‘Then I am certain that both of you have the power to erase your memories of him,’ Jiàn Shēng replied. ‘You can use that to level the field for fairness,’ he suggested. He was not wrong.

‘Then if I chose to hide in the uttermost parts of the realm, can you search for me and find me?’ she asked him.

‘I will do everything in my power to find you,’ he answered.

The Bride continued, ‘What if I chose to disappear, would you be able to call out to me, and gather me back to your side?’

Before Jiàn Shēng could answer her, she smiled and whispered, ‘He is calling me, I must return to his side.’ She went back to stand beside the King. Jiàn Shēng shook his head. He was certain he had heard nothing at all.

‘Jiàn Shēng, she is not compatible with you. Loving her will mean knowing her, her heart, her thoughts, her mind and spirit. That happens fully during consummation when we become one being. I am the only one in all the heavens who is compatible with her for she was cleaved out of my inner most being,’ the King revealed to him so that he will not be able to feign ignorance later.

‘I will find a way to resolve that. It need not bother you,’ Jiàn Shēng said haughtily. ‘I have another request.’ The Council permitted him to make it known.

‘What will you do if she chooses me over you? Will you forcefully take her back? If she has broken your laws will you ignore it due to being blinded by your love? It will be better for you to put her away and no longer acknowledge her as your beloved woman. Leave her with me for eternity,’ he stated boldly.

‘Do you suppose I will sit quietly and watch you woo her from a distance?’ the King replied indignantly. ‘I will enter into your realm and woo her myself. If she is lost, I will find her. If she has forgotten me, I will revive her memories. If she no longer knows me as her Beloved, I will woo her and win her love again. If she transgresses, I will teach her the path in which to walk. I will forgive her unless she willfully continues to transgress in which case I will concede that I have lost.’

Jiàn Shēng was a little startled by this counter-demand of the King. He quickly recovered and fought back, ‘That is too easy! If you lose a part of yourself as she is a part of you, are you even worthy to remain King? If she chooses me over you, you should just hand her over, along with your throne and crown. Then step down with what dignity is left to you and go into exile out of these realms. Never return!’ he said as the whole assembly rose with a loud roar of indignant protest.

‘You have gone too far! You have not only accused the Bride who is innocent and must now prove her love is pure; you also dare to accuse the King of injustice so that you can eventually usurp his throne! How you have fallen Jiàn Shēng!’ Xióng Zhǎn shouted at him as his other three brothers tried to refrain him from rushing at Jiàn Shēng with his javelin.

The King hushed everyone, ‘You are right. If I can lose her like that forever having failed to woo her back, I have no more right to rule the heavens. You have my word. I will lay aside my crown and you may ascend the throne. I will go into eternal exile. I cannot promise you that the realms will remain as they are, but I will no longer be part of them. You can deal with the consequences yourself,’ he said.

With that, the trial ended, and everything looked set to go the way Jiàn Shēng had planned. He had succeeded in finding a way to put a wedge of separation between the King and the Bride. Now he had a chance to win her love, or did he?