Temeraire had already expressed similar sentiments to the handlers, very delicately, a few dozen times; but he did agree, of course, that on this point he could not repeat himself too often. He had a final reminding word with Huang Li, the minister who would oversee the egg’s protection and nurturing; that gentleman took it very kindly, and assured Temeraire that everything would go well.
“We will send you dispatches every week,” Huang Li said, “with a report upon the egg’s progress, until it is hatched.”
“Oh!” Temeraire said, with delight. “That would be of all things wonderful. But do you suppose those will reach me, in Britain?”
“The Emperor has commanded it,” Huang Li said, which was indeed heartening.
Iskierka nodded in satisfaction when Temeraire had translated this for her. “That is just as well,” she said. “I want to be quite sure they are taking proper care of my egg,” with a pointed stress on the possessive, and throwing a smugly superior look towards Mei before she pranced across the room to Granby’s side.
Temeraire went to Mei to make his own farewells; they were leaving in the morning. “I am sorry we did not manage an egg together,” he said, “but I am very glad to have seen you again, Mei. I hope you can forgive me,” he added, “for the opium; I promise we will put a stop to it somehow, even if the Government does not like to. Laurence and I will make them give over.”
Laurence and Mianning were speaking quietly together, near the dais. Laurence had been permitted to keep his sword, and a second one, a shorter blade, now sat upon his other hip; he wore a splendid set of new robes, in red satin, the gift of the Emperor himself. Temeraire rested his eyes upon him in tremendous satisfaction. If only he could persuade Laurence to wear them always, or at least on special occasions.
“I hope it will be so,” Mei said, “and yes, I do believe you, Xiang, that you did not know. In any case,” she added, “the crown prince means to send me there, in the company of the minister Ruan Yuan. We will soon begin to search the ships when they come in to Guangzhou, and burn the opium when we find it.”
Temeraire was well aware this new policy would not be received with equanimity by the British Government, and the East India Company, but with a guilty glance over his shoulder, he decided he did not wish to spoil the parting, and he would just forbear to mention it to anyone else, except perhaps to Laurence once they were already on their way. After all, if the East India Company wished to complain, they might stop the opium coming, themselves. If there were no opium upon the ships, there would be nothing to burn.
Mei leaned out and rubbed her head against his, affectionately. “And perhaps you will return and we can try again, when you have won this war of yours. This egg might not breed true Celestial, after all, although we must hope for the best.”
Temeraire flattened his ruff a little; he was quite sure the egg would hatch splendidly, regardless: one needed only look at its magnificently pearlescent shell and exquisitely proportional dimensions to see that it was something out of the ordinary. “I am sure that all will be well,” he said, dignified, “and the egg will make a most notable companion for the prince.”
“Oh! Yes, of course,” Mei said hastily. “Only, one does not wish to see the true Celestial line disappear; another line may equal, but not surpass it.”
Temeraire thawed; that he could accept. “If my honor and duty permit me, I would be very happy to return,” he said, with only a little loftiness.
He would be, too, he thought, and sighed a little, looking around the gorgeously appointed hall, the comfortably high rafters, as he went back to Laurence. “You must admit, Laurence,” he said, “that they do things very properly, here; no-one can complain of the hospitality, or the arrangements.”
“I do not deny it in the least, my dear,” Laurence said, resting a hand upon his flank. “And I will once again make you my promise we shall return, if fortune permits it; but you could not wish us to remain now, in these circumstances.”
“No, certainly not,” Temeraire said. “It is the outside of enough, for Napoleon to be beginning another war, and only just after he stole the Incan Empress, and caused so much trouble for us in Brazil.”
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