And then he heaved a sigh of relief, to have escaped the rocky shoals and come safe to harbor; now they could be easy together. He asked her if she had read any English books. “I hope you will let me make you a present of some,” he added, “if you haven’t many here: I do not suppose you have had a chance of seeing the Principia Mathematica? It is of all books my favorite,” and they passed a very pleasant hour discussing the poetry which Temeraire’s mother, Qian, had lately sent him.
“Mei,” Temeraire ventured, “pray tell me, if I might ask—is there not—is there a reason that Qian should not have had another egg?”
Mei said quietly, “The physicians think it inadvisable: she suffered greatly in bearing the twin eggs, last time, and in Imperials, where such a birth has happened once, it oft occurs a second time; the Empress does not wish Qian to risk her health.”
“Oh,” Temeraire said, sadly. “I am very sorry, I am sure; and my uncle?”
Mei shook her head. “A dozen attempts have come to nothing,” she said. “We have been breeding a great deal amongst ourselves,” she added, “—we Imperials, that is, in hopes of another Celestial arising, but without success. I assure you, Xiang, no-one will think any less of you, should we fail: it is well known that Celestials often cannot produce issue.”
Temeraire was glad of an excuse to preen a little; he coughed, and gave Mei to understand he was not in the least concerned, at all. “For Iskierka, you see, has had my egg,” he said. “That is why she is making such a fuss: she does not care to see it passed over, for yours.”
He trailed off, a little puzzled, by the expression of open surprise upon Mei’s face: she stared at him unblinking a moment and then said, in cautious tones, “Is it—perhaps the egg is yet in the shell?”
“Yes,” Temeraire said. “It is in our quarters, under guard, of course.”
Mei hesitated even longer and then said, “Is it not possible the egg should be—the gold dragon’s, perhaps, the very large one? There are many young males in your company—”
“What?” Temeraire said, taken aback. “Why, no; Iskierka particularly wanted my egg; it is not as though just anyone’s would have done for her. She followed me to New South Wales to get it, and threw over an Incan royal dragon for me,” he added, a little wounded that Mei should not think him worthy of such dedicated effort.
“I beg your pardon very much,” Mei said, bowing her head deeply in a courtesy, her wings spread a little. “I would not for the world give offense; only it is not to be heard of, that a Celestial might get an egg on anyone but an Imperial. I have always heard it described as impossible. The divine wind is a great burden, which often defies the powers of the body to support it.”
A little mollified by this explanation, Temeraire forbore to stay offended, and when they had finished their tea, he and Mei repaired to the gardens, to walk awhile, and at length to enjoy a little sport before going on with the breeding: Mei might not be a fighting-dragon, Temeraire silently told Iskierka in his head, with some hauteur, but she was certainly very lithe and agile, and no-one could have complained of the experience.
Afterwards, a little out of breath, they ambled together to the courtyard again and had a refreshing second helping of shaved ice. “We must see the crown prince safely to the throne,” Mei said soberly, when the servants had retreated again. “I know your heart is divided, Xiang, and I am grateful already for what you have given; but I will not conceal from you that I fear deeply for the sake of the nation. The death of Chuan was a grievious crime against the throne, and yet those responsible dare name themselves defenders of the law and of right thinking. What can it portend if such twisted people should gain control over the Celestial Throne? And they will let nothing stand in their way; they have shown as much time and time again.”
“Mei, surely the Emperor must do something to Lord Bayan,” Temeraire said. “Why, I would have slain him myself, if only Laurence and the prince had told me what mischief he had been about; and I would not have let anyone stop me, either.”
“It is not enough to cut off the serpent’s head,” Mei answered. “This one grows another, and another after that. There are too many now who refuse to think of the future. They think only of what will enrich them—what will make them comfortable—what will guard their precedence and their estates. They wish to keep China preserved in glass, and if it could be done, they would not be wrong! I have seen a little of the rest of the world, through your eyes, and I do not think there is anything to compare.
“But so of course the world will be envious, and come knocking at our door. I have seen your monstrous ship in Tien-sing harbor; I have seen men felled by guns. We also must have ships, and more guns, and cannon. Our army must be renewed in strength, and the banners must be brought back to their old strength and discipline.”