“Indeed?” Hunter said cautiously.
“A container of this type can send fire many times farther than a burning arrow,” Marco said grimly.
Hunter simply nodded.
Steve realized that Hunter did not want to enter a discussion about the potential of gunpowder. Anything he said could alter what Polo would later write in his memoirs. None of them dared react very much.
“I, too, was shocked by the idea,” said Polo. “But you will get used to seeing many wonders here in this empire if you stay long. Come. Let us return to the sitting room.”
21
Steve took his seat again in the front room and accepted more tea, poured by the young woman servant. Marcia sat next to him, as before. Hunter and Polo continued their talk about the wonders of Kublai Khan’s empire.
Steve could still hear other servants in the back of the house. Meanwhile, the two servants who had already attended them carried away the leftover food. Moments later, they brought out more of the same-fresh and steaming.
“I’m full,” Steve muttered in Chinese to Marcia.
“It’s part of the courtesy here,” said Marcia. “Food will be available as long as we keep eating it. When we left the room, it wasn’t because we had finished but because our host wanted to show us around.”
Finally, as Polo and Hunter discussed politics within the far-flung empire of the khan, the head servant came in with a younger Chinese man, who was sweaty and breathless. Polo looked up.
“Yes?”
“Xiao Sung has information for your guests, sir,” he said in Mongol.
“All right. Xiao Sung, go ahead.”
Xiao Sung took a deep breath and spoke in Chinese. “I may have located him in the khan’s palace.”
“Excellent!” Polo turned to Hunter. “Even I understand that much Chinese.”
“How do you know?” Hunter asked.
“I spoke to a courier whom Master Polo knows. He works at the palace. On the palace grounds, he saw a new courier, hired only a few days ago, who fits the description.”
“Has he spoken to this new courier?” Hunter asked. “MC 5 has a language problem here. To my knowledge, he does not speak any of the prevailing languages, though he can learn languages quickly.”
“No, our acquaintance did not speak to this man,” said Xiao Sung. “But many languages are used in Khanbaliq. If he is the man you seek, he may have been able to communicate with at least some foreign guests.”
“Couriers who cannot gossip are in great demand,” said Polo. “They betray fewer confidences. All they must do is deliver written messages or packages faithfully to the right location or individual.”
“A stranger can just arrive in the city and work in the palace of the khan?” Hunter asked. “Without references or introductions?”
“Foreign arrivals have a better chance of working in the palace than the local Chinese,” said Polo. “The Chinese are considered a danger within the palace walls, since they are the conquered people here. And because the number of foreign people who will come here cannot be predicted, they are often welcomed quickly into certain jobs.”
“I see,” said Hunter.
“MC 5 could get the post of courier, but he will be closely watched during his first months on the job to see that he is reliable. Within the palace grounds, his movements will be severely restricted. He will be assigned to accompany a trusted courier during this time, to learn his way around and to earn the trust of his superiors.”
“Then we must learn if this new courier really is MC 5,” said Hunter.
Polo frowned thoughtfully. “To your knowledge, could he be a danger of any kind to the khan?”
“No,” said Hunter. “In fact, if given the opportunity, he would risk his own well-being to save the khan’s life. But he might wish to gain the ear of the khan someday and offer some opinions.”
Polo laughed. “Nearly everyone in the empire would love to have the khan’s ear for one reason or another.” He glanced at Xiao Sung. “Is that all?”
“He has more, master,” the head servant said politely.
“Oh. Please go on.”
“I must also inform you that a search for an evil spirit of the description of this man called MC 5 is already underway in the streets.”
“Eh?” Polo glanced at Hunter. “My Chinese is poor, but did he say that a search on the streets has already begun for this man?”
“Yes,” said Hunter. “A business rival of mine also hopes to make contact with him.”
“Ah! I see.”
“Supposedly, a couple of good spirits have come down from the sky to capture MC 5,” said Xiao Sung.
“What do they look like?” Steve asked suddenly in Chinese.
“Like foreigners,” said Xiao Sung. “They resemble Master Polo and your friend, in a general way.”
Steve grinned and glanced at Hunter. “Yeah, that’s our business rival, playing games. Have they offered a reward for finding MC 5?”
“No, sir,” said Xiao Sung. “No reward is offered, but the more superstitious people in this part of the city are looking for him.”
“Doyou believe in evil spirits?” Steve grinned at Xiao Sung. “Does everybody?”
“Of course, sir,” said Xiao Sung, frowning in puzzlement. “But I do not confuse every foreign guest with visitors from the spirit world.”
“Good,” said Steve.
“Would it be possible to receive a letter of introduction from you?” Hunter asked. “I must go to the palace and see this new courier for myself.”
“I will do more than that,” said Polo. “Several days ago, I reported to the khan on my most recent trip out to the provinces. Now I am taking a week or so to relax, which leaves me free today. I, too, amcurious about this mysterious stranger, so I will take you to the palace myself.”
“I am imposing on you,” said Hunter.
“Nonsense. I will enjoy the walk.”
“Then I am in your debt.”
Polo glanced up at this servants. “You will accompany us,” he said in Mongol.
The servants left the house first, followed by Polo and Hunter. Steve and Marcia walked behind them. The young woman servant followed, first closing the front door behind them and then the gate in the wall.
“Hunter is going to be worried even more about altering Polo’s actions,” Steve said quietly.
“That’s true. Well, Polo was always welcome at court, so this isn’t likely to be too significant.” Marcia took a deep breath. “I can hardly believe it. I’m about to see the palace of Kublai Khan…’
Ishihara waited as Wayne and Jane took a break under a large tree on the edge of a city street.
“Look,” said Xiao Li. “One of my cousins is running through the crowd toward us.” He pointed.
Ishihara looked. A young man from the village dodged around a peddler’s cart and stopped, breathing hard. “Your friend has been seen.”
“Where?” Ishihara asked.
Beside him, both Wayne and Jane tensed.
“A man saw him deliver a message from the palace of the Emperor to the home of a general, then return again.”
“What did he say?” Wayne asked in English, impatiently. “Does he know something?”
“He went to work in the palace,” said Ishihara in English. “The seat of power.”
“You will come?” The man looked back and forth between Wayne and Ishihara. “If an evil spirit is working in the court, he may cause harm for everyone.”