Part 2, Chapter 4

Why does the evil plan never go smoothly?

Ch 4

The Emperor, Jiangou smashed his cup against the floor. 

Things were going wrong. The spell had worked, he knew the spell had worked. They had used the Blood Pendant to steal and trap his brother’s Godhood, ripping that away had caused Jianyu to shatter into pieces, the power released when he shattered had been funneled into the change spell that had wiped Jianyu from everyone’s memory, replacing him with Jiangou. It had worked perfectly. Jiangou had even sent his brother’s body, kept alive by the very barest traces of spirit into the kitchens where he could keep an eye on him. But still things kept going wrong!

Documents that should have been delivered to him went missing, decrees that were supposed to be announced were changed so they said the exact opposite of what he intended, and priceless treasures kept disappearing and ending up in the oddest places. It was all so frustrating. And even beyond that dealing with the petty complaints of all the little tribes was enough to drive him mad!

“Husband?” Namu said, stepping daintily around the shattered porcelain on the floor. “Something is concerning you?”

Jiangou pulled her close, burying his face in her soft, gently rounding belly. 

Namu ran her fingers gently over his head. “Dear husband, whatever is the matter? The realms are mostly peaceful, and your merfolk kin and my father’s desert nomads have begun quietly expanding their territories. Everything is going according to plan.”

Jiangou growled, “ The arguments are endless. And nothing seems to go right. Yesterday the tapestry woven as a gift to the Queen of the West ended up in a shipment of goods being sent to the Master of the Northern Wastes. A declaration to gift the Island of Mist to the merfolk read instead that the Immortals were claiming the Cave of Pearls. And I have been so busy dealing with the duties of the Emperor I haven’t seen you in a moon’s time.”

Namu continued her gentle stroking motions. “Hush, my love. Everything will settle over time.”

Jiangou said nothing more, not wishing to disturb his wife’s serenity. He shouldn’t have told her as much as he had, but he had no one else to express his troubles to. Everyone around him believed that he had been Emperor for years, his mother was too busy with her father’s concerns, and the only other person who knew him for what he was… well talking to that person was a fool’s errand. Jiangou hid his face against his wife and let her soothe him.