Prologue
Above and Below the Heavens
Hall of Longevous Tranquility, Forbidden Precinct, Tianjing
The Hall of Longevous Tranquility was the site of all major state ceremonies and there was no ceremony more important than the coronation of the Emperor. Not only the Three Excellencies, the Nine Ministers and the 108 court advisors, but also representatives of all 1153 noble houses in the Empire were preset as well. Of course, not all of them could fit in the throne room, so the representatives of the lesser houses were crowded into the corridors in a queue that extended beyond the limits of the Forbidden Precinct.
All knelt before the Phoenix Throne, even the lords filling the corridors, who could observe the proceedings inside via holoprojector. The only one standing was the Minister of Ceremonies, who carried the crown. Now, the crown was no mere circlet or diadem. Rather it more resembled a golden helmet studded with gemstones representing the five elements.
There was total silence as Prince Sturla entered. He was wearing ceremonial golden armor for the occasion and a scarlet cape. According to protocol, he was to kneel before the Minister of Ceremonies to be crowned, the last time a prince would kneel before becoming Emperor. He was not kneeling to the man but rather the traditions of their ancestors the Minister of Ceremonies represented. The Emperor was subject to no man nor anything else under the heavens, but he did have to submit to tradition and his ancestors.
However, Prince Sturla did not kneel. Instead he took the crown from the Minister of Ceremonies' hands and placed it on his own head. The boldness of his actions could not be understated. The assembled lords held their collective breath. No rebuke could be given, though. Now he wore the crown. Now he was the Emperor. With the aid of a couple attendants, the Minister of Ceremonies fell down on hands and knees as did all others as the gong began to sound. One hundred and eight slow, sonorous peals cutting through the air of abject silence.
After final peal of the gong, the assembly rose. The Emperor was to be seated on the Phoenix Throne to receive his vassals' declarations of fealty, but instead they found him still standing. What could this mean?
The new Emperor addressed them in a loud, clear voice.
"Three hundred years. That is how long it has been since the Yuanguang Emperor established himself on this world. And what have we accomplished in that time? We have built cities and fortresses, raised armies and... what? We have become complacent. We have grown weak, fat and lazy. We claim the stars, yet our reach does not even extend across a single world. By rights the whole universe should be ours, so what are we doing here?
"It is because of this idleness that the previous Emperor lost the Mandate of Heaven and why neither Prince Wupeng nor Prince Wusheng could succeed him. As Emperor, I will change this. Within two years' time, we will subdue the surface and bring the Unincorporated Territories to heel. We will build a fleet of warships and within ten years we will begin claiming other worlds for our Empire. With each planet we conquer, our armies will grow larger and larger until none can stand against us and we reign supreme over all mankind!
"At times in the past, they have called the Emperor the General Over All that is Under the Heavens. I say to you now that I shall be the General Over All that is Under the Heavens... and All that is Above! We are the rightful rulers of not only Erdi alone but of all humanity across the stars! I will lead you to triumph, riches and glory!"
The assembly did not know how respond, but Lord Grima, the Emperor's father, one of the few who knew of his plans before this speech, raised the cry, "Long live the Emperor, Son of Heaven! May he reign ten thousand years!"
With no less a person than the Minister of the Household setting the example, the rest of the assembly responded in kind.
"Long live the Emperor, Son of Heaven! May he reign ten thousand years!"
Again and again they repeated the cry while a very satisfied Emperor took his seat on the Phoenix Throne.
* * *
Rather than the brocaded silk robes preferred by previous emperors, Sturla chose to wear a military uniform much as he had before. He had given himself a new insignia to reflect his rank as commander-in-chief of all the armed forces and the design of the uniform itself was unlike anything worn by his other officers, a distinctive blend of black and white with scarlet and gold accents.
A chime sounded, indicating someone was at the door.
"Enter," Sturla said.
The door opened and one of his agents stepped through the doorway and went down on one knee.
"Your Majesty."
"Have you found her?" the Emperor asked.
"No, Your Majesty," the agent replied. "After combing the immediate area, we were able to find blood that matched the target at the garbage dump, along with some armor fragments, but not the target itself."
"Herself," Sturla corrected. "She is not a thing."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"She didn't leave a blood trail for you to follow?"
"There was a blood trail, but it was lost at the site of some tire tracks. We believe her body was carried off by scavengers."
"And of course her tracker would be in the part I cut off," Sturla said with a sigh. "Very well. Expand your search to a hundred-kilometer radius from her last known location. Everywhere above the ground and under it. Check the reports of all local hospitals, police stations, morticians and churches."
"Your Majesty, the Infernals are terrible at recordkeeping."
"But if there is something, it'll save you time."
"Forgive me for asking, Your Majesty, but is all this truly necessary? It is just one girl."
"I want her dead or alive. I will not rest until I know for a fact that she is dead. And neither will you."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"The inspector for Renwang... Li Fong, is it? Put him on the case as well."
"As you wish, Your Majesty."
"You are dismissed."
The agent withdrew, leaving Sturla to stare at the green valley spread out before him on the holoprojector. If everything went according to plan, one day he would see sights like this in real life and not just holoprojected simulations. That was not what he was thinking about at the moment, though.
"If you survived all that, you really are everything I've hoped for... Yasuko."