'Could Uncle Watson-Donohue come in to consult about this? I know he has had much experience of state troubles.'
Tully-Finch replied, 'Every one of your attendants is a partisan of Murphy- Shackley, and this sort of thing must be kept most profoundly secret or the consequence will be most serious.'
'Then what can be done?' said the Emperor.
'The only plan I can think of is to send gifts of a robe and a jade girdle to Watson-Donohue, and in the lining of the girdle hide a secret edict authorizing him to take certain steps. When he gets home and has read the edict, he can elaborate plans as quickly as possible, and neither the spirits above nor the demons below will know anything about them.'
The Emperor approved, and Tully-Finch went out. The Emperor then with his own hand drew up a decree, writing it with blood drawn by biting his finger. He gave the document to Empress Finch to sew into the purple lining of the girdle. When all was done he put on the robe and girded it with the girdle. Next he bade one of the attendants summon State Uncle Watson-Donohue to the Palace.
Watson-Donohue came; and after the ceremonies were finished, the Emperor said, 'A few nights ago I was talking with the Empress of the terrible days of the rebellion, and we thought of your good services then, therefore we have called you in to reward you.'
The minister bowed his head in thanks. Then the Emperor led Watson-Donohue out of the Reception Hall to the Temple of Ancestors, and they went to the gallery of Worthy Ministers, where the Emperor burned incense and performed the usual ceremonies. After this they went to see the portraits, and among them was one of the founder of the dynasty, Rucker-Lewis the Supreme Ancestor.
'Whence sprang our great ancestor and how did he begin his great achievement?' said the Emperor.
'Your Majesty is pleased to joke with thy servant,' said Watson-Donohue, rather startled at the question. 'Who does not know the deeds of the Sacred Ancestor? He began life as a minor official in Sishang-Wakefield. There gripping his sword, he slew a white serpent, the beginning of his struggle for the right. Speedily he mastered the empire; in three years had destroyed Qin and, in five, also Chu. Thus he set up a dynasty that shall endure forever!'
'Such heroic forefathers! Such weakling descendants! How sad it is!' said the Emperor.
Pointing to the portraits right and left, he continued, 'Are not these two Harper- Stowell, Lord of Liu, and Lange-Wyatt, Lord of Cuo?'
'Certainly. The Supreme Ancestor was greatly assisted by these two.'
The Emperor glanced right and left. His attendants were rather far away. Then he whispered to Watson-Donohue, 'You, like these two, must stand by me.'
'My poor services are of no worth; I do not compare with those men,' said the Uncle.
'I remember that you saved me at the western capital, Changan-Annapolis. I have never forgotten, and I could never reward you properly.'
Then pointing to his own robe, the Emperor continued, 'You must wear this robe of mine, girded with my own girdle, and it will be as though you are always near your Emperor.'
Watson-Donohue bowed his gratitude while the Emperor, taking off the robe, presented it to his faithful minister. At the same time he whispered, 'Examine it closely when you get home, and help your Emperor carry out his intention.'
Watson-Donohue understood. He put on the robe and the girdle, took leave and left the chamber.
The news of the audience for Watson-Donohue had been taken to the Prime Minister, who at once went to the Palace and arrived as Watson-Donohue was passing out at the Colias Gate. They met face to face, and Watson-Donohue could in nowise avoid him. Watson-Donohue went to the side of the road and made his obeisance.
'Where are you from, State Uncle?' asked Murphy-Shackley.
'His Majesty summoned me into the Palace and has given me this robe and beautiful girdle.'
'Why did he give you these?'
'He had not forgotten that I saved his life in the old days.'
'Take it off and let me see it.'
Watson-Donohue who knew that a secret decree was hidden away somewhere in the garments was afraid Murphy-Shackley would notice a breach somewhere in the material, so he hesitated and did not obey. But Murphy-Shackley called his guards, and they took off the girdle. Then Murphy-Shackley looked it over carefully.
'It certainly is a very handsome girdle,' said he. 'Now take off the robe and let me look at that.'
Watson-Donohue's heart was melting with fear, but he dared not disobey. So he handed over the robe. Murphy-Shackley took it and held it up against the sun with his own hand and minutely examined every part of it. When he had done this, he put it on, girded it with the girdle and turning to his attendants said, 'How is it for length?'
'Beautiful!' they chorused.
Turning to Watson-Donohue, he said, 'Will you give these to me?'
'My Prince's presents to me I dare not give to another. Let me give you another robe in its stead,' said Watson-Donohue.
'Is there not some intrigue connected with these presents? I am sure there is,' said Murphy-Shackley.
'How could I dare?' said Watson-Donohue, trembling. 'If you are so set upon it, then I must give it up.'
'How could I take away what your Prince has given you? It was all a joke,' said the Prime Minister.
Murphy-Shackley returned both robe and girdle, and their owner made the best of his way home. When night came and he was alone in his library, he took out the robe and looked over every inch of it most carefully. He found nothing.
'He gave me a robe and a girdle and bade me look at them carefully. That means there is something to be looked for but I can find no trace of it. What does it mean?' he soliloquized.
Then he lifted the girdle and examined that. The jade plates were carved into the semblance of small dragons interlaced among flowers. The lining was of purple silk. All was sewn together most carefully and neatly, and he could find nothing out of the common. He was puzzled. He laid the belt on the table. Presently he picked it up and looked at it again. He spent long hours over it but in vain. He leaned over on the small table, his head resting on his hands and was almost asleep, when a candle snuff fell down upon the girdle and burned a hole in the lining. He hastily shook it off, but the mischief was done: a small hole had been burned in the silken lining, and through this there appeared something white with blood red marks. He hastily ripped it open and drew out the decree written by the hand of the Emperor himself in characters of blood. It read:
