rain was now heavy on my face but my fur coat kept me warm. I saw a figure attempt to light the beacon fire,
knowing it was pointless, but still desperately trying to alert the other divisions. Then he was jerked back down.
We waited for a while and then the rest of the generals were pulled out and thrown off the wall. The revolution
had begun.
The workers on top of the Wall saluted me. I saluted back. It seemed that my invitations had
successfully reached them.
They all climbed down and together we hammered the Wall down. I marched over the debris.
In the heart of China, fires spread in all directions. This was where the rich, corrupted officials lived.
They were all running to the Palace, where the Emperor resided. I commanded my army not to touch them. I
wanted to watch them run.
The Emperor was watching us from the top of the stairs, his guards beside him, their bows aimed. We
exchanged cold stares and then my soldiers took out his guards from behind, leaving him alone and unprotected.
I slowly walked up the stairs, his tenacity collapsing further with every step I took. My soldiers held
him, by hand and legs, and pulled his hair.
He begged, ‘Please don’t kill me.’
I was enraged that he even dared to open his mouth. I kicked his stomach. “I will never listen to the
likes of you.”
I didn’t want to kill him at that moment. I was too agitated. Killing him then would not have filled the
hole in my heart. My soldiers took ropes and tied him to the stairs. I needed to rest before deciding what I would
do.
I found a spot on the rock floor and lay down. I never liked squishy beds, they clouded my mind. I
thought about what I would do. I was not satisfied with murder. There was something I wasn’t doing right. I
pondered what was bugging me. I thought of the Wall, a symbol of pain and death. I thought of my men,
starving and wanting a change. Then it hit me.
I walked back to the emperor and my whispering men went silent. I took out my knife.
“
You are free,” I announced and cut the ropes, “to live.”
He kneeled and whimpered. His face disgusted me. However, I had to do what was right.
“
You must commence trade with the Mongols. Every man will go to build the Wall fed and well rested
each day. This includes you, too. With the Mongols and a Wall, we will have little to worry about.”
I faced my men and declared, “Death is not Justice. Change is. Starting today, we still have a leader.
But a fair leader he is and everyone, everyone will be treated fairly.”
Deafening roars of joy echoed across the land.
I sat down and looked at the rising sun. A new dawn. A new country. A new me.
* * *