The Tiny Emperor's Great Wall (Revised)

Chapter Nine

The wall and surrounding mountains served as a massive windbreak to the blizzard. Small hills of snow gathered at the wall's base. The soldiers behind the wall were at least protected from winter's worst breath. But the cold reached Fenghua under his covers. Rolling onto his side, he pressed his head against the cold stone floor. He had decided to sleep in a tower rather than walk up and down the stairs every day. Yet Fenghua had underestimated how hard the stone was. Muscles groaned from resting on the stiff ground. And the wind blew through the opening in the turret, deepening the chill in his joints.

Distant shouting from his right drew the general from fragile rest. He cracked an eye open. Big blurs filled his vision. Smudge marks upon a gray world told him nothing.

I need my glasses, thought the general. His fingers raked the ground until cold glass greeted him. Slipping them on, the general sighed upon seeing Shouwie and a gollu in the room. The latter was trying to pull a bowl away from Shouwie. Beside them, the night watch rolled their eyes at their comrades.

Creaking joints alerted everyone that the general had stood. He stretched stiff limbs in hopes of relaxing them. Shouwie yanked the bowl from the gollu and marched up to him.

"Good morning, general!" exclaimed the lieutenant. "I noticed that you have been having trouble eating of late. So I had the cook make some soup."

The general looked down at the liquid, and his stomach clenched in fear. White, lumpy balls floated in a yellow-green liquid. Gulping, the general thought of sending it away. Yet Shouwie's smile was too bright and eager. Looking at the gollu, he ordered him to speak with his eyes.

"I told the lieutenant that there are ways to create good, mashed-up food," stated the gollu. She—one could tell by the dark blue nails—shook her head. "Yet he refused to trust me and made something himself."

Death by food poisoning would be an embarrassment to Fenghua. Yet he also wanted to give Shouwie the benefit of the doubt. Taking the bowl, Fenghua took a small sip of the brew. His cheeks puckered as a bitter, metallic taste stung his mouth. His hand plopped onto his lips to help keep it down.

Shouwie grimaced as Fenghua whirled around and spit the breakfast out a porthole. "It wasn't good?" asked Shouwie.

"Next time," choked the general, "take advice from your underling. They have wisdom which you might lack." He gave a small smile to Shouwie. "May I have my tea?"

Saluting the general, the lieutenant cried, "Yes, sir!" He darted off, almost knocking the gollu over.

"Dramatic, isn't he," the general commented. The gollu shrugged as she picked up the bowl.

"Would you like me to make something edible, sir?" asked the gollu.

"Make me a light meal." Patting his stomach, the general offered a sweet grin. "That ... attempt at food left me with little appetite." That and he wasn't hungry in the first place. The gollu saluted before leaving.

As the general cracked his joints, he stuck his head outside. Fat snowflakes, hurled by wind, scraped across his skin. Small snowdrifts piled on the wall and cannons. Huddled soldiers, armed with brooms and shovels, fought to keep the cannons clear.

The general, noticing people's skin turning blue, marched down the wall. Soldiers gathered around heat sources and leven stones to keep ice from building on their skin. The general sent several people down the wall to talk with the troops in camp. Even from here, he could see hundreds of tiny flames trying to stave off the cold.

"I need to give the troops another morale boost," whispered the general. A tap on his shoulder drew his attention to Shouwie. Holding up a teapot, the lieutenant offered an apologetic smile.