"It would ill become so mean a person to traduce so great a general as the Prince Li-Kong, yet the safety of his sovereign must unseal his lips. Know, then, dread Emperor, that the General Li-Kong is at this very moment plotting thy ruin," said Nicholas, who then gave in detail the conversation he had heard at the palace of retirement, which the Emperor had no sooner heard than he said hastily, "Convey our command, O noble Woo, to the general thy son, to search for this traitor, and bring him in chains before us." "Thy servant is unfortunate, for this is not possible, my sovereign. The brave Woo-san-Kwei, knowing his duty too well to remain in idleness at Pekin, while the Tartar-barbarians were harassing his army like hungry wolves,--truly the body was of little use without the head,--departed for his command after the council yesterday," replied Woo. "How!" said the Emperor passionately; "dared the general take his departure without an audience of leave." "Let not thy wrath, O great sovereign fall upon the head of thy faithful servant, who presumed so far because his Emperor has, of late, foregone the salutary ceremonies laid down by his ancestors," said the aged minister. Angry at this rebuke yet feeling its truthfulness, the weak prince despairingly threw himself backward in his chair, when the young prince said "Surely the throne should be defended by its heir. Thy son, O my Emperor and parent, will depart with the guards of the palace and bring this arch-traitor to his father's feet;" and not receiving a denial, the prince respectfully took his leave, when, having recovered his equanimity, the Emperor again took up Chin-Chi-Loong's letter. "Truly, boy," said his majesty, "this daring pirate, thy father, knows more than the Emperor or his ministers. How know we that he is not as great a traitor as the prince he denounces, for surely by commerce alone he could not have obtained this wealth of ships, men, and money, which, like a king, he so insolently offers to his sovereign and master?" "Truly, O great Emperor, if my illustrious parent were a traitor, he would not have placed the life of his only son, thy mean servant, in so great a danger," said Nicholas. "The words of the youth, O prince, are as true as his deeds are brave," said Woo; adding, "Let then thy slave pray that the sunshine of the Emperor's favor may fall upon his race; for, fearing that the intentions of this great merchant were treasonous, I have long caused his actions to be watched and his ships to be harassed by the sea mandarins; but indeed with little use, for the noble Chin-Chi-Loong overcame them all, to the disgrace of the board of arms of thy empire. "How! did the slave pirate dare to overcome our sea tigers?" said the Emperor in a rage.