Tyranny of Steel

The Ming Emperor sat in his throne room while reading a letter in his hand. The words contained within the document were so jarring that the man was forced to close his eyes and breathe heavily just so that he could calm his nerves.

Before sending his young son Zhu Li to the German Embassy, he had properly scolded the man for making an ass of himself within Japan. The Emperor truly thought his words had humbled the young man who was always misbehaving.

However, the letter that he had received from the German embassy was not a friendly communication. In fact, it was a document which aired Gerhard's grievances with the ambassador that was chosen to represent the Ming Dynasty.

Emperor Zhu Wudi, who in this world was known as the Xuande Emperor, was a wise man, who knew full well the vast disparities in strength between his Empire and that of Germany. In fact, judging by the words spoken by his eldest son, it was entirely possible that Germany was a nation well beyond the capabilities of the Japanese Empire.

If this were true, then the man only felt pity for Empress Itami, yet great fear towards the Germans. He did not believe for a second that their Kaiser had no ambitions outside of trade with the far east. However, challenging Berengar von Kufstein was practically suicide, as every man who had ever threatened the Kaiser was now dead.

Zhu Wudi knew all too well just how capable a man had to be to rise from the lowliest form of nobility, to an Emperor who subjects all his neighbors to his will. It was an accomplishment few men in history could boast. Thus, after taking a few deep breaths, the Ming Emperor called out to his nearest servant and said four simple words.

"Fetch me my son..."

Even though Zhu Wudi had many sons, the servant instinctively knew which one he was referring to. For there was only one of the Ming Emperor's children who would cause the man to speak in such a heavy tone. A few moments passed, and eventually Zhu Li strode proudly into the great hall of the forbidden palace, where he bowed before his royal father with a wide smirk on his face.

"Father, I have done as you asked, and spoke to the German embassy."

The servant was about to leave the room when the Ming Emperor called out to him.

"Stay..."

After saying this, Zhu Wudi rose from his throne, and pulled out a nearby bottle of whiskey which had been imported from the reich. He poured two glasses and handed one to his prideful son without saying a word.

Zhu Li quickly took a drink, however before he could swallow its contents, his father had reached out and punched the man in the gut, sending him to his knees where he vomited the alcoholic beverage onto the floor. After doing this, Zhu Wudi threw a towel towards his own son and gave him a simple command.

"Clean it up!"

Zhu Li did as he was instructed, but he felt aggrieved and was about to protest his treatment when the man spoke to him in a stern tone.

"You fucked up!"

The Ming Prince clearly did not understand his father's words and quickly protested.

"What do you mean, I did as you asked? I spoke to the German embassy and got their support!"

Upon hearing this, the Ming Emperor kicked his son in the face and sent him down to the floor, where his head landed in the pool of vomited whiskey.

"You did what I asked? Really? Answer me this, you little cocksucker. Did I tell you to insult the German Ambassador? Did I give you instructions to threaten the man in his own home? Huh? In what way did you do as I have asked?"

A pitiful expression was on Zhu Li's face. He was greatly enraged and confused by his father's words, causing him to speak out against him.

"No, but that barbarian disrespected me-"

Before he could finish his statement, the man's father glared at him with a murderous gaze before scolding the fool for his mistake.

"That barbarian is the brother-in-law of the fucking Kaiser! Do you understand what that means? It means that the Kaiser sees diplomatic relations with our realm to be a matter of supreme importance. Yet you, in your infinite wisdom, did not just insult the man, you fucking threatened him! The fact you threatened a member of the Kaiser's family means that you threatened Berengar von fucking Kufstein himself!

I can't save you... In fact, I don't even want to try. The Germans will come for you now. There is no place on this planet, not even my fucking palace, that can grant you a safe haven. So get out of my fucking sight before you drag me down with you!"

Zhu Li gazed in horror at what his father was saying, but even more so at his father's reaction. The mighty Ming Emperor was trembling, but not out of rage. No, there was a deep sense of fear in the man's eyes.

Despite the Ming Emperor's cruel words, the Ming Prince could not accept what he had done, nor could he comprehend just how screwed he was. In the end, he spoke two simple words, as there was nothing else he could say.

"Father... Please!"

However, The Ming Emperor once more rebuked him before ordering the guards to escort him out of the palace.

"You are no son of mine! Guards, take this dead man out of my home and cast him into the streets. If he dare show his face again, kill him on the spot!"

Zhu Li continued to scream, but it was no use. The royal guards of the Ming Emperor were too much for the man to handle. They lifted him into the air and threw him into the mud outside the palace gates before closing them. Locking the Ming Prince out of his own home.

Rain poured from the sky as Zhu Li continued to lie in the mud, contemplating just what he had done to deserve such a fate. After nearly thirty minutes, he rose to his feet and began to walk the streets of Beijing like a zombie.

Though he did not know it, he soon found his way into the market, where a beautiful young German woman approached him with a map in her hands. It was clear that her mandarin was not the best, and yet she politely asked the man a question.

"Excuse me? Can you tell me how to get to the Palace district?"

It was not these words that pulled the Ming Prince out of his fugue like state, but the push dagger that pierced his heart moments after they were spoken. Zhu Li gazed in astonishment at the pretty blonde woman, who had a stoic expression on her face as she withdrew her blade and walked away, blending into the endless crowds.

Zhu Li could only gaze in astonishment at the blood which soaked his muddy robes before falling to his knees helplessly. Within an hour after he had been expelled from his home, the Kaiser's assassins had struck, leaving the once proud Prince of the Ming Dynasty dying alone in a pool of his own blood.

However, by the time the crowds realized that the man had died in the streets, it was too late. For the female assassin had long since escaped from the scene of her crime. Leaving the Ming Prince as nothing more than a corpse in the streets of Beijing.

As for the Ming Emperor, he sat back on his throne and gazed at the letter in his hands with tears streaming down his eyes. Before burning it over the flame of a candle. As the flames devoured the paper document, the last words to remain visible were the following.

"Only death awaits those who have threatened the Kaiser and his family."