Free Monkey by Jeff Stone Page A

forest ahead. He turned around to face Tonglong, who was riding high atop his stallion. The horse's pitch-black coat glistened in the midday sun.
    “Do you recognize any of those voices?” Ying asked.
    “Yes,” Tonglong said. “Some of the voices belong to Commander Woo's unit, and some belong to the soldiers you sent with Captain Yue. The two groups must have rendezvoused.”
    “I agree,” Ying said. “It's a good thing we left Cangzhen when we did. It sounds like a monkey troop is getting the best of them. I believe I heard CaptainYue shriek like a woman a moment ago.” Ying shook his head. “I had a hunch those two would somehow botch this assignment. Stay here while I investigate. When your unit catches up, have them prepare their
qiangs.
Perhaps we'll have monkey stew tonight.”
    “What do you intend to do?” Tonglong asked.
    “I'm not sure,” Ying replied. “But whatever it is, you can bet it will be something … educational.” He smirked.
    Tonglong shifted in his saddle.
    Two soldiers carrying a long pole approached from behind Tonglong. A pale young monk in an orange robe hung from the pole, bound at the wrists and ankles like a hunting trophy. The monk appeared to be unconscious.
    “Here comes your unit now,” Ying said. “Make sure the entire group is assembled before you move forward. In the meantime, remain as quiet as possible and keep an eye on Hok. You should take as much care restraining him as you did catching him last night. Though he's a crane, he can be as sneaky as a snake.”
    “He,
sir?” Tonglong asked.
    Ying's eyebrows raised and the furrows in his forehead deepened. “Well, well. I see you've discovered Hok's little secret,” Ying said softly. “I'm impressed. Not too many people know. I only found out after I left Cangzhen. Do me a favor and keep this tidbit to yourself. It's bad enough the men know Hok successfully spied on us the past few days. Their confidencemight be further shaken if they knew how hard you had to work to catch a girl.”
    “As you wish, sir,” Tonglong replied.
    Ying nodded and disappeared up the trail. He soon heard the unmistakable rustle of men racing across the forest floor. The shrieking of the macaques was growing closer and more urgent.
    Ying stepped off the trail.
    A moment later, a single soldier ran down the trail toward Ying as though his life depended on the speed of his feet. The man spent more time looking back over his shoulder than he did looking forward on the trail. This was unacceptable behavior for a soldier— especially one within Ying's ranks.
    I said I would teach the men a lesson,
Ying thought.
Class is now in session.
    Ying locked one arm around the trunk of a tree to anchor himself and thrust his other arm out in front of the fleeing soldier's neck. The soldier's eyes bulged in surprise as his head snapped back and his feet flew out from under him. Ying was on top of the man before he even hit the ground.
    “Where do you think you're going?” Ying hissed in the man's face. His forked tongue flickered.
    The soldier choked several times before mumbling, “Monkeys, sir … the monkeys have gone mad.”
    Ying looked up and saw a number of screeching macaques fanning outward through the treetops.
    “You're armed soldiers!” Ying said. “What's wrong with you?”
    “They attacked us, sir. They're chasing us down. I swear I've never seen anything like it.”
    “Where are Commander Woo and Captain Yue? Have they run off, too?”
    “I don't think so, sir. Captain Yue is in his sedan chair and Commander Woo is inside a … aahhh … weapons cart.”
    “What?” Ying said. “They're
hiding?”
    “These are not normal monkeys, sir,” the soldier said. “They seem to be organized and led by a human— a small, dark child monk who carries a white monkey on his shoulder. Some of our men attacked the boy as he tried to release another child monk called Fu from a cage we—”
    “Fu!” Ying interrupted. “He's up