153 Demise of a tyrant

 The Chen household had been a hive of activity since the visit of Second Master. Old man Chen had not settled. He was erasable, prone to bouts of violent temper,  extreme agitation, followed by further bouts of uncontrolled shouting, and screaming at people. He'd then retreat into melancholic tantrums, screaming for his wife to come to him, throwing objects around the room, then hurrying to pick up the pieces, begging her to forgive his outbursts.

He was generally unhinged, even by his recent standards.

His physicians did their best, but he refused to take the medication, scattering the medicine bowls across the floor, their contents spilling out over the carpets.

A herbalist was brought in and after surveying his behaviours, created a potion which could be burnt and, was strong enough to calm an elephant. 

" Master," she bowed to the physician in attendance, "this incense is strong, and will calm the most unsettled of minds. Once the incense had taken effect, may I suggest you sedate him?" 

They  stood in the doorway, watching the old man as he fumbled, mumbled and cried. 

"Be careful of its potency, or you too, will be stupified. Warn the servants, this is a strong mixture and must be handled with care. I would suggest you all wear face coverings at all times when in this room."

The physician nodded. "How long do we leave this incense burning?"

"Leave it to continuously burn, I will bring you fresh supplies tomorrow and re-assess his state of mind. If I need to adjust the doses of the herbs, I can do it then."

The physician nodded and the herbalist left. He made a quick scurry to the bedside whilst the old man was calm, and lifted the bowl to his lips. Without thinking, old man Chen automatically drank the medicines.

Sinking into a drug induced coma, uncontrolled and disjointed hallucinations began. Wild, uncomfortable ones. Snippets of actions, conversations, his sons, his behaviour, his wife, his grief...... it all began like the worst nightmare he couldn't wake up from...

 

The alcohol was delicious and the women yielding. He watched himself as he bedded another .... "I'll have you all tonight!" .... ripping of clothes, squeals of delight, the sensation of exploding into her ..... "you are delicious my sweet, but I want more!" .... staggering from the room, finding another, pushing her to the bed. The squeals, the forced intimacy, the explosion again, he was on a high, he was full of aphrodisiac, he was ready to spend his seed .... staggering out, falling through a doorway into another.... another lady, sleeping in her bed ...... pouncing on her.... her screams.....

 

"No! No! Stop! Don't!" the old man thrashed around in the bed. It was clear to those around, he was having yet another episode, but this time they would not be able to rouse him. They restrained him as best they could but he fought them, screaming at them to stop. 

"Min Zu! Min Zu! Help me!"

They had never heard him call his wife by her name before. 

"He is very unstable. Call the herbalist back, we need to keep him calm."

Chen was sinking into an abyss of fragmented memories he had suppressed for years.

 

"Sir, please, let me go! Let me go!" ..... he felt the surge of hormones as she fought. He liked them feisty. "Come here little one, I will show you what a man can do" ...... he watched himself forcably hold her down, pushing his body against hers, his mouth over hers. She couldn't scream. He rammed himself into her as hard as he could, feeling the hot tingling, then the explosion which took his breath away. "I'll give you extra gold tonight." He watched as he staggered backwards, his manhood still hanging out between his robe flaps. She stared in absolute horror.... he staggered toward her, "You not like me playing, then let me play again!" Before she could react he entered her again and again he exploded in delight. "He threw a bag of gold at her and swaggered out the way he had come.

 

"Oh my god, have mercy on me! Min Zu, don't hate me, don't hate me, Min Zu" 

Old man Chen was reaching up, trying to catch the ghost of his wife. The physician and the herbalist could only watch.

"I would suggest you tie him to the bed and restrain his movements. Remove all items around the bed so he cannot hurt himself or others. I will add some different calming herbs to the mixture and send it to you tomorrow."

The physician bowed, "Thank you for your help, we will contain him with medication. Hopefully he will settle in time."

 

He watched himself stagger back into the whore house. Taking another swig from the laced drink he had been enjoying before. He watched as he went and continued to enjoy the pleasures of as many women as he could.... "Come here my lovelies, I will give you plenty of gold if you entertain me well this night."

His nightmare went dark and the images changed. It was his wife, she was beautiful.... "I'm pregnant," she said as she looked at him, her eyes filled with love....... "We will name him Yongle" he had said as he swished her around. Images of her and Yongle flooded into his nightmare world. 

Then there were beautiful, soft, sun soaked images of her and their son...... She walked towards him. Placing her hand on his chest she said, "I'm pregnant again." He was so excited, he whirled her around again. The sun shone and the world was wonderful....... "Sir, there are complications with this pregnancy" .... "your wife has falling ill, I am afraid the birth maybe too much for her" ...... The world of sun went dark, the world of happiness ceased.  He felt the ache in his chest as he realised she was dying, but she refused to lose the baby.......the baby was born ....she named him Hao Ying ...... her funeral .. the screaming of a baby as it called for its mother.....the wet nurse taking it away..... "I never want to see that child again!" he had bellowed.... the toddler coming into the main chambers...."Daddy," it called out..... he watched as he back handed the toddler across the room, it landed and screamed in pain. "Get that thing out of my sight!" He watched as he rejected his second son.

 

As he lay in the bed, tears began to fall. They pooled against his cheeks and he called out to his wife, " Min Zu, what did I do? Min Zu, am I a monster? I am a monster. Min Zu....." His voice trailed off as he re-entered his nightmare reality.

 

"Get out of my sight! You killed my wife! You are an abomination! Attendant bring me my whip, this boy needs to learn his place!" 

He watched himself beating his son until the weilds bled through his tunic. "Now get out!"

"Sir," Hao stood carefully, head bowed, stiffling tears.

The scene shifted...... "get that ungrateful, unfilial boy in here, in chains if necessary!"..........He watched as the servants threw Hao into the room. His son knelt. Once again he watched as he beat his second son......"husband, why do you hate the final treasure I gave you?" ...... he spun round..... the nightmare revealed a woman he had loved with all his heart, covered in the slash marks of the whip, the marks he had gifted Hao Ying..... she held out her arms and blood dripped from the deep lacerations..... he spun back.... his second son held his arms as blood dripped onto the floor. "How dare you dirty my floors with your blood, get out, and lash him some more to teach him not to......." Old man Chen couldn't take any more, his mind was coming unhinged.......everything went black. 

 

"He seems calmer today, the servant commented as she left the room." He is sleeping quite peacefully, shall I untie the restraints?"

The physician nodded, "but at the first signs of agitation, re-tie them, just in case this is a lull between episodes." 

The servant nodded.