চতুর্দশ অধ্যায়: তলোয়ার উন্মুক্ত ও ধনুক টানটান
এ andar, bazaar-e lokjon er vir kramane bere choleche. Tin-tin thore, char-char thore, onekei byabsha-banijjo fele shudhu ei koutuhol dekhar jonno chole eseche.
Tara kichutei kalpona korte parchilo na, kemon ekjon nirmom byakti锦衣卫-er elakay dareye shobhar samne tader shathe aate lagieche.
Apashe, kada-matir opor shuye thaka Ma Wu, tokhon shompurno vabe ghabre geche.
Li Yuanqing-er thokonkar abhinoy tar dharonake shompurno bhabe dhongsho kore diyeche, tar bissho-bhabnakhe churno-bichurno kore diyeche.
She nirdhidhaye锦衣卫-er samne dareyeche... ebong jokhon锦衣卫 shohayota kari bahini niye eseche, tokhono tar modhye kono pichuhotwar lakkhon nei.
Ei...
Ei lokta hoy tar mathay gorbhodhor dhukeche, noyto tar prang aache, tar bashotik shokti ache.
Kintu Ma Wu dan-bam shob dike takiyeo dekhe je, Li Yuanqing-er kache kono bhabei gorbhodhorer lakkhon nei. Tobe ki, tar, tar shotti-i ei shokti ache?
Ma Wu-er matha druto ghurche, she gopon bhabe anubhab korlo, she jeno kichu ekta chunte choleche...
Li Yuanqing-er oboshshoi Ma Wu-er chinta-bhabna bhabar shomoy chilo na, tar nijer mathao druto ghurche, thokonker obostha ki bhabe shamadhan kora jay?
Kibhabe Wei Gonggong-ke ‘shonkhali’ dorate hobe, shathe shathe shadharon manushkenu mone rakhte hobe, ebong rajbarir montrigan kono bhul dhorte parbe na?
Yang Jiaoniang tokhon sheshe hosh fire peye, nibe shwar-e kandte laglo: “Yuanqing, shob, shob dosh amar. Jodi ami shostay kena-kata korar jonno tar shathe damadami na kortam, tobe, tobe ei shob ghotona ghotto na.”
Li Yuanqing ekta hashi diye, jore Yang Jiaoniang-er hatti chepe dhorlo, “Jiaoniang, chinta korona, shob kichu amar upor chere dao. Keu amader kach theke kichu chinte parbe na.”
Yang Jiaoniang bujhlo na je eto shomoyeo Li Yuanqing-er kemon kore eto shohosh royeche, kintu Li Yuanqing tar nijer purush, tar unkhi shorirer ushnota anubhab kore Yang Jiaoniang-er mon shanto holo. Jodi moron-o ashe, tobe tader hate hat rekhe chole jete hobe, konodin alada hoa jabe na.
Ei Liu namok shoto-potito lokti dekhe je eto shomoyeo Li Yuanqing tar shathe thaka narir shathe hashikhushi korche, tar moner agun aro bere gelo, she ghrinar shathe bollo: “Kutta-r baccha, derite ami dekhe nebo, tor hashi thake ki na.”
Li Yuanqing shudhu Liu namok shoto-potito lokti ke ekta hawa bhabe upokhoron kore, ghure oi tin jon锦衣卫-er shohayota karike bollo: “Bhai-ra, shobar cheye boro katha holo chokh khule rakha. Kake bhoy pabe, kake pabe na, tar ekta hishab rakha uchit. Noile, ei mota-shota pagoltar pichu nile matha kete porbe, tokhob o bujhte parbe na, tomrai bolo, ki bhabe eta shotti?”
Oi tin jon choto-motu shohayotakari agei o-shanto hoye giyechilo, Li Yuanqing-er mukhe katha shune, tader mukhe mukhe takiye kichuta obak hoye gelo.
Ei, ei...
Ei Liu namok shoto-potito lokti bujhe niyechilo byapar ta, eto shomoyeo Li Yuanqing eto shohosh katha bolte parche, tar moner vitoro kapa-kapi shuru hoye gelo.
Bollonbidyar niyom onujayi, ei prithibite shob shokti-i parasparik.
Onnora shoktishali hole ami durbol, onnora durbol hole ami shoktishali.
Kintu mrityu-bisharok ebong o-porajeyo Houjin shada-boshon sainikder samneo Li Yuanqing ek pa-o pichuhotwa koreni, ar ekhane to ei matha-mota锦衣卫 shoto-potito lokti.
Jodi ei lokta prothome aakromon kore, tobe Li Yuanqing tar matha kete pethabe, eta Wei Gonggong-ke dewa ekta ‘uphar’.
Hoye-to Li Yuanqing-er gatro theke mrityur shorko shoshto bhabe anubhab kore, Liu namok lokti swabhavik bhabe pichon dike kichu pa pichulotwa korlo, tar taratari tar torowari-er muthi chepe dhorlo, kape kape bollo: “Tumi, tumi bhalo bhabe thako na. Ami rajbarir adhinosto karmachari.”
Li Yuanqing jore hese uthlo, tokhon virer pichon theke ekta gozogor shona gelo, keu ekjon chille bollo: “Sorte dao, sorte dao.”
Kichukkhon por, vir theke ekta rasta toiri holo, ekti shotojon kormachari dauraduri kore chole elo.
Netrit-e thaka byakti-o ekjon shoto-potito, shorir shukno kintu matha boro. Liu namok loktibhe dekhe, ei boro mathar shoto-potito taratari samne giye bollo: “Liu adhinayok, apni thik achen to? Kono khoti hoyni to?”
Bolte bolte, she tar hashi-mukhe chillar shwar-e bollo: “Ke o-chokhala byakti, je ekhane bishrinkhola korche? Bidroho korbar icche ache ki? Keu ache naki? Ei kuttader ke amake dhore nao.”
She bolte bolte, haat bariye, shidhe khali jaygay thaka Li Yuanqing-er dike ingit korlo.
Mukhhyo bhabe tokhon Li Yuanqing-er kache shudhu Yang Jiaoniang ebong Yang Xiaochuan chilo, baki shobai apon-apni bhabe dhoorotwa banie niyechilo.
Muhurte, shat-aath jon pehradar sainik tader nija nija ostro niye Li Yuanqing-ker dike chole elo.
Tader shobar lamba ostro chilo, kuthar ebong borschhi, kektar piche chilo bhashon-thokur.
Ei锦衣卫 choto-motu shohayotakarira dekhe je shohayota esechhe, tader shohosh barte laglo. Shat-potito Liu Dongsheng andhakar hashi diye bollo: “Bacha, bhalo caho to nije theke shomorpôn koro. Noile, bhai-ra jodi hingshro hoy, tobe tomar dasha kharap hobe. He he, ei narir shorir eto komol, bhai-rer anonder jonno yothesto.”
Apasher sainikder modhye ekta kusrut hashi choriye porlo.
Li Yuanqing-er mukh-o thanda hoye gelo. She bhabeni je ei pehradar sainikra eto kholamele bhabe锦衣卫-er shathe mile gayeb-gopon korche.
Li Yuanqing tokhon-o raj-kormachari, boro shokti-shali. Jodi sadharon manush hoto...
Obostha ekhane ese dareyechhe, Li Yuanqing-o aro shohosh hote pareni, pashhe thaka Yang Xiaochuan-ke ingit korlo. Jodi ei sainikra jorojuri kore, tobe shudhu kektar pran nao nite hobe.
Ekhane lokjoner vir bishal, tader bhashon-thokur-o bhalo bhabe kaj korbe na. Kichu lokke mere fele obostha gholmote korle, paliye jawa khub kothin noy.
Tobe eta shobar shesh sosta prostuti, na beche thakle Li Yuanqing rajdhani-er rastay khun korbe na.
“Liu-ji, apnar ki bishwash, apni eta korben?” Li Yuanqing thanda chokhe samner Liu namok shoto-potitoke dekhe, tar torowari kosh theke ber korechhe.
Ei Liu namok shoto-potito lokti age kichu boleni, she shotti-i Li Yuanqing-ke bhoy pacchilo. Kintu ekhane shohayota eseche, eto lok dekhche, she tar shohosh harate chayni, jor kore bollo: “Bacha, torowari niche rekhe shomorpôn koro. Noile rastay guli kheye morte hobe.”
Apashe mrityur nirobota choriye porlo. Oneke bhabchilo pichu hotwa korar kotha.
Koutuhol dekha kono byapar noy, kintu koutuholar karone ei manushgulo maramari kore nije ke ahat korle tar thik thaklo na.
Kintu shohosh lok-o chilo, tader karone samne chole ashe, samne thakle bhalo bhabe dekha jay.
Li Yuanqing-er mukh andhakar hoye gelo. She dhoorotwa hishab korche, dorkar hole prothom muhurte samne chole giye Liu namok shoto-potitoke bondhi kore manob-bhandi banabe.
Uvoy pokher obostha himangsho-te pouche gechhe. Shobar mon mukher kache eseche.
Tokhon, pichon theke ekta gozogor shona gelo: “Sorte dao, sorte dao. Ekhane shobai keno joro hoyecho? Bidroho korbar icche ache naki?”
Kichukkhon por, lokjoner vir shoriye, kichu choto khwaja ekta choto khwaja-ke ber kore, ek shotojon raj-shahi pehradarer shathe virer modhye chole elo.
Majhkhaner ei choto khwaja-ti boyose choto, kintu tar shokti bishal. Tar pashhe keu ekjon hata diye tar hath support korchilo.
She shobdhaner shathe apashe takiye, Liu namok shoto-potito ebong boro-mathar shoto-potitoke bollo: “Ki korcho? Ki korcho? Bhalo bhabe buro-baba-r jayga dekhte paro na, ekhane keno esecho?”
Ei Liu namok shoto-potito taratari matha nute samne elo: “An Gonggong, apni ese gechen. Apni amar bichar korun. Ei lokti, ei lokti kshomota theke manush bikri korche, ebong amake khun korbar chokranto korche. An Gonggong, apni amar bichar korun.”
“Umm?”
Ei An namok choto khwaja-ti taratari Li Yuanqing-er dike takalo. Kichukkhon por, she hothat obak holo, chokh ghorlo, tarpor tar mukhe hashi fute uthlo. She darun hashi diye Li Yuanqing-er dike boro pa-e giye bollo: “Li Jiyan-jun, apni shotti-i apni. Apnar ekhane ki kaaj? Buro-baba ajkeo apnar kotha bolechilen.”
Li Yuanqing-er mukheo hashi fute uthlo: “An Gonggong, amader shotti-i bhalo bhagyo. Kalkei dekha holo, ajke abar dekha holo. Ha ha.”
Bashotob bhabe, jokhon she bollo eta ‘buro-baba’-r bishoy, tokhon Li Yuanqing-er mone shob thik hoye gechhe.
Prithibite, Beijing, Nanjing, Fengyang-er hazar hazar khwaja thake, kintu ‘buro-baba’ bole kake daka jay, Wei Zhongxian, Wei Gonggong chara ke ache?
Ke ache???
‘Buro-baba’ mane eta noy je Wei Gonggong boyoshe buro, eta ekta shomman-bodhok upadhi.
Wei Zhongxian eto boro podabi pawar karono holo boro khwaja Wang An ebong tar bhai Wei Chao-r lasher upor pa diye utheche.
Wei Chao prothome Ke Shi-r prothom premik chilo, kintu Wei Zhongxian kothay jani Ke Shi-er mon kure niyeche, ebong Tianqi shomrat-er samne jayga kore niyeche, tar jiboner poth chilo kothin.
Buro Wei shokti peye prothome ontor-mohol pashkori korechhe.
Wanli shomrat-er shomoy, boro khwaja Feng Bao-r shishyo-ra shobai tar dwara shesh hoyechilo, noy matha kete felechilo, noy Fengyang-e pathano hoyechilo, ebong she khwajara shrestha holei thaklo.
Tai tokhon rajbarir shoktishali khwajara chilo choto boyoshi.
Ar ekhane ei choto khwaja-ti, shei je kalke Li Yuanqing tin jonke rajbarite niye giyechilo.
Zhang Pan chole jawar por, shei tobe Li Yuanqing-ke Buro Wei-r kache dake.
Buro Wei-r kache sheba korle ki ekhono kichu bolar ache?
Ei choto An Gonggong kal rat theke Buro Wei-r kache seba korechhe, she bhalo bhabe janto je Li Yuanqing holo Buro Wei-r pochhondo kora lok, kemon kore tike obhela korbe?
Ar Li Yuanqing-o Buro Wei-r kache thaka lokder shathe bhalo bhabe meshoche, beshi shomoy laglo na, dujone bondhu hoye gelo.
Ei choto An Gonggong-er boyos ekhon 18 bachar, kintu 10 bachar age rajbarite dhukeche. Ar Li Yuanqing tar cheye 3 bachar boro, tai she boro bhai hoye gelo.
An Gonggong gala shaf kore, thanda chokhe apashe takalo, tar chokh Liu namok shoto-potito ebong boro-mathar shoto-potitir upor porlo: “Li Jiyan-jun Houjin-er shohayok mantri Huerhan ke nije dhorechen, amader Daming-er jonno o-shadharon bir-tto korechen. Ajke, rajbarite shomman pawar katha, kintu ekhane, shomrat-er samne, keu eto obhela korche? Ei lokgulo koto boro kukur-er shohosh! Tader ki buro-baba ke kono thae dey ni? Shomrat ke ki kono thae dey ni? Daming-er rajsho ke ki kono thae dey ni?”
She bolte bolte, tar shwar aro kothin holo: “Bidroho? Thik ache. Ami-o dekhechi, keu bidroho korte chay. Buro-baba-r biruddhe bidroho, shomrat-er biruddhe bidroho, Daming-er rajsho-r biruddhe bidroho!”
Bolte bolte, she thanda chokhe Liu namok shoto-potito ebong boro-mathar shoto-potitir dike takalo, tar shwar hothat naram holo, kintu tar vitorer thandata dosh mail dur thekeo lokjon anubhab korte parbe.
“Dujon prabhu, apra dujone ki bolchen?”