Empress Wu was seated in her room looking at the brazier burning in front of her while she recalled the words of Mei'er.
"Meizi." She muttered and Wan Mei walking closer she knelt right beside her and poured her a cup of tea.
"Could it really be?" She asked.
"What's the matter Your Highness?" Wan Mei asked.
"All her life, Zhang Shansheng disliked the battles in the Imperial Court but who knew that her daughter eight years later would walk into the same battle?" Empress Wu asked.
"Isn't your Highness confident that after she visits the grave she might change her mind?" Wan Mei asked.
"She is still a very young girl after all but her spirit is made of iron, at that age one can not understand what it means to die they'd rather choose to cling onto obedience so out of duty, with respect and honour to the actions of her mother I can expect Meizi to react about just the same." Empress Wu replied.
"Vengeance shall certainly consume her but whether there are people that want her head or not no one can tell but yet still she is the last surviving descendant and legacy of the Silver Fraternity and Lady Zhang." Wan Mei said.
"And that alone is hard for me to ignore." Empress Wu muttered.
"Your Highness, not everyone can be as loyal and not everyone can be as willing to fight by your side, half the people in the Cifu Palace are manipulable, only a handful can be trusted." Wan Mei said.
"So in your opinion I should foster her?" Empress Wu asked.
"If you can raise her Your Highness then even in the face of death she would be most willing to die for you, honour and loyalty isn't for the state because you shall have been more benevolent than it ever was.
Looking at her I could tell her determination and unlike most of us she is very strong and while the feud between Han Touzhou and the deceased was a blood one don't you really think that she would do anything to end it?" Wan Mei asked.
"But it is the blood of Han Touzhou that flows through her veins and in a Confucian sense she is very much his aunt, if blood is always thicker than water then what is the guarantee that she at one time won't side with him against me?" Empress Wu asked.
"Your Highness is too suspicious." Wan Mei said.
"Half of politics is suspicion and speculation." Empress Wu replied as she turned to her.
"The iron is still hot and if you strike then you can shape it anyhow you want and besides what this young girl inherits from her mother is something very valuable that we can't ignore on our side.
I remember that the old man said you shall forge a sword so is it likely that she'll most certainly be the one Your Highness?" Wan Mei asked.
"You can't be too sure." Empress Wu replied when the doors were opened and Wan'er walked back in with the two young girls.
"What is it that you choose to do now?" She asked.
"Meizi reporting to Her Highness." The young girl replied as she fell onto her knees and bowed her head.
"No red tape." Empress Wu muttered.
"I want to become strong." Mei'er said so confidently that everyone else was puzzled while Wan'er seemed very confident.
"Strong?" Empress Wu asked.
"I want to master the heart of being hateful to the world, when my composure is as strong and rigid as a mountain and I want to kill my every feeling and cling onto every opportunity as long as it lasts to rise and trample the strong to make myself stronger and hold my heart so tightly regretting nothing and devoting my all to fight so that I'll never be broken." Mei'er replied as she bowed her head down again, "please take me under your wings Your Highness and teach me to be like yourself so that I can serve you." She added.
"Get up." Empress Wu said and the younger complied while she remained silent awaiting her instructions.
"Coming into the capital where is it you were headed?" Empress Wu asked.
"Master Bao's residence." Mei'er replied.
"Who told you?" Empress Wu asked.
"My dying Uncle Zhang Shen." She replied that the Empress stood up and walked up to her.
"Do you know what Master Bao's residence is?" Empress Wu asked.
"No." Mei'er replied, "No Your Highness." She said while the Empress smirked.
"Master Bao is but a well known pugilist within this country and he is also a morally upright scholar, he'll teach you to be wise and use your Martial arts to save the people while cultivating your soul and spirit making it free of that desire for vengeance you can as well forget to cling onto old grudges and live very well." Empress Wu said.
"I can not." Mei'er replied, "to live well in this secular world and watch while the evil have their way who could simply give justice to all those brothers that perished on that mountain protecting a noble cause?" Mei'er asked.
"I see." Empress Wu said while she slowly turned and mounting the stairs back to where she was seated Mei'er turned and looked at Wan'er.
"What should we do with Her Your Highness?" She asked.
"Teach her to become strong and make her graceful with her feet, if in a months time she can impress me just as the goddess of the ninth heaven then I'll see what reward would be befitting of her." Empress Wu said.
"Yes Your Highness." Wan'er replied and bowing her head she led the two young girls out of the room immediately.
Crown Princess Consort Li seated in her Chambers Liu Zhan walked in holding a small chest in her hands.
"It has arrived Your Highness." She said she the young woman nodding her head she took it as a sign and opened it to gaze at its contents inside.
"Just how lethal is it?" She asked.
"Very Your Highness, however if ingested it could cause instant death that would seem natural it is very difficult to trace." Liu Zhan replied.
"I heard very well that His Highness the Prince Weihuixian's condition is starting to improve slightly but we can't be too certain that he has survived the jaws of death." Princess Consort Li said.
"He needs to be monitored for another two or three more days." Liu Zhan replied.
"What's the worst that could befall us if he gained consciousness?" Princess Consort Li asked.
"I am not sure Your Highness, could it be the Crown Prince position?" Liu Zhan replied.
"Then don't let him." Princess Consort Li ordered.
"Your Highness, until now we have done the same but how come he is still hanging on heaven's mercy?" Liu Zhan asked.
"You can not fail this time." Princess Consort Li replied.
"Yes Your Highness." Liu Zhan said as she closed the chest and got out of the room while the Princess Consort stood up from where she was seated and walked towards the window nearby where she gazed in a distance towards the Eastern Palace.
"Forgive me Your Highness." She said to herself, "this is but the law of survival to be blamed as two dragons can not reside under the same roof." She added.
Mei'er and Nuwa entered a small room and there the doors being closed behind them they moved to one of the corners where she sat down.
"Why didn't you tell Her Highness?" Nuwa asked.
"About what?" Mei'er asked.
"You know Milady, I was there when Uncle Shen gave the scroll to you." She replied and Mei'er looking the other side she moved around and stood in front of her demanding for an explanation.
"What do we know about the Palace?" Mei'er asked.
"Nothing." Nuwa replied as she sighed, "we are only strangers here." She added.
"And there isn't one or two people that we can trust apart from ourselves." Mei'er replied the older seeming so surprised.
"The way you're saying it, despite everything that happened you don't seem to trust the Empress." Nuwa said.
"I may be very young but I am not too stupid, some things in this world one can say are mysteries that are not new to me.
If it's possible that our people perished and someone was able to disclose the whereabouts of the fraternity then it's a possibility that they knew beforehand whatever it was that the fraternity's very existence threatened.
"You overheard the servants that Her Highness was able to even lay your mother to rest, anyone who would have been responsible wouldn't have done as much." Nuwa remarked.
"It doesn't matter." Mei'er said, "looking back I can't help it but wonder myself why they'd want my mother dead but one thing is certain this letter in my mother's possession was only meant to rest in one pair of hands to seek out justice." She added.
"If not the Empress Milady then tell me who?" Nuwa asked.
"There's one person that could hold the absolute power to reward and to punish, one that could exonerate those that died unjustly and one that possesses the Mandate of Heaven to rule over the people of the earth." Mei'er replied.
"His Majesty?" Nuwa asked.
"Is there another?" Mei'er replied.
"There's order and there is hierarchy within these palace walls, you simply can not just choose to go and barge into the Emperor to see him as there are certain people you must go through." Nuwa replied.
"I didn't just choose to come to the Palace sister to hide and protect myself." Mei'er replied, "I want to root out all those that were responsible for mother and uncles deaths along with the deaths of our brothers of the Fraternity. I want to become strong enough to contend with their power and might whether it takes me ten, twenty or fifty years as long as I can find a way to get to the Emperor and present this to him in order to let the souls of those that we cherished and are departed to rest in peace." She added.
"If Milady has already made your mind then here I am simply at your service, if this is your calling then I am with you along the way." Nuwa said as she pulled her closer into a hug.
"You are the only one that I have left to call my family and you are therefore the only one that I can trust because like a sister to me that is sworn, promise that you'll never leave me as well or abandon me at any one point." Mei'er said.
"I promise." Nuwa replied.
It was dark and the sun had set over the capital while there was silence within the palace the mild wind howled adding a chill to the deserted pillars into the East.
The window to the bedroom of the Prince Weihuixian was opened and there through it someone that was dressed in a pair of dark clothes sneaked in to the already asleep Eunuchs and attendants.
In a distance there was the Princess Consort his wife who was leaning her head against the table and the other physician on standby still seated had bent his head over and faced the ground.
Judging from the thin appearance of the assassin and that beautiful figure of theirs one could tell that even with the small feet she must have been a woman.
She walked up to the beside and pulling a small leaf out of her sachet she brought it closer to the Prince's mouth and then helping him chew it he swallowed it down his throat.
When she was done she pulled down her veil and exposing her face to the lying man it was none other than Liu Zhan herself in person.
"Forgive me Your Highness but for the good of the country this is necessary while no one can ease you of the pain that is tearing you apart inside and only I can help you most faithfully, it's simply your I'll fortune that shall become my Master's truimph." She said as she keenly observed him for a while touching his left wrist trying to detect his pulse she noticed it becoming faint.
She heard the Princess Consort suddenly coughing and immediately getting up, she rushed towards the window and jumped out of it while her eyes turned to look at the silk curtain that separated both herself and her husband but there was nothing.
Her eyelids heavy and herself exhausted from having watched her husband she ignored the cold that was coming in as she returned to resting her head back onto the table once again.
The Imperial Astrologers stood and gazed at the top of the watchtower as they studied the stars.
There was one that glowed brighter while the other only became dimmer.
"It's strange." The astrologer said.
"What is it Master Mei?" His colleague asked.
"The star is losing life." Master Mei replied as he continued recording somethings down and then raising his hand up he seemed to calculate the size of the star.
"It looks very normal to me." He muttered.
Suddenly, there above them a shooting star appeared and racing across the sky it ceased in the very place the other was.
Exploding the second vanished and there in all its brilliance was the North Star.
"Gongsun?" Master Mei called.
"What is it?" He asked.
"Did you see it?" Master Mei asked.
"The North Star." Gongsun replied.
"The Sovereign Star." Master Mei said.
"And the Second Prince's Your Excellency?" Gongsun asked and looking around the second star was nowhere to be seen.
"The Sovereign Star is within the Palace, and the Crown Prince has been laid." Master Mei replied and his eyes becoming teary he quickly turned around and dashed from the platform.
"Your Excellency?" Gongsun shouted after him but the old man did not stop until he finally arrived at the doors outside the Emperor's doors.
He was halted by the Imperial guards at once.
"It's very late Your Excellency, His Majesty doesn't wish to be disturbed." one of them muttered.
"Heaven has spoken and I am here to see His Majesty on a very urgent matter." Master Mei replied and the guards looking at each other the doors of the room were flung open and Eunuch Qin walked out.
"What's with the commotion out here when His Majesty the Emperor is resting?" He asked.
"I have something very urgent to report to His Majesty." Master Mei replied.
"Can it not wait until tomorrow?" Eunuch Qin asked.
"I am very afraid that heaven has spoken and I am here to deliver it's message." Master Mei replied.
"This way." Eunuch Qin said as he led him into the hall where the Emperor was seated reviewing some of his memorials.
"Greetings Your Majesty." Master Mei said as he quickly fell onto his knees.
"Say no more and rise." Emperor Xiaozong said and the old Minister complied while the Emperor lowering his memorial he looked up at him.
"Pardon me for intruding at such a late hour Your Majesty but I carry with me a very important message." Master Mei apologized.
"Whatever it is, please tell me." Emperor Xiaozong said and the astrologer somewhat reserved seemed to struggle to speak up to him.
"I have two pieces of news Your Majesty and one is good and the other rather awful." Master Mei replied.
"Which one should I hear first?" The Emperor asked as he turned to Eunuch Qin.
"The Good News Your Majesty." Eunuch Qin suggested and returning his attention to the old astrologer he cleared his throat.
"The Good News Your Majesty is that today the Sovereign Star that heralds the coming of a great ruler has graced the Palace." Master Mei replied.
"Congratulations Your Majesty." Eunuch Qin said and the Emperor slightly pleased only looked eager to listen to the other piece of news.
"Then if that's the Good News what's the bad?" Emperor Xiaozong asked.
"The star of the Second Prince." Master Mei replied.
"What's wrong with it?" Emperor Xiaozong asked.
"It is heaven's will that the star of the Second Prince be extinguished." Master Mei replied and the Emperor furious he ceased one of the memorials in his hands and threw it at him.
"What nonsense is this?" He asked.
"Appease Your Anger Your Majesty?" Master Mei and Eunuch Qin said in unison.
"How dare you?" The Emperor asked while Master Mei kept quiet that angry he struck everything on his table.
"Lin'an boasts the best Imperial physicians and I have entrusted the Crown Prince's life to them, what is heaven's will if to me he is still alive and breathing?" Emperor Xiaozong asked when the doors of his Chambers were flung open and immediately the Empress ran in.
"Your Majesty." She cried as she fell down onto her knees while bowing her head to the Emperor
"Your Highness, what's the problem?" Emperor Xiaozong asked.
"His Highness the Second Prince." Empress Xie replied.
"What's wrong with the second Prince?" The Emperor asked his eyes looking at Master Mei who was looking at the ground.
"His Highness is dead." Empress Xie replied and the Emperor very shocked he widened his eyes and started shedding tears while his feet seemed to fail him.
He stumbled and Eunuch Qin holding him up helped him into his seat while the Empress continued to weep bitterly and the Imperial Astrologer remained silent for a while.
"I am so sorry Your Majesty." He said.
"I need to be alone." The Emperor said while the three of them looked at one another.
"Didn't you hear what I said?" Emperor Xiaozong asked, "I said I need to be alone." He shouted on top of his voice that everyone afraid they quickly got out of the hall leaving him all alone.
"My son." He said as he tightly held onto his chest before raising his hands up to squeeze his eyes.
Princess Consort Li pacing around the room the doors were opened and Liu Zhan walking in she quickly fell onto her knees I'm front of her.
"Tell me." Princess Consort Li said.
"I did as Your Highness ordered." Liu Zhan replied.
"How is His Highness?" She asked and Liu Zhan silent their conversation was interrupted when another of her ladies in waiting rushed in and fell onto her knees.
"Your Highness." She greeted.
"What is it?" Princess Consort Li asked and before she could get her reply they were interrupted by the sound of drums that beat loudly throughout the entire Palace.
"The warning drum." She muttered with a ghastly smile on her face while she turned to the other lady in waiting for her confirmation.
"The Eastern Palace has announced the untimely passing of the Second Prince." She said that the Princess Consort slowly closed her eyes.
"You may leave." She ordered, "Liu Zhan stay behind." She added and the two complied.
"Well done." Princess Consort Li complimented Liu Zhan.
"Congratulations Your Highness." She muttered.
"Even the heavens could not save him from the jaws of death then it's their very will that it's my time to rule." Princess Consort Li remarked.
"What?" Empress Wu said as she stood up from where she was seated.
"It was the Crown Prince's passing at a half past midnight." Wan'er said.
"Was anyone involved?" Empress Wu asked.
"His Highness suffered a natural death as his health drastically worsened, moreso it is well known right now that the Imperial Astrologer Master Mei studying the stars he concluded that this is heaven's will and with the disappearance of the Second Prince's star from the Northern sky it was predestined." Wan'er replied.
"So like it or not another had to be buried." Empress Wu said.
"I heard that His Majesty was so depressed that he asked to be alone and has been mourning for the past hour." Wan'er said and the Retired Empress lowering herself into her seat she shook her head.
"How inauspicious!" She exclaimed.
"In deed Your Highness." Wan Mei remarked.
"What more did the Imperial astrologer say?" Empress Wu said, "what was he actually doing in the Emperor's study in the first place at such a later hour?" She Asked.
"There was something alarming in the Northern sky." Wan'er replied.
"Tell us what it was" Wan Mei said.
"Master Mei claimed that a Sovereign Star that heralds the coming of a great ruler has graced the Palace today." Wan'er replied and the Empress very much surprised she widened her eyes.
"What Sovereign star, as far as I know there isn't a single woman within this Palace that is pregnant." She said.
"You're right Your Highness." Wan Mei remarked, "if that's the case then who could the Sovereign star be?" She asked.
"If I may Your Highness?" Wan'er asked.
"Speak up." Empress Wu permitted.
"The issue at hand was the succession and some people in favour of the third Prince who is alright in health....." Wan'er was saying when the Empress interrupted.
"It's likely that this is heaven's will portending to the designation of the third Prince as the Emperor's heir." She said.
"That devil Han Touzhou us lucky but even more is the Princess Consort who will end up becoming the Crown Princess." Wan Mei said.
"We can not openly support the Fourth Prince as well." Empress Wu remarked, "moreso with an Imperial grandson already naturally the Third Prince is at a greater advantage." She added.
"What should we do Your Highness?" Wan'er asked.
"The Third Prince might be lucky to be designated as the Crown Prince but one thing that can't be ignored is the mere fact that he is manipulative." Empress Wu said.
"And the Princess Consort herself isn't short of machinations so if her husband were to gain all power the de facto ruler of this country would be his wife." Wan Mei remarked.
"She'd just be as willing to exploit her husband's manipulative nature as we are, we can only be advantaged if Your Highness were to use her seniority." Wan'er said.
"I am the Grand mother of the Third Prince after all and perhaps since I can not support him I should perhaps take charge of his Political custody." Empress Wu said.
"Your Highness is smart." Wan Mei praised.
"First we should surround him with our righteous Courtiers and if themselves along with me can begin by gaining his ears then we could just be powerful enough to root out the influence of Han Touzhou and the others." Empress Wu said as she smiled ghastly.
It was very early in the morning and the Eastern Palace was covered in plain white while Everyone present was dressed in thin plain white satin as they burned talismans and grieved.
The Imperial Princess Consort of the deceased was seated in front of the body along with her foster mother in law the Empress Xie when the Emperor, Retired Emperor and Empress walked into the funeral parlour and everyone else bowed their heads to them.
The Retired Empress' eyes searching about the place she caught sight of the Princess Consort Li who shedding insincere tears she looked the other way.
The Emperor stopping in front of the coffin he gazed at the lifeless corpse of his son and resting his hands on it his tears landed inside while he broke down.
"You were so young." He muttered, "and like your mother you yourself were also taken from me." He added while his father holding his shoulder he turned to him.
"Don't be saddened, he's gone to a much better place." He said.
"It is time." Master Mei said and a set of Eunuchs carrying the lid to the coffin they rested it on top and mailed it still whole they covered it with a thin plain white cape that was adorned with the Imperial standard of the yellow dragon and the sun.
Han Touzhou picked a couple of books from his shelf while Lin Xue stood behind him.
"The Second Prince surely died a natural death and at last the Princess Consort might not seen threatened." He said.
"I only played too little a part but it seems that heaven really is on her side." Han Touzhou said as he walked over to the brazier and bending he tossed them into the fire and watched them burn under his very eyes.
"Your Excellency." Lin Xue said quite surprised.
"Any objections?" Han Touzhou asked.
"That's Your life's work." Lin Xue said.
"At only eighteen there's more years for me to write more of these." Han Touzhou replied.
"Yet I don't understand why?" Lin Xue asked and at once Han Touzhou raised his eyes to him and stared so fiercely he knew that his master was angry.
Han Touzhou smiled.
"None of these works were written to perfection and when something isn't as perfect as I want it to be in my eyes, it's better that I got rid of it." He said.
"I wish to understand Your Excellency." Lin Xue said.
"I have heard quite a deal about the Imperial astrologer's prediction." Han Touzhou replied, "don't you wonder who the Sovereign star is?" He asked.
"Does Your Excellency have a clue?" Lin Xue asked.
"When Venus rose and the Emperor's star descended, a female Dasheng graced the annals of our History, none of the originals within the Palace represent the Sovereign star because all in all the star is someone that set foot within those premises yesterday." Han Touzhou replied.
"But who could it possibly be if it's not someone from the Palace itself?" Lin Xue asked.
"Even I am very curious because as many people come in and go everyday, who is that exceptional one?" Han Touzhou said.
The mourning had ended and the Emperor who was seated in his study so quietly was disturbed when the Retired Empress walked in with Eunuch Qin.
"Greetings Your Majesty." She said.
"No red tape mother." Emperor Xiaozong replied.
"It's only been three days and you seem to have lost so much weight and become haggard." Empress Wu said as she got closer until she was standing by his side.
"What to say mother, the mourning period has barely been completed according to the Han traditions and those greedy and self centered Courtiers are simply urging me to make a Crown Prince as though it is that simple." Emperor Xiaozong complained.
"Sure many of them put their desires at hand before the state, what more could you expect or do rather than keeping quiet and watch them exhaust their brains?" Empress Wu asked.
"And the Sovereign star?" Emperor Xiaozong asked.
The Empress hearing this she kept quiet and the Emperor noticing he simply kept quiet.
"Until now I wonder how you see things differently." He said.
"I don't." Empress Wu replied.
"Then please enlighten me as I have strayed from that path Your Highness." Emperor Xiaozong asked.
"When I asked your father to abdicate his throne and give it to you seven years ago I merely had myself silence those scheming Courtiers and secured your position within the state." Empress Wu replied.
"I clearly remember Your Highness." Emperor Xiaozong muttered.
"You can as well say that I understand the pain of losing a child is unbearable but then there are others that you must protect from being unfilial and becoming rebels on one hand and securing the heritage of those commissioned by heaven on the other." Empress Wu said.
"Should I yield to one I fear I might end up appearing partial and unjust to the other." Emperor Xiaozong remarked.
"All the children of the dragon are different in appearance and those hypocrite ministers would be satisfied with a puppet that they could use to gain everything that they want including wealth and power yet who in the world could possibly think about the people of the realm or listen whenever they are calling?" Empress Wu asked.
"Now that you see my labours Your Highness has been efficient all these years, would you please tell me then what could I possibly do?" Emperor Xiaozong asked.
"Protect them both and give them nothing." Empress Wu replied, "if you can surround his Highness with capable ministers that are forthright then you can forego the temptation of himself being ill-advised and as the Retired Emperor retains just as much power then in the future even if he were to ascend the throne, the real power in your hands could never be misused and exploited by those men." She added.
"I see." Emperor Xiaozong said his eyes becoming teary, "it feels like Wei'er is calling to me but I can not see or touch him." He added.
"But grieve no more and free that pain." Empress Wu said.
"Even as much as I dislike it, even now it seems that the heavens themselves will it, with their say even I the Son of heaven I have lost control." The Emperor said as he stared at the edict on his table.
"I promise you that if one day anything happened I would watch His Highness for you." The Empress muttered and with all the courage that the Emperor could find he lifted the Imperial seal and there in her presence he rested it against the Edict with all his might.
After a while he lifted it off and there confident he summoned Eunuch Qin to his presence and the fairly old man rushed in while the Empress was watching.
"How may I be of service to Your Majesty?" He asked and the Emperor at first quiet he folded the scroll and standing up from where he was seated he lifted it with his two two hands and then placed it into his hands.
"Your Majesty, this is.....?" He was still saying when the Emperor interrupted him.
"Get this scroll our of my sight and deliver my Edict to the Imperial Prince Zhao Dun's mansion." He said and the Eunuch turning to the Empress he bowed his head.
"Yes Your Majesty." he said as the Emperor quickly turned around and mounted the stairs to his seat once again while Eunuch Qin withdrew from the hall.
Princess Consort Li seated in her Chambers Liu Zhan rushed in and immediately bowed her head in front of her.
"Congratulations Your Highness." She said.
"What is it?" Princess Consort Li asked.
"Eunuch Qin is headed this way with a large number of gifts and reportedly an Imperial Edict from the Emperor himself." Liu Zhan replied.
Hearing this, she shot up from where she was seated and with excitement on her face she was eager.
"Are you certain?" She asked.
"I dare not lie." Liu Zhan replied.
"Then what are you waiting for?" She asked, "Everyone in the manor should get ready." She ordered.
"Yes Your Highness." Liu Zhan replied as the two walked out of the room.
The members of Prince Zhao Dun's household had converged in the courtyard of the manor when the gates were flung open and Eunuch Qin escorted with a couple of Imperial guards made his way inside the residence accompanied by some gifts.
"His Majesty's Edict." Eunuch Qin announced and immediately everyone went onto their knees as they bowed their heads while he opened up the scroll.
"His Highness the Prince Zhao Dun I'd forthright and kind, he takes after me in benevolence and he is respectable as much to have remained very filial, it is henceforth heaven's blessing that I have been given this good son of mine and I won't disappoint heaven at all my cherishing him with my everything. With effective the end of the mourning period, His Highness and his entire household shall move to the Eastern Palace which is my right hand and assume the duties of the Crown Prince under the supervision of Her Highness the Retired Empress." Eunuch Qin said as he folded the scroll.
"These are the words of His Majesty." He said.
"Long Live His Majesty." They all said in unison as they kowtowed while the Prince Zhao Dun took the Edict into his hands as the other Eunuchs brought in the gifts.
"Thank you so much Your Highness." Princess Consort Li thought to herself and with her head lifted high, she smiled ghastly having earned for herself the title of the Crown Princess that she had long been chasing after.
"Hold it." The martial instructor said and the young man looked the other way displeased.
"I am no longer a child anymore." He said as he folded his hands and just with silence prevailing there was another sound that captivated his ears.
"Halt." He heard a fairly soft voice.
"Are you listening?" He asked the martial instructor who chuckled lightly.
"What are you laughing at?" The young man asked and furiously he followed the sound to the nearby hedge through which he pushed his sword and cut a small opening through the leaves.
The martial instructor watched as he stared intently and the first thing that he saw was the back of a young man with long hair." At least he guessed.
His hands were small and even from a distance looked as graceful as those of a dancer when he wielded in his right hand a small thin and flexible sword.
Right next to him there was an old man who stood perhaps waiting to criticize him and just as he gave his order for the young man to start, he ran his left hand above his sword and started to spin it side from side while a group of other swordsmen closed in on him.
They were four in number but the younger didn't seem as frightened when the first pair launched themselves at him from behind and he summersaulted and landed on the edges of their swords forcing them onto the ground.
Turning the surface of his he slapped their faces and they withdrew while another pair advancing from behind he split his legs and lowered himself down ceasing both their hands he punched them in their lower abdomen before he stood up.
The other two charged again while he flew up into mid air and with a double kick he struck them all away finally landing on his two feet and waving his sword.
"The first round you lose." The old man said and the vanquished courageous they stood up once again holding their swords they started moving around the young man who tightly held onto his sword and watched their every move.
The first charged towards him and he withdrew flying backwards while another approaching from behind aimed his sword at her he spinned to the side as they collided before ceasing one by his shoulders and mounting himself onto him, with his legs around his neck he threw himself backwards supporting his body on his hands he dragged him down in time for the other three to come close enough to him
Spinning his foot on the ground he tripped them and with his sword once again he slapped their faces that they looked at him awfully yet himself not bothered he simply smiled.
"Haven't you had enough?" He asked.
"Meizi?" The old man cold and as he turned around his hair fell back with his hairpin that the young man on the other side of the hedge couldn't help but admire the young man who had turned out to be a woman.
She had a small pair of dark eyes and her face was young and chiseled, her skin seemed flawless even from a distance and her nose too was small while her temples were fairly wide apart and her lashes thin, her jawline was narrow and her cheeks not so chubby.
"Beautiful." He muttered.
"I'm sorry Master." Yang Meizi said as she bowed her head to the old man.
"I haven't seen you in a couple of days and compared to all your other friends your skills have greatly improved." The old man remarked.
"Thank you Master Bao." The young girl muttered before she stood up and looked at the others.
"Don't you think that you are a little bit too tough for a girl?" One of the young men asked.
"Brother Langya, you slack off too much during your practice." Meizi replied.
"And I tell him about the same as his grandfather yet he doesn't seem to listen to me." Master Bao said.
"Well said." Another remarked.
"He's always hanging out with Bo An since childhood and those two are inseparables." Master Bao said as he pointed at him.
"Brother Bo An, you are to be blamed." Meizi said and while their conversation seemed to only become interesting another young woman who looked slightly older in her appearance appeared on the grounds.
"Milady." She said to the young woman.
"What is it Nuwa?" Meizi asked.
"Yang Cairen is sick." Nuwa replied and the young girl startled she seemed to widen her eyes in disbelief.
"Mother?" She muttered.
"Yes." Nuwa replied that she started trotting off in a distance while the young man who had been watching her all this time withdrew his attention and prepared to follow only to be hampered by his martial instructor.
"Master?" He insisted.
"Young Master Shi?" The fairly old man called angrily, "you haven't yet honed your skills enough to face her and you wish to follow despite knowing that you won't keep up?" He scolded.
"We'll talk about this later." Shi Miyuan said.
"And just when do you suggest?" The old master said while the young man craning his neck trying to see the direction where the two young women were headed didn't seem to be paying any attention to the old man.
"Are you even listening?" He asked and the young man remembered.
"You know what Master, let me come back first." He said as he quickly ran after them both.
"Come back here, how dare you?" The old man scolded but to no avail as he had long vanished from sight.
Meizi ran ahead of Nuwa through the crowded streets as they were headed towards the palace.
In front of her there was a carriage and right across there was a large pile of wooden cages.
She slid underneath the carriage and then mounting the wooden cages she got onto the nearby roofs of the buildings that constituted the capital.
Nuwa who was running below could simply keep up while Shi Miyuan who was far behind could see nothing more than a tiny silhouette jumping over rooftops in a distance.
"How are you even doing that?" He asked himself as he got into one of the nearby alleys he knew well as a shortcut.
There were a large number of Porter's blocking his path but he squeezed through while Meizi descended from the roofs into another alley that was very close to the palace.
There she was intercepted by Nuwa who found her staring at the very high wall and in the nearby bushes they picked out their clothes and then quickly changed.
There was a set of guards watching the South gate and the two sneaking up behind them they walked in while Shi Miyuan emerged from the small nearby buildings unable to recognize the two women as they passed him bowing their heads.
"Gosh." He cursed as his eyes looked around at all the other people, "where did they go?" He asked himself as he continued in the opposite direction.
Yang Meizi continued through the Courtyard and approaching the East side of the Cifu Palace she found a set of attendants standing outside her foster mother's quarters.
"Milady." They said to her as they bowed their heads.
"I'm here to see my mother." Yang Meizi said and the two looking at each other hesitantly they moved aside and opening the doors for her she quickly walked in with Nuwa following closely behind.
Facing the bed she caught sight of her sick mother who was laying on her bed in plain white clothes and her hair free she had turned pale while her lips were cracked and bruised and her eyes had bags underneath them.
"Mother?" She cried as she quickly hurried over to her side and fell onto her knees and holding her hands she noticed that they had already turned cold while there wasn't a response coming from her.
"Mother?" She continued to call shaking her vigorously but to no avail and as her eyes travelled down to her other hand she noticed that there was a piece of paper that she had been tightly holding onto.
She froze instantly.
"Milady?" Nuwa called her but she ignored as she stretched her hand and took the paper that was in her possession unfolding it and looking through it's contents her eyes widened as she shed more tears.
Nuwa curious she hurried over to her side to read what was written.
"GET OUT OF THE PALACE." The paper said and angry Meizi folded it and threw it down.
The doors of the room were opened and Empress Wu walked in accompanied by her attendants Wan Mei and Wan'er and Nuwa seeing them she moved to the side and bowed her head.
"Greetings Your Highness." She greeted while Yang Meizi rising up and facing the Empress she did the same.
"I'm so sorry." Empress Wu said, "I heard about everything." She added.
"Pardon me Your Highness, how did it all happen when she was very alright this morning?" Yang Meizi asked.
"I won't lie to you because even I don't know what went wrong but I shall have my people investigate." Empress Wu replied when she noticed that she was clenching her fist.
"What's that?" She asked and Yang Meizi looking at her own hand she took the paper and handed it over to her Guardian.
The Empress taking it into her hands she opened it and was just as surprised by it's contents.
At that moment the Imperial physician walked into the room and greeted them all.
"Did you find out anything?" Empress Wu asked.
"Yang Cairen was a very frugal young woman and she wasn't the type to easily pick a fight with any other woman or servant in the palace, a close examination of everything that she was using including the make up revealed that her musk contained cyanide." The Imperial physician replied.
"Impossible." Yang Meizi remarked.
"I know that this is something very hard to believe but it is the truth." The Imperial physician said.
"Thank you" Empress Wu said.
"I'll take my leave." The Imperial physician replied as he bowed his head and withdrew from the room immediately while Yang Meizi turning around to look at her mother she walked over to her bed and sat down.
"I was too late." She muttered, "this is all my fault." She added as she raised her hand and touched her mother's cheek.
"It's not your fault." Empress Wu said.
"For seventeen whole years she took me in and protected me from the world, she gave me her name and treated me no less than my real mother and when I thought that I had lost out on that love she gave it all back to me without restraint or hesitation." Yang Meizi said.
"I understand how painful it is." Empress Wu said.
"I was only eight years old and I remember those men that attacked the Mountain and the entire fraternity, while my brothers and I were orphaned from the others we were separated and moreso looking back then perhaps I have been a little too lax Your Highness." Yang Meizi said.
"I'll have them investigate this." Empress Wu said.
"No Your Highness." Yang Meizi rebuked that she seemed quite surprised by her action.
"Don't you want to seek justice for your mother?" Empress Wu asked.
"I admit that I do Your Highness and there is in deed something that I am after yet to risk the life of another dying for my sake please forgive me if I may sound insolent but I simply wish to have your permission to personally investigate this in secret." Yang Meizi said as she stood up from the bed and kneeling in front of the retired Empress she bowed her head.
"What about Your mother's words?" Empress Wu asked, "don't you think that she desired even in her final moment to keep you less involved in these palace Politics?" Empress Wu asked.
"Palace Politics or not Your Highness I have bled and I can't sleep thinking about all those Innocents that I have lost over the years.
I am already twenty five years old but what good have I done, if I can not avenge my mothers then how could I call myself a filial Daughter?" Yang Meizi asked.
"Then vengeance is all that you desire?" Empress Wu asked.
"Your Highness has been benevolent all these years and you have taught me much better than anyone else in this life, in this Palace we struggle to survive and the sunrise at each new day is a gift while the twilight is simply a reward for those that are hardworking enough.
I promised you as a child and I won't stop until I have avenged them all, whether it means that I have to baptise this land in blood as long as I can give justice to those comrades of mine that have fallen over the years and those that weren't even granted a proper funeral." Yang Meizi said and she placed her head on the ground.
"What are you doing?" Empress Wu asked.
"Give me Your blessing Your Highness." She replied and the Empress looking at her she didn't bother lifting her head without not listening to the words that she wanted to hear.
"You are like a daughter to me and even I despise more than anything to see you suffer, if you insist and you wish for peace in your heart I can promise you it won't come and you are destined to be alone all your life if vengeance is your calling.
But now that I understand you are stubborn and that your will is unbreakable, I'll give you the chance to seek the Justice for which you are trying so hard to plead for to me on one condition." Empress Wu said.
"Whatever it is Your Highness." Yang Meizi replied.
"I don't want you to overexert yourself and should any trouble befall you even if it is so simple then I can promise you that I will drag you out of the Palace myself and out of this war." Empress Wu said.
"Yes Your Highness." Yang Meizi replied and thd old woman turning around she walked out of the room while Yang Meizi standing up she returned to her mother's corpse.
"Did you hear that mother?" She said while she slowly brushed her hand over her hair, "I'll find out whoever did this to you and I'll make sure they pay tenfold and hundredfold." She promised as she shed the last of her tears while Nuwa walking up to her she ceased her shoulders to comfort her.
YOU ARE READING
ROSES OF BLOOD
Historical FictionThe Empress Wu fostered a daughter within the Crimson walls of the Cifu Palace who with altered and faint origins she became the sister of a Marquis. Bound to her filial piety and the path of hardship, a "seductress" is what she must become poisonou...
