It was dark and the young Prince Zhao Kuo and Lan He were sneaking through the backyard, the guards on watch were marching around the palace in various regiments while the two negotiated a small corner and his behind the nearby hedges.
"Where are we going Your Highness!" Lan He asked.
"First keep quiet." Prince Zhao Kuo replied instead and holding his hand he led him to a small wall which had a large pile of wooden crates that were each filled with distorted furniture.
"You don't expect to climb that high?" Lan He said.
"Who mentioned anything about me climbing that high?" Prince Zhao Kuo said when he pushed away some of the furniture and there in the wall was a very small narrow hole.
"Where does it even lead?" He asked.
"It will take us straight into the alley that's right next to the palace and don't worry it's a secret path that even the guards don't know." Prince Zhao Kuo assured and leading the way he crawled through while holding a small bag in his hands that the very moment he was outside the two of them changed their clothes.
"Where did you find this pair?" Lan He asked.
"The Palace staff have their own market, it isn't that hard for me to acquire a couple of noble men's clothes." Prince Zhao Kuo replied as the two walked into the streets.
"A couple of Imperial guards watching the Palace heard yells that were coming from the inner Courtyard and there above on the rooftops there was a group of people that were dressed as assassins hovering above.
"Assassins." The Dowager Empress' guards shouted after them and immediately the drums and warning gongs were sounded throughout the Palace while the Imperial guards arming themselves they started rushing over the place.
The noise was loud enough to shake the capital and Han Touzhou's residence being situated near the Palace his ears picked up the warning.
Lin Xue rushed in immediately while he sweated profusely and breathed heavily.
"What's all that noise coming from the Palace?" He asked.
"Assassins have broken in and the Imperial guards are in turmoil." Lin Xue replied as Han Touzhou stood up from where he was seated.
"It's unlikely." He replied, "perhaps this is the third diversion." He muttered.
"What third diversion?" Lin Xue asked.
"The Palace will be sealed off to capture the Assassins that means even the Dowager Empress' Chambers and the servants quarters where a large number of our people are.
If they are identified it could be the right time to annihilate them and moreso that means that none of our people is being very close to the Dowager Empress right now they won't possibly watch her next move." Han Touzhou said.
"She's hitting two birds with one stone." Lin Xue muttered when the doors of the room were flung open and another of Han Touzhou's men walked in.
"Bad news Your Excellency." He said.
"What's the problem?" Lin Xue asked.
"The Dowager Empress' Palanquin has been spotted leaving the palace secretly through the South gate." He replied and Han Touzhou quickly turned to Lin Xue.
"We should go after the Palanquin." Lin Xue said.
"Her Highness isn't in the Palanquin." Han Touzhou replied.
"If she isn't in the Palanquin then where else would she be?" Lin Xue asked.
"If the Empress were to leave the Palace in such a situation then what would the Emperor and everyone else think, and now that it is known that there are Assassins in the Palace and it's under a total lockdown the essence of this commotion isn't to send someone out but to keep them in." Han Touzhou replied.
"And the two girls?" Lin Xue asked, "what if Her Highness.....?" He added and Han Touzhou widened his eyes.
"Whether we are looking for girls or men have all the people watching the Palace closely follow any of the two that they see around." Han Touzhou ordered the man that was kneeling in front of him.
"Your Excellency?" Lin Xue asked.
"If naturally I was supposed to see through her fault I would be restrained who would have thought that it was merely that one unlikely situation that she was going to use to her advantage?" Han Touzhou muttered.
"This is a confused game Your Highness." Wan Mei said as she looked at the chess pieces on the board.
"This is a gamble but with whom do you think?" Dowager Empress Wu asked.
"The false alarm is the real move, the distraction is the real motive, I'm afraid that Han Touzhou could defect." Wan Mei said.
"Take a closer look." Dowager Empress Wu said, "Yang Meizi is a very smart young woman and she would understand that she is the bait, nonetheless she would lead Han Touzhou's men right where we want them." Dowager Empress Wu said.
"Yet your faith and trust isn't in her." Wan Mei muttered.
"In this game the one effective gamble that I am taking is Han Touzhou, I have faith that he will see through this and when he does he shall have walked into the very trap that I have laid for him unnoticed." Dowager Empress Wu replied while she placed her final piece on the board.
"Your Highness, you win?" Wan Mei said quite surprised.
"As always." Dowager Empress Wu replied with a ghastly smile on her face.
Yang Meizi and Nuwa walked around the street and the two of them approached a small courtyard that was stationed right next to the Ministry of Rites through whose gates they walked through while looking behind.
Prince Zhao Kuo and Lan He at the same time walking through the streets he caught sight of the Capital patrols while Lan He didn't seem to notice sooner he looked around and pushed him through the gates of the house that was just near the ministry of Rites as well.
The men that had been following Yang Meizi and Nuwa seeing them making an entry they quickly rushed over and positioned themselves around the building.
The doors of the room were flung open and Yang Meizi and Nuwa walking inside they found a man who was standing and facing the wall.
"Your Excellency." Yang Meizi greeted as they both bowed their heads and the man turning around he looked at the both of them.
"How may I help you?" He asked.
"We are here on behalf of Her Highness." Yang Meizi replied as the pulled out the copper token and she showed it to him.
"What has Her Highness asked?" Zhao Ruyu asked as he walked closer and Yang Meizi pulling out the book she had been given she handed it over to him.
"Her Highness said that you would understand." Yang Meizi replied and Zhao Ruyu taking it into his hands the doors of the room were flung open at the same time and Lan He and Prince Zhao Kuo rushed in meeting the three standing there altogether.
At the same time looking through the entrance they saw the Assassins charging towards them.
"Get out through the back." Zhao Ruyu ordered and Yang Meizi holding Nuwa's hand she dragged her past him while Lan He and Zhao Kuo followed.
Zhao Kuo looked at Zhao Ruyu who stared the other way while they passed and pretended to have not seen them and the four having arrived in the backyard there were others that had moved around that chased after them.
They reached a wall and halted.
"Jump over." Yang Meizi ordered Nuwa.
"I'm not leaving without you." Nuwa said.
"Trust me when I tell you, jump over." Yang Meizi said on top of her voice and Nuwa complying she bent and supported her while she climbed leaving the three of them and jumping to the other side.
Yang Meizi unsheathed her sword from her belt and she pointed it ahead at the men as they gathered.
"Go first." Lan He yelled at Zhao Kuo and Yang Meizi.
"This is my business." Yang Meizi replied as she looked at the men.
"All our lives are involved here." Lan He muttered.
"Move to the wall." Yang Meizi ordered.
"If a woman can face them then why should I be the one running away?" Lan He said.
"Alright." Yang Meizi said as she turned and looked at Zhao Kuo who was staring at her.
"What are you looking at?" She asked him but he remained silent while she inspected the clothes that he was wearing.
"You are too noble a man, is this your bodyguard?" She asked.
"How dare you?" Lan He asked, "do you know who you are talking to?" He scolded.
"You said you will fight them." Yang Meizi said and the assassins looking at them both were puzzled the first three himself at Lan He who slew him mercilessly.
"Anyone else?" He shouted and the others attacked them all at once.
Zhao Ruyu still stood in the living room while the others penetrated in.
"Such a pleasant surprise." He muttered but the Assassins kept quiet.
"Go ahead and kill me, perhaps you are forgetting who is right next to this building." He said and at once the gates were broken and another force of Imperial troops rushed in along with the Capital patrols as they flooded the Courtyard of the building.
Yang Meizi hearing she moved closer to Zhao Kuo and bent his back as she stepped on him and launched herself on the wall where she stood facing them.
"You?" Lan He scolded but the young woman smiled.
"You wanted to fight them so they are all yours." Yang Meizi muttered before she jumped onto the other side right when then saw ladders and other Imperial guards mounting up to the top of the fence.
Zhao Ruyu walked out of the building and into the backyard where a majority of the Assassins were.
"Arrest these traitors and rebels, they dared to break into the Palace and make an attempt on the lives of the members of the Imperial family." He said and the Imperial troops surrounding them they were all cornered while the others attempting an escape were shot down with arrows.
Dowager Empress Wu still looking at the Chess board with Wan Mei Wan'er rushed into her quarters.
"Congratulations Your Highness." She said with a smile on her face.
"Yang Meizi and Nuwa?" Dowager Empress Wu asked.
"They succeeded." Wan'er replied with a smile on her face and the Dowager Empress stood up and smiled ghastly.
"What are you waiting for?" She asked when another of her ladies in waiting walked into the room.
"Your Highness, forty seven palace maids and twenty six Imperial guards were murdered tonight." She announced and thr smile on the Dowager Empress' face widened.
"Take me to His Majesty." She ordered and at once she marched out of her hall confidently being joined by her retinue of ladies in waiting and Imperial guards.
"Your Highness." Liu Zhan barged into the room of the Crown Princess lying in her bed she was compelled to sit up.
"What is it?" She asked.
"The palace is in turmoil and the Imperial Prince is missing." Liu Zhan replied that her mistress immediately stood up from where she was seated while hearing the sound of footsteps rushing outside.
"What's happening?" Crown Princess Li asked.
"Assassins broke into the Palace killing forty seven Palace maids and twenty six Imperial guards and the Dowager Empress has given an order for all residences and Courts to be excommunicated until the issue has passed." Liu Zhan replied.
"It can't possibly be, her intention is to confine me." Crown Princess Li muttered.
"What from Your Highness?" Liu Zhan asked noticing that with the expression on her Mistress' face she also seemed a little bit surprised.
Han Touzhou still pacing around his room Lin Xue walked in.
"How did everything go?" He asked.
But Lin Xue suddenly quiet it was very easy for him to understand that something was wrong.
"What did Her Highness do?" He asked.
"We were outsmarted Your Excellency and we killed our own people." Lin Xue replied.
"What do you mean?" Han Touzhou asked.
"The Dowager Empress has gained control of the Palace guards and our informants and officers there have been entirely slain the likely surviving ones could flee anytime soon." Lin Xue said.
"How?" Han Touzhou asked.
"The Palace is close to the Ministry of Rites and when there were assassins all over who would have thought that the Empress using that to her advantage had the capital patrols roaming around?
Our brothers following the two women were led to their death and since they were arrested near the ministry of Rites dressed as Assassins....?" Lin Xue was saying but was interrupted.
"Zhao Ruyu could only conclude that they were the culprits that broke into the Palace." Han Touzhou said.
"Her Highness might not only stop at that and I fear that of they were to interrogate them and torture them then your identity would be exposed.
Moreso to make things worse attempted assassination of members of the Imperial family is considered High Treason so with a death penalty attached to it it's unlikely that those men will survive." Lin Xue said.
"If the Empress doesn't kill them I will but she could expect us to act up soon enough so she could assure them that their security is guaranteed.
Besides, it's much easier to break into the palace but not out of it so if we are to consider rescuing them along the way I fear that Her Highness could have foreseen that possibility." Han Touzhou said.
"We can silence them all for good." Lin Xue said.
"Even if we did what would the others think of us, moreso if we abandon them right now who would wish for an alliance in the future." Han Touzhou asked.
"I don't care what they have to think and perhaps if someone is to be responsible for the consequences then I'd be willing to pay down my life for your sake.
Beside you I am worth a thousand of those men and I would never betray you for anything in the world." Lin Xue said.
"We can't blame the Empress because we acted first, if we identify flaws on her people then she could do the same with us, the only way that we could save both ourselves and those people is if we let another hand intervene in this matter." Han Touzhou said.
"The last person in the Imperial family that would help us is the Crown Princess but at this point in time even her residence has been excommunicated and it's heavily guarded." Lin Xue replied while Han Touzhou sat down.
"This is a very hard one." He muttered.
"Could there really be no other way?" Lin Xue asked.
"At this point in time there is one more suicidal move that we have to risk." Han Touzhou replied while his eyes shifted as he looked ahead.
"Your Excellency." Lin Xue called.
"We have to risk breaking them out." Han Touzhou said to firmly clenching his fist on the table he looked more determined than he had ever been.
Dowager Empress Wu walked into the Emperor's Chambers and himself noticing her presence he rushed over to his mother.
"What's with the commotion outside?" Emperor Xiaozong asked.
"Assassins Your Majesty." Dowager Empress Wu replied.
"Assassins?" Emperor Xiaozong asked.
"I have asked the guards to confine any outsiders from entering the Palace and the Capital patrols and the Imperial troops surveiling the areas around the Palace shall certainly catch them.
I was unsettled and I had to be sure that Your Majesty was safe and that is why I ask that you forgive me for intruding on you in such a very short notice." Dowager Empress Wu replied.
"Mother?" Emperor Xiaozong said as he held her hand, "Even now you think of me?" He asked.
"The mourning period of Your father hasn't yet even been concluded and someone is stirring up trouble, how could I feel comfortable when it is my family that is being threatened right now?" Dowager Empress Wu asked.
"Your right Your Highness." Emperor Xiaozong asked.
"I only wish to ask one thing from Your Majesty if you don't mind?" Dowager Empress Wu said.
"Go on mother." Emperor Xiaozong said.
"I want to be in charge of the interrogation of those culprits." Dowager Empress Wu replied and the Emperor who was surprised widely opened his eyes.
"I know that I may not look as strong but at the time your father's soul hasn't rested in peace and something like this happens I can not help but feel infuriated.
Moreso someone has to be in charge of these Assassins and they must be powerful and I wish to personally get to the bottom of this." Dowager Empress Wu said as she went on her knees with her ladies in waiting and bowed to the Emperor.
"There's no need mother." Emperor Xiaozong said.
"You must be very busy that there isn't someone to share your burdens with you, please, allow me as a mother to at least put in a very similar effort and find justice for His Late Majesty." Dowager Empress Wu said.
"Alright mother." Emperor Xiaozong muttered as he held her up by her hands and raised her onto her feet while she smiled heartily at him.
"I don't know what I would have done without you." He muttered, "at times I only wish other ladies in the Palace were like you." he added.
"You are my son that I raised and you are that son that I live for, when Your father was handing down the throne to you he made me promise that I shall support you, that I shall look after you and that I shall protect you, naturally like any mother would feel towards her child, my feelings towards you push me to protect you because you are the only son that I have left in the world and in peace my humble desire is to bury your enemies before they bury you." Dowager Empress Wu said.
She walked out of the Emperor's quarters with her head held high when one of the Imperial guards hurried up to her.
"Your Highness." He greeted while she nodded her head with approval.
"The criminals have been arrested and they are awaiting interrogation." The guard replied.
"Send word to the Ministry of Justice and tell them that I shall be there in three days, they know what it is that must be done." Dowager Empress Wu ordered as she continued her own way.
Prince Zhao Kuo and Lan He were brought into Zhao Ruyu's office.
"They are here Your Excellency." Xiao Nan, one of his female officers said.
"Leave us." Zhao Ruyu muttered and the young woman letting go of them and walking out of the room Zhao Ruyu pointed for them to sit right in front of him and they complied while he poured them some tea.
"How does it feel like being dressed up like an average scholar Your Highness?" He asked as he picked up his cup and blew ad it before he placed it on the table.
"What can I say, these clothes feel a little bit lighter." Zhao Kuo replied and Zhao Ruyu smiling he placed down his cup before even taking a sip.
"Your Highness might not know what is going on in the Palace but Assassins broke in and they wrecked havoc, Palace guards were killed and ladies in waiting as well and yet coincidentally you were spotted by the Imperial troops in the very place where the Assassins had been moreso with a guise and sure enough many could not recognize you but if word went out what would people think?" He asked.
"Treason?" Lan He replied.
"You are very smart." Zhao Ruyu muttered.
"Just say what you wish to say, sure enough you are uncomfortable with the fact that His Imperial Highness has to be implicated." Lan He muttered.
"I offered you a way out and I am as surprised how the ladies beat you to it." Zhao Ruyu muttered.
"You even ask, one had the audacity to mount His Highness' back." Lan He muttered.
"Those ladies aren't ordinary ladies and who would think that you are the Imperial Prince outside the Palace?" Zhao Ruyu asked.
"Forget it." Zhao Kuo muttered as he seemed to be rather absent minded.
"I can help you get into the palace and we could both benefit just as much, consider this as me saving your life and perhaps in the future when you look back I am very sure that you'll be eternally grateful." Zhao Ruyu muttered.
The two got out of the room and slowly they descended the stairs.
"Sure he is a very sly fox." Lan He complained and looking at the young Prince he realised that his master was smiling at himself.
Zhao Kuo couldn't help but replay the whole incident at the back of his mind while he recalled how tightly the young girl had held him and forced him to bend while she stepped on his back and launched herself onto the wall.
"Your Highness?" Lan He yelled snapping in front of him and the young Prince coming back to his senses he looked at him.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"What are you thinking about?" Lan He asked him instead.
"Nothing." Prince Zhao Kuo replied.
"How can it be nothing, I have known Your Highness since childhood so you couldn't possibly lie to me." Lan He said.
"Alright." Prince Zhao Kuo replied, "To tell you honestly I have never had such an eventful evening." He remarked.
"Why so?" Lan He asked, "someone climbed onto your back and even I myself I have never done it." He said.
"Honestly, even I don't know." Prince Zhao Kuo replied, "all my life I have seen people pampering me from the very start to do things right." he said, "however...." He seemed hesitant.
"What?" Lan He asked.
"She is the first person that dares to treat me like everyone else." Prince Zhao Kuo replied while he looked at Lan He.
"You met her just once and you already like her?" He asked, "Lin'an and the Dynasty are very big in size so what's the possibility that you'll meet her again?" He said.
"I don't know." Prince Zhao Kuo replied, "however one thing I am most certain of is if at once I did meet her once again, I have would be very happy." He muttered as he raised his head and looked up to the sky.
Dowager Empress Wu walked into her Chambers and found Yang Meizi and Nuwa already kneeling on the ground.
"Get up." She ordered and the two complying she smiled at them both.
"Ask me whatever it is that you wish to have." She said, "I believe that you have earned it." She added.
"I dare not Your Highness, for it was you who took me in when I had nowhere left to go and you have been my guardian all these years, to help you tackle Han Touzhou and get justice and vengeance for all of them my people that were slaughtered is my greatest gift." Yang Meizi said.
"We are content Your Highness." Nuwa supplemented as they bowed their heads.
"Thanks to you the plan was pulled off successfully and we can not be too certain but we'll take a gamble if those captured will say a word.
Rest assured though that this is not the end and after everything that has happened Han Touzhou might perhaps wish to get familiar with the both of you." Dowager Empress Wu muttered.
"All the better for me Your Highness." Yang Meizi said.
"Why?" Dowager Empress Wu asked.
"I don't care less whether he gets to know me or he doesn't, I only wish to go to the mountain and worship my mother along with my Uncle as it has been a while since I have been there." Yang Meizi said.
"Whenever you are ready, I'll let you go." Dowager Empress Wu asked.
"If Your Highness doesn't mind then I wish to go as soon as possible." Yang Meizi said and there was an awkward silence while the Dowager Empress looked at her.
"I thought that you were going to stay behind and watch the interrogation, surely you'd wish to behold Han Touzhou's demise with your own eyes." The Dowager Empress remarked.
"I trust that I won't be very late, but it's around that time seventeen years ago, I intend to remain their grieving and fasting for a couple of days before I return to the Capital." Yang Meizi said.
"If you say so." Dowager Empress Wu remarked and Yang Meizi withdrawing with Nuwa from the Hall the doors were shut down behind them as Wan Mei and Wan'er got closer.
"Who would have thought Your Highness that they would turn down gifts from you?" Wan Mei asked.
"Contrary to that I only think that they are very faithful and not easily corrupted by precious gifts." Wan'er said as she fanned the Empress.
"There loyalty endures as long as their thirst for vengeance, we have a common enemy and that makes us only very powerful allies.
Sometimes I can only imagine that as an enemy of mine she would have been my greatest for." Dowager Empress Wu said.
"But heaven willed it that you become very powerful allies and perhaps it isn't that bad Your Highness that you can take advantage of that hatred and desire for vengeance of theirs." Wan Mei said.
"Perhaps." Dowager Empress Wu said, "I am only fighting to survive the political battlefield that there's no room for me to feel remorseful towards Han Touzhou or merciful towards him." She added.
"But he won't rest easy on this attack especially when you posses his men." Wan'er remarked.
"What do you think I want?" Dowager Empress Wu asked as she stood up while she walked around the table to the window of her room.
"I want Han Touzhou right there so that he is like a small weasel caught within a trap and the harder that he keeps on trying to fight it, the tighter it's going to squeeze him until he can no longer breathe." She muttered under her breath as she smiled ghastly.
The sun rose over the city and Shi Miyuan sat while leaning against his balcony which overlooked the other buildings if the City in a distance.
The melodies of the birds in the air were very beautiful while the wind howled gently carrying with it the rose scents and the the peach tree leaves.
He'd always loved watching such a beautiful spectacle except that at the time there was something else on his mind as he seemed to recall how a young woman had fought for him a couple of days ago.
The very first time that he'd seen a woman waving a sword with so much grace and valour while her feet were very light on the ground like water.
Her waist straight but flexible and her hands and wrists very smooth while the wind blew through her hair.
"Beautiful." He found himself saying, "very beautiful." He added taking a deep breath he didn't seem to notice that there was someone walking very close to him.
The young man halted.
"Am I really that beautiful?" He seemed to ask himself remembering what brought him he simply patted Shi Miyuan on the shoulder.
The latter sighed.
"Those beautiful dark eyes." He said and his colleague touched his own, "those cherry lips." And he hoped to feel them as well, "that flawless skin." But his felt somewhat rough, "and hips." Shi Miyuan added while the young man shrieked in fear.
"How big are those nipples underneath." He muttered and the young man finally surprised he cried out loud.
Shi Miyuan turned to see who it was.
"Dong Hua?" He called.
"You didn't tell me that all these years you had feelings for me, Oh Buddha please be merciful." He lightly cried while bowing his head.
"Who said anything about you being beautiful?" Shi Miyuan scolded.
"You just praised my eyes and called them beautiful, my rough skin to you is very flawless, my lips are like cherries and even you wonder how big my nipples are?" Dong Hua asked.
Shi Miyuan felt embarrassed.
"Did I say that?" He asked.
"Me and you are the only ones here, are you mad to talk to yourself if you're not talking to me?" Dong Hua asked.
"You misunderstood." Shi Miyuan said and Dong Hua relieved he sighed.
"So who were you thinking about?" He asked and Shi Miyuan boasting he walked inside and sat down while Dong Hua followed.
"Fine." Shi Miyuan said as he leaned over the table.
"I met a girl." He said.
"Tell me about her." Dong Hua demanded.
"She is very beautiful and of fair figure, she is very fiery when angry, her hands are smooth even if she has wielded a sword, moreso just the look of her would give you shivers." Shi Miyuan replied.
"I thought that she was like any average girl." Dong Hua remarked.
"She isn't like those other average types." Shi Miyuan said, "she's Excellent in almost everything I could tell, she's very strong, she rarely seems to smile and she knows how to jump over walls and run on roofs." Shi Miyuan said dreamily and Dong Hua surprised he leaned closer and looked him into the eye.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked.
"Everyone would be in love with a soft hearted and kind young woman who knows how to cook dumplings and pork ribs and lotus roots soup, you're the first I have heard falling in love with a woman who wields a sword and moreso when I really think about it does she know how to cook?" Dong Hua asked and Shi Miyuan slapped him on the shoulder.
"You know nothing." He said.
"What's even her name?" Dong Hua asked.
"I don't know." Shi Miyuan replied.
"Impossible." Dong Hua said, "you don't even know her name?" He said as he laughed mockingly while Shi Miyuan stood up and pointed at him.
"You?" He said and running around the table Dong Hua did not wait as he ran out immediately.
Prince Zhao Kuo was seated in his Chambers when the doors were flung open and his Eunuch walked through.
"Good morning Your Highness." He greeted.
"What is it Eunuch Gao?" Zhao Kuo asked.
"Her Highness the Princess Consort has invited you over to the Tingyue Pavilion for breakfast." Eunuch Gao replied and the young Prince hearing he stood up from where he was seated.
"I am not hungry, tell her that I am going to visit my Great Grandmother." Prince Zhao Kuo replied and without waiting for another word he charged out of the room at once where he found Lan He waiting on him.
"Let's go." He ordered and the latter followed while in a distance there was a Palace maid watching she quickly moved around the corner and hurried over to a young woman that was seated while looking at the ducks in the pond.
She was beautiful and calm in her expression with tiny glittering brown eyes and her face round ending in a flat chin, her nose was small and identical to that of her uncle while her lips were naturally cherry red in colour yet even as she seemed to love adorning herself in jewels her clothes were made of fine silk which was colored blue and green with a beautiful emerald coloured top while her hair was piled up and adorned with a series of golden floral hairpins inlaid with rubies and Jade.
"Your Highness." The lady in waiting called and raising her head to her she possessed a somewhat fierce and domineering glance that was just as beautiful.
"Is he on his way?" She asked.
"He walked in the direction of the Cifu Palace." the lady in waiting replied and the young woman sighed.
"A very filial great grandson he is, how poor and uncaring for a husband though." Princess Consort Han muttered.
"Calm down Your Highness." The lady in waiting replied.
"Qing Yi?" She called, "Could you calm down if you were in my place?" Princess Consort Han asked while the latter bowed her head instead.
"It's been a while and the First Prince passed on in infancy, everyone is looking up to me and expecting an heir while to the world I shall become a joke if the Emperor would rather spend time visiting other Imperial relatives than stay with me." Princess Consort Han remarked.
"Why don't you ask your uncle?" Qing Yi asked.
"What would all the other servants in the palace think, when I have to rely on my uncle for everything I could as well give him control of the harem in Future when I become the Empress." Princess Consort Han replied.
"I'm sorry Your Highness." Qing Yi said.
"Get rid of all these dishes and feed them to the swines or horses." The Princess Consort muttered as she stood up from the pavilion where she was seated and was escorted by her other ladies in waiting.
Zhao Kuo and his entourage of attendants were headed across one of the hallways when Yang Meizi and Nuwa descending the stairs of the Dowager Empress' hall he caught sight of them at a distance that he halted in his footsteps.
"What is it Your Excellency?" Lan He asked when he noticed that the young Prince was absent minded.
"There." He pointed ahead and his eyes following he realised what it was that had won over His master's attention.
"Aren't they the same girls from the other day?" He asked and the Prince recalling that familiar face even with her head bowed down he could tell in a distance that he wasn't mistaken.
"She is." He muttered under his breath.
"As I expected." Lan He remarked while the two women turned around and negotiated another corner vanishing to the West side of the Dowager Empress' Palace.
The Prince wanting to follow was stopped by his attendants and Lan He who held his hand.
"Your Highness where are you going?" he Asked.
"How can you ask where I am going, can you not see?" Prince Zhao Kuo asked.
"And the Dowager Empress?" he asked right when Wan'er walked out of the hall and in a distance she caught sight of the Prince that she immediately rushed over to him.
"Your Highness." She greeted.
"Who is she?" Zhao Kuo asked and Wan'er looking around and unable to see any of the people that the young Prince was talking about she nodded her head.
"Who Your Highness?" She asked.
"The girl that just walked out, I have never seen her in the Palace before I couldn't help but wonder if she is a distant relative." Zhao Kuo replied and Lan He the other side he coughed mockingly.
"She is one of Her Highness' people." Wan'er replied, "don't worry much about it, the Dowager Empress has been expecting you." Wan'er replied.
"Lead the way." Zhao Kuo ordered and Wan'er walking ahead he leaned over and then whispered to Lan He.
"Watch her." He said under his and Lan He bowing his head he walked into the hall while the doors being shut behind him he knelt down in front of the Dowager Empress.
"Greetings Your Highness." He said.
"I haven't seen you in a long while." Dowager Empress Wu said.
"Pardon me Your Highness, I didn't come soon enough hearing of His Late Majesty's death I figured that you might feel a little bit upset and perhaps you needed some time alone." Zhao Kuo replied.
"Don't worry, I am not angry." Dowager Empress Wu said with a smile on her face and Zhao Kuo looking behind Eunuch Gao walked ahead holding in his hand a small box which he knelt down and presented to the Dowager Empress.
"This is fine ginseng tea that I figured Your Highness would love." Zhao Kuo said.
"As usual." Dowager Empress Wu said, "I have a grandson that notices all the things I cherish and desire." Dowager Empress Wu said and Wan Mei walking from her side she took the box away while the young Prince stood up and moved to the nearby table.
Dong Hua and Shi Miyuan stood outside the Martial Academy staring at the plaque that was hanging above.
"Is this it Your Excellency?" Dong Hua asked.
"How could I forget that I had seen her here first?" Shi Miyuan asked and Dong Hua sighed in disbelief.
"Not just any Martial academy but the best in the Capital, I can't help but wonder why it has you a poor student." Dong Hua teased.
"What does it matter to me, as long as I know that you'll Always be there to protect me I am confident in your skills there isn't a need for me to hone mine." Shi Miyuan replied.
"Yet it's awfully quiet here." Dong Hua said.
"I don't know." Shi Miyuan muttered.
"What?" Bao Langya asked.
"Han Touzhou is a very cunning man and after the explosion of the mine he'll need to find out more money to compensate his loss he is definitely going to be smuggling in goods from Goryeo." Yang Meizi replied.
"Goryeo?" Bo An asked.
"The last five years have taught us the consequences of fighting a fruitless war and our brothers at the docks and the coastline have been monitoring it for a while.
Around this time of year goods come in from Goryeo with a majority of the soldiers returning home to their families defense at sea is lax so it's much easier for authorities to carry out transactions.
Some of the finest otter skins arrive and a few accessories moreso not to forget there is salt from Gaegyeong that will be shipped in, while the trade with the Jurchens is rather challenging the silk route is dormant because of the massive raids most of the security is stationed around this area." Yang Meizi said.
"They'll definitely pass through Mt. Tai." Bao Langya said.
"I asked her Highness for permission to go to the mountain and pray for my mother and Uncle." Yang Meizi said, "I'll spend there three days in which the secret caravan will be travelling and it is guarded by some of the best Martial artists we can only rely on the woods around as the perfect place to launch our attack." Yang Meizi said.
"Won't Han Touzhou retaliate?" Bo An asked.
"At the time given the series of events that happened in the Palace a couple of days ago he has his men to worry about speaking anything against him while in the Empress' hands and moreso after the incident of the mine his attention is now divided as he expects his greatest blow to come from the palace." Yang Meizi replied.
"This path has been hidden for years if we attack now when he is already in another dilemma we are likely to take him by surprise." Bao Langya said.
"But why don't we just destroy the Port?" Bo An Asked.
"We need Han Touzhou to be suspicious of the people he is working with because as I am well informed there are three channels for the smuggled goods and two are controlled by Minister Li and Minister Cao respectively." Yang Meizi replied.
"If the routes of the others are not attacked then naturally he'll become suspicious." Nuwa said.
"But that's not enough." Yang Meizi replied, "we must get the others to believe that Han Touzhou personally destroyed his goods in transit to justify his resistance with the others." Yang Meizi said.
"This mission is very difficult and moreso the Martial Academy needs to run so that we don't garner any suspicion of involvement." Master Bao said.
"Rest assured." Yang Meizi replied. "Three days from now we'd be celebrating the New Moon festival so it's the perfect guise for us to act." Yang Meizi replied.
Suddenly the door was opened and a young man walked in.
"Chancellor Shi Hao's son is here." He said.
"You may leave." Yang Meizi said, "I wish to stay behind with Bao Langya and Bo An." She added and the others bowing their heads they walked out of the room.
Zhao Kuo walked out of the hall and descending the stairs he caught sight of Lan He who was waiting for him.
He hurried over to his side.
"Tell me." Zhao Kuo demanded.
"The two of them went to the Qingliang Martial Academy." Lan He replied.
"No wonder she is an excellent martial artist." Zhao Kuo muttered, "it's one of the best Martial schools in the Capital." He added.
"Your Highness, I don't understand why you are doing this." Lan He said.
"Should I really tell you anything?" Zhao Kuo asked.
"You seem to be interested in her and I don't know why you have to go through so much when you can ask her to become a part of your harem." Lan He replied.
"You saw her temperment, do you think she would allow?" Zhao Kuo asked.
"You are an Imperial grandson who would say no?" Lan He asked.
"By the time she climbed over my back I don't want to force her, instead I plan to make her fall for me." Zhao Kuo said as he stopped and raised his chest confidently taking a deep breath.
"No offense Your Highness but compared to her what special talent do you posses?" Lan He teased with a smile on his face.
"I think I should behead you." Zhao Kuo said chasing after him while his entourage ran after him.
Yang Meizi descended the stairs from the room accompanied by the other two and Shi Miyuan who was looking around finally noticing her presence he hurriedly stood in front of her blocking her path with Dong Hua.
She sighed.
"Do you remember me?" He asked.
"Excuse me." She replied coldly as she attempted to walk past him but he blocked her path.
"I am the one you saved last time." Shi Miyuan said.
"No need to thank me the bandits were annoying." Yang Meizi muttered as she attempted to move past him while he stretched out his hand to hold onto her.
She moved aside and he was about to fall when he held onto something tightly not knowing what it was the last thing he heard immediately was the loud gasp that came from everyone else.
It was squishy and soft and himself puzzled as to why he had seemed to gain his equilibrium so fast he turned around to see what it was that had saved his life only to meet the cold glare of the young woman he was forced to lower his eyes to his right hand and noticed it was her breast.
"You pervert." Yang Meizi screamed and the others turning around and looking the other way, she held his hand and removed it twisting his fingers that he cried.
She moved behind him and twisted his shoulder as well while knocking his feet and forcing him on his knees she kicked him straight in his groin a cry escaping from his mouth it scared away the birds in the surrounding trees.
"Make sure I don't see you next time." Yang Meizi said as she quickly strode away while Bao Langya and Bo An looking at Dong Hua they went their own way.
"I envy your skills of talking to women." Dong Hua teased, "I now see why you don't know her name." He added.
"Help me up." Shi Miyuan said barely having the strength to lift his tongue.
"What if I don't?" Dong Hua asked, "you're the one who molested her if your father learnt of this or any of the masters saw it you would be grounded." he added.
"I am Shi Miyuan the son of Shi Hao the son of Shi Níng the Son of Shi Da." He said as he rose up from the ground where he had fallen, "hear me out for I am not the type of person to give up a fight that easily." He shouted but still holding onto his groin the pain was unbearable.
"Is her leg made of iron?" He asked.
"I think before you can chase after her we should first check and see if that part is greatly damaged because I fear the impact of such a strike my friend could make you impotent." Dong Hua said while he faked tears.
The Prince Zhao Kuo and Lan He stopped outside the Academy and there the both of them watched the entrance while the young Prince smiled heartily.
"What are we doing here?" He asked.
"Is this the place where your men said they saw her entering?" Zhao Kuo asked.
"Yes Your Highness." Lan He replied and the young Prince boasting he slowly approached the gates when they were flung open and Yang Meizi walked out with Nuwa while they moved over to the group of horses that had been saddled nearby.
He immediately lost his courage and turned around to hide his face while Yang Meizi didn't seem to notice.
She mounted her red stead with Nuwa and the two riding off the young Prince looked at them as they went through the streets.
"Follow them." Prince Zhao Kuo ordered.
"Your Highness?" Lan He bargained.
"That was an order." Zhao Kuo replied and a couple of guards hearing that they immediately hurried away while the young Prince turned to Lan He who dared not look him in the eye.
"Are you afraid?" He asked.
"No." Lan He replied.
"What's bothering you then?" Prince Zhao Kuo asked.
"I am only worried." Lan He replied.
"Most people are worried that the Emperor will order for their heads to be chopped off yet you are the only one that worries about me chasing after a girl." He said.
"She is no ordinary girl Your Highness but what about Han Touzhou and then your mother." Lan He said.
"I can not cling onto my mother's skirts and I am past that age." Zhao Kuo replied.
"If you could posses half as much power Your Highness then it would be very easy." Lan He replied.
"You can have estates, land and wealth, all the power in the world that your heart desires." Zhao Kuo muttered as he faced the direction where Yang Meizi had vanished from.
"For me if I could have her, then certainly I'd be content that I have the whole world." He said.
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...
