Wuxia Tale: Hua in Bloom

Intelligent or Foolish

(PRINCE JIN)

When the Palace Guard pointed at me and confirmed that I am the Prince Jin who gave the orders to him and to several others to attack and kill my own brother, I know that there will be no turning back.

The First Minister had drew the first blood. He has arranged for someone to point at me and accuse me of treason against a member of the Royal Family. My own flesh and blood.

If the First Minister can lay down a believable story and argument, and if the Emperor believes his story, then I can be charge with treason. The punishment for that is banishment or exile. Worse, death.

That's how dangerous this scenario the First Minister is painting. And there will be no turning back now, for all of us.

The First Minister should have thought about this twice. Maybe more times before he proceeded to do this. If he just accepted the Emperor's decision to put Han in thay Crown Prince throne, and counted his blessing that at least, even if it's not Guo, the Crown Prince is still his grandson.

But he chose to take offense that the Emperor gave the throne to another rather than the one he and the Empress were grooming.

Maybe the First Minister knew that he cannot dig his claws into Han. I think the Emperor will oversee Han's study and training as the next Emperor of the land himself. Baba will not let anyone else influence Han other than him so Han will grow loyal to our blood and family. To the throne, as well.

That is why they are still going after me. A way to break my father's spirit. If they can banish me or brand me as a traitor, it will devastate my Baba and weaken his resolve. It will affect our family and it can cause a stir that might reverse the decision of the Emperor to put Han in the Crown Prince throne.

Such clever schemes but I think the First Minister and the Empress are underestimating the ruthlessness of the Emperor. My sire is a loving father and a fair ruler but I know, my Baba is not a man who can tolerate anyone who challenges his authority. He has put down his law, Han is the Crown Prince. Anyone who will protest that decision, will face the Emperor's wrath.

The Emperor is no tyrant, but he is no one's fool and he is not weak either.

The Emperor nodded at the still nervous guard. "I see that at least you know who will point to when asked who is Prince Jin." He said in a bland tone. Guo, who sat rigidly beside me is silently fuming in anger. I put a hand on top of his thigh. I want my brother to stay calm and not do anything irrational that can ruin the Emperor's plan to subdue his protesters.

"He is a witness, your Majesty." The First Minister said. "He knows how Prince Jin ordered guards to kill Prince Guo."

"And I accept him as a witness, First Minister." The Emperor said. "But that doesn't mean that I will easily believe his story. Of course, their is another side that I also have to listen to and consider. Shall we begin the other side of this story?" The Emperor looked at General Wang and nodded.

General Wang bowed down before going back to opening the door again. He gave an order to the soldiers standing outside the room. "Bring the prisoner to me," he said.

We waited for minutes for the "prisoner" to arrive. Wang Dao himself pushed the tied man in a tattered guards uniform to his father.

General Wang dragged the man on the disheveled looking guard in front of us and made him kneel with his head bent down that it obscured our view of his face.