Legend of the Dragon Princess

Chapter 6.1: First Blood

Morning songs from flitting birds were among the first sounds to reach my ears. Their sugar-sweet melodies of life and what is to come did little to calm my nerves before Ming and I set foot onto the extensive shiny, golden floor. Dressed in a deep purple overcoat lined with gold edges, I promptly bowed deeply toward the snake-eyed Empress, my clean forehead gently knocking against the cold tile. It was bit difficult to breathe with the matching gold layers underneath, to be honest. Noting my long silk overcoat and its broad sleeves, the proud woman presented the entire room a wide, fabricated smile upon my chosen formal attire. Ming was also adorned for the setting, wearing a long misty-silver overcoat on top of his white tunic completed with a smoke-silver sash-belt. He too was quick to pay respects.

Stroking his long iron-gray beard, the leading high official slowly walked before the lengthy steps leading up toward the throne. "The royal inquisition will begin!" His thunderous voice nearly trembled the entire room. "In regarding the case incident of last evening's assassination attempt toward Prince Yang Jing Li, we will listen to the statements of the prince and Chen Ming Wei, son of General Chen. After doing so, we will come to a unanimous final decision toward what is to be done!"

One marking of a candlestick later*, the inquisition still proceeded with the leading high official, Ming, and me on the bottom floor. All of us were facing the Empress on her wide, majestic golden throne decorated with numerous dragons all around her. Far beneath each end of the ascended throne and its set of gold steps, there stood two short panels of high officials in their dazzling, splendid robes. Between both panels of people, there was a large gap of space made for the Empress' clear viewing from above. Every member was a man of distinguished birth, a pillar of nobility under the rule of Empress Bao Fan. A few of them, at a time, would ask me and Ming a question regarding last night's incident. To this, we would each take turns to answer. Since it wasn't a court trial but rather a formal interrogation, the Empress would make a proper final decision based on our accounts; things would also adjust as time went along.

"Where is the knife found at the scene?" the Empress finally asked, sitting comfortably in her jade-green embroidered overcoat and frost-white layers. She leaned forward, hovering over the long, pleated yellow skirt. "I would like to see it for myself."

Knife. I turned to Ming, who didn't twitch or bat an eye. Still facing Her Majesty, the young man was as rigid as a rock and possessed the aura of a cascading waterfall. I clearly remembered that there were two knives in Jing's room, which meant that the other one was either lost...or stolen.

The given knife was the one that was lodged into a door hinge, the same one that I had thrown at the assassin. It was examined to be crafted from an average skill-leveled blacksmith, a common metal one that could be easily bought from any market stall in the surrounding area. There was nothing special about it; however, merchants selling such a knife would, with no doubt, be scrutinized for a while during the city-wide hunt.

"And what of yesterday's brawl with the unruly civilian?" inquired the Empress, before sipping her golden goblet of cold water. Hot sweat made its way through my fingers. "We cannot overlook that, also. We shall continue."

After what could be another candlestick marking*, the hearing was gradually closing, much to my relief. I was feeling too warm under the showy layers while Ming carried himself with coolness and everlasting poise. It was then that I caught Ming swallowing the lump in his throat. From thereon, the throne room's mood changed almost instantly. I felt a slow chill going through my skin.

Stirring a silver spoon into the hot tea from her cup, the Empress' dark eyes smiled, a spectral light flickering from its spider-black depths. "Then, at last, I shall ask one final question. To Ming, I would like to know: Did you carry out the proper punishment for this unruly citizen and his barbaric actions and language toward the royal family?" She went sip the cup carefully from its tiny white and blue china plate. "...Or did Hao fulfill it for you?"