Three days ago, Binhai nation, Zhu family house,
General Zhu Shiong was sitting in his study and reading some papers. His face was full of distress. Why?
A soldier fights for his country, his family is left behind by him. He doesn't cares if he does or not, what matter is his country's citizens lives which also includes his family's members.
General Zhu Shiong's family has produced so many great fighters and generals for over past ten centuries. He was the one if those who had led the army on north and north west front, where Sonping was situated. Sonping empire had been a great vessel state Yanfou.
During the war, Sonping was hard to take down because it was a symbol of Yanfou's power. So, Zhu Shiong and his sons had fought to get it.
But, he was not a least happy with his achievements for all those years because of his dear daughter who had become the empress of Binhai.
At first few years, he was happy to see her married to his highness and also giving birth to children but soon he realised how wrong he was.
He had been trapped by the schemes of monsters and the emperor and had sent his only weakness in the den of wolves.
After one year of the marriage between, Empress Zhu and Emperor Jing, the empress had become pregnant with her first child. To take care of her, the emperor brought in Imperial Consort Kin Fie and two concubines.
Everything was going right, when he found that her daughter was poisoned when she had given him a surprise visit. He had gone to the depth of this matter and sent many spies both males and females.
What he found, shocked him to his core. He had sent his daughter to the Imperial harem because he didn't want anyone to play with her daughter's emotions just to get him under control. The emperor Jing was a person whom he had seen growing since he was a child so he believed that he was a kind and gentleman. So, he had married his daughter to him.
But, he got to know that the emperor feared that Zhu family would betray him, so to control him, he married Zhu Zhi and made her the empress. She was schemed and everybody got to know that she had tried to kill Kin Fie and the empress dowgar so the Phoenix seal was taken from her as punishment.
Empress Zhu only had the emperor's favour for about one month. In that month, she had got pregnant with the first prince. There were even schemes to kill the first prince but Empress Zhu was enough attentive and faced all the hurdles to give the birth.
She had tried to tell the emperor but she got kicked instead. She did not have any respect in Imperial harem at all.
She was confined and once again schemed to try to kill, the second prince on his birthday celebration many years ago, as a result, she was poisoned in her courtyard and was not even allowed to attend any ceremony, which took place in the Imperial Palace or Imperial Harem. The Edict right that an empress had was snatched.
As a result, his hands were tied. His sons lives and daughter was all in the hands of that emperor. So he could only follow him as a dog.
As he was working, a wind swept past him. He sensed someone's presence.
" Who is there? ", he stood from his place, his gaze was near the window.
" Me.", a shadow spoke.
" Who? What is your motive to come here? ", he asked as he looked at the shadow who now stood in the dark area of the room.
"Who would have thought that the great general who could make anyone helpless in the battle was in reality a helpless man in his life outside the battle. So poor... ", the voice was horse but was pleasant to hear.
The words prick General Zhu Shiong like arrows. He controlled his emotions and took out his sword and pointed towards the shadow.
" I am not here to fight but negotiate. ", the shadow spoke, and a needle came flying which hit the hands of General Zhu.
" Forbidden City's Needle Technique.", he realised it, " You must be from Yanfou, more precisely, you must a guard of the princess Ling Siyue. "
" General Zhu Shiong is worthy of his name and status. ", the shadow came out of the corner. The light covered it.
The shadow was clad in black clothes and and it's face was covered. Only eyes, deep as sea could be seen, nothing else.
" I will come to the point. Princess Ling is marrying Second Prince Jing Yang. She had to face her mother in law, Consort Kin Fie. ", The shadow came forward a step, " The enemy of the enemy is a friend. "
It again came a step forward. Now the shadow was standing face to face General Zhu.
" Empress Zhu helps Princess Ling to face Consort Kin whereas Princess Ling will help her get her status as the empress. ", The shadow picked up the needle.
" You want my daughter and Zhu family to betray the emperor. ", General Zhu's face was ugly.
" Nope. I don't want my princess to face, harem schemes. ",the shadow continued, " She does not know any rule of Binhai whereas, Empress Zhu has learnt every rule."
" How can I believe that Princess can help my daughter ?", General Zhu asked.
" After three days from now, there will be tea offering ceremony. Empress Zhu Zhi will definitely attend. ", the shadow began to go to window.
It stopped and turned it's head, " Tell your daughter about it. And after that ceremony, she has to thank the princess. I am Princess shadow guard who has been given authority to protect her in every way at every place. That will give me a sign that you want this negotiation. ", it again turned but paused and said, " Princess does not know about anything. "
It left the study of General Zhu. General Zhu knew that this shadow guard was not easy to deal with as his mansion had so many guards but no one knew that someone had come.
He thought over the words of the shadow and sent Zhu Zhi a message that if someone called her, then she must thank the last person.
He concluded that it would be Princess Ling who would leave the hall last, as Emperor Jing would leave followed by Prince Jing Yang. Then, Consort Kin would leave followed by her lackeys to show her might .So the last person would be Princess Ling.