Crown Princess Li stood at the bridge just above the Royal pond and raising her head up to the sky she watched a couple of pigeons flying by that she smiled.
With her other ladies in waiting standing at a distance, Liu Zhan approached her slowly and greeted her.
"Tell me." Crown Princess Li said.
"As you willed, Yang Cairen is dead." She muttered.
"And what we were after?" Crown Princess Li asked while the young woman kept quiet.
"Didn't you hear me?" Crown Princess Li asked.
"Her room is out of bounds and we can't possibly get in, and moreso right now, I don't think it will be possible for us to get our hands on the Edict." Liu Zhan replied.
"Then why do I keep you around?" Crown Princess Li asked as she turned around and looked at her.
"Consort Huang was not careful and Eunuch Wei too was a little bit reckless in the first place and moreso it's likely that Yang Cairen anticipated this attack that it's natural that she could have hidden the Edict somewhere where we couldn't easily find it." Liu Zhan replied.
"And the Retired Empress?" Crown Princess Li asked.
"She too seems to be ignorant about it." Liu Zhan replied, "as it is she carried out an investigation about Yang Cairen's murder she wouldn't have bothered if she had anything dirty on us." She added.
"Yang Cairen was someone who desisted from any participation in Palace Politics and now given the fact that she died such a very strange death she too could suspect it wasn't an accident but rather there was either something that she knew or she had that was vital enough to get her killed." Crown Princess Li said.
Liu Zhan kept quiet.
"Yang Cairen wasn't the person to leave the palace or her residence so whatever it is that got her killed it must be within those four corners of her Chambers." Crown Princess Li said.
"The only problem that we have is that her foster Daughter Yang Meizi might not leave that room anytime soon and another attempt on her life as well could arouse the suspicion of the Emperor." Liu remarked.
"A report is necessary and the room itself being a crime scene then don't you think that there will be certain restrictions?" Crown Princess Li asked.
"I understand Your Highness." Liu Zhan replied.
"The Empress could try to keep it a secret but she can't stop investigations given that one of the Emperor's Concubines died and since that is the case then it's possible for us to have a go." Crown Princess Li said.
"I'll deal with it right away." Liu Zhan said.
"Don't." The Crown Princess replied.
"Your Highness?" Liu Zhan said.
"I want Eunuch Wei to deal with it." Crown Princess Li said.
"Yes Your Highness." Liu Zhan replied and bowing her head she walked away.
Shi Miyuan disappointed he walked through the doors of his manor and arriving in the Courtyard he gazed around and noticed that it was a little bit too busy.
One of the maid servants loitering about halted carrying in her hands a set of decorations.
"Young Master." She said as she bowed her head to him.
"What's going on?" Shi Miyuan asked.
"Congratulations." The young woman replied, "Young Master passed the Imperial Exams." She added and the young man who didn't seem shocked about it stretched his hands.
"It was no different from the one that I took when I was seventeen, five years now and one can say that I am still as smart as I was back then." He boasted a little.
"You scoundrel?" There was a voice that called to him and as his eyes moved across to the entrance of the inner Courtyard, she saw an old man that was standing there with a club.
"Father?" He said a little bit too surprised.
"Where have you been?" He asked angrily and the young boy looking down there were a couple of guards that ceased his arms and they dragged him in.
The old man leading the way he stopped in one spacious room that contained some of the finest furniture in the kingdom almost identical to that of the palace, it wad quite colourful with a series of shelves that were filled with a number of books.
"You can leave us." The old man said and the two guards that had brought the young man inside bowing their heads they walked out of the room leaving them all alone.
"Please tell me." The old man said, "who is that girl that made you desert your martial instructor?" He asked.
"I don't know." Shi Miyuan replied.
"You are my son and my flesh and blood, topping the Imperial examination again is evidence to your wicked brain and your smartness." The old man said.
"Chancellor Shi Hao, was it not you who told me that being smart could get me killed?" Shi Miyuan asked.
"And the top scholar in the kingdom likes going to a brothel but doesn't drink any liquor, gets surrounded by many women but doesn't even lay a single finger on one." Chancellor Shi Hao replied.
"I don't know what you are talking about father." Shi Miyuan Said.
"Very well then, I'll pretend that you don't know." Chancellor Shi Hao said as he walked closer and stared right into his eyes intimidatingly.
"However, I wish to know which girl it is that could change you just as much with merely a glimpse." Chancellor Shi Hao said.
"Forget it father." Shi Miyuan said.
"If you don't tell me then perhaps I can consider sending you to a monastery to seek divine favour for our family." Chancellor Shi Hao said.
"Good luck with that I am your only son." Shi Miyuan said.
"What if I had an illegitimate one?" The old man asked.
"No way in the world." Shi Miyuan replied confidently.
"Then perhaps I could ask his Majesty to bestow upon you the honour of being a military strategist in Xiangyang?" Chancellor Shi Hao said.
"Father?" Shi Miyuan said.
"You are already that age and I need to see grandchildren, naturally if there is a girl that woos you I would be just as interested to secure her position as my daughter in law." Chancellor Shi Hao said.
"You could insist father but something came up and eavesdropping her conversation I could barely hear a thing or two she said she just ran in front of my eyes and she vanished." Shi Miyuan replied.
"Then you can go find out from the people she was with or her master." Chancellor Shi Hao said.
"You think I didn't try father?" Shi Miyuan asked.
"And?" Chancellor Shi Hao asked.
"Forget it, they are all skilled martial artists and she is even more skilled so how could I possibly face her?" Shi Miyuan asked.
"Very good then, if you don't want to lose to a woman and you wish to become confident to ask her out why don't you work harder and become serious with your martial arts classes and even better?" Chancellor Shi Hao asked.
"Hahahaha." Shi Miyuan sarcastically laughed before his face turned serious once again, "reverse psychology doesn't work on me." He added as he ran out of the room.
"Come here you, we are not yet done talking." Chancellor Shi Hao scolded as he chased after him.
"Later father, I have a congratulatory feast to prepare myself for." Shi Miyuan said as he mounted the stairs that led up to his room.
"This kid." Chancellor Shi Hao said as he smiled at himself right when one of his two guards walked in.
"Go and find out more about a female student from the martial Academy." He ordered.
"Yes Your Excellency." The guard replied as he got out of the room.
Yang Meizi was seated in her own room looking at the tablet which bore her foster mother's name, she had erected it right beside the one of her birth mother and thinking about it something seemed to come to mind.
Nuwa realising that she was absent minded she moved and knelt down beside her.
"I am so sorry." She said.
"I am starting to despise that word more than anything right now." Yang Meizi replied.
"You seem to be thinking too much about it." Nuwa said.
"I am bothered that I keep burying so many of my people and yet despite all that effort that I put in to try and keep them safe it all ends up in vain." Yang Meizi said.
"It's not that you're inadequate." Nuwa said.
"I hate not being powerful enough." Yang Meizi said, "I hate the world so much for being cruel." She added, "at my age I am merely a victim of numerous machinations along with the people that I care about and perhaps supporting the retired Empress isn't enough." She said.
"What do you plan on doing?" Nuwa asked.
"My mother didn't just die an natural death because she had no enemies and we intend to keep it that way, there must be something that she had or knew to have lost her life in such a way." Yang Meizi said.
"We don't know the culprit or what it was." Nuwa said.
"It's possible that my mother's death was simply to get rid of the hamper but it doesn't guarantee that whatever she knew would never come to light." Yang Meizi replied.
"How are you going to prove that, and how are you going to find something that you don't know?" Nuwa asked.
"I want the brothers within the palace." Yang Meizi replied, "tell her Highness that it is tonight." She added.
"Yes Milady." Nuwa said as she got out of the room leaving Yang Meizi alone and staring at the memorial tablet in front of herself so furiously.
"Your Highness would just let Yang Meizi do as she wishes?" Wan Mei asked.
"Perhaps I understand her as a mother and maybe because I also trust her wisdom that is." Empress Wu replied as she lowered herself in her seat.
"It's not like we can not tell who is the enemy." Wan Mei said.
"Which is why it is better for us to know why Yang Cairen got killed and even if we don't right now, perhaps this alone can justify a bloody war between the Crown Princess and thus little girl." Empress Wu replied.
"I am only worried that Yang Meizi is still too young." Wan Mei said, "what if she makes a mistake, then your Highness might suffer the consequences as her guardian." She added.
"I understand your concern but if I am to go up against a powerful enemy then I need to gather for myself the support of very powerful allies.
Those Courtiers could bear some degree of loyalty but it is very frail as the victims of injustice have their loyalty sustained by undying grudges which is a Political advantage." Empress Wu replied.
"Naturally Yang Meizi owes you." Wan Mei said as she thought about it.
"And perhaps along with her the orphans of the Silver fraternity could feel the same." Empress Wu said.
"I understand Your Highness." Wan Mei said.
"Just relax as I can't let anything happen to Yang Meizi and if the death of her mother could only aggregate her hatred and resistance towards Han Touzhou then one might say that perhaps she is the perfect sword that I have been looking for." Empress Wu remarked.
It was dark and the Chambers of Yang Cairen had been shut down while the Courtyard was partly empty, there was an assassin that jumped from the roof and landed down on the balcony.
"Looking around and certain that he wasn't bring seen he continued and then reaching the doors and trying to open them he noticed that they had been locked.
He turned around and continued to the side checking the windows eventually around the corner he heard the sound of footsteps breaking towards his way.
Looking around her climbed up into one of the corners of the roof and holding himself tightly a guard of about ten Imperial guards walked past before he descended back onto the ground.
He continued until he stopped near one of the windows that was open and climbing through it he entered the dark room and started looking around guided by the moonlight that shone brightly inside.
It took him a while as he shuffled through everything and while he was busy he noticed that on his right there was a small mirror hanging on the wall and examining it from a distance he noticed that it was slightly unbalanced on the wall.
He walked closely to it and then as he moved it a little bit he could feel a part of it abnormally raised from the wall he was forced to move to the side and slowly lifted it off its hook while he studied the back.
He knocked the wall and eventually he could feel a small hollow compartment that was hidden he seemed to realise that the paint there was a little bit darker than that on the rest of the surface.
He pulled from his sheath a small dagger and then slowly he started cutting around and breaking the thin layer of cement to reveal a small cuboidal compartment and inside it there was a golden scroll which he pulled out into the light and smiled.
Slowly he turned around to face the window which he had come in through and there being shut in front of him, the walls of the room were slid like doors and the main one opened as well a large number of people dressed as Imperial guards rushed in and pointed their swords to the assassin.
Looking at those in front of him one took him from behind by surprise and grabbing the scroll from him they pulled off his face mask and another punched him in the face before he'd bite the suicide pill that it flew out.
Another group ceased his arms and forced him on his knees while through the doors Yang Meizi walked in with Nuwa following her closely from behind.
"Here." Bao Langya said as he handed over the golden scroll to Yang Meizi who took it firmly into her possesion.
"Who sent you?" She asked and the man silent he was about to be punched another time but was saved when Bao Langya halted everyone else.
"Don't waste time." He said, "they cut out his tongue." He added.
"Does that mean that he won't speak?" Nuwa asked.
"As long as he can understand how to hold a pen." Yang Meizi said and the Assassin struggling to break free Yang Meizi walked up to him until she was close enough for him to see.
"Can't talk?" She asked and the man expressionless she stretched out her right hand to Bao Langya who took the suicide pill that had been punched out of his mouth.
"If you can not talk then you are of no use to me and since it was suicide that you desired then you can have your way right now and after you are done I could perhaps play with your corpse later." She muttered and with her own hands while the others forced open the man's mouth, she pushed down the pill and cleaned her hands while she started to foam.
"We don't know who sent him?" Nuwa said.
"I'd suppose that we were aware who the real enemy in the palace is and moreso it was his very wish I was lenient what I was after was the reason my mother died.
"The real Imperial guards will be here any minute." Bao Langya said.
"Let them come and clean this place up and after that we shall report to Her Highness about what she needs to know." Yang Meizi said.
"Yes Milady." The others replied as they slowly started walking out of the room while she turned around and also joined them as well.
She arrived in her Chambers still holding the golden scroll in her hands and seating down Nuwa puzzled she sat herself by her side.
"Milady, there's something that I don't understand." Nuwa said.
"Because my mom died either knowing or having some thing with people out of the premises for the crime scene to be searched it was only natural that someone would attempt to come and retrieve what it was that she possesed." Yang Meizi replied.
"Yang Cairen wasn't the person to move around as she had chosen to confine herself to the walls of the palace and moreso one would certainly be sure that if she were to hide something then it would have to be within her Chambers." Nuwa said.
"And since they knew better than us what they were after we needed to only let them find if and later on take it from their possession." Yang Meizi replied.
"You do realize that after what has happened whoever the mastermind is they'll keep you under very close surveillance so you can't just act up for now." Nuwa said.
"I have to be normal for a while, long enough for them to lower their guard and when that happens we'll strike." Yang Meizi replied.
"Are you sure?" Nuwa said.
"Only by fighting this could I come close enough to avenging the deaths of all my people and those that I cherished." Yang Meizi replied as she ceased the scroll and then opening it her eyes widened as she beheld it's contents.
"Is that an Imperial Edict?" Nuwa asked curiously while Yang Meizi studying the patterns of the Imperial seal and the calligraphy she seemed to recognize it right away.
"It's the Emperor's handwriting." She said.
"And this is an Edict that was ordering General Yang to march up to Lin'an....." Nuwa was saying.
"With all 40,000 of his men." Yang Meizi said as she placed the scroll down appearing to recall something.
"Han Touzhou." She muttered as she bit her lip and clenched her fists tightly a ghastly smile appeared on her face.
"General Yang's Rebellion." Nuwa said catching on the incident.
"Yes." Yang Meizi agreed.
"With this alone the General Yang's name can be cleared and moreso above all, with the blood letter, we can prove Han Touzhou's guilt." Nuwa said.
"Precisely but it's not as simple as it may seem." Yang Meizi said.
"Why?" Nuwa asked.
"Han Touzhou isn't a fool either and he too couldn't have done this singlehandedly, as it was linked to him there are lots of people in the palace that this was connected to and I can't simply spare them by tackling Han Touzhou alone." Yang Meizi replied.
"What are we going to do?" Nuwa asked.
"The brothers are mine and not the retired Empress, we can as well say that the man committed suicide and we got nothing." Yang Meizi replied.
"Would Her Highness believe?" Nuwa asked.
"To kill the suspicion of the masterminds she must." Yang Meizi said as she moved her eyes to the memorial tablet that she had erected for her mother.
"Crown Princess." She muttered, "I am coming for you." She swore shedding tears from her eyes.
A young woman stood facing the window in her Chambers when a Eunuch walked up to her.
"Your Highness." he said as he bowed his head.
"Did you retrieve it." The woman asked.
"About that Your Highness." The Eunuch replied.
"Tell me." The young woman said.
"He failed." The Eunuch replied and the young woman turning around she fiercely looked at him.
"Wei Zhen?" She called him while she slowly walked up towards him until she had halted in front of him.
"Consort Huang?" He said as he bowed his head.
"We had only one shot at this." She scolded.
"Who would have thought that that wench saw it coming she hid the edict before her death and the man that we sent before retrieving anything her filthy daughter showed up with a group of Imperial guards." Eunuch Wei replied.
"What does it matter to you?" Consort Huang asked.
"Your Highness?" Eunuch Wei replied.
"With that Edict in our possession then we too could make effective use of Han Touzhou, the Crown Princess aware she simply let us have our way because she knew that one way if we'd suffocate Han Touzhou then he'd have all the more reason to support her." Consort Huang remarked.
"Despite knowing this Your Highness why do you persist?" Eunuch Wei asked.
"Only I'd be sure that there's little that the Crown Princess has to sustain her alliance with Han Touzhou and moreso while compared to me if I were to prove the innocence of General Yang then as a reward the Emperor might feel so obliged to granting the members of his household more power." Consort Huang said.
"But where are we going to find that Edict if Yang Cairen predicted that we might come after it?" Eunuch Wei asked.
"The man we sent was slaughtered and the only known witnesses to the scene were that young woman and her friend who are related to the deceased." Consort Huang remarked.
"Is your Highness trying to imply....?" Eunuch Wei said and hesitated halfway.
"The credibility of the claim that there was nothing remains debatable." Consort Huang replied as she turned around and looked at the window, "you need to keep a close watch of her every move because if she finds out something then I am in deed very sure that she won't just sit down naturally given that her mother was involved she is bound to act up." She added.
"But there's a possibility that Yang Cairen could have known that in case she died then the first place that we'd search would be her Chambers." Eunuch Wei remarked.
"Then find out all the people she was affiliated with and keep a close eye on them to alert me of anything and we can be prepared beforehand.
After all the Crown Princess learning this could be after the same thing and it's likely that Yang Cairen sent the Edict out of the palace, nonetheless, we must get it first before anyone else does." Consort Huang said.
"Yes Your Highness." Eunuch Wei replied as he withdrew leaving the young woman still staring at the morning saffron sky.
She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.
"Where is it Your Highness?" She asked herself in that awful silence.
A carrier pigeon landed at the balcony of the Han Manor and Lin Xue ceasing it he removed the small note that was tied to it's leg and carried it inside the room.
He found Han Touzhou seated and staring at the brazier in front of him and handing over the small sheet he read it before folding it and throwing it into the fire.
"What is it Your Excellency?" He asked.
"The Inner Palace is in chaos." Han Touzhou replied.
"I recently heard that the Yang Cairen who is an aunt to Yang Cishan passed away under suspicious circumstances but the Retired Empress claimed that as she was someone who was generally friendly and after her corpse was examined she died a natural death." Lin Xue replied.
"To simply stop the spreading of rumours and suspicions in deed there is a reason for our informers to believe that she perished because she knew something." Han Touzhou said.
"On one side there is the Crown Princess and the other side the Crown Prince's favourite." Lin Xue remarked.
"His Highness has greatly bestowed favours on the daughter of the Huang Clan the Crown Princess would feel that her position is threatened." Han Touzhou asked.
"But she posseses the blood letter." Lin Xue said.
"And sheltering me is enough to get her and her entire household killed so definitely she can't let the Consort Huang have something on me." Han Touzhou remarked.
"I heard that Yang Cairen had adopted a daughter seventeen years ago and she seems to be too eager to avenge her foster mother's death." Lin Xue said.
"The natural death was just a charade that she needed to act." Han Touzhou replied, "more so there is nothing so special about her I have heard for she simply is very good at dancing and graceful and that like her mother she wasn't involved in any form of Palace affairs." Han Touzhou said.
"But it seems that she could perhaps know something about her mother's death." Lin Xue said.
"Then why would she investigate and moreso if she did why would she remain silent?" Han Touzhou asked as Lin Xue kept quiet while he on the other hand he stood up.
"I have charge of Xiangyang and at this very moment I was reliably informed that the Retired Emperor's health is worsening." Han Touzhou remarked as he walked over to the balcony.
"What is it that Your Excellency wishes we should do?" Lin Xue asked.
"It's high time we buried him." Han Touzhou replied in
"I understand Your Excellency." Lin Xue replied before he walked away while Han Touzhou turned to look at the brazier where the ashes of his message had remained.
Yang Meizi walking towards the Cifu Palace she halted when she heard someone that was running around the palace.
"Your Highness?" The Eunuchs cried after him and Yang Meizi studying him from a distance she smiled.
"Milady?" Nuwa called.
"I haven't seen him much before." Yang Meizi replied.
"I don't know much about him but if he is running around the palace like that then I do suppose that even from the robes he is wearing he is a first rank Prince." Nuwa said.
Yang Meizi sighing she continued her way making it through the gates of the Cifu Palace before she stopped at the entrance of the Empress' Chambers where she found Wan Mei and Wan'er.
They opened for her and she walked in while Nuwa stayed behind and her eyes darting across the room she caught sight of the Empress who was seated at her table.
"Shut the doors." Empress Wu ordered and the others complying Yang Meizi fell onto her knees.
"Pardon me Your Highness." She said.
"There's no need." Empress Wu replied and hearing this Yang Meizi stood up.
"We hoped to get something from the man who broke into my late mother's Chambers but there was nothing." Yang Meizi said.
"Whatever it was that got your mother killed I don't know but you are not stupid as well to not know who was responsible." Empress Wu said.
"I believe so." Yang Meizi replied.
"But just how many people do you know were involved?" Empress Wu asked.
"Han Touzhou perhaps and then there is the Crown Princess." Yang Meizi replied.
"And the Consort Huang?" Empress Wu asked while Yang Meizi sounded surprised.
"Consort Huang?" She said.
"The make up that belonged to your mother was poisoned because there was a head Eunuch involved and one can as well say a stranger was hidden amongst the Palace maids.
This isn't something new but as I have been reliably informed, this was found with the maid that added poison to your mother's musk." Empress Wu said as she handed over a small copper token which Yang Meizi studied well enough.
"The Laundry Department." She read.
"In charge of clothes and make up bring distributed within the Palace and reliably the culprit would be Eunuch Gao but as I learnt he wasn't on good terms with everyone and the only one who would benefit from his disposal was his long time rival Eunuch Wei." Empress Wu said.
"He's from the Eastern Palace." Yang Meizi muttered.
"The Crown Princess is in favour of a much loyal junior of his that he'd feel so offended and right now that a favourite of the Crown Prince keeps gaining more favours it's natural that he'd make in her an ally." Empress Wu said while Yang Meizi clenched her fists.
"I see." She said.
"If you react rashly then you realise the Cifu Palace could be implicated." Empress Wu cautioned.
"Trust me Your Highness." Yang Meizi said as she bowed her head.
"What will you do?" Empress Wu asked.
"If you would Your Highness, grant me the chance to topple Han Touzhou." Yang Meizi said and the old woman surprised she stared intensely at her.
"Are you listening to yourself?" She asked.
"My prediction couldn't be entirely accurate but if I don't take this chance Your Highness then I fear that it might be a little bit too late." Yang Meizi replied.
"So you are going to alert him yourself, do you know the price that you are putting on your head?" Empress Wu asked.
"Your Highness can remain quiet on this and rest assured that I won't be implicated nor will anyone else, I have every reason to believe that Han Touzhou's power didn't come from his loyalty one can never be too certain of a politicians innocence and perhaps there are things that the Emperor is likely to not know." Yang Meizi said.
Nuwa was pacing outside the room while Wan'er and Wan Mei looked at her.
"Why are you so eager?" Wan Mei asked.
"You know as well as I do." Nuwa replied.
"That Yang Meizi could bear the target anytime?" Wan Mei asked.
"It's just as bad for the Empress." Nuwa remarked.
"So what don't you understand?" Wan'er asked with a smile on her face.
"People might think otherwise." Nuwa replied.
"That Her Highness could be aware of something?" Wan'er asked.
"If that's the case then who would dare mess with her as it's not like they could barge into her palace and attempt to assassinate her she is much wary of them each and everyday, more so it's not like they could make direct an attack on Yang Meizi given that everything that has happened she might not tell you but she is prepared for the very worst." Wan Mei said when the doors were flung open and Yang Meizi walked through so gracefully as she greeted them.
She descended the stairs and vanishing from sight the two attendants looked at one another and smiled.
"What do you think she is up to?" Wan'er asked.
"Someone very smart must be someone two faced, someone pretending to be foolish or ignorant is ten times worse, all in all she is a valuable asset as her presence alone makes things easier for us there isn't an excuse for Han Touzhou to believe that her Highness is responsible much as it isn't her Highness' duty to restrain her." Wan Mei replied.
"I thought so." Wan'er remarked.
"The Wind in Lin'an is getting out of control and the Palace more lively but the best part of this is that neither that conniving Crown Princess and Consort Huang could see if coming and as Han Touzhou could be wary of Her Highness he couldn't be wary of her." Wan Mei replied.
"On his side any misstep is his grave." Wan'er said.
"It's likely." Wan Mei confirmed.
Yang Meizi having negotiated a corner she halted with Nuwa right behind her.
"What should I do Milady?" She asked.
"Tell Bao Langya that it is time." Yang Meizi replied.
"What if you fail?" Nuwa asked.
"Han Touzhou can not be easily toppled once and with what we have we can not leave a room for him to breathe, slowly whether or not he falls apart will be determined by how strong he himself he shall prove to be." Yang Meizi replied as she smiled ghastly.
It was dark and the moon was full while the mountainside nearly deserted there were a group of people that sneaked into the woods on it.
Yang Meizi led a Group of Assassins and they stopped outside a small cave and there pulling off her mask lightly she faced her friends.
"This is it." She said, "this is the mine." She added.
"We'll split up into groups of three and the first group shall take the entrance and attack, once inside you'll be chased so it's necessary for you to lure them away from the mine." Bao Langya ordered.
"Yes Sir." Everyone replied in unison while Yang Meizi turned to the other one.
"That's where the second group will come in." She muttered, "we shall go into the line once the security us lax." She added.
"What about the third group?" Bo An asked.
"You wage the war outside." Yang Meizi replied and as they all reached an agreement they split up while Yang Meizi and the others remained in that very place.
"After a while, she heard a whistle and her group got ready while the guards at the entrance of the mine looking around a group of arrows were shot at them which alerted their fellows.
As they seemed preparing to embrace an attack Bao Langya led his men towards the doors and they charged into the defense slaying everyone that they saw.
Yang Meizi and the others remained hidden behind the bushes and as Bao Langya and his fellows progressed there was another party that emerged through the entrance and judging from the way they were dressed their armour looked distinguished from that of the Imperial guards and the Imperial army.
"Could it be....?" Nuwa who was squatting beside Yang Meizi asked before she was interrupted.
"A private army yes, however this place being kept a secret it's natural that the Army's existence itself is a secret as well." Yang Meizi replied.
Her eyes strained in a distance she struggled as the face of the man who was leading them looked entirely familiar.
"Why do I feel like I have seen him somewhere before?" Nuwa asked about the same thing.
"I don't know." Yang Meizi replied while she noticed that the memory was a little bit blurred.
Bao Langya and his men seemed to have the advantage of the skills while their contenders numbers and the commander of the mine's guards blowing his horn there were a couple of other soldiers that emerged from within pushing out Bao Langya and his colleagues.
"They are too many." One of them said.
"I know that very well." Bao Langya muttered under his breath as he slew the others that were getting close to him.
"We have to fall back now." He said.
"Retreat." Bao Langya shouted and along with his fellows they turned around and charged into the trees.
"We can't let any of them go away, if we do then we are risking them exposing the whereabouts of the copper mine." The commander said and his subordinates understanding what he was hinting on they charged forward after Bao Langya and his team including the Commander himself.
"Now." Yang Meizi said to her team and slowly sneaking through the surrounding bushes they moved to the back of the mine and sat down surveiling the place.
"The security here is lax." Yang Meizi said.
"Archers ready?" Nuwa ordered and aiming at the two guards they shot them dead immediately falling onto the ground as their fellows moved forward led by Yang Meizi and entered through the small narrow entrance while the others removed the corpses.
It was dark and the whole place deserted there weren't even torches lit to illuminate the path the only light that they had was the one from the moon which seemed inadequate for them as well.
Yang Meizi touched the wall and then sniffed it.
"Why don't they light this place?" Nuwa asked.
"It's a mine, they must have explosives that are used for blasting into the thick walls if they were to be brought into contact with fire then the whole mine could collapse." Yang Meizi replied and as they slowly moved through the narrow corridors barely seeing any guards there was a mild light that appeared at one end.
"Are we getting close?" Nuwa asked.
"Sssh." Yang Meizi silenced her while her fellows lining up behind her she stopped and peeped around to study the place.
There were lots of people that were confined in thick wooden cells and also a small group of guards still stood by guarding the place.
She looked around and monitored their movements and numbers.
"There are ten guards and also very many civilians." She said.
"Civilians?" Nuwa asked.
"That means that we must help them escape because if we are to blow the mine then they would be killed as well." Another muttered.
"There are middle aged youth but the problem is a large number of them look very tired we can not be certainly sure that they have what it takes to escape the mountain." Nuwa said.
"Regardless of the situation they are in they are all Innocents and we can't simply let them perish, even if in trying we can only save one it doesn't matter." Yang Meizi said.
She looked at the archers and ordering them to come to the front they complied while she too ceased a bow and an arrow and all together from the darkness they aimed at the guards that they could see.
"Now." Yang Meizi said and releasing their arrows they shot down a few while two others who has survived attempted to run for the entrance.
Ceasing a group of flying daggers, Yang Meizi threw them at the fleeing guards and while they fell to the ground her party quickly moved to the centre of the room where the other prisoners noticing their presence they quickly rushed to the doors of the cells.
"Please save us." A majority cried and Yang Meizi signalling for them to keep quiet they complied while she unsheathed her small thin flexible sword and cut the chains that bound the entrance.
The prisoners rushing out she turned and faced the nearby door where she caught sight of one of the guards that was still struggling to move.
She moved over towards him.
"Where is the gun powder?" She asked while she placed the sword on his neck.
He kept quiet for a while that angry she pulled out another flying dagger and pinned his right arm on the ground he cried out loud.
"I won't ask another time, tell me where is the gun powder otherwise the next time I'm going for your head." She said and the man struggling to raise his left hand he pointed the other way.
"Eight of you lead the civilians out and the others come with me." She said as she moved in the direction where the soldier had pointed while Nuwa remaining behind and looking at him with her sword she slit this throat and convinced that he wasn't breathing she continued after the others.
Bao Langya and his men being pursued they arrived in between the forest and while the guards closed in on them, the other team started shooting arrows from the trees the whole place being so dark it was very difficult for them to be spotted.
"The trees." The commander said as he looked around and a couple of his men putting up their shields they guarded against the first wave until Bao Langya and his men dispersed and the place was relatively silent.
The Commander listening for any other impact couldn't feel it coming and while the shields were lowered they were all alone in the centre with silence already prevalent in the dark vicinity.
He could see something on the tree tops and there he smelled something slowly burning and it seemed to be strong in the air as all the others started sniffing around.
"It smells like gunpowder?" One of his subordinates said.
"Fire Lances." The commander said and at once Yang Meizi's men releasing the arrows against them a large number were thrown away by the impact and the commander himself launched he collided with a tree.
The explosion could be heard all the way from the cave and the last few guards that were watching the mine converged at the sight of the smoke that was rising up not so far from them.
"There are bandits around." One of them said when the civilians breaking free from the cave they charged at their captors angrily with clubs and chains and swords bludgeoning them to death while others were slaughtered.
Yang Meizi and her team arrived inside a small chamber and looking around all the places were filled with boxes of gun powder and other explosives.
"There's too many of them." Nuwa said.
"We are going to destroy everything." Yang Meizi said.
"Milady?" Nuwa said, "if we aren't out of this cave soon then we shall die along as well." She added.
"Carry a few of the explosives with you and the the ropes and connect them to this room, I want to shake the whole mountain." She ordered and the others Boeing their heads they complied while the civilians being led away from the vicinity Bao Langya and Bo An rushed over.
"Where is Yang Meizi?" They asked the rest of her teammates.
"She is still in with the others and I believe they intend to explode the whole mine." Another replied.
Hardly had he spoken when Yang Meizi led the rest of them out.
"Quickly run." She shouted and while they moved into the trees there was a massive explosion that followed they each dived and while the whole mountain shook and smoke colonised the night sky, the people in the city could see it in a distance.
The Commander and his men that had fallen far from the scene and a large number of which had been killed while others wounded were shook and that's when the old man realised that the attack had been a destruction.
Yang Meizi stood up from the ground where she was squatting and the other civilians that had been held captive as well and looking behind at the whole place which has been devastated with rocks and boulders shuttered and the entrances blocked she smiled at herself ghastly.
"This is it Han Touzhou." She thought to herself, "this is the beginning of your downfall." she concluded before turning around and with the others walking away.
"What?" Han Touzhou said as he shot up from where he was seated and ceasing the hard cup in his hands, he threw it onto the ground and had it shuttered.
"How is that even possible?" He asked.
"Even I don't know Your Excellency, other than yourself there wasn't any official that was aware that you had discovered a copper mine in the mountains and moreso I have been reliably informed by the informants in the Palace that the Empress herself wasn't involved because there weren't any orders seen going beyond the Cifu Palace and everything was normal.
If the Retired Empress was involved then there would be something she would have done out of the ordinary or if not I do believe that she could have gone through the trouble of finding an alibi." Lin Xue replied.
"For ten whole years the Copper mine has been a secret and right now that it has exploded whoever is responsible must be someone very conniving." Han Touzhou said.
"At the time of the explosion, the civilians that had been held captive fled and at the time being there still isn't any word from the commander in charge that it's likely for him to have been buried in the mine at the time of the explosion." Lin Xue said, "without the civilians it's likely that it was a prison break and the Civilians themselves decided to destroy the mine." He added.
"Whether it was a break out or not it doesn't matter but as I had invested a lot of effort into that mine and money then it's destruction is a grave loss as we have to worry about what we are going to tell the families of all those guards they'll certainly demand for an explanation and as if that alone is not enough the explosion will attract the keen investigation of the Emperor while any leads left behind being retraced to me I could lose my head for treason." Han Touzhou said.
"Then what are we going to do Your Excellency?" Lin Xue asked.
"We need to first buy time." Han Touzhou replied.
"How Your Excellency?" Lin Xue asked.
"There's only one thing that is bigger than a mine." Han Touzhou said as he looked up at him, "what in the world could possibly compare to the son of heaven?" He asked.
"I'll hasten the preparations right away." Lin Xue said.
Liu Zhan walked into the Crown Princess' Chambers and swiftly holding a letter in her hands she handed it over to the young woman who immediately stood up from where she was seated.
"What's this?" She asked.
"I have been reliably informed Your Highness, it's a mine which exploded and through speculation this is some little evidence that we were able to gather." Liu Zhan replied that the young woman taking the letter into her hands she unfolded it and looked through the contents.
When she was done she folded it and placed it on the table.
"These tracks are very faint and Han Touzhou having started something so confidential he must have been prepared for the outcomes except that now the attention is too big because the explosion itsel having shaken the surrounding areas is worthy of the Emperor's attention." Crown Princess Li said.
"This is all that I could find." Liu Zhan said.
"Han Touzhou isn't worried about exposure, he is only worried about the Emperor's suspicion of him." Crown Princess Li said.
"Then what does Your Highness require me to do?" Liu Zhan asked.
"He couldn't possibly rebuke an audience with me, could he?" Crown Princess Li asked.
"Right away Your Highness." Liu Zhan replied.
Yang Meizi sat down with Nuwa, Bao Langya and Bo An.
"Well done." She commended them.
"I still don't understand if this is your grand scheme that you talked about." Bao Langya said.
"Even with the explosion of the mine we could have only economically crippled Han Touzhou but there isn't anything else that we hold in our possesion as evidence that Han Touzhou was linked to it." Nuwa said.
"How do you think we found out about the existence of the mine in the first place and moreso His Majesty isn't a fool either to ignore something this big even if he could order for an open investigation for verification another must be carried out in secret." Yang Meizi replied calmly.
"And even if that was the case the mine itself is already destroyed and Han Touzhou will act up to see to it that all loose ends are tied." Bo An said.
"And what do you think was my purpose for this?" Yang Meizi asked.
"To topple Han Touzhou." Bao Langya replied.
"Which isn't something that simple." Yang Meizi replied that the three seemed so surprised by her response.
"After what happened today the Emperor will see that there are too many fingers pointing at Han Touzhou and if I can get him to only doubt him as much then what do you think would happen next?" Yang Meizi asked.
"There would be a need to restrain him." Bao Langya replied.
"And a need for restrain could aggravate a rift between them." Bo An said.
"And?" Yang Meizi asked.
"Any hint of confidence between the two would be ultimately severed." Nuwa replied while Yang Meizi smiled ghastly.
"His Majesty's doubt in Han Touzhou is our hope of acting easily in the future because should it all be proven that Han Touzhou isn't as Righteous in the Emperor's eyes then any evidence we present against him on our side is enough to have him lose his head." Yang Meizi swore.