"Your Highness." Eunuch Gong said to the Empress who was quietly seated in her Chambers, "the people." He added.
"They can't go on ranting for a very long time." Empress Han muttered.
"Everything is ready." He muttered.
"Very good indeed." Empress Han remarked as she smiled at herself.
The people fishing at Shaoxing one of the fishermen noticed something in the water and drawing closer to it, he recognized a person inside that he alerted all the others.
In Mingzhou a much familiar incident occurred and at the type the corpses gathered out they were carried towards the Magistrates while horsemen were dispatched to the capital.
Officer Jiang in his quarters when Xiang Mu rushed in.
"Your Excellency." He muttered to him in panic.
"What's happening to you?" Officer Jiang asked him.
"There seems to be some bit to trouble." Xiang Mu replied as he handed over a piece of paper which the latter took in his possession at the time and opening it, he read it's contents.
Han Touzhou was seated in his study when Lin Xue walked in.
"Officer Jiang is here to see you Your Excellency." He informed him.
"It's about time." He remarked.
"You think so Your Excellency?" Lin Xue inquired.
"Show him in." Han Touzhou replied and complying, immediately the young man stationed himself in front of him.
"Your Excellency." He greeted as he bowed his head.
"You seem troubled." Han Touzhou remarked as he carefully bore the brush in his hand and painted on the rice paper.
"We have a problem." Officer Jiang remarked.
"Corpses have surfaced it seems." Han Touzhou responded that the latter was surprised.
"How?" Officer Jiang asked.
"You'll know the details soon enough but we must first and foremost catch the people involved and I might have a lead to help you with." Han Touzhou said as he finished his landscape and stretching his hand under the table, he pulled out a white envelope which he slid across to the young officer who took it.
"What's this Your Excellency?" He asked.
"Cease those men." Han Touzhou replied, "you'll find the evidence that you are looking for." Han Touzhou replied.
"Yes Your Excellency." Officer Jiang replied as he withdrew.
In a moment's while Officer Jiang mounted the platform in front of the State Tribunal and there before him about a thousand Imperial soldiers had been gathered in number awaiting his order.
"Rebels have conspired amongst us to bring turmoil to the government and they have murdered fellow Courtiers and Ministers of His Majesty, cease them and bring them in for Interrogation and after that leave none of their homes without conducting a thorough survey." He said.
"Yes Sir." They replied and descending the platform he led them out that very instant they mounted horses and charged in different directions.
Emperor Ningzong seated and lost in his thoughts within the library complex, he stared at the paintings of Lady Yang each of them holding past memories that had captivated his soul.
He'd hardly drawn any since her return for a moment he felt the talent was slowly sipping out of his hands he was forced to sigh when the doors of the room were flung open and Lan He walked in.
"Your Majesty." He said to him.
"You seem to be in a rush that I am forced to presume that perhaps something is wrong." Emperor Ningzong muttered.
"Lady Qing passed on at midnight." Lan He replied, "In the last eight hours we have lost eight ministers as well." He added.
"What are you talking about?" Emperor Ningzong inquired.
"Someone must have ceased an opportunity to use the chaos in the City." Lan He replied and the Emperor furiously he walked out of the building while the Empress standing at a distance with Eunuch Gong and another lady in waiting she saw him vanishing from sight.
"He must have received the news." He said to her.
"It seems so." Empress Han replied.
"I just got word that Officer Jiang is on the move." Eunuch Gong whispered to her.
"Things are moving faster and it's for the better." Empress Han muttered, "There's still the Grand Empress Dowager however." She said to him.
"Don't worry Your Highness." Eunuch Gong assured her, everything I assure you is going according to plan." He assured her.
"Well done." The Empress said to him while she turned around to walk away hardly noticing that in a distance Beiyuan had noticed their presence.
The Imperial troops arriving at the different destinations they charged through the Courtyards and destroying everything they rounded up some of the supporters of Zhao Ruyu and checking inside their stores they pulled out a couple of bloodstained weapons and clothes as Officer Jiang supervised one division in particular that dragged Grand Chancellor Shi Hao from his residence.
"What are you doing?" The old man protested, "how can you cease me like that?" He shouted on top of his voice.
"Your Excellency is under arrest." Officer Jiang replied.
"What are you talking about, what have I done wrong?" He protested when one of the Imperial guards returned a short while later carrying clothes in his hands that were drenched in blood with a bloodstained sabre.
"You be the one to tell me that Your Excellency." The young man replied.
"I don't know what you are talking about." Shi Hao protested.
"Then what are these things doing here?" Officer Jiang asked, "it's not like there's each of them that possesses legs of its own to come here." He added.
"I have been framed." Grand Chancellor Shi Hao defended himself.
"The State Tribunal shall be in the position to determine that Your Excellency otherwise at this point regardless of the position you hold you still remain subject to the laws that govern this our great Country." Officer Jiang said to him.
"You will pay." The Grand Chancellor cursed at him.
"Take him away." Officer Jiang ordered when the poor old man was dragged away while the masses that were present at the moment spectated.
"What's this?" Lady Yang asked Xiaoyang.
"I don't know Ma'am, something's awfully wrong." She replied, "ever since Qing Yi's passing I have been reliably informed that the Empress didn't sleep the whole night, she's even preparing a funeral it seems much as the Palace rules will try to confine her as Qing Yi died a traitor." Xiaoyang added.
"Don't tamper with her, her burial I promise you will be more painful, she's scarred for life and it's an image that she couldn't possibly get rid of regardless of how hard she tries." Lady Yang replied when one of her Ladies announced at the door.
"Superintendent Beiyuan requests your audience Ma'am." She said.
"Let him in." Lady Yang replied and the young man hurriedly moved in and he immediately rushed over to her.
"Forgive me Ma'am for turning up unexpectedly." He said while bowing his head.
"Seeing that you are here it must be something very important." Lady Yang replied.
"We are in very big trouble Ma'am." Beiyuan informed her.
"We're always in trouble every day, I am already used to that expression." Lady Yang remarked.
"Eight Ministers and staunch supporters of Han Touzhou were killed in cold blood the last eight hours." Beiyuan said to her.
"Is it so?" Lady Yang inquired.
"I heard with my own ears and I spotted Her Highness with Eunuch Gong." Beiyuan replied.
"It looks like our enemies were busy scheming while we were asleep." Lady Yang muttered, "but to Target fellow supporters in the Court I could hardly consider this a sacrifice." She added when Manyin rushed into the room.
"Ma'am?" She said as she bowed her head.
"You haven't yet fully recovered my dear." She remarked.
"It's urgent Milady, it appears that Grand Chancellor Shi and Zhao Ruyu along with six other ministers have been arrested." Manyin said.
"What!" Lady Yang exclaimed.
"Yes Ma'am." Manyin confirmed and Beiyuan looking at his mistress she clenched her fists.
"How couldn't I think about it?" She asked herself, "it's Zhao Ruyu she was after all this time." She added.
"Ma'am, they still have to interrogate the Left Chancellor." Beiyuan said.
"Suppose they did, do you think the Empress would act up without having carefully planned everything out?" Lady Yang asked.
"It's clear that she's angry and she's bent on avenging Qing Yi's death, we can as well take this to be her declaration of open war." Xiaoyang said.
"It won't be as easy." Lady Yang said, "this act is aimed at heavily curtailing the past events the people are rather worried and even if His Majesty is really bent of protecting Zhao Ruyu the normal people won't and for Shi Miyuan..." She halted while Beiyuan looked at Xiaoyang.
"It will shatter the Prince Consort." He said.
"I'll go and speak to the Empress." Lady Yang muttered.
"Ma'am, please don't." Xiaoyang protested.
"We haven't offered to her our greetings for the day." Lady Yang responded as she stood up from where she was seated and she sashayed out of the room.
"There's no way Minister Zhao Ruyu could have done this." Emperor Ningzong said.
"I want to also believe the same Your Majesty but these days it isn't our beliefs ruling the Court but the thoughts of the people, however coarse they might be if we can not prove them wrong to continue to protect The Left Chancellor shall make you unpopular in the eyes of your subjects." Officer Jiang replied, "coincidentally we have received ledgers that confess his participation in the embezzlement of public funds some of which were gathered from his residence." He added.
"But they continue to plead that they aren't guilty." Emperor Ningzong muttered, "the last time that we didn't heed the same advice in the Inner Court the Lady Yang was nearly punished unjustly and this time if the people are involved the angrier they become the harder it shall be for me to spare the heads of the State Tribunal." He added.
"I'll keep it in mind Your Majesty." Officer Jiang responded.
"If those men were behind the murders and they are criminals to the state then I shall bring them to justice before the Law but if you can not cause their pleas and your allegations to coincide then I fear that there's nothing much we can do." Emperor Ningzong said.
"Very well then Your Majesty." Officer Jiang replied before he bowed his head and exited just as Eunuch Deng hurried in to his master's presence.
"Your Majesty." He said to him.
"Arrange for me someone to carry out the Investigation secretly." He ordered.
"Yes Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng replied.
Empress Han in the comfort of her room, Eunuch Gong announced himself and allowing him to come in he situated himself in front of her.
"Lady Yang is here requesting an audience with Your Highness." He said
"Is it so?" Empress Han asked.
"Yes." Eunuch Gong replied.
"She's here much earlier than expected, surely, let her in since it must be something interesting to hear from her every time." She acquiesced and Eunuch Gong having stepped out the fair woman approached the Empress and offered her humblest salutations.
"I heard that you wish to see me." She said.
"Certainly something I believe Your Highness would know." Lady Yang replied.
"Let's get to business." Empress Han muttered.
"I must say that I really underestimated Your Highness." Lady Yang said.
"And you are here to tell me this?" Empress Han inquired.
"I don't know what Your Highness is talking about." Lady Yang denied.
"You can fool the others but not me Lady Yang, your prospects are vivid before me and I trust that at this point there's no need for us to pretend to be friendly with each other." Empress Han replied.
"Does Your Highness dread me that much?" Lady Yang asked.
"Shouldn't I?" Empress Han said.
"Given the current state of affairs, I doubt that you should." Lady Yang responded.
"It must be that you have realised." The Empress remarked.
"Zhao Ruyu is collapsing, yes." Lady Yang muttered.
"Sadly enough for you." Empress Han confidently spoke.
"Yet he wasn't the only one behind me and this I believe Your Highness should have noticed." Lady Yang boasted.
"Sooner or later you'll understand, there's too many pillars around you but which of those can contain me?" She asked.
"Time can tell Your Highness." Lady Yang defended herself.
"Look around you, I have lost something so valuable you'll lose out something equally as valuable and so much more, but just so you understand me this is just a little bit of what more I can do, the beginning of a darkness that is yet to come your way." Empress Han said.
"Does Your Highness trust that I wasn't ready?" Lady Yang inquired.
"And what is it that you wish to gain, my power, my pain, is it vengeance?" She asked.
"We were an ordinary young girl on the prairie but Your Highness made us rebels, we were caged in these walls but didn't waver in turn we trusted the good fate to transform us into a Great Woman, a most capable aide to our Great cause." Lady Yang responded.
"To vanquish me?" Empress Han inquired.
"We can't stake our lives for merely that alone." Lady Yang replied.
"You once told me that your whisper was sufficient to eclipse the voices of all the men in the world I couldn't help but wonder how." Empress Han said.
"A woman Your Highness is someone else at every stage of her life, she's a daughter and a sister, a wife and then a mother and if she's intelligent and above all blessed a true servant of God, she could even become an Empress, a Dowager and A Grand Empress." Lady Yang muttered.
"And why are you telling me this?" Empress Han inquired from her.
"Because the purpose Your Highness isn't just the titles but rather the role that a woman sees fit for herself." Lady Yang responded.
"And for your case which is it Ma'am?" Empress Han asked.
"Which one do you see fit my Empress, please enlighten me." Lady Yang replied, "which of those titles does Your Highness see fit for me?" She added as she stood up from where she was seated and bowing her head she withdrew from the room and left the Empress alone seated in silence.
Stepping outside the Empress' Palace, Yang Meizi turned around and looked back at the structure.
"What is it Ma'am?" Manyin asked.
"Let's go." Lady Yang replied as she sashayed across the Courtyard.
Minister Zhao Ruyu was seated inside the Interrogation room in silence when the doors were opened and through it Officer Jiang accompanied by Xiang Mu walked in.
"Your Excellency." The first greeted him.
"Are you really after my head that much?" He asked them.
"You are smart which is true, perhaps even smarter than me it makes you a threat, the problem that divides us it that we aren't allies which is why we are staking everything that we have so that we can bring you down." Officer Jiang muttered.
"And you expect me to collapse that easily?" Zhao Ruyu inquired.
"Suppose you don't?" Officer Jiang asked, "what would be our fate?" He added as he placed his hands on the table with a smile on his face.
"You tell me." Zhao Ruyu confidently muttered as he reclined in his seat.
"You have the Grand Empress Dowager, the Emperor and the Lady Yang behind you which is your advantage but even if those people believe in your innocence they can't prove it to the world and as you may deny everything at the moment, the rumours that are circulating about the whole capital are disadvantageous to both you and your people we only choose to confine you so that we can do what we want." Officer Jiang replied.
"All this for a mere concubine?" Zhao Ruyu asked.
"If she was a mere concubine then why would you offer your allegiance?" Officer Jiang responded, "a farmer can only sow where the Earth is fertile henceforth I believe she possessed something you treasured." He added.
"If you have deduced it by now how long do you expect the State Tribunal to hold me?" Zhao Ruyu asked.
"We have ledgers in our possession each of them counting the wealth that you hold and you posses so dearly others reveal your trade relations with the Jurchens which for a good cause gives us a remarkable offer at hand, the reason for the weakness in our military divisions was simply so that you could have a chance to profit from trading with our traditional enemies." Officer Jiang muttered that the latter was shocked.
"Such a big accusation!" Zhao Ruyu exclaimed.
"Your Excellency can not blame me but it's just that at the very worst the people must have heard by now and if His Majesty wishes to protect you then exile shall be your only salvation." Officer Jiang said as he stood up to walk away.
"Why are you telling me this?" Zhao Ruyu asked and the two halted in their footsteps.
"What?" He asked.
"Why are you telling me this?" Zhao Ruyu asked yet again.
"However great a man might be, he can not rely on his strength alone." Officer Jiang replied, "you of all people should understand this better than anyone else that death is too easy a way out for our enemies." He added.
It was dark and the moon hovering over the capital a Palanquin stopped at the entrance of Lanling Court and out of it Lady Yang walked into the building.
In a small room Bao Langya, Bo An, Master Bao and a couple of Zhao Ruyu's supporters had gathered.
"Why are we here?" One of them asked.
"The left Chancellor Zhao Ruyu asked us to commit to this meeting and we'll see someone." One of them replied and at the time the doors of the room being opened, the Lady Yang making her way to the seat at the forefront everyone was very surprised she acted as though she hadn't noticed herself and facing them she smiled.
"I suppose you have waited for a long while." She said to them.
"The Left Chancellor...." One was replying when she interrupted.
"Is collapsing so fast as it is, I called you here in his name with whatever power he handed over to me." She said.
"Pardon us Ma'am but we were not told a thing." One of the officials said.
"The officials of Han Touzhou's faction were murdered in cold blood to topple your greatest supports in the Court Hall Sooner or later if Han Touzhou takes power he'll come for the heads of both yourselves and your families, He has nothing to fear because the Empress is behind him however on the other side the Grand Empress Dowager is already old and ailing and the Empress Dowager is a politically detached figure you can not seek reliance on her." Lady Yang assured them, "what's surprising is that I have information that all those murdered were busy investigating their fellow supporters of Han Touzhou's clique in the Palace I am a more reliable asset for you that's if you wish to retain the little power that you have to get back onto your feet and become strong again." She convinced them.
"Forgive us Ma'am." They said in unison as they kowtowed to her and taking it as a sign of their submission she sat down in her seat with a smile on her face while they followed her example.
"We were called on such short notice and we all understand that Minister Zhao Ruyu is in big trouble while Han Touzhou on the other hand and his so called War Party have slandered him to cut off that very power he wields." One of the men said.
"The collapse of Zhao Ruyu is inevitable and Han Touzhou is rather concerned over the position of Grand Chancellory which I can't sit by and idly watch him take over." Lady Yang replied.
"If Zhao Ruyu collapses, apart from Han Touzhou, who else is fit for the position of the Grand Chancellor Ma'am?" One of the men asked.
"It would be a violation of bureaucratic precedent however any relative of the Imperial family can not become a Grand Chancellor but Zhao violated that and he subsequently became the Left Chancellor, Shi Hao had a rather uneventful era it's the reason that the Grand Secretariat curtailed him, if this is the worst that it should come to, before Han Touzhou becomes the Grand Chancellor himself we need another candidate on one or more of the three seats of the Chancellory." Lady Yang replied.
"Ma'am speaks could you have anyone in mind?" Master Bao inquired.
"If we must nominate a candidate of our own, I haven't seen one that is much better than Zhao Zizhi as a matter of fact." Lady Yang replied with a ghastly smile on her face.
"Zhao Zizhi?" Master Bao inquired.
"Han Touzhou lacks whatsoever degree of Intellectual intelligence he's merely a naturally smart thinker that could only be associated with his own doctrines he's hardly linked to any school of thought, someone to be our Grand Chancellor needs to be a rather special person and whose talent can surpass that of our own Zhao Zizhi?" Lady Yang inquired.
"If Your Highness says so." They replied in unison.
"Tomorrow the fate of the Empire shall be divided and I am sure that His Majesty out of due respect to the very man that put him on that Dragon throne he can do possibly anything in the world but never can he bring the blade to his neck." Lady Yang concluded.
Han Touzhou was in his Chambers when the doors were flung open and the Empress Han walking through she bowed her head before him.
"You wished to see me my dear." He said to her.
"Troubled times dear Uncle, very troubled times." She responded while she sat down.
"We fulfilled our end of the deal, you are all that's left to speak to the Emperor to make me a Grand Chancellor as it is that our opposition seems to have narrowed greatly and become so weak." Han Touzhou muttered.
"It won't be that easy Uncle, Lady Yang was involved with the Emperor in the plot to kill Qing Yi she's definitely got him tied around her finger." Empress Han said.
"Without Zhao Ruyu she's no more than an ordinary sex partner to His Majesty." Han Touzhou muttered.
"From Wu Hou Uncle, to Yang Guifei of the Tang Dynasty, even the Zhangxian Mingsu Empress haven't we learnt from dancers and seductresses in history?" Empress Han asked.
"If you hold such a high regard of her then perhaps one time we should meet but as it is apart from myself there's not another candidate in this world that could succeed Zhao Ruyu and Shi Miyuan in the Chancellory." Han Touzhou replied.
"Then I can hope for the best Uncle." Empress Han said, "you can leave Lady Yang to me." She added as she stood up and kowtowed to him.
"Soon enough the rubble shall force the hand of His Majesty, Zhao Ruyu won't be safe from His verdict forever." He assured her before she withdrew from the room contentedly.
Lady Yang having returned to the Palace she found the Emperor waiting in her Courtyard that she hurried towards him.
"Your Majesty." She greeted him while he turned to her.
"You're here?" He muttered.
" Yes." Lady Yang replied, " you'll pardon me for having been out for a walk I got so lost I kept you waiting." She gently said.
"It's alright, I am to blame for having turned up uninvited." Emperor Ningzong remarked.
"Your Majesty can't sleep?" She asked.
"These past couple of days have been trying." The Emperor said and looking at the others around them, they immediately withdrew from the place they left the two.
"Is there something that you can not tell me?" He asked.
"Your Majesty seems rather worried and besides I heard that Court Lady Qing passed away in the night, I was more worried that you were troubled following Chancellor Zhao Ruyu's arrest." She responded.
"Is there anytime that goes on in the Palace that the world doesn't know?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"It's the topic in the harem Your Majesty, however, I am more concerned for your well-being." She replied.
"There's no way Zhao Ruyu could have been that bad a man and that foolish to attack those Officials and leave a trail behind, it's strange that such a dirty act he was unable of leaving clean." Emperor Ningzong muttered.
"But would Han Touzhou resent his own men to the point of killing them yet they supported him?" Lady Yang inquired.
"It would be him cutting off his hands and legs." Emperor Ningzong replied.
"Unless there was something wrong between them or he felt threatened but in the very least the Courtiers shall raise this issue in the daily Assembly and once they do so it would mean that they have already determined who is to be the Grand Chancellor to them." Lady Yang muttered.
"Perhaps they were martyrs to his cause but he remains the Uncle of my Empress, he's ultimately another support that is sufficient in service to keep me in power just as much as he could be fatal as well." Emperor Ningzong said as they walked hand in hand.
"But there's no bureaucratic precedent that permits him to run the Chancellory, such has been the case since the time of the Renzong Emperor a breach to this tradition would displease the people and the Seigniory of our Country yet I understand that this is something that even Han Touzhou himself can accept." Lady Yang said to him while he halted in his footsteps at once and she noticed that his expression had become rather strange.
"Did I say anything wrong Your Majesty?" Lady Yang asked the Emperor.
"No." He replied, "I didn't think that far ahead." He added as he turned around and held her shoulders, "as always you are smart." He complemented her.
"You flatter me Your Majesty." She said.
"You deserve that praise my dear." He replied and fell silent while looking into her innocent eyes she grabbed that opportunity to still spell the doubt that was in his eyes.
"It's already late Your Majesty." She said to him.
"Yes." He agreed.
"Isn't it good enough that I have seen you?" She asked him.
"It's wonderful." The Emperor replied.
Lady Yang getting into her Chambers she was accompanied by Xiaoyang and Manyin.
"What happened Ma'am?" They asked her.
"He's still doubtful." She replied in a sombre note while they kept quiet.
"We should worry about Han Touzhou and the Courtiers tomorrow." Manyin reminded her while she picked one of the candles and with it lit the two that were close to her.
"Rest assured, there are my enemies and I swear before God, they shall burn like these candles and they shall melt, they shall disappear from the face of the Earth one by one." Lady Yang replied as she pulled out of the drawer under her table a huge crimson one with a dragon designed on it.
"Is that the Emperor's?" Xiaoyang inquired.
"It's me, my ego, I learnt that the enemy of every tiger is its own reflection, while I was fighting my enemies for all those years, a reflection appeared in my heart and I wasn't aware." Lady Yang replied.
"Ma'am?" Manyin called out to her.
"Arrogance has eclipsed my eyes and I couldn't see that my Maha was born to his death." Lady Yang responded, "this fire is permanent, it will never be extinguished, my pain shall never wane, until I'm burnt and scorched in the same fire with my enemies." She whispered to herself in tears.
The sun rising over the Capital, the Courtiers in their different groups paraded up to the Great Hall where they always had the daily assembly.
The Emperor having rested on his throne Eunuch Deng holding out his Edict he read it out to them all.
"BECAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE THE LEFT CHANCELLOR ZHAO RUYU IS CLEARED OF HIS GUILT AND CHARGES OF MURDER BUT FOR HIS NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE JURCHENS IT'S A CRIME AGAINST THE STATE AND ITS INSTITUTION WHICH DESERVES NO PARDON AT ALL HE IS HEREBY DISMISSED AND DEMOTED TO GOVERNOR OF SUZHOU. GRAND CHANCELLOR SHI HAO IS INCOMPETENT AND OLD HAVING SERVED FOUR SUCCESSIVE EMPERORS HE IS HEREBY RELIVED OF HIS DUTIES AND THEREFORE CREATED FIRST RANK MARQUIS OF WEI, THE OTHERS FOUND WITH STRONG STANDING EVIDENCE OF THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE MURDERS OF THE MINISTERS SHALL BE EXILED TO FORMOSA AND THERE THEY SHALL LIVE OUT TO THE END OF THEIR LIVES NEVER TO SET FOOT ON OUR SOIL EVER AGAIN, THIS IS MY MOST AUGUST WILL." He read as he closed the scroll.
"Long Live Your Majesty, long live our Emperor." The Courtiers said as they bowed their heads to him.
"That's as good as done with." Emperor Ningzong said.
"Your Majesty, there's yet another important issue." Minister Xie said.
"Something is bothering you?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"Given the crimes that have been made there should be continuity in the state that I feel it is right that a new Grand Chancellor along with the left and Right Chancellors be chosen." He replied.
"I understand that the Chancellory is the heart of the bureaucracy and in so being it is crucial in administration of this nation, that alone being the case the choice of successors to these positions will require further deliberation as we are to work in respect of the laws that govern the bureaucracy itself." Emperor Ningzong said.
"But the Candidates to be considered Your Majesty can as well be decided." Minister Xia added his voice.
"That isn't so bad an idea but as always the Imperial Censorate is to be Considered along with the Ministry of Rites, with these together even the Secretariat shall be involved as well." Emperor Ningzong responded.
"If Your Majesty says so." Everyone said in unison as they bowed their heads and the ministers that had gathered with Lady Yang the previous night watched carefully.
"Congratulations in advance Your Excellency." Minister Xie said to Han Touzhou as they descended the stairs from the Grand Hall.
"There's no need to congratulate me as of yet." Han Touzhou replied.
"And why isn't that the case, it's obvious the person that is cut out for this position is none other than you because is there another in the Great Song whose brilliance can compare with yours?" Minister Xia asked.
"Apart from the Grand Secretariat, the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Censorate are out of our absolute control and they dominate the question and the debate." Han Touzhou responded.
"Perhaps it is because you are nervous but they know better that to appoint a person to that position it requires remarkable political skill and talent moreso the background and their literary achievements, who in the Imperial Court can compare to you Your Excellency?" Minister Xie flattered him.
"I suppose you are right." Han Touzhou boasted.
"Not to mention the Empress is yet behind you for her own well-being in the harem and the Inner Court and the Grand Empress Dowager is less assertive over the state affairs in her old age." Minister Xia added that Han Touzhou already felt confident he took a very deep breath.
Emperor Ningzong gathered with the rest of the Ministers from the three cliques and about twelve in number the council was determined to make a choice.
"You all know why we are here today." He said to them.
"About the Grand Chancellor ship along with it's different subordinates." Wengong replied.
"As always you are right." Emperor Ningzong agreed.
"We've heard quite reliably, the members of the Imperial Court seem quite bent on having Han Touzhou the Grand Secretary to lead the Bureaucracy." One of the members of the Imperial Secretariat pointed out.
"I see it's why he is absent at the time." Wengong spoke up.
"Is it not a tradition that nominees be absent from this meeting?" Another Minister spoke.
"What does everyone think about Han Touzhou?" Emperor Ningzong inquired.
"He is of age and experienced in his governance and furthermore he is close to the palace much more than anyone else, he's a man that is tolerant but astute and kind above all, exemplary in his conduct if we are to count any other man more deserving for the position of the Grand Chancellor, they haven't been born yet." One responded.
"Master Wengong?" Emperor Ningzong inquired as he turned to him.
"The Grand Chancellor Your Majesty said himself is the heart of the bureaucracy and over centuries it has therefore commanded a lot of respect and requirements which are to be fulfilled regardless of the position our inner most desires and aspirations for the state should be cast aside in the name of protocol to allow continuity and at the same time customary preservation which principles our ancestors greatly sought to protect through us." Master Wengong replied.
"Is that not the type of institution that Han Touzhou can represent?" Emperor Ningzong asked him.
"Your Majesty, anyone can be Grand Chancellor but it certainly can not be Han Touzhou." Master Wengong replied and the members of the Grand Secretariat turning to him seemed most surprised by his remarks.
"What is Master Wengong trying to insinuate?" They asked the old man who proudly frowned and holding his head high he stood up and kowtowed to the Emperor before he faced the rest.
"Han Touzhou holds no great promise as a civil servant. For him, no less than for his father, the lack of examination credentials means that his access to
the bureaucracy comes through the hereditary privilege accorded to kinsmen of great officials and favor derived through marriage ties with palace women. Except for his brief stints as regional sheriff and keeper of the imperial insignia andseals, The position of Grand Secretary is itself sufficient to contain his ambition.
Han Touzhou lacks intellectual achievements and is identified with no major thinker or school of thought,
save for having received childhood instruction from Ch'en Zhouchang, a rather obscure individual who is merely a professor at the Imperial University. He is neither steeped in classical literature nor immersed in traditional values, so I beseech that Your Majesty does not violate bureaucratic precedent and give Han a chancellory level position as this will cause clashes with the scholars and other bureaucrats." Zhu Wengong said and the rest of the Courtiers in silence as the Emperor seemed to consider the thought, there plea seemed curtailed.
"But Continuity is a norm in or Empire and the Grand Chancellory must be filled sooner or later so does Master Wengong have anyone in mind?" Emperor Ningzong inquired.
"If I may Your Majesty, in my humble opinion Zhao Zizhi is a rather more qualified candidate for this position being quite distant from the Imperial family, he is an accomplished official that is loyal and being associated with both the aristocracy and the bureaucracy there's not another person that can much up to his talents." Master Wengong replied.
"Very well then." Emperor Ningzong muttered, "I shall take this as our agreement." He muttered.
"Yes Your Majesty." Everyone said in unison as they bowed their heads.
Empress Han walking through the gardens she was intercepted by Lady Yang and her retinue coming from the opposite direction.
"Your Highness." She greeted her.
"You seem rather troubled." Empress Han remarked.
"Not at all Your Highness." Lady Yang replied with a smile on her face.
"There's a number of questions on His Majesty's mind after Zhao Ruyu was officially dismissed from office along with Shi Hao, I wonder if there's another apart from these two men that could stop our remarkable talent Han Touzhou?" The Empress said and Lady Yang getting closer to her she smiled.
"You can't anticipate for what you do not have Your Highness." She said to her, "If I were in your shoes who knows what it is that could possibly happen?" She asked and bowing her head she continued her way while the Empress turned around to look at her.
"Is there anything wrong with you Your Highness?" Eunuch Gong inquired.
"Just forget about it." Empress Han replied as she also continued her way while Lady Yang getting into her Chambers she sat down while Xiaoyang and Manyin positioned themselves in front of her.
"Qing Yi is out of the picture but Eunuch Gong I recall served the Retired Empress Li once it's amazing how he's already so close to her." Lady Yang remarked.
"His loyalty is versatile that is among the other servants, some gold, silver and considerable power can buy him off not to mention that the Empress rather ambitious in nature could be his only means to survive in the near future." Xiaoyang explained.
"We'll get rid of him." Lady Yang concluded.
"Can't we simply by him over?" Manyin inquired.
"If a man's loyalty can be bought to sell it is just as easy and should that happen it would compromise our position in the future, if there's a more efficient way to deal with him then it is to simply make sure that we deprive our enemies of him." Lady Yang responded.
"Such a resolution won't be so easy, to get rid of Qing Yi was quite burdensome and it cost us a great deal in the process." Xiaoyang remarked.
"We won't get rid of Eunuch Gong with our hands but the Empress shall do it for us." Lady Yang assured them with a smile.
"How so Ma'am?" Manyin asked.
"We'll use his own weakness." Lady Yang muttered as she smiled at herself ghastly.
Empress Han was seated in her Chambers and throughout the night she'd watched in the darkness quietly as the new day took wings of it's own eventually the sun rose and the servants outside her Palace anticipated good news.
Suddenly there were horsemen that were dispatched from the Palace that rode across the capital eventually one of the horses arrived at a fairly humble Manor which was well kept and very tidy for a moment.
The Courtyard had a beautiful group of peony flowers and the backyard cultivated large and healthy looking plum blossoms.
Getting off the horse the messenger moved up to the entrance where he showed the special Imperial token that seemed immediately recognized by the guards one of the servants beholding this sight dashed across the compound to the back of the building where a man who appeared to be in his mid forties was tending to the plum blossoms while humming a rather sweet tune.
"Milord." She called to him and turning to the young woman he smiled.
"What is it Lianxue?" He asked her as he put his shovel aside on one of the trays of his servants as the young woman stopping ahead of him she bowed her head.
"It's someone from the Palace and they are here to deliver an Imperial Edict from the palace." The young woman replied.
Hearing this at once the man rushed to the front Courtyard and Han Touzhou's manor itself was no different as they welcomed Eunuch Deng who was bearing the scroll personally from his Majesty.
"Your Excellency." He greeted as Han Touzhou bowed his head to him.
"I greet His Majesty." He said in response.
"His Majesty surely treasures and greets you equally." Eunuch Deng replied as he unfolded the scroll and at once everyone who was present in the Courtyard went onto their knees.
"This Is His Majesty's Edict." He informed them beforehand and they immediately went silent as the servants in the young Zhao Zizhi's Courtyard.
"HAN TOUZHOU THE GRAND SECRETARY HAS PROVEN HIMSELF A MOST LOYAL SERVANT OF MINE AND HE IS DEVOTED IN ALL DUTIES WHEN IT COMES TO THE DAILY RUNNING OF THE STATE, I HAVE SEEN HIS TOIL FOR OUR PEOPLE AND I REFLECT ON HIS ACTIONS AS EXEMPLARY THAT FOR CONTINUITY AND TRANQUIL WITHIN THE STATE I WANT HIM CLOSE TO MY HEART AS THE LEFT ARM AS AND I TRUST HIM WITH THE OFFICE OF LEFT CHANCELLORY. THESE HERE ARE MY INSTRUCTIONS TO HIM." He read.
"Thanks be to His Majesty." They fairly old man said as the scroll was handed over to him hesitantly he could clearly tell that there was something generally amiss but he was first reluctant to speak.
"You look troubled my dear." Eunuch Deng remarked as he studied his facial expression.
"I was just wondering who could the Grand Chancellor be?" Han Touzhou replied.
"Sorry to have informed you late enough but His Majesty is benevolent, there's no bureaucratic precedent of the Emperor's close family and kinsmen inheriting that title but as he brought Zhao Ruyu closer as the Left Chancellor he has brought you close in his heart when your insufficiencies are yet to be blamed for your rather I'll fortune." Eunuch Deng whispered as he bowed his head to Han Touzhou and with his retinue they exited the gates of the major.
"What?" Zhao Zizhi the young man muttered.
"Congratulations Your Excellency, you have been appointed to the position of Grand Chancellor by his Majesty." The informant joyously said and the young man rather shocked he took the scroll hesitantly.
"Long Live His Majesty, Long live the Emperor." He announced on top of his voice as he bowed his head.
Empress Han still anticipating the news was seated impatiently when one of her Ladies in waiting rushed through the room.
"Your Highness." She cried allowed as she made it to her presence.
"Tell me." Empress Han demanded as she fiercely stared at the young woman that kept her face low.
"Pardon me Your Highness, but His Excellency the Grand Secretary." The young woman hesitantly replied.
"What's wrong with him?" Empress Han inquired.
"He wasn't cut out for the position of Grand Chancellor." The young lady replied and the Empress furious she smacked the table at once.
"No." She shouted on top of her voice.
"His Majesty made him a left Chancellor but the position for Grand Chancellor, it has been filled by another distant member of the Imperial family, Zhao Zizhi." The young lady added and the Empress clenching her fists she was interrupted when Eunuch Gong walked in.
"It is I Your Highness." He announced himself at the entrance.
"Come over." She acquiesced to his presence until he moved up to the very front.
"What is it?" Empress Han asked.
"Lady Yang is here requesting for your audience Your Highness." He replied that immediately the young woman recalled the words that she had mentioned to her a couple of days before.
"And why are you telling me this?" She'd inquired from her.
"Because the purpose Your Highness isn't just the titles but rather the role that a woman sees fit for herself." Lady Yang had responded.
"And for your case which is it Ma'am?" She'd persisted.
"Which one do you see fit my Empress, please enlighten me." Lady Yang had replied to her, "which of those titles does Your Highness see fit for me?" She'd added alas her smiles all came clear to her yet again.
"You can't anticipate for what you do not have Your Highness." She'd warned her, "If I were in your shoes who knows what it is that could possibly happen?" She'd remarked those bitter memories only seemed more vivid in her eyes there and then.
"Let her in." She said.
"Your Highness..." Eunuch Gong hesitated.
"She did this, she knew." The Empress replied, "let her in." She insisted and the young man withdrawing from the room with the lady in waiting, lady Yang moved up to her and she bowed her head.
"Greetings Your Highness." She softly said to her while the Empress stared at her fiercely.
"You did this." She said.
"I understand that Your Highness is furious but at least Your Uncle has become the Left Chancellor." Lady Yang said as she sat down in front of the Empress and stared at her in the eye, "wasn't his reason for ousting Zhao Ruyu his desire to become the strongest man in the world?" She asked.
"And you could determine that it was enough for him?" Empress Han asked.
"Pardon my impertinence but I believe it's Your Highness that has lectured me frequently about qualifications." Lady Yang muttered.
"There's nothing impossible in this country of ours." Empress Han remarked.
"Yes, I warned Your Highness." Lady Yang Said, "you've even conceded yourself that there's nothing impossible in this country by now I am done with the ruse you should read clearly what my intentions were since we had our parley." She added.
"What did you mean, tell me?" Empress Han scolded her.
"Does Your Highness really not know?" Lady Yang asked.
"You Scoundrel." The Empress lashed out at her.
"You wench." Lady Yang responded on top of her voice fiercely staring at the Empress in the eye for a moment she reserved her silence, "you shall therefore listen to what I have to tell you." She spoke in a lowly tone.
"You haven't had enough of me have you?" The Empress asked.
"Your Highness on the other hand seems to have misplaced that statement." Lady Yang muttered.
"How so?" Empress Han asked, "everyone around you resides in my hands you think you are too high you'd survive my wrath, or perhaps the Grand Empress Dowager doesn't live much longer what shall become of the poor you my dear whose too innocent." She added.
"Even if I butchered your entire clan Your Highness, possessed the hearts of people alike and mastered all the power in the world to move mountains greater than any man or woman or king could wield, not being Empress could make it all worthless." Lady Yang informed her and angrily she smiled.
"You, Empress?" She remarked, "over my dead body." She swore.
"Yes Your Highness, these are my intentions, to take your place and wear that Crown that graces your power, to make all Creation bow and worship me, is there a greater calling or honour than that?" Lady Yang asked.
"Hence you are as brazen to face me, you trust that with ease I shall assume to have you take my place?" The Empress responded.
"As if I won't Your Highness, even if I must burn the whole world to the ground, until the day I am seated in that very seat of yours, I shall always live a twisted life." Lady Yang replied and standing up, she bowed her head before she turned around to get out of the room.
"Prepare yourself." Empress Han muttered while she halted in her footsteps, "you are aiming at the Empress and you have one shot." She asserted.
"And I won't miss Your Highness." Lady Yang replied as she smiled ghastly over her shoulder.
"Open up." She demanded and the doors of the room being opened she walked out into the corridor where she caught sight of Eunuch Gong who twisted his eyes at her while she was passing by the latter moved a couple of steps backwards and swinging her hand she slapped him aloud that everyone in the corridor was rather surprised.
"Ma'am....?" Gong nearly protested.
"Who taught you the rules of the Palace, how can a mere Eunuch like you look down on the Emperor's woman?" Lady Yang asked him when he fell silent that she continued her way leaving the young man furious.
"Eunuch Gong." The Empress called him and immediately he got inside the room and moved up to her front.
"Your Highness." He said to the rather furious Empress.
"She has become powerful." Empress Han muttered.
"I'm sorry Your Highness." Eunuch Gong replied.
"We must get rid of this tree before it takes roots." Empress Han concluded as she looked at him.
"Lady Yang won't be victorious for long enough." He said to her.
"How long has the Grand Empress to live?" Empress Han inquired.
"We're safe Your Highness, four months is adequate for us." Eunuch Gong responded.
"A month, no two weeks." Empress Han replied.
"Your Highness....?" Eunuch Gong protested clearly frightened from his facial expression.
"I want her gone as fast as possible at all costs." Empress Han concluded and the latter rather hesitant he bowed his head and walked out of the room leaving the Empress alone and infuriated.