It was very early in the morning and the Emperor preparing for the Daily Assembly, his Empress walled into his Chambers.
"Your Majesty." She said bowing her head to him while the latter only smiled at her presence.
"My Empress." He remarked as she got closer while Eunuch Deng and all the others withdrew from the room and left the two together.
The Empress carrying his Jade belt decided to help him wear it around his waist while he was temporarily comfortable with the proximity she was exhibiting, she chose to speak up then.
"There's something that I must report to Your Majesty." She said as she pulled away and looked him in the eye.
"What is it my Empress?" He asked.
"Your Majesty I kindly ask for your forgiveness as I didn't want to initially worry you but the more I keep quiet about it, I realised that I can't bring myself to be at peace." She responded.
"What happened?" Emperor Ningzong asked, "what went wrong?" He insisted.
"Yesterday one of the Imperial Prince Zhao Xun's ladies in waiting attempted to kill him by suffocating him with his pillow." She reported and hearing this the Emperor froze.
"What!" He could hardly believe what he had heard but the Empress composed as ever she turned and looked at his hat gracefully lifting if from it's table she put it on his head and pulled away.
"Perhaps I overreacted but I asked the matter to be investigated when today morning I received a confession from her." The Empress replied.
"She attempted to kill an Imperial Prince, I don't care about a confession the fact that she is alive is already troubling me." Emperor Ningzong mentioned.
"The harem and the Inner Court Your Majesty, someone must be in charge." She asserted.
"You are the Empress." He seemed to remind her.
"I am also a mother that has lost two sons already Your Majesty." She retaliated to remind him.
"What are you thinking my Empress?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"A Court Lady can't possibly act on her own she professed there was someone powerful, however, if we make it known to the Courtiers some people will doubt that the evidence we have is inconsistent." The Empress muttered.
"Then what is it that you want my Empress?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"An attempt was made on the Imperial Prince's life the day after he was suggested to be invested as the Crown Prince, The Courtiers might have been moved by a majority I am not one to believe that all of them were in favour, besides, the Grand Chancellor singlehandedly opposed his investiture I fear that he will be innocently implicated by those seeking to oust him from Court." Empress Yang replied.
"So it is not that you are not furious but rather you are concerned for the stability of the Imperial Court." The Emperor eventually seemed to figure it out while the Empress nodded in approval.
"I could hardly stop thinking about it the whole night that it occurred to me, our prisoner will not commit suicide sooner or later and whoever was behind the attempted murder of the Imperial Prince must be worried, however, they can not be reckless in their movements even if worry is inevitable for them they'll have only one of two choices to make." The Empress remarked.
"To create a scapegoat." The Emperor muttered.
"Or to attempt and get rid of the Court Lady." The Empress supplemented.
"You had envisaged the Grand Chancellor falling prey to the mastermind, if we halt that then you must be expecting them to try and get rid of the Court Lady?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"But this is now something that Your Majesty can use to His advantage." Empress Yang said.
"What have you in mind, my Empress?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"They put on a charade because they felt that opposition to the installation of the Imperial Prince as your heir apparent would make them seem rather suspicious, sadly for them it was an indirect unanimous vote for him to be placed in line to the throne." The Empress replied.
"Then let's give them what they asked for." The Emperor said confidently and looking at his wife in the eyes, he smiled heartily at her while she returned a more sincere and innocent smile as well.
The Empress returning to her quarters she sat down smiling at herself while Xiaoyang and Manyin looked at her to be in rather high spirits.
"You seem excited after seeing His Majesty Your Highness." Manyin pointed out.
"Everything seems to be falling in place." The Empress remarked, "it's a blessing that they didn't kill the Imperial Prince, now I am simply using their mistake to our advantage." She confidently asserted.
"How is that so Your Highness?" Xiaoyang asked.
"By all means the Imperial Prince Zhao Xun will be designated as the Crown Prince." She replied.
"But how can you be so confident Your Highness?" Xiaoyang seemed more doubtful and curious.
"The Grand Chancellor must have realised that sooner or later resistance is useless he just doesn't have the power which is sufficient to repress me on the matter, His Majesty thinks that the likes of Han Touzhou are in support unwillingly so that they can be blameless much later, all in all while estimating the chances that His Majesty will crawl out of this issue otherwise I have come to find, he doesn't have the brilliance and the confidence to contend with the Court directly all I did was to convince him that he effortlessly gets the upper hand over all those men by simply thinking that he's beat them at their own game." The Empress replied.
"Your Highness is really sage, such a flawless victory with insignificant resistance." Manyin lauded her.
"Whoever laughs last laughs best so as it is still too early to celebrate we can not forget that someone intended to harm the Imperial Prince." The Empress muttered.
"Could it have been Cao Zhaoyi?" Manyin asked.
"There's nothing more suspicious than the obvious and because of that I am inclined to think that we can't keep our scope rigid." Empress Yang replied.
"Then what will you do Your Highness?" Xiaoyang asked her.
"We still have the sinner in our possession and keeping them alive is what's best for us after all there's nothing more interesting than an uneasy adversary." The Empress remarked as she smiled at herself ghastly.
The Emperor Ningzong seated in the Grand Hall with the Courtiers,silence prevailed temporarily as he studied their expressions one by one.
More suspicious of Han Touzhou he stared at the latter intensely as he tried to keep his composure in front of him he seemed convinced that the old man harbored some ulterior motive.
The Grand Chancellor stepping to the forefront seemed prepared to break the silence but was interrupted when the Emperor raised his hand and halted him.
"You all must be curious but I am grateful that my loyal Ministers dared to bring it to my attention." He said, "I could hardly sleep thinking about your appeal the other day when you seemed to agree with my choice to select a Crown Prince." He added.
"Perhaps I was myopic Your Majesty." The Grand Chancellor said, "I too seemed to think just as much as you thought about it." He said.
"Really?" The Emperor asked as he looked at him.
"Your Majesty is the ruler of this country but a Crown Prince is also the foundation of our heavenly Empire, the foundation of the Imperial house that requires proper grooming, nurturing and sheltering especially in these troubled times that we can't possibly fall silent and allow aeons of peace or it's short-lived illusions rob us of our duty and our responsibility to our fledgling nation." The Grand Chancellor Chen Ziqiang responded.
"So what do you think Your Excellency?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"Your Majesty is sagacious, I am equally not well conversant with the current state of affairs, however, it seemed that I was challenged by my very capable predecessor's insight I have come to conclude that I shall withdraw my opposition to the installation of the Imperial Prince Zhao Xun as the heir apparent to the Imperial Dragon throne." Chen Ziqiang responded and everyone exploding into murmurs they seemed concerned, the young Emperor on his seat contented he smiled.
"My entire Court speaks in unison and I am moved to see that your vote is unanimous, I hereby declare before you all that as it so seems prime and proper at this hour, in three days' time the Imperial Prince Zhao Xun shall be invested as the heir apparent to the Imperial Dragon throne and he shall move into the East Palace and assume all its duties and full responsibilities." He announced.
"Long Live Your Majesty, Your Majesty is sage." The Courtiers said in unison bowing their heads and confidently, the Emperor stood up and walked out of the hall leaving the Courtiers behind.
Consort Han in her Chambers she was holding a chess piece and seated silently with Mi Yue standing beside her when Han Touzhou walked.
"You called for me Your Grace?" He spoke inquisitively while she looked at him with a smile on her face.
"Care for a small game of chess like we used to play it in the olden days?" She asked.
"Yes Your Grace." Han Touzhou replied as he took his seat in front of her and Mi Yue withdrawing from the room granted them some privacy as she stood outside.
"Judging from the look on your face you must be aware." Han Touzhou mentioned.
"You must have been informed by Lin Xue that someone attempted to take the life of the Imperial Prince Zhao Xun and there's no better suspect than Cao Zhaoyi, however it might be that you are unaware I wished to inform you in secret, my sources have confirmed that her actions are justified because she is bearing a child in her womb." Consort Han muttered.
"At her age, you mean to say she is...." Han Touzhou froze reluctant to believe the News himself.
"Miracles do happen Uncle at least on this you can agree to me, a Court Prostitute managed to supplant an Empress and become an Empress herself who is to say she hasn't mentored a little fellowship of hussies like herself in this Palace surely there might even be little girls outside this palace she has inspired." Consort Han remarked.
"So if Cao Zhaoyi is pregnant she'll definitely use her child to go higher and should the heavens be merciful that it's a boy she'll have a reason to restructure her own antagonistic camp to openly vie with the Empress." Han Touzhou mentioned.
"This is very important news but not sufficient enough to stop the Imperial Prince's investiture as the Crown Prince that is why I happened to inform you just now." Consort Han remarked.
"Yet you seem calm." Han Touzhou muttered.
"Cao Zhaoyi is pregnant but do you know an interesting rumour?" She asked.
"What is it?" Han Touzhou inquired.
"My sources inform me that there could be suspicion concerning the paternity or legitimacy of her unborn child." Consort Han responded.
"You mean to say that it's possible that the child she's carrying is not an Imperial seed?" Han Touzhou asked.
"I don't care whether it's an Imperial child or not but as long as there's a point of inquiry and suspicions that can never seem to be ignored we can use this to our own advantage." Consort Han replied as she moved her chess piece while getting closer to her uncle, "at the very least we can beat her with an Imperial child as well." She whispered.
"I see Your Grace." Han Touzhou mentioned.
"I have filtered my networks to settle somehow in the Palace and I seem to have found reliable people we need, I now want you to advance to the next step that we had agreed on before I returned to the Palace." She said to him while he moved his piece as well.
"Don't worry Your Grace, it has all been taken care of." Han Touzhou convinced him with a smile as well.
Cao Zhaoyi looking at the contents of a letter in her hands she slowly folded it and eventually hang it over the brazier and watched it burn.
"His Majesty has finally decided to invest the Imperial Prince Zhao Xun as his heir apparent in three days you said?" She asked Linxiang.
"The whole Palace is aware and perhaps the Grand Chancellor listened I heard that he eventually withdrew his opposition." She responded.
"When a corpse is found in water it's hard to tell whether they committed suicide or were drowned if they can not speak for themselves." Cao Zhaoyi remarked, "perhaps we reminded him that his resistance while powerless was useless or he had perceived it much later on, we can't tell, his loyalty is still wavering before us." She added.
"What are we going to do Ma'am?" Linxiang asked.
"The Crown Prince will be invested soon, what happens next, Consort Han is someone we must be cautious about now that an attempt was made on the Imperial Prince's life after her return to the Palace we also need to be reminded that we won't hide my pregnancy for so long eventually the truth will come to light." Cao Zhaoyi responded.
"It must be very hectic." Linxiang remarked.
"The Empress gained power from shattering the power of her adversaries, those men that were dismissed from the Court had most of their wealth sold to convince the Empress that they are no longer a threat a majority of them must be burning with anger we must win them over now when the hour is ripe." Cao Zhaoyi said.
"But what could those powerless people do for us?" Linxiang asked.
"If they sold most of their wealth then they must be having more money and when I think about it they must at least have some sons of their own." Cao Zhaoyi responded.
"Ma'am?" Linxiang seemed worried.
"If they can hold much money today then they can use it for the future after all is it not said that the enemy of my enemy is my friend?" Cao Zhaoyi muttered as she smiled at herself ghastly.
The Empress in her Chambers sipping at a cup of tea Manyin suddenly walked in on her.
"Your Highness, the Assistant Grand Secretary is here requesting to see you." She informed her.
"Shi Miyuan?" The Empress asked quite surprised.
"Yes." Manyin confirmed and consenting to his presence, the latter temporarily resigned to usher in the youthful man who approaching the Empress he immediately bowed his head.
"Your Highness." He said.
"You wanted to see me?" She inquired.
"Pardon me for having come unannounced." He mentioned.
"Maybe I could get used to it that we are political allies, perhaps I am comfortable knowing that you I have to trust the most amongst all men, your concern however is something that you should restrain, I prefer that if it is excessive it is best hidden from the eyes and ears that are around us." The Empress responded.
"I was moved with concern, as it is gossip travels fast within the Palace, the Courtiers for safety might have not made it known to His Majesty that they are aware but I heard that an attempt was made on the life of the Imperial Prince." Shi Miyuan mentioned.
"He is alive so it isn't serious, besides, I trust myself to have been professional in handling the situation." The Empress professed.
"And professional is in deed your play Your Highness, knowing you well enough that is beyond doubt, seeing that His Majesty moved and assured the world his intention to invest the Imperial Prince Zhao Xun as the heir apparent to the Imperial Dragon throne, I wish to also become more useful now." Shi Miyuan remarked.
"How so?" The Empress asked.
"It is without a doubt that you have vanquished the allies of Han Touzhou, you have destroyed his support entirely but it can't be said that they won't be used against us again." Shi Miyuan mentioned.
"I thought about it my dear, their properties were all bought and their wealth is liquidated, the value of the currency has been very high and the poor have always suffered as a result for that I want to redistribute the wealth amongst the people by temporarily lowering it." The Empress said.
"A mild inflation?" Shi Miyuan asked.
"Yes." The Empress replied.
"Aren't you worried that they'll only become more desperate and aggressive?" Shi Miyuan inquired.
"Reasoning with my enemies already cost me two sons I do not plan on making the same mistake again, the Empress of this country can't have a weakness to challenge my hegemony and if I find one I must cut it out." The Empress Yang responded.
"I understand that Your Highness wants to keep their hands tied but my concern here isn't their welfare I just need to make sure that they that challenged you are not in the position to do so again." Shi Miyuan muttered.
"So what do you suggest my loyal Minister?" She asked, "what is your proposal?" She insisted on knowing.
"We should make them dependant on us, in other words if we can not gain their loyalty then we must make sure that they can not sell it to another." Shi Miyuan responded.
"It's impressive an idea but I want to hear how it is so that you intend on doing that?" The Empress asked.
"Your Highness has always been perceptive of Palace politics Emperors always took in Concubines from around the country as either prisoners of the Palace or instruments to buy loyalties." Shi Miyuan responded that the Empress seemed to hint on what he was saying.
"You aren't suggesting that possibly....." She was reluctant to believe.
"The Han Clan stood independent in Court Politics and its affiliations to all the others were rather weak, as it is most of those officials have children of their own if we could make convenient marriage alliances then perhaps we could foster a political family." Shi Miyuan convincingly said.
"After all family is power." The Empress remarked with a smile on her face.
"Yes, Your Highness." Shi Miyuan agreed.
"It is not the most reliable move but I can incorporate it into my political designs, guarantee me that our marriages of convenience can not be used against us in the process." Empress Yang muttered.
"I'll find a suitable bride first with your blessing Your Highness." Shi Miyuan said to her while bowing his head.
"Perhaps." She responded positively with the sincerest smile that she could find.
Consort Han in her Chambers Mi Yue walked in and bowed her head.
"Your Grace, I looked into the Palace maid." She reported.
"Is that so?" Consort Han asked.
"She's not related to the Late Empress Han your Grace so I don't think that we can trust her as it seems that all the allegations she'd made to us were rather false." She responded.
"But I recall that Cao Zhaoyi is pregnant." Consort Han muttered.
"One right doesn't make everything right Your Grace." Mi Yue responded.
"She gave us very useful information I merely wish to know what is it that you would suggest?" Consort Han asked.
"We should keep our distance from her, probably as far as possible, being in the Palace I have come to learn that some affiliations can be poisonous, survival should be Your Grace's priority." Mi Yue responded and Consort Han looking at her she smiled.
"You are in deed very cautious and perceptive of everything that transpires in the Palace, I wanted to ask you a simple question and I was hoping that you'd give me a sincere answer." She said.
"Anything Your Grace." Mi Yue responded.
"Can I trust you?" She asked while Mi Yue falling silent for a moment she stuttered.
"Of course Your Grace." She responded.
"You seem less confident in yourself." Consort Han remarked as she stretched her hand into her sleeve and pulling it out there was an envelope which she placed on the table in front of her.
"Your Grace?" Mi Yue called curious.
"It isn't a breach to Palace decorum for me to designate a Court Lady I trust from outside the Palace but I simply can't return the Empress' gift if it is not faulty, someone deliberately poisoned all the plants in Rongchang Palace on the day that I returned and I happened to find traces of that poison in your quarters my understanding of a loyal dog is that it should not only cease to serve more than one master but it also shouldn't bite the hand that feeds it." Consort Han said as Mi Yue fell onto her knees.
"Please forgive me Your Grace." She pleaded when another voice spoke up from outside.
"It is I Your Grace." The tone seemed familiar and Consort Han smiling at herself she consented to the owner's presence as the doors were opened and another fairly old woman walked in dressed in the Head Lady's attire.
"Your Grace." She said while bowing her head.
"Mi Yue this is Court Lady Liu and with effect immediately she'll take over your duties." She informed her.
"Please forgive me Your Grace." Mi Yue pleaded as Consort Han stood up with the envelope and halting in front of her she knelt down and helped the young woman onto her feet while putting it into her hands.
"My forgiveness is in reach, your life will certainly be spared, deliver this letter to the Empress for me and Lady Liu will lead you to the milestone you'll bear on your back until you reach the Central Palace." She said.
"Yes Your Grace." Court Lady Liu replied bowing her head and being joined by other ladies in waiting who barged into the room, they ceased Mi Yue's hands leading the young woman out of her former mistress' presence as she begged for mercy but to no avail.
The Empress seated in her quarters she looked at the letter that had been covered in some of Mi Yue's blood and reading through its contents she folded it and placed it in the incense burner right in front of her.
"What's it Your Highness?" Manyin asked worried.
"Alas she has purred." The Empress remarked, "as I had expected the cat has shown her claws." She asserted.
"You were right Your Highness, she had known that Mi Yue was a snitch all along." Xiaoyang remarked.
"How is she?" The Empress asked.
"The milestone was a bit too heavy as it was bound to her body, she's still being treated and will heal after some time but she could be partially crippled." Manyin reported.
"That's better." The Empress said as she looked at Xiaoyang, "what about Cao Zhaoyi, has she made any suspicious moves so far?" She inquired.
"I have been informed that she doesn't fully trust the Grand Chancellor to have become a loyal ally, she's interested in those that have already fallen from power but I seem to think she'll be disappointed as it is what can a group of unpopular powerless men do to support her?" Xiaoyang responded.
"We can not be too hasty to judge the situation as they might have lost their wealth and power but they still have money." The Empress remarked.
"And their children?" Manyin asked.
"We'll make good use of them." The Empress said as she pulled out her own envelope and placed it on the table in front of the two.
"What's this Your Highness?" Xiaoyang asked.
"Relay my orders to the Ministry of Rites and find all the unmarried boys and girls from the Wu, Yang, Quan, Bian, Ma and Shi Clans, depending on their horoscopes I want you to match them to the following boys and girls included in this list." The Empress replied.
"Yes Your Highness." They two replied in unison and Manyin picking up the envelope, they bowed their heads as they withdrew from the room leaving the Empress alone smiling at herself contented.
Consort Han in her Chambers the doors were opened and Court Lady Liu walking through she halted with a young girl behind her.
"She's here Your Grace." She said to her.
"Leave us be." Consort Han ordered and the former complying she departed from their company while Consort Han's gaze seemed to invite the naive young girl closer to her.
As she halted in front of the table she offered her salutations.
"My Uncle thought you to be a reliable young woman." She mentioned.
"I am at your service Your Grace." The young girl replied.
"Sure you are." Consort Han said, "people from your family are fertile at least I heard, His Majesty is also very good in bed, most importantly you have to become a mother of an Imperial Prince because if you can do that I can promise that you'll survive in this Palace." She muttered smiling at her threateningly.
The Emperor Ningzong quietly in his study he was reviewing memorials when Eunuch Deng appeared before him.
"Your Majesty." He seemed concerned in his speech.
"Is there anything that I should know?" The Emperor asked.
"I am here to report something." He responded while he moved forward and gently pulling from the sleeve of his cloak an envelope he placed it onto the table.
"What is this?" The Emperor asked as he took up the envelope and opened it to read through it's contents.
"Her Highness was reluctant to disclose the information on the Court Lady that attempted to assassinate the Imperial Prince Zhao Xun and I looked through the matter privately to perhaps share your worries, I seem to understand why Her Highness is reserved." He mentioned as the Emperor looked through.
"This is a confession....." The Emperor said.
"Her Highness moved the Court Lady out of sight and her whereabouts can not be traced, but surprisingly as she wills to protect her the mastermind behind this conspiracy is Han Touzhou." Eunuch Deng reported while bowing her head.
"Then Her Highness was right to assert it, he only voted to be in favour of the investiture earlier on to be blameless in this scenario he must have been certain that it would meet the Grand Chancellor's opposition." He muttered.
"But why is Your Majesty reluctant to doing anything?" Eunuch Deng asked.
"Han Touzhou may have lost his political footing but he still has his economic power intact, recent intelligence reveals that he seems to funded underground robbery groups in the North, Consort Han's father Han Guang seems to control that territory effectively, besides Wu Xi on the other hand in the West has garnered himself some immense power and in the previous regimes when Han Touzhou still exercised immense influence he was the only member of the Wu Clan that benefited the most I have so heard it could be that he has their support." Emperor Ningzong replied.
"If you repress him then it's likely that they could raise an army." Eunuch Deng muttered.
"Han Touzhou cooperated with the Late Grand Empress Dowager to put me on the throne because his daughter got to be the Empress now that the Empress is no longer a blessing of his house it is safe to say that he could supplant me as well." The Emperor remarked.
"Then what is it you are trusting Your Majesty by keeping him in power when you intend to throw him out once his work is done?" Eunuch Deng asked.
"We have new officials in the Court and that's what matters, if we can win them over then surely we'll be able to supplant Han Touzhou before he can turn on us." The Emperor confidently replied immersing himself in his thoughts and Eunuch Deng hearing this he bowed his head.
Exiting the hall moments later he whispered to one of the ladies in waiting and making her way out of the Grand Palace, she moved to the Central Palace and appeared before the Empress' presence.
"Are you certain that it is so?" She asked her.
"Superintendent Deng asked me to relay to you Your Highness." She responded while bowing her head that the Empress faintly smirking she waved her hand for her to make her exit to which she complied.
"His Majesty is a lot more intelligent than he seems." She remarked.
"At least we understand now that he isn't supportive of Han Touzhou." Manyin mentioned.
"Summon all the others and inform them to meet." The Empress ordered.
"Yes Your Highness." Manyin replied as she withdrew from the room immediately as well.
The Emperor still studying there was a knock on the door.
"It is time for your evening meal Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng announced and the Emperor folding the last of the memorials and piling them onto his left, he consented to the food being delivered that the doors were opened and three ladies in waiting bearing the dishes on their trays appeared before him and placed them onto the table.
The first two moving out the third kneeling close to the Emperor he caught an unfamiliar and seemingly irresistible scent that for a moment he zoned out and appeared to be enchanted by the young woman's beauty.
Touching his hand he felt aroused and closing the distance between the both of them he looked her straight in the eye while she stared back seductively before she kissed him.
He couldn't think of anything else at that moment he knew that he longed for her warmth more than anything else and as though infatuated he seemed to be seeing his wife in her place he got more and more ferocious as he preyed on her tightening his arms and his grip around her light clothes he was ripping them off her body until alas he was on the floor with her.
Eunuch Deng outside heard moans follow that he turned his back away and looked unsuspiciously.
"His Majesty hasn't had it in a long time so a maid wouldn't be too bad." One of the ladies in waiting whispered to him.
"Just keep this to yourselves if I hear this anywhere in the Palace all of you will be dead because if I don't kill you the Empress will kill us." Beiyuan muttered and the rest of the girls and Eunuchs present withdrew from the hall at a distance.
Consort Han in her Chambers Court Lady Liu rushed in before her and bowed her head.
"What happened?" She curiously asked.
"I have been informed Your Grace, she has made it." Court Lady Liu replied with a smile on her face.
"The stone has been cast, now everything in the Palace will take a drastic change." Consort Han remarked as she smiled at herself ghastly.
The hours having passed the girl seated next to the sleeping Emperor she seemed enchanted by his look.
"Every woman outside this Palace is struggling, a girl born into the nobility doesn't always get a happy ending, you are a benevolent Emperor at least this much I have heard but I had to do this to save those dear to me and prove useful to my clan." She muttered.
"My Empress?" The Emperor suddenly called half asleep that she immediately stood up frightened and covered herself with her clothes.
"Forgive me." She said as she immediately rushed to the doors and sliding them open she came face to face with Eunuch Deng who seemed to be waiting for her.
"Don't mention this to anyone." He cautioned and she seemed to understand from not only his tone but also his appearance what to do that she nodded in approval before he stepped aside and she hurried her way.
"Keep a close eye on her." He whispered to one of the Eunuchs.
"Yes Sir." He replied bowing his head as he shortly followed her away.
The young woman negotiating a corner seemed to notice that she was being tailed and Court Lady Liu approaching her from the opposite direction she nodded her head as though signalling for her to be cautious.
She stretched her hand into the sleeve of her attire and pulling out a small piece of paper while the two got close enough she swiftly placed it in the latter's hand before she moved on to her own quarters while Lady Liu negotiated the same corner to the side of the building.
Making sure that she wasn't being seen by anyone else she removed the small paper to look through its contents she smiled after interpreting what was written.
"So I wasn't mistaken after all." She remarked under her breath trying to maintain her composure before she continued into the direction of Rongchang Palace.
The Empress' supporters already gathered in their secret conference room of Lanling Court they stood up while she made her way in being accompanied by Beiyuan and Xiaoyang and they bowed their heads to her.
"Greetings Your Highness." They offered their salutation in unison as she smiled casually like she always did before she sat down ahead of them and they did the same after her.
"You called for us Your Highness, it must surely be something urgent." Yang Cishan mentioned.
"His Majesty did agree to invest the Imperial Prince Zhao Xun as the heir apparent to the Imperial Dragon throne, I wanted to personally extend my vote of thanks to you all." She replied.
"No need Your Highness, you are just as concerned for our Great Country like we are, it is our good fortune if the Imperial Prince becomes the Crown Prince of this nation, after all, he does possess the most remarkable qualities." Peng Zishou remarked.
"Our alliance has come this far perhaps because I have always thought that you of all people understand me well enough, we have succeeded in this tumultuous age but our victory doesn't mean the end of this war I couldn't help but keep thinking of a way that we could consolidate our power to continue helping the people." The Empress muttered.
"And Your Highness seems to have foundd some way?" Bao Langya asked.
"Han Touzhou is still the Chancellor of the Left so he still has a trump card under his sleeve, we've severed him from his power but this has also created for us political enemies, the Vice Grand Chancellor thought it worthwhile for us to eliminate the antagonism amongst us and bring unity to our Court which move he best defended would best be carried out if we'd all belong to one big political family." Empress Yang replied.
"One big political family?" Yang Cishan asked.
"Most of you here have daughters and sons that are already the marriageable age and thinking about it, most of Han Touzhou's previous supporters are in the same position if not now when would be the best time to bury the hatchets that exist between us and move into the future?" She asked.
"Your Highness is proposing that we make political marriages?" Liu Dexiu.
"Our enemies are desperate and we can't be certain that they'll stay fallen forever, if they can not in the very least offer us their allegiance willingly then we must hamper them from selling it to another." The Empress replied.
"If we're a family it'll eliminate reason for them to rebel?" Yang Cishan asked.
"That much can not be guaranteed but it's the most peaceful resolution of minimizing hostilities between both our parties." Shi Miyuan continued to support it himself.
"But how many of them will be willing to accept the offer?" Ye Shi the Vice Minister of Public works inquired.
"I'll have to use my capacity as the Empress as this concerns the ladies of the outer Court and where necessary we'll move His Majesty." The Empress responded and they each seemed to approve in their indistinct chattering.
"One more thing." The Empress said and all of them ultimately fell silent as they accorded her their full attention.
"What is it Your Highness?" They asked her.
"His Majesty gave you his confidence as his new cabinet and I have been reliably informed that my endeavors to alienate him from Han Touzhou are partly successful, he on the other hand seems to question the fact of himself being in the position to trust your loyalty as his Ministers so you will give that to him." The Empress responded.
"Yes Your Highness." They all replied hesitantly.
"I have not abandoned our mutual understandings and I will keep them at heart but if we want an Emperor that will protect us we must first accord him our loyalty and protection as well." The Empress tried to convince them that they bowed their heads somewhat contented while she smiled most sincerely to them.
Cao Zhaoyi in her Chambers she seemed lost in her thoughts when Linxiang appeared before her.
"Ma'am, your father is here." She informed her.
"Let him in." Cao Zhaoyi confidently responded and the latter withdrawing the former Minister Cao appeared before her.
"You called for me Ma'am?" He inquired.
"Yes father." She replied as she pointed at the seat in front of her and the latter without any hesitation he sat down.
Cao Zhaoyi looking at Linxiang she took it as a sign to withdraw from their presence immediately and walking out of the room with the othef ladies in waiting standing outside they turned and faced away from the walls while the Empress' mole was watching.
"What do you want me to do for you Ma'am?" Ex-Minister Cao asked.
"It has been a long time since I had a word with my father am I not obliged in the very least to feel concerned?" She inquired.
"All your life you have tried Ma'am and I have seen, you strived so hard to be the Empress of this Country but it seems that you are unlucky." Ex-Minister Cao remarked.
"Perhaps I am father, I no longer understand if I am thinking straight any of these days." She asserted.
"You are alive, at least the Empress seems generous enough to ensure that you remain so, I was merely hoping to at least encourage you that you are blessed as it is that you are one of the Emperor's women so stop striving to take what's not yours and live content, live happy in the Palace, that way, we the rest of the Cao clan can live in peace as well." Ex-Minister Cao asked.
"So you're giving up this soon?" She asked him.
"We don't t have power anymore, we don't have wealth, before many people would bow their heads and worship us, now we have nothing." Ex-Minister Cao replied.
"You still have me father." Cao Zhaoyi insisted.
"And what is it that you could possibly give us?" Ex-Minister Cao asked as Cao Zhaoyi took a very deep sigh.
"About twelve years ago Your Excellency, I was the Court Lady that served the Empress while she was still one of the six matrons, I thought I was content in that service, we'd grown up together but one day I came across a man who told me something." Cao Zhaoyi reported.
"Should I be curious what it was?" The Ex-Minister Cao asked.
"He said to me that I had the ability to rise to the highest place that a woman could attain in this world I was in deed awed but alongside that he promised me that like me someone was to be beckoned with and that I would become someone's shadow." She responded.
"What do you think?" Ex-Minister Cao asked.
"The people that I have slain in the name of getting this position, the sins that I have committed to gain this power have never daunted me and who cares if it is a shadow that I was meant to be but the mere fact that I am more than capable to rise to the highest position then I am willing to take a gamble even with my life and I won't stop I shall keep on fighting until my last breath." Cao Zhaoyi assured him while he took a deep breath and sighed.
"I understand." Ex-Minister Cao said as he stood up from where he was seated and turned around to walk away.
"I have something else to say." She insisted.
"You chose the least interested person Ma'am." He responded as he raised his right foot to commence his departure.
"You can be the legitimate grandfather of the next Emperor of this Country." She asserted and hearing this the latter halted in his footsteps and turned around to look at her.
"What are you saying?" He asked.
"I haven't informed many people my dear father, but you are among those I trust and can rely on, In my womb I carry with me His Majesty's child, an Imperial Prince, I was merely wondering that wouldn't it be possible to raise some influence on our side again once the child is born?" She asked as she smiled at herself ghastly.
"Ma'am?" He seemed reluctant to believe it.
"I have told you that I am taking a gamble with my life, first that the child within my womb is a boy and secondly that I am going to supplant the Empress and put him on that Imperial Dragon throne so I'll ask again before you can set foot out of this building at this very instant, will you help me father?" She asked looking him in the eye he himself seemed to find it rather hard to resist her demand.
The Empress in her Chambers the mole from Cao Zhaoyi appeared before her bowing her head.
"You said that Cao Zhaoyi summoned her father to the Palace?" She asked.
"Yes Your Highness." She responded.
"Have you informed Consort Han?" The Empress asked.
"Not yet Your Highness." She replied.
"You may leave." The Empress ordered and the young girl bowing her head she withdrew from her presence while Manyin turned to the Empress.
"What could Cao Zhaoyi be up to?" She asked.
"At this rate, it seems she's using her pregnancy to try and buy loyalties, it's the last thing she's in the capacity to do." Empress Yang responded.
"You know she called the Imperial Princes Your Highness, why have you not repressed her yet?" Manyin asked.
"Someone like Cao Zhaoyi doesn't deserve my mercy I'll give her the same thing that she has given me at the most opportune time." The Empress responded.
"What could it be Your Highness?" Manyin inquired.
"There's nothing more painful for a mother in the world than losing a child in her arms and because Cao Zhaoyi put me through the same pain it is only fair that I'll bring her to cry blood." The Empress responded hatefully as Manyin kept quiet.
"Before my blood runs out, Cao Zhaoyi will bleed and die first." She swore as she bit her teeth and angrily clenched her left fist.
The Courtiers gathering in the early morning, the trumpets and drums being sounded, the gongs were struck as the sun possessed the blue firmament.
The Emperor Ningzong with his Empress seated altogether on the Imperial Dragon throne in their ceremonial attires the Eunuchs bearing fans escorted the Imperial Prince Zhao Xun as he mounted the stairs that led to the Grand Hall.
He was dressed in a navy blue and green attire that was adorned with scarlet, silver and golden thread while his head bore the ten beaded Crown.
He held in his hands his ceremonial Jade tablet and walking through the aisle of the Courtiers that were dressed in their black and red Imperial ceremonial robes, he halted in front of his father and mother and kowtowed thrice.
The Emperor Ningzong holding the hand of His Empress tightly seemed most excited while the rest of the Courtiers in league with the Empress were marvelled by the young boy's grace and favour.
Eunuch Deng stepping forward with the Imperial Edict in his hands he unfolded it.
"All hear His Majesty." He said and the Courtiers in response they bowed their heads.
"HIS HIGHNESS THE IMPERIAL PRINCE ZHAO XUN IS DILIGENT AND UPRIGHT, HE IS HIMSELF VERY FILIAL, INTELLIGENT AND BRIGHT, UNWAVERING IN HIS DUTIES AS THE IMPERIAL PRINCE OF THIS NATION, COMPASSIONATE AND KIND, THE HEAVENS HAVE CERTAINLY BESTOWED UPON ME A SON AMONGST SONS. I SHALL THEREFORE NOT DISAPPOINT THE HEAVENS AND NEITHER SHALL I DISAPPOINT MY PEOPLE AND THE IMPERIAL COURT AND WITH THEIR BLESSING I AS THE SUPREME RULER OF THE PEOPLE OF OUR HEAVENLY EMPIRE WITH UTMOST CONFIDENCE WISH TO ENSURE THE STABILITY OF THE NATION AND SAFEGUARD IT FROM FUTURE THREATS BY CROWNING MY SON AND SECOND PRINCE AS THE CROWN PRINCE OF THIS KINGDOM, MASTER OF THE EAST PALACE AND HEIR APPARENT TO THE IMPERIAL DRAGON THRONE." He read as he folded the Edict and descending from the side of the throne, he handed over the scroll to the young Prince who took it into his hands.
"I thank you Your Majesty, I thank you Your Highness." He said while the Courtiers went onto their knees.
"Long Live His Highness, the Crown Prince, Long Live Her Highness the Empress, Long Live our Majesty the Emperor, Lord of a thousand years." They said in unison as they kowtowed thrice.
The investiture having been concluded the Empress flung open the doors to the Crown Prince's Private Chambers and there she slowly walked in.
The room was dark save for the small beams of sunlight that shot through the window and inspecting the books around she saw on the table one that was titled the Rites of Zhou and next to it Sun Tzu's art of war.
She moved further past the table to the bedside where she saw the Crown Prince's Court attire hanging on its wooden hanger and with her hands she gracefully touched it slowly and felt it.
"Remarkable isn't it?" She asked herself, "Your Highness never lived to see the day that this lowly Court musician and Concubine placed her son in line for the Imperial dragon throne." She muttered as she smiled at herself while silence followed and she moved away and faced the main doors.
Manyin and Xiaoyang standing outside with Beiyuan seemingly anxious she opened them and stepped outside as they bowed their heads.
"Your Highness." They greeted her in unison while she smiled at them.
"Have everything cleaned for His Highness the Crown Prince." She ordered.
"Yes Your Highness." They replied as she continued her way and they immediately started cleaning the room.
The Ex Minister Cao in his study was lost in his thoughts while his second wife was seated in front of him.
"What is it Milord?" She asked as his mind drifted away and he remembered the conversation that he had had with his daughter.
"We are deficient in power and wealth, you being pregnant with the Emperor's child can't do much to aid us." She'd mentioned.
"We have the support of the Grand Chancellor, but Her Highness the Empress won't settle for less despite the fact that she is in control, gather the support of the Li and Cao clans, after all they themselves having been challenged by the Empress before must be her natural and most irreconcilable enemies." She'd ordered him.
"Cao Zhaoyi is pregnant with the Emperor's child." He said to her.
"What!" Mrs. Cao seemed surprised to hear that.
"We must keep this news a secret that's to protect both ourselves and her, meanwhile I want your help to befriend the ladies of some officials who are rather distant from the capital." Ex Minister Cao asserted.
"I'll try my best." Mrs. Cao replied.
"The Empress might dominate the Imperial Court but her influence is still far from penetrating the entire Empire." He confidently remarked.
Han Touzhou and Consort Han were seated in her Chambers, next to them were the young girl that had spent a night with the Emperor the past couple of days.
"How is she?" Consort Han asked the Imperial physician.
"She is with child." He replied, "you can expect her to show vivid signs a couple of months later." He assured them.
"You may take your leave." Consort Han said and the young lady, physician and Court Lady Liu withdrew from the room leaving the two alone.
"The Crown Prince has been invested, the Empress will be more cautious and keen to protect him, the biggest threat for the time being will be Cao Zhaoyi's unborn child, I want you to keep this girl safe for me outside the Palace." Consort Han said.
"Don't worry at all Your Grace." Han Touzhou assured her, "the Empress won't suspect a thing at all." He claimed.
"We still have the Grand Chancellor to worry about though." Consort Han said, "he could be a big problem once Cao Zhaoyi's child is born." She added.
"Perhaps." Han Touzhou replied, "but it's only a matter of time." He spoke confidently that Consort Han became curious.
"How certain can you be?" She asked.
"No man is immortal Your Grace and so is the Grand Chancellor, you'd be impressed that he won't notice, he is dying every day" Han Touzhou responded.
"How so Uncle?" Consort Han asked.
"His Presence at the Imperial Court spelt doom for us but a man like himself likes burning incense in his personal Chambers all I needed to do was to contact his seller to make it a bit harmful, harmful enough to kill him." Han Touzhou responded as he smiled at himself ghastly.