Han Touzhou facing the Empress she keenly looked back at him.
"So much for your unexpected visit." She remarked.
"If you may hear me out Your Highness?" Han Touzhou remarked.
"I seem to have not understood which part of our alliance is a mutual collaboration." The Empress muttered.
"Was it not Your Highness that saved my seat?" Han Touzhou asked.
"What brings you here?" She asked.
"I am here to return a favour." Han Touzhou responded and hearing this the Empress smiled mockingly.
"You, return a favour?" She sarcastically asked.
"Yes." Han Touzhou confidently replied while the Empress fell silent for a moment.
"It is you." She said.
"Yes Your Highness." Han Touzhou replied in a low tone.
"Stop this." The Empress warned, "if you don't then I shall have to stop you myself." She assured him.
"Your Highness doesn't seem to understand." Han Touzhou remarked.
"Perhaps it's Your Excellency that doesn't understand the gravity of this situation." She retaliated.
"Maybe I am well versed with the State of affairs of the Continent." He mentioned.
"And which part exactly, the one where you seem overly confident that our enemies are weak or is there a possibility that they are playing you?" She asked.
"That soil on which the Jurchen throne sits is essentially Han." He remarked.
"And thus we can't allow it to be retained by our traditional enemies?" She angrily asked.
"My career, my power, my wealth and every ounce of breath I took, every hour, every day, every week, every month and every year was devoted to this cause, the cause of our fathers that one day the Children of the South would liberate the North, that we would reclaim it from the hands of our adversaries." Han Touzhou mentioned.
"Is this the part where you tell me it's for our own good?" She inquired.
"We are a proud race and a very remarkably great heritage, I have seen decades I was roughly eight when my Grandfather fought in the battle of Caishi, we've been provoked over and over again and we're forced into subjugation, equated with those uncivilized barbarians they dare to command our loyalty and allegiance." Han Touzhou mentioned.
"Seeing that you very well understand what war can do why do you still choose this?" The Empress asked.
"I don't have a long life to live." He replied.
"You do not have the power, you do not have the capability, you want to start a war you can never finish, attacking now is premature." The Empress Yang remarked.
"So when does Your Highness suggest will be the right time?" he asked her.
"How long do you plan to take the fight, a week, a month, a year?" She asked, "can you last through ten years of conflict or perhaps we should consider are our soldiers skilled enough, have we the supplies, is the season favourable, what about the winter, all these are unanswered questions that deserve to be put into consideration." She muttered.
"It is a good thing Your Highness to strike the iron when it's still hot but a better thing to make the iron hot by striking." Han Touzhou responded.
"By perverting all theories known and suggesting that war the highest form of struggle is mankind's most supreme test, by eliminating the unfittest nations and granting greater power to the fittest it advances the cause of civilization and eliminates primitivity?" The Empress lashed out.
"Peace is absurd and we do not believe it, if we relax our vigilance when our Sovereign Empire is at peace the military government becomes restful and we will certainly become vulnerable, our enemies will never stop, you never stopped to challenge my power and my dominion, whose to say the Jurchens won't do the same?" Han Touzhou asked.
"So you are taking the fight to them, in the name of revanchism?" The Empress asked.
"My actions speak for me, Sun Tzu says it, you never fight a war you are not sure to win." Han Touzhou responded.
"Sun Tzu himself equally said it, victory in a war can't be solely decided by the Victory of a single battle but the cost." The Empress insisted.
"We have a worthy Emperor, we have a strong Empress, my Ministers were sinners, Your Highness' seem reliable, we can handle any danger sagaciously." Han Touzhou said as he stood up before her and bowed his head.
"Your Ministers will either have to abide with me or lose their power, in this question for invasion not even His Majesty will be in the position to stop it, even if you sit on that throne you won't stop it because it's what's in the people's minds, if there is one thing that I have learned from you Your Highness is that you lack the confidence to ride against the tide." He said.
"I will not allow it." The Empress assured him.
"I have formed a war cabinet, three days is all I need, if your people can not agree to my terms, then I shall force them out of that Hall myself." He threatened as he withdrew from the room leaving the Empress alone with Bao Langya and Manyin.
"How dare he?" The Empress angrily muttered as she smacked the table in front of her.
"It is clear Your Highness that Han Touzhou is seeking out a war, he has chosen invasion, our power in the Imperial Court being newly established is still too delicate, besides, many of the common people are in favour so our resistance will make it seem that we are afraid of the Jurchens." Bao Langya mentioned.
"I can not make it into the Court Hall but there's someone who can." The Empress muttered.
"Who Your Highness?" Bao Langya asked as she turned to Manyin.
"How many minutes is it to the Daily Assembly?" She asked.
"Only half an hour." Manyin replied.
"Prepare His Highness the Crown Prince." The Empress ordered.
"But His Highness is still too young." Bao Langya remarked.
"I will not back down without a fight." The Empress responded as she clenched her fists angrily.
The Courtiers gathered in the Grand Hall, Eunuch Deng stepped forward and announced the presence of the Emperor.
Everyone seeing him they bowed their heads while he sat down onto his throne.
"Greetings Your Majesty." They offered their salutation in unison as he raised his hand for them to stand at ease.
"Very many things have been transpiring in the Country, I have heard so much from the Borderlands, at the hour of noon yesterday I received word from Xiangyang, things have gotten out of hand and the border is no longer peaceful." The Emperor muttered while everyone kept silent and Han Touzhou tried to reserve himself.
"The Jurchens have been terrorizing our people, what's worse is that I happen to have learnt that it seems the Jurchen military movements have increased especially in the West close to Sichuan and the Jurchens have been financing raids in the local communities within our own borders, spies within the Jurchen Territory have reported that Jurchen political circles are interested in seeking out war with us and the new Emperor Zhangzong of the Jurchens seems most interested in pursuing the dream of their Rebel leader Wanyan Liang of reunifying China by conquering our Southern territory." The Emperor mentioned.
"The Jurchens are clearly at fault Your Majesty, if it is so then we should send an envoy to Zhongdu." Yang Cishan mentioned.
"It is reasonable but yesterday as it so happened the Left Chancellor visited me out of concern for the safety of the Monarchy and the welfare of our Empire, if the Jurchens are hoping for war and claim to be preparing in their own territory it is only right that we retaliate by preparing adequately." The Emperor muttered.
"What does Your Majesty suggest we do?" The Grand Chancellor Chen Ziqiang asked confidently presenting him with the opportunity he needed to voice out his opinion.
"Present the Edict." The Emperor Ningzong said to Eunuch Deng who stepped forward with the Golden Scroll in his hand and opening it he faced the audience Chamber and read it aloud.
"OUT OF MY CONCERN FOR THE NATION, I AM MOVED BY THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS, AS WE ARE NOT YET IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY AS THE SOVEREIGN IT IS MY DUTY TO PREPARE THE PEOPLE FOR THE WORST, JURCHEN MILITARY ADVANCEMENTS THREATEN THE STABILITY OF OUR EMPIRE AND MAKE OUR ANCIENT OATHS OF PEACE ALL THE MORE DELICATE, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, THE LEFT CHANCELLOR SHALL ASSUME THE ADDITIONAL DUTY OF MANAGER OF NATIONAL SECURITY AND WILL BE ASSISTED BY A WAR CABINET OF MINISTERS HE FINDS ABLE AND RELIABLE TO OVERSEE THIS ORDEAL." He read.
"I thank Your Majesty." Han Touzhou said going onto his knees while Eunuch Deng descending the stairs he handed over the Imperial Edict to him under the gaze of everyone else who kept quiet.
"If I may Your Majesty?" Han Touzhou mentioned as he pulled from his cloak a memorial which he handed over to Eunuch Deng who bore it to the Emperor.
"For my War Cabinet I have chosen to entrust the command of the Huainan East circuit to my Assistant Chancellor of the Right Zhang Yen, the command of the Huainan Westcircuit to Bureau of Military Affairs executive Zheng Song, and the command ofLiangzhe East circuit to Chief Minister of Justice Xin Chichi. Former Ministry of Works executive Zhiu Zhung as custodial prefect of the strategic port city of Mingzhou and Su Shidan as the Commander in Chief of the Northern Brigands." He petitioned.
"It seems to me that His Excellency is remarkably eager for war." Yang Cishan mentioned.
"I am merely concerned that an ill preparation for the worst could be catastrophic." Han Touzhou muttered as he bowed his head to him.
"Very well then, I approve to it." The Emperor Ningzong said as he caught the Imperial Jade Seal and stamped the memorial to approve it.
"Forgive me Your Majesty." One of the Empress' supporters spoke up.
"What's the matter?" The Emperor asked.
"No doubt his Excellency is right to be cautious but at times actions speaking louder than words are always perceived differently by every viewer." The Vice Minister of Public Works Ye Shi muttered.
"What is it that Your Excellency wishes to put forward?" Han Touzhou asked.
"The vulnerability of our Great Country's border defenses makes conflict highly risky, it is right for us to take these measures if it's what the General welfare demands but if we make them extreme are we up for a war with the North?" He asked.
"We aren't afraid of the North." Han Touzhou muttered.
"I didn't say we were." Ye Shi insisted.
"Then what is your proposal?" The Left Chancellor asked.
"Force is met with force, ease with ease, it is however very dangerous for us to divide our devotion that I was suggesting that we put this to a popular vote." He responded.
"A popular vote?" The Emperor inquired while everyone murmured amongst themselves.
"We are not afraid of the North, if they aggress us then we shall retaliate, however since war concerns the people it is right that their opinion be brought forward before the Court can decide and meanwhile, we can employ precautionary measures at the very least." Ye Shi responded while bowing his head.
"Please hear us out Your Majesty." The Empress' supporters spoke in unison while bowing their heads as the Emperor kept quiet.
The Courtiers exiting the hall they found the Crown Prince Zhao Xun kneeling in the square that they halted in their footsteps.
"Your Highness?" Yang Cishan mentioned while the Emperor stepped forward at the top of the staircase.
"What are you doing here Crown Prince?" The Emperor asked.
"I am here as the Crown Prince of this nation, I beseech Your Majesty to hear me out." The young Prince mentioned.
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is still a minor, what more does he know about the affairs of State?" Han Touzhou asked.
"As it is my responsibility with the advice from the Court, I must concern myself with the welfare of the people in imploring the Crown, the people do not want war." He mentioned.
"Have you asked the people Your Highness?" Han Touzhou asked and the young boy intimidated he fell silent while the Emperor having watched quietly for a moment, the Grand Chancellor was starting to feel uneasy.
"This isn't Child's talk Crown Prince." He mentioned when at that moment the Grand Chancellor coughing up blood he fell down onto the ground.
"Your Excellency?" The rest of the Courtiers called him and the attention being diverted from the Crown Prince Eunuch Deng and a couple of other Eunuchs rushed over to the old man's aid.
"We shall deal with this another time." The Emperor said while the Grand Chancellor being borne away Han Touzhou smiled at himself ghastly as everyone else dispersed from the scene.
Consort Han in her Chambers Court Lady Liu rushed towards her and reaching her presence she immediately bowed her head.
"Your Grace, the Assembly has just been concluded." She informed her.
"What happened?" She inquired.
"His Majesty has designated His Excellency as the Manager of National Security and has agreed to his convention of a War Cabinet, the Empress' supporters tried to put up resistance but were unsuccessful much as the question of invasion has not been finalized many are rather convinced that it is out of our defense." Court Lady Liu responded.
"I am not surprised." Consort Han mentioned.
"However the Empress did something very risky." Court Lady Liu muttered, "I heard that she pushed the Crown Prince to try and voice out his opposition when the Grand Chancellor passed out." She asserted.
"The old man doesn't have a long life." Consort Han remarked as she sighed in relief, "the Empress on the other hand I must say can't directly oppose this because if she does both herself and her supporters will be censured." She asserted.
"She can't win this war." Court Lady Liu muttered.
"She'll try to stop it one way or another so she'll seek out peace with the Jurchens and if that succeeds then we won't be in the position to push forward with our plan." Consort Han responded.
"Then what are we going to do Your Grace?" Court Lady Liu inquired.
"The people want war, it's only a matter of time before they realise it too, meanwhile if we want to beat the Empress, we should take care of the Emperor immediately and stop her from reaching peace with the Jurchens." Consort Han responded.
"The Grand Chancellor did what?" The Empress asked Shi Miyuan and Yang Cishan who were seated in front of him.
"He passed out in front of everyone and his condition seemed dire." Shi Miyuan responded.
"Yet I don't understand, His Majesty designated Han Touzhou as the Manager of National Security and agreed to his convention of a War Cabinet." Yang Cishan mentioned surprised.
"I had a word with Han Touzhou before the Daily Assembly and he came and sought an audience with me, the War Cabinet is intended to give him military power and suppress the power of the provincial military heads." The Empress remarked.
"That makes his influence greater again and now that that Grand Chancellor is in a dire situation His Majesty's political influence is crumbling." Shi Miyuan mentioned.
"Han Touzhou asked me to stop you from opposing him it's clear that he wants a crucible war and until yesterday we would have relied on a Majority of the people but there have been numerous posters and publications all over the capital and in the provinces justifying war with the Jurchens." The Empress reported.
"What is Military precaution will eventually turn into provocation and if the Jurchens learn of this then war would be inevitable." Yang Cishan muttered.
"Unless we negotiate peace before the situation worsens." The Empress mentioned.
"Would the Jurchens opt for peace?" Yang Cishan asked.
"They have been through a rough decade of drought and famine, they have seen floods and pestilence and I realized that if Han Touzhou is using these as an excuse to push forward the belief that they have lost the mandate of heaven the Jurchens if unwillingly but as eager as we are couldn't be in the mood for war they would certainly wish to give peace a try." The Empress replied.
"How are we going to get them to accept peace?" Shi Miyuan asked.
"We need to send an Emissary." The Empress replied.
"Han Touzhou will have his eyes everywhere and he won't possibly allow us to do that." Yang Cishan pointed out.
"Then it must be one of his people." The Empress replied.
"We can't possibly take that risk Your Highness." Shi Miyuan mentioned.
"Han Touzhou is opposed to peace so anything wrong that could happen we would use it later to hold him accountable, besides as far as I know the Jurchens won't stay seated it's natural that they themselves will respond with an emissary as well." The Empress responded.
Han Touzhou arriving in his Chambers, he sat down behind his table while Lin Xue knelt down in front of him.
"What's the matter Your Excellency?" He asked.
"Everything seems to be going according to plan." He responded, "yet I am more surprised that one of the Empress' people supported the idea." He muttered.
"Maybe the Empress is conceding defeat." Lin Xue remarked.
"It isn't in her nature." Han Touzhou mentioned as he fell silent for a moment and seemed to be thinking about it.
"We are very close and the closer we get the more uneasy my heart becomes, His Majesty might have started to think that our so called precautionary action might end up becoming aggression, we need to now take advantage of the time that we have." He mentioned.
"Give me your order Your Excellency.
"I want you to send word to all the brothels and everyone of our people in the capital and in the Empire to spread the propaganda against the Jurchens, we should supply the doctrine that will induce the people to stand with us and rebel against the North." He ordered.
"Yes Your Excellency." Lin Xue said bowing his head.
"One more thing." He mentioned before the young man could depart.
"What is it Your Excellency?" He inquired.
"Spread word of the Grand Chancellor's ill health as it is the people should be made aware that he can no longer command the confidence of the Government." He mentioned as the young man eventually withdrew from the room at once.
The Grand Chancellor being tended to by Imperial Physicians in his home, his retainer Mo Yuan beside him looked worried as they took his pulse before they let go of his hand.
"How has His Excellency been feeling?" They asked him.
"He's been tired the past week it seems, at times he was nauseous and he could feel very cold, some mornings he seemed too tired and at night he had difficulty sleeping, besides, He has been having many dizzy spells." He responded.
"Did it start this week?" They asked him.
"Yes." He confirmed while they seemed dismayed themselves.
"What's the problem with His Excellency, will my Master be alright?" He asked.
"Your Master's meridians are severely damaged and I would concur that he has a heart problem, but the blood on his fabric shows that he has been subject to poisoning so you do understand what that means." The physicians replied.
"Impossible, save for myself and a couple of servants that we trust, there isn't an intruder who would dare poison the Grand Chancellor." Mo Yuan insisted.
"Perhaps it is so but he could have accessed poison from outside or in the Palace, if it wasn't ingested he could have inhaled it or come into contact with it through his clothes, utensils." The Head physician insisted.
"If we keep checking everything, what are the chances that he will recover?" Mo Yuan asked.
"I can't assure you as it is that the poison has already gotten deep into his blood, forgive me for saying this but His Excellency doesn't have that long a life to live." The Physicians said to him and standing up, they bowed their heads and immediately withdrew from the room leaving him alone with the Grand Chancellor.
One of the maids, a fairly old woman walked up to him.
"What is it Yuan'er?" She inquired.
"Watch His Excellency, I need to see someone in the Palace." He responded as he stood up and walked out as well.
"THE AUGUST WIND AND THE RAIN OF MAY, THEY ARE OF OUR COUNTRY THAT WAS BORN FROM THE LOVE AND THE BLOOD OF OUR HEROES, THERE ARE COMRADES WE LOVED AND CHERISHED FROM JINGKANG AND ALONG WITH THEM THE SONS, FATHERS AND BROTHERS WE LOST IN THE BATTLE OF CAISHI, AND YOU TELL ME WE WERE VICTORIOUS IN THAT AGE, WE BEAT THE DROUGHT AND FAMINE THAT PREYS ON THE JURCHENS, THE WATERS OF THE EARTH ARE THEMSELVES DISPLEASED THAT THEY RISE UP IN ANGER AND RAGE AND THEY SWALLOW UP THEIR PLANTATIONS, THE JURCHEN DRAGON RESTS ITS THRONE ON THE SOIL OF OUR TRADITIONAL HAN FOREFATHERS AND WE DO NOTHING IN THE NAME OF PEACE WHICH IS ABSURD, WE CAN NEVER BE EQUALS AND THE MANDATE OF HEAVEN IS NO LONGER THEIRS, THIS I TELL YOU IS THE GENERAL WILL, THIS IS THE WILL OF OUR FOREFATHERS, THE WILL OF OUR MARTYRS AND WE CAN NOT LET LAND WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY HAN FALL INTO THE HANDS OF OUR TRADITIONAL ENEMIES." The Princess Imperial Zhangguo read through the letter that was in her hands.
"One of our spies sent it over through a pigeon carrier and he claims that these have been circulating around the capital and the rest of the Southern Song Empire." Chuchu reported.
"I see." The Imperial Princess remarked.
"How can you be calm when it's clear that the Han people wish to embark on a revanchist policy against us?" Chuchu asked.
"You don't think that I understand the gravity of the situation?" She asked.
"I only ask that Your Highness acts with caution, we should inform the Court immediately." He said.
"Then do it." The Princess Zhangguo replied.
"Your Highness...." Chuchu seemed hesitant.
"We have already made preparations, when this goes public the soldiers will panic, even if you show this to His Majesty nothing will be done." She assured him.
"How can you be certain?" Chuchu asked.
"The threat is already vivid so our Court is rather cautious, what everyone is waiting for isn't the right moment to start the war but the right moment to join it." She responded confidently as she took the letter and setting fire to it, she threw it in the brazier in front of her, "I tell you this Chuchu, a good warrior never lets his emotions get the best of him." She muttered as she watched it ending up in ashes.
The Emperor Ningzong in his study the Imperial physicians were stationed in front of him.
"So you are telling me that the Grand Chancellor was poisoned and is near death?" He asked.
"Yes Your Majesty." They confirmed to him while bowing their heads and the head offering the diagnosis to Eunuch Deng he carried it to the Emperor who looked through its contents.
"He could have accessed poison from outside his residence or in the Palace, if it wasn't ingested he could have inhaled it or come into contact with it through his clothes, utensils." The Head physician reported.
"Aren't there any leads?" The Emperor Ningzong inquired.
"This is all we can concur Your Majesty, perhaps an investigation of his movements could lead us to something but considering the fact that our scope is very wide, it'll take a miracle to reach a definite cause." The physician replied.
"Thank you, you can leave the rest to me." The Emperor said as the Head Physician and his colleagues left the hall and Eunuch Deng quiet for a moment he broke the silence.
"Who do you think would want the Grand Chancellor dead Your Majesty?" He inquired.
"I want to believe that it isn't Han Touzhou." He responded immediately as though sensing what Eunuch Deng was trying to get at.
"I won't ask Your Majesty anymore, I only hope that you'll hear me out at least, don't let your emotions cloud Your Judgement as it is you have already granted him the power to suppress your enemies but that doesn't mean that he can't use that power for his own benefit." He reminded the Emperor.
Mo Yuan before the Empress he knelt and bowed his head while she looked at him.
"You are here to see me then I suppose it must be something urgent." She muttered.
"You are the only one I could think of Your Highness." He replied.
"I heard the Grand Chancellor's health is unstable, rumour all over the Capital has it that he can not perform his political duties as a result." She muttered, "perhaps you are here to hold me accountable." She asserted as she looked at him.
"I may have a reason." He mentioned.
"I am listening." The Empress Yang assured him.
"Given your current position however you would benefit the least from it." He professed while the Empress smiled at him.
"Knowing this now how could I be of help to you?" The Empress asked.
"I believe Your Highness can seek justice for His Excellency." Mo Yuan responded.
"And what do I get in return?" The Empress inquired.
"Consort Cao has always sought out my Master's loyalty but over the past couple of months His Excellency asked me to secretly investigate the Left Chancellor and Consort Cao as well, prior to the incident that happened outside the Court Hall today His Excellency had unravelled an interesting mystery concerning Han Touzhou's wealth." He responded and the Empress looking at him curiously she smiled.
"Is that so?" She asked.
"Han Touzhou has been in league with a certain merchant of unknown Mongolian roots who goes by the name of Khan Talha." He responded.
"Khan Talha?" The Empress muttered as she seemed to know the name but didn't show it.
"He has loaned him a large amount of money in the previous decade that Han Touzhou has used to finance the Northern Brigands and Bandit Raids." Mo Yuan reported.
"But having earned all that enormous wealth don't you think that he had so much more to offer, besides the more that I think about it if this Khan Talha is anonymous then I have no use of him." The Empress muttered.
"My master will not live long enough Your Highness and when he dies the Office of the Grand Chancellory will remain vacant that means that Han Touzhou will be the best candidate to succeed him, the only way to get justice for my master is by stopping him from assuming that office and seeing that I am deficient in that power to do so the only person that is capable is you Your Highness." Mo Yuan said.
"I'll see what I can do to help but nothing is certain, the odds have greatly shifted into Han Touzhou's favour of late the best that I can do is try and find evidence to prove that he was behind the Grand Chancellor's ill Health." The Empress said and the young man bowing his head he stood up and walked out of the room while Xiaoyang moved to her side.
"Tell Bao Langya that it is time." The Empress ordered.
"Yes Your Highness." Xiaoyang replied as she exited the Chambers as well.
"If I can not contain Han Touzhou then I shall uproot him with my own hands." The Empress swore to herself.
It was very dark and Consort Han being accompanied by Court Lady Liu in secret she sneaked out of the Palace and walked down the streets, negotiating a couple of corners while striving to not be seen, she arrived at a brothel and made her entrance still holding a veil over her head.
Removing it she was approached by one of the chief female entertainers.
"How may I help you Madam?" She asked when Consort Cao raised in front of her a small silver token.
The woman recognizing it at once led her up a couple of stairs and eventually negotiating a corner they arrived outside a room.
"He's already here waiting for you." The lady informed her and Consort Han bowing her head the doors were opened and she was let it.
Setting foot inside she saw a man who appeared to be in his mid-forties, he had a heavy build and prominent jawbones with a thick unkempt beard and a wide forehead, his eyes were dark and brown and his brows thick while he seemed tough he still had a calm aura around him.
"Milady?" He said bowing his head to her.
"It has been a while Gong Tushan." Consort Han said as she moved forward and took the seat that was in front of him.
"You asked to see me." He said pouring her some tea, "I presume that it's very urgent." He remarked.
"It concerns the welfare of our two countries." Consort Han mentioned, "if I could be a bit more particular, your country." She assured him as she picked up a cup and took a sip.
"Why is it that you seem so concerned about the welfare of the Jurchens, you are a Song loyalist yourself." Gong Tushan remarked.
"Let us say my sister loved the Ruler of this country with all his life but she was murdered by his favourite along with her sons and that bitch took her throne for herself to become the Empress of this country." Consort Han responded.
"Do you hate that imbecile that much?" Gong Tushan asked.
"He is a weak hearted fool." Consort Han replied, "what would the future generations say about that idiotic Emperor who let calamity befall his people?" She asked.
"Why should I listen to you?" Gong Tushan inquired.
"The capital is unsettled and publications justifying war with the Jurchens are spreading out to the kingdom, His Majesty designated the Left Chancellor as the Manager of National Security and even empowered him to appoint a war cabinet, military drills are frequent along the border while ammunition is being transported, such may seem as an act of our caution but I can guarantee you that political circles in our Government are bent on invasion." Consort Han responded.
"What are you going to get from giving me this information?" Gong Tushan asked.
"Think about it my dear." Consort Han said, "an Emperor that does not have the courage and the reserves to govern his people, it'll be a matter of time before he loses his precious Imperial Dragon throne." She replied as she smiled at herself ghastly.
Consort Han stepping outside the brothel with Court Lady Liu they headed back to the Palace while at a distance, Linxiang was watching curious to what they had been doing there.
Hurriedly returning to the Palace, Consort Cao in her Chambers with her baby she appeared before her.
"Your Grace, I have something urgent that I wish to bring to your attention." She said.
"You have been gone for long." Consort Cao remarked.
"I saw Consort Han leaving the Palace secretly so I chose to follow her." Linxiang replied.
"At such an ungodly hour?" Consort Cao asked, "where did she go?" She was curious.
"It may seem quite surprising but I saw her entering a brothel." Linxiang replied.
"A brothel of all places?"
"Yes." Linxiang confirmed.
"It's strange for the Emperor's Consort to walk out of such an immoral place but the question is who was it that she met up there?" Consort Cao asked.
"I didn't see clearly Your Grace but seeing as she has happened to do so now there's no guarantee that she won't refrain from doing the same again." Linxiang remarked.
"I see, have someone to keep an eye on her." Consort Cao reported.
"Yes Your Grace." Linxiang replied as she bowed her head.
Consort Han returning to her Chambers she sat down while Court Lady Liu stood beside her.
"What are we going to do Your Grace?" She asked.
"Everything is about to get more interesting that I think it's high time we advanced to the next stage." She responded as she turned around and looked at her, "we should take care of the Emperor and Consort Cao first." She mentioned.
"Don't worry about the Emperor Your Grace, I have everything under control." Court Lady Liu assured her with a ghastly smile on her face as she withdrew from the room.
The dawn of the following day found Manyin immediately rushing to the Empress Yang's Chambers and while she was inside with Bao Langya the young girl Halting outside she organised herself before she announced her presence.
"Your Highness it is I?" She spoke aloud that judging from her tone the Empress seemed to tell the young girl was desperate.
"Come in." The Empress responded and the latter immediately complied as she appeared before the two and bowed her head.
"What's the matter?" She asked.
"Forgive me Your Highness, it's the Daily Assembly." She responded.
"What has Han Touzhou done this time round?" The Empress asked.
"Han Touzhou has in his capacity as Left Chancellor appealed for the arrangement of High honours for the formerly deceased Zhou Pita, Zhao Ruyu and has had Liu Dexiu dismissed as a censor which has appeased his former critics, in addition he has memorialized the thrive to venerate Yue Fei, one of our country's greatest heroes in the Jin-Song War move to the South and demote his nemesis Jin Kui. Rumours circulating all over the capital claim that the Grand Chancellor can no longer command the confidence of the Imperial Court and they are asking the Emperor to demote him to ensure stability as the people seem reliably informed that he won't make it." Manyin reported.
"Things are getting out of Control Your Highness." Bao Langya remarked, "what's worse is that on my way here I heard a vile rumour suggesting that even the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji isn't the Emperor's son." He reported.
"There's no doubt that Han Touzhou and Consort Han are now acting up in unison, with this move he is bent on consolidating his influence and power in the Court." The Empress remarked.
"His Majesty may seem hesitant but if the people stand behind Han Touzhou he'll feel cornered and pressured to grant them what they want." Bao Langya remarked.
"We have to put a stop to this as soon as possible." The Empress said while smacking the table furiously as she turned to Bao Langya, "Send soldiers to the Grand Chancellor's Manor and get the incense sticks, send a couple more to the store to arrest the store owner." She ordered.
"Yes Your Highness." Bao Langya replied as he stood up and bowed his head before he walked out of the room.
"What?" Consort Cao inquired.
"There's a rumour spreading around the Palace Your Grace that the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji isn't the Emperor's son." Linxiang reported.
"Who spread such a vile rumour?" Consort Han asked.
"It is said that the rumour started from the Central Palace," Linxiang responded.
"The Empress?" Consort Cao muttered.
"There's no one else that I could think of." Linxiang remarked, "it could be that given the current state of affairs, she's more worried that his legitimacy threatens that of the Crown Prince." Linxiang remarked.
"I see." Consort Cao muttered.
"What are we going to do Your Grace, if this rumour spreads then we'll be in very big trouble." Linxiang cautioned her.
"Perhaps." Consort Cao mentioned with a ghastly smile on her face, "it is what we need." She assured her.
"How so Your Grace, if the Imperial Prince is thought to be a bastard then it could bring dire consequences, your whole clan could be annihilated," Linxiang remarked.
"If the Empress started the fight then let her carry it on, let the rumour spread as far as it can after all once we put it out like this the Empress has no idea how hard it will hit her back." Consort Cao remarked as she smiled at herself ghastly while Linxiang seemed worried.
The Imperial troops arriving outside the gates of the Grand Chancellor's manor led by Bao Langya, he made his entrance up to the Inner Courtyard where he was intercepted by his head lady.
"How may I be of service to you Sir?" She inquired from him while the latter holding a scroll in his hands he unfolded it.
"We are here with a Search warrant hoping to go through the Grand Chancellor's belongings." He responded and looking at his colleagues they scattered about the place while Bao Langya walking past the lady he approached his main Chambers.
Throwing the doors open he found Mo Yuan kneeling beside his master's bed the latter feeling his presence he immediately turned around and faced him.
"Sir?" He seemed surprised.
"We are here on the orders of Her Highness." Bao Langya muttered and his eyes travelling to the incense pot close by he saw it smoking.
"What's that?" He asked.
"Incense." Mo Yuan replied, "His Excellency likes burning it." He remarked.
"Has he been using it in the last seven months?" Bao Langya inquired.
"Yes." He replied and Bao Langya ordering for a physician to be brought in the old man moving forward he opened the incense pot and looked through while he inhaled some of it.
"How is the incense?" Bao Langya asked.
"It smells weird." He replied and Mo Yuan curious he got closer.
"How weird?" He asked.
"It smells like purslane." The physician replied, "if exposed to for a very long time especially at night when it burns in smoke it could produce a very dangerous gas that could harm one's respiratory system leading to difficulty in breathing and destruction of the lungs." The physician replied.
"How come there's purslane?" Mo Yuan inquired.
"Her Highness seemed to investigate the matter and learnt that Han Touzhou happened to contact one of the big shops in the capital that deal with the manufacture of the incense sticks, when we looked deeper into their accounts we found out that one of the residences supplied was the Grand Chancellor's Manor, we have already sent men to apprehend the master of the house that he may be brought in and interrogated." Bao Langya responded when one of his colleagues swiftly made his way into the room and panicking he bowed his head.
"Pardon me Your Excellency we have a problem." He reported.
"What's the matter?" Bao Langya asked.
"The store owner has committed suicide by swallowing his tongue." His subordinate responded and hearing this Bao Langya immediately dashed out of the room.
Han Touzhou standing in his study he stared at the map of the Southern Song dynasty on his wall and Lin Xue opening the doors and stepping in before him he bowed his head low with excitement all over his face.
"The store owner has been dealt with Your Excellency." He reported.
"Is there no evidence left behind?" He inquired.
"It is suicide and besides we managed to get our hands on all the records we could find, I have burnt them." He assured him.
"Well done." Han Touzhou remarked as he turned around and faced him.
"Arrange a worship ceremony for our heroes." He ordered.
"Yes Your Excellency." Lin Xue responded as he turned back and looked at the map, "we are on war footing." He muttered to himself.
"What?" Beiyuan asked, "the store owner committed suicide?" He seemed very surprised.
"All other records vanished with him and the evidence that we have at hand isn't enough to apprehend Han Touzhou, besides without the store owner's confession, there's nothing we can do." Bao Langya muttered.
"If there's no evidence then we shall create it." The Empress muttered.
"That's a very risky game Your Highness." Beiyuan cautioned when Xiaoyang outside she abruptly announced her presence and was granted an audience that she barged in before the three.
"We have more trouble Your Highness." She reported, "evidence was presented at the Imperial State Tribunal and the Store owner confessed that he was moving on the orders of Your Highness before he took his life out of guilt." She asserted.
Infuriated the Empress Yang smacked her table.
"I'll see His Majesty." She muttered.
"It's very risky Your Highness." Beiyuan muttered as she smacked a scroll on the table and she stood up.
"In this contest of wills let's see who falls." The Empress remarked as she charged out of her Chambers and being joined by her retinue she headed in the direction of the Grand Palace.
Consort Han in her dark Chambers she smiled at herself ghastly while the Emperor in his study he perused through the confession of the deceased that had been stamped with his right thumb.
The Empress arriving outside she was halted by the Eunuchs.
"Announce me to His Majesty." She demanded.
"Please be patient Your Highness." The man insisted, "His Majesty is still busy...." He was saying when Eunuch Deng flung the doors open and bowed his head to her.
"You may come in Your Highness." He said moving to the side and signalling for her to move forward, she got into the presence of her husband while tightly holding onto the scroll that was in her hands.
"Your Majesty." She said bowing her head to him.
"My Empress." He replied calmly.
"I have heard a vile rumour all over the Palace Your Majesty, it has come to my knowledge that the Imperial State Tribunal finds evidence to charge me with the attempted murder of the Grand Chancellor." She muttered.
"There's no way my Mei'er would do such a heartless thing." The Emperor remarked.
"But how many of the people out there believe in me like you do Your Majesty?" The Empress inquired while her husband kept quiet.
"It is Your Majesty's kindness that assures me of security, you keep me safe but if you must endure the criticisms of the people for my sake, those slanderous beasts then I shall stand with you and fight them with the power that my position commands." The Empress muttered as she got closer and handed over to him the scroll.
"What's this Your Highness?" The Emperor asked.
"Heaven has seen my good fortune, my enemies have never vanquished me, this is a record of all the people that came into contact with the late storekeeper Your Majesty and amongst them is the Left Chancellor's own personal retainer." The Empress replied.
"My Empress, you mean to say...." He seemed hesitant to believe his eyes.
"The Left Chancellor was responsible for the Grand Chancellor's attempted assassination and he is trying to frame me, just early this morning during the Daily Assembly a petition was forwarded demanding that the Grand Chancellor is demoted even if Your Majesty wished to forego the matter the seat of the Grand Chancellor can not be left vacant for so long, naturally it would need a successor and in the contest of wills, abilities, popularity the best candidate would be the Left Chancellor himself." The Empress asserted, "with the death of the Empress Han he is no longer that close to be your kin so it's his advantage." She persisted.
"I see Your Highness, but this backed by speculation are inadequate to have the Left Chancellor apprehended." The Emperor mentioned.
"But the evidence that I have presented is sufficient to neutralize this case." The Empress muttered, "I must protect my Crown to protect both Your Majesty and the Crown Prince even if it means that I can not contain the Left Chancellor." She insisted.
"I'll have this forwarded to the State Tribunal." The Emperor Ningzong said when all of a sudden he started coughing violently.
"Are you alright Your Majesty?" The Empress asked him but the Emperor's sneezes persisting blood eventually shot from his mouth and nostrils that the Empress immediately rushed to his side.
"Your Majesty?" She cried and Eunuch Deng stepping inside he immediately joined her while she held the Emperor.
"Someone call the Imperial physician." Beiyuan ordered and the Ladies in waiting panicking the Grand Palace in upheaval one of the Emperor's ladies in waiting sneaked away and making her way around the Palace, she came into contact with Court Lady Liu and whispered to her.
Separating the old woman immediately made her way to the Rongchang Palace and entering Consort Han's dark Chambers she smiled at her as she bowed her head.
"Congratulations Your Grace, His Majesty has lost consciousness and they have summoned the Imperial Physician." She reported.
"Remarkable." Consort Han muttered, "I want you to deliver this to my Uncle." She said as she picked an envelope from her sleeve and handed it over to the latter who took it into her hands.
"Yes Your Grace." She responded as she withdrew from the room immediately leaving her mistress smiling ghastly at herself.
"Let the games begin Your Highness." She muttered under her breath and looking at the tea pot in front of her, she opened it and poured it's contents into the brazier that was burning close by.
The Empress seated next to the Emperor while the Imperial physician examined him Beiyuan walked in.
"Your Highness," he said bowing his head.
"Anything new?" She asked.
"It's the Grand Chancellor." He responded.
"What about him?" The Empress asked.
"His Manor regrets to inform the Palace that he has breathed his last." He responded and frustrated the Empress closed her eyes and took a deep sigh.
"How is everything falling out of order?" She asked herself when the Imperial physician done examining the ailing Emperor he turned to her.
"How is His Majesty?" She inquired.
"Forgive me Your Highness but His Majesty's condition is critical as he appears to be suffering from LIUXUE SHIJIAN, He is fatigued and hasn't had enough rest while his heartbeat is weak he seems to have stressed so much the past couple of months." The Imperial physician replied.
"When will His Majesty regain consciousness?" The Empress asked.
"That isn't up to me to decide and even if he did he might be in a vegetative state before he can fully recover, in the mean time handling the Affairs of State will take a heavy toll on him." The physician replied.
"But we are in a political crisis, this is a critical Internal stage for us." Beiyuan remarked.
"I'll prescribe some medicines for His Majesty and see what happens, however if this illness isn't treated with caution then His Majesty might pass on." The physician reported.
"Put that word out of your mouth." The Empress furiously said.
"Forgive me Your Highness." The Physician immediately apologized.
"Make sure that you don't mention a word of this to anyone, His Majesty is sick and just needs to have a rest, understood?" The Empress threatened.
"Yes Your Highness." The physician replied.
"You may leave." The Empress ordered and the latter standing up and arranging his tools, he moved out of the hall leaving the Empress alone with Eunuch Deng, Beiyuan and Xiaoyang.
"What are we going to do now Your Highness?" They inquired from her.
"His Majesty can't do anything for us at the moment we must fight this battle for him." The Empress replied as she turned to Beiyuan, "summon everyone, I need to meet them tonight." She ordered.
"Yes Your Highness." Beiyuan responded as he withdrew from the room as well.
Han Touzhou in his residence Lin Xue had delivered a letter to him.
"His Majesty is critically ill." He muttered.
"The letter was sent by Court Lady Liu so it seems that Her Grace has noticed something odd.
"There's no doubt that the Empress will be scheming behind our backs we need to act more cautiously." Han Touzhou mentioned.
"Don't worry about it Your Excellency, the Grand Chancellor is dead and the capital is in upheaval, the Empress won't be able to stop anything however much she wants to." Lin Xue assured him.
"Arrange for my visit to the Palace, I'll have a word with the Empress." Han Touzhou muttered.
"What!" Lin Xue exclaimed.
"Now more than ever I suppose she'll be willing to listen to me." He confidently remarked.
The Empress' supporters gathered in their usual meeting place, she was quietly seated in front of them as they watched her noticing that the atmosphere was rather tense.
"You wished to speak to us Your Highness?" Yang Cishan inquired.
"The events in the Court these past couple of days have been unpleasant to us all, earlier in the afternoon of this day His Majesty passed out in the Grand Hall and he is in critical condition." She informed them.
"That's terrible news." Shi Miyuan remarked.
"His Majesty could lose His life and that's why I have decided to convene for this meeting that we may prepare for the inevitable." The Empress muttered.
"What is it that we can do to help Your Highness, Han Touzhou has become increasingly powerful and more influential, many of our people seem intrigued and in favour of invasion, feelings of revanchism are all over the Empire and troops have been mobilized while drills have become more vigorous, the Jurchens seem to be responding likewise amidst their unpleasant situation at home and our envoy wasn't even permitted to cross the border to negotiate peace." Ye Shi muttered.
"If this persists in the remaining couple of days war will be inevitable." Yang Cishan muttered.
"We still have a chance." The Empress remarked, "now that His Majesty is unconscious we can use that to our advantage." She reminded them.
"How Your Highness?" Peng Zishou asked her.
"The ill health of His Majesty is equally an issue that concerns our National Security, stability and the efficiency of the Administration and the Imperial Court." She responded while they started looking at one another.
"During the illness of Emperor Yingzong the Empress Dowager Cao was called upon to manage State Affairs in his stead but since the Grand Empress Dowager herself is not well versed with the politics of the country I intend us to use this dynastic precedent to strengthen our position around the throne." The Empress muttered.
"Your Highness......" Peng Zishou seemed to hint on what she intended to say but sparing him the effort she concluded openly to them.
"I intend to push myself forward as the Empress Regent." She confidently affirmed amidst their silence.
The Empress returning to the Central Palace she halted in her footsteps when she caught sight of someone standing in front of her Chambers.
"Your Highness." Manyin said and turning around the strange visitor turned out to be Han Touzhou himself.
"Your Highness." He offered his salutation as he kowtowed his head.
"What are you doing here Your Excellency?" She asked him.
"A word with Your Highness if I may, I believe that you would be willing to listen to me yourself." He muttered smirking at himself while the Empress did the same.