A new day dawned with the Empress standing in front of her mirror, Manyin, and Xiaoyang bore a Red kaftan in their arms and they dressed her.
Carrying her Phoenix headdress they adorned her brow and putting a pearl necklace around her neck, they fixed red talons on the last two fingers of both her hands as she wore her ring.
"It is all done Your Highness." Manyin said as she stared at her mistress who was holding the Ceremonial Jade tablet in her hands.
"Are the Courtiers here?" She inquired.
"Yes, Your Highness." Xiaoyang responded and the Empress taking a deep breath looked at the Edict on the table close by.
"Today is the day." She said to herself as she closed her eyes for a moment before she opened them.
"Her Highness the Empress deigns you all with her presence." Beiyuan announced while the doors to her audience Chamber were opened and she walked through accompanied by Xiaoyang and Manyin.
She moved up to her throne behind the silk screen while the officials bowed their heads to accord her their respect as she sat down before them.
"Greetings Your Highness." Yang Cishan mentioned while she nodded her head in approval.
"How fortunate!" The Empress exclaimed as Beiyuan nodded his head.
"OUR GLORIOUS AND HEAVENLY EMPIRE, STANDS ON THE BRINK OF CATASTROPHE, WE HAVE BEFORE US A SCOURGE THAT REIGNS OVER OUR LAND, HAN TOUZHOU THE GRAND CHANCELLOR HAS ERRORED AND BROUGHT OUR NATION INTO PREMATURE CONFLICT WITH THE JURCHENS, OUR HOMES, FIELDS AND PROVINCES LIE TO WASTE AS OUD CHILDREN HAVE BEEN LEFT ORPHANED WITH HARDLY ANY MEAN OF SUBSISTENCE. THE EVIL OFFICIAL CONNIVED WITH THE LATE DEPOSED CONSORT HAN TO USURP THE THRONE FROM HIS MAJESTY, I CAN NOT POSSIBLY LOOK ASIDE, HE IS GUILTY OF WAR CRIMES AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, SLANDERING OFFICIALS AND HE HAS LED A CORRUPT OFFICE THAT AS THE EMPRESS OF THIS COUNTRY I HAVE CHOSEN TO BEAR THE GUILT OF FULFILLING THE LATE XIAOZONG EMPEROR'S POSTHUMOUS EDICT, HAN TOUZHOU IS HEREBY STRIPPED OF ALL HIS TITLES, STYLES AND HONOURS AND SENTENCED TO DEATH BY BLUDGEONING." The Empress said.
"This Is Her Highness' order." Shi Miyuan shouted.
"Long Live Your Highness, Your Highness is sage." The Courtiers said in unison as they bowed their heads to her while she tightly seized the right arm of her throne.
Han Touzhou having entered the Imperial City to report for the Daily Assembly in his Official robes, he held onto his Jade Ceremonial tablet and was crossing the Sixth Platoon Bridge when he saw Beiyuan, the Imperial Guard commander Xia Chen and nearly a hundred elite guards blocking his path.
At a distance across, Yang Cishan, Shi Miyuan and the other Courtiers standing, the Empress stood alone at the top of a pavilion dressed in her Red Kaftan.
"What is this?" Han Touzhou inquired while everyone only kept quiet as they looked at him.
Beiyuan looking at the Empress she nodded her head and he moved forward.
"His Late Majesty the Emperor Shaotong Tongdao Guande Zhaogong Zhewen Shenwu Mingsheng Chengxiao's posthumous Edict." He said and Han Touzhou freezing where he stood, the latter opened the scroll in front of everyone.
"HAN TOUZHOU IS A REMARKABLE TALENT BUT HE IS SINFUL, HE FORGED THE EMPEROR'S HAND AND MISLED THE GENERAL YANG, SLANDERED HIM AND LATER HAD HIM EXECUTED ON THE CHARGES OF TREASON HE EXPLOITS HIS AFFILIATIONS WITH THE IMPERIAL FAMILY TO SUIT HIS OWN SELFISH ENDEAVOURS, CONJURES SCHEMES THAT DISRUPT THE IMPERIAL COURT AND DIVIDE OUR GLORIOUS EMPIRE WHILE TEARING DOWN OUR MAGNIFICENT DYNASTY THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW AS YOU THAT ARE RIGHTEOUS IN YOUR CONDUCT, WHOEVER HEARS AND RECEIVES THIS ORDER IN MY NAME IS BLAMELESS FOR AS IT IS FOR THE SAKE OUR OUR HEAVENLY EMPIRE, YOU MUST SLAY HAN TOUZHOU AND NINE GENERATIONS OF HIS KIN." He read as he closed the Edict.
"The Sinful Official Han Touzhou will be killed today and on the orders of Her Highness the Empress, he is therefore stripped of all his titles, styles and honours and sentenced to death by bludgeoning." Beiyuan said and the Imperial guards with their clubs closed in on him.
"You can not do this to me." He said but themselves hardly paying him any attention they got closer and seized him with their hands and started dragging him out of the Palace as he cried out and yelled.
The Empress watching everything from a distance could hardly react to it.
"You witch." He screamed, "you shall die a horrible death, I shall become a ferocious ghost that will haunt you, you can not do this to me." He continued cursing and throwing him outside the Imperial City next to the Yuchin garden, they barred him from entering.
He stood up furious trying to reorganize himself when he suddenly felt a stone hitting the back of his head.
He clenched his fists furiously and turning around he realized at that moment that an angry mob of people armed with hoes, rakes, pangas, swords and clubs was staring at him.
Hateful and furious, hardly sorry with some of their children malnourished and others in mourning attires they all charged towards him.
He put his hands up to shield his face when out of nowhere, Lin Xue leaped in between and with his sword he first slew about two that landed on the ground dead.
Han Touzhou realizing that he hadn't been struck yet turned to see who it was.
"Lin Xue?" He exclaimed.
"If you want to hurt him, you'll have to go through me first." Lin Xue said pointing his sword at the angry masses.
"What are you doing?" Han Touzhou asked him.
"My whole life Your Excellency, it has been devoted to your service, if you die I shall die here with you, one thing is certain though, amidst all frustration and pain, I have never regretted it." Lin Xue responded when a couple of arrows flying from the Imperial guards suddenly struck him in the back and forced him onto his knees.
"No." Han Touzhou said his eyes becoming teary when a fifth arrow making its way past his cheek went straight towards Lin Xue's heart while the people were watching as he finally lost his stance.
Falling Han Touzhou held him in his hands.
"Please don't do this." He pleaded shedding his tears intensely for what seemed to be the first time in a long while as Lin Xue raising his bloodstained hands he held his cheek.
"I'll be waiting for you Your Excellency." He assured him.
"Hold on." Han Touzhou said as everyone else watched.
"If there is another life, I want to serve you wholeheartedly as well." He whispered before letting go of his last breath and his hands falling down, his eyes slowly closed while Han Touzhou froze.
"No." He said, "don't die." He cried when the people seizing that opportunity they launched themselves at him again and started hitting and cutting him, his blood spilling all over the grass and the flowers while tears rushed out of his eyes, in a matter of time they withdrew content and the Empress saw his corpse hardly recognizable lying down on Lin Xue's dead body as well.
"I shall die a miserable death!" She exclaimed recalling the words he had shouted while cursing at her.
"Your Highness, are you alright?" Manyin inquired.
"Such a tragic death." She said, "why did you have to commit all those transgressions, all those Innocents, why did you kill them?" She asked herself as she turned around and left the scene while her retinue accompanied her while the Imperial guards stared at the remnants of the one who was once the most powerful man in the Empire.
Shi Miyuan walking up to the corpses as well he stood right in front of them.
"So this was your end after all, for the most powerful man in the world, how pathetic!" He mentioned as the other Courtiers satisfied they returned to the Palace.
"Have a fine coffin prepared for him, Her Highness grants pardon to his house, let them at least receive his body and give it a proper funeral." Yang Cishan whispered to Xia Chen.
"Yes Your Excellency." He responded as his subordinates immediately towards the two dead men and carried them away.
The Courtiers gathering in the Grand Hall, the Emperor waking in they bowed their heads while he mounted the stairs that led to the Imperial Dragon throne.
Sitting down on it they offered their salutations while he nodded his head in approval.
Looking around the hall he noticed that Han Touzhou was absent.
"Where is the Grand Chancellor?" He inquired and everyone present shyly tried to avoid his gaze it was then that he noticed that there was something that was surely amiss.
"What happened?" He inquired, "what did you do to him?" He asked on top of his voice as Shi Miyuan stepped forward with his Ceremonial Jade tablet and bowed his head.
"Forgive me Your Majesty." He said, "the Grand Chancellor is dead." He reported.
"How, he was just fine yesterday." Emperor Ningzong mentioned.
"His Excellency on his way to the Grand Hall for the Daily Assembly today an hour ago, he was intercepted at the Sixth Platoon Bridge and dragged outside the Imperial City by the Imperial Guards led by the Imperial Guard Commander Xia Chen into the Yuchin garden where he was bludgeoned to death by the angry mobs." Shi Miyuan responded.
"How dare he?" The Emperor asked at the top of his voice when everyone immediately went onto their knees and bowed their heads immediately.
"Please appease your anger Your Majesty." They said in unison.
"Until now we have always resolved our political misunderstandings in a civilized way, since when were we uncouth and barbaric in our approach?" He asked while everyone remained silent.
"So you all knew." He seemed to realise it then.
"The people were already discontented with His service Your Majesty, how can we forget that he nearly gave away your throne to another, how can we forget that his niece the Consort Han nearly killed the Grand Empress Dowager, the Crown Prince and yourself as well?" Yang Cishan mentioned.
"So you all chose to go against me, are you unaware that what you have done is tantamount to treason, or perhaps should I also have you dragged out of the Palace and bludgeoned for disobeying your Emperor?" Emperor Ningzong inquired.
"We didn't disobey our Emperor." Shi Miyuan brazenly spoke up, "to annihilate Han Touzhou and nine generations of the Han family was the will of His Late Majesty the Xiaozong Emperor." He asserted.
"What?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"Before his Late Majesty passed on he left behind a Posthumous Edict, Han Touzhou was as aware that it would lead to his demise but after what happened at last, the Edict surfaced into our hands after thirteen whole years." Shi Miyuan responded as the Emperor became speechless.
"And I wasn't informed beforehand?" He inquired.
"Because we knew that Your Majesty would never honour the Edict and what would happen, you would become the unfilial monarch in the Dynasty and our Court would face the poisoned judgement of future generations." Shi Miyuan aggressively claimed.
"So much for being my loyal ministers when you can not even trust me, how different are you from those Officials that nearly enthroned another Emperor when the incumbent is still alive?" He asked as he furiously stood up in front of them, "the Daily Assembly is hereby dismissed until further notice." He notified them as he descended the stairs and headed out while Shi Miyuan stepped aside and with the rest they watched the Emperor vanishing from sight.
Reaching outside he halted in his footsteps.
"How are things over at the Han Manor?" He asked.
"Han Touzhou's corpse was delivered in a coffin along with that of his retainer." Eunuch Deng responded.
"Prepare my Palanquin, I shall personally visit Mrs. Han." The Emperor ordered and Eunuch Deng hesitantly agreeing the Emperor continued his way.
Han Touzhou's coffin along with Lin Xue's being lowered in his Courtyard by the Imperial guards, Mrs. Han flung the doors of her Chambers open instantly.
Despite her old age she seemed energetic at that moment as she swiftly descended the stairs in tears and ran towards the wooden coffin's side where she was able to see her Late husband's pale face.
"Milord?" She cried as the guards withdrew while she held his face painfully as though anticipating a reaction which she didn't receive.
"I told you not to keep fighting, why did it have to be this, why did you have to persist?" She asked herself, who is going to watch over me, what about Tawan?" She inquired from him as she wept bitterly while Tawan moving closer to the coffin he watched everything as he stared at the corpse of his father.
Empress Yang seated in her Chambers Manyin rushed into her presence.
"What happened?" She inquired.
"His Majesty was furious after Shi Miyuan confronted him, he dismissed the Daily Assembly until further notice." She responded.
"Does his heart really grieve for him that much?" Empress Yang asked.
"His Majesty can't ignore the fact that he was one of the people that placed him on the Imperial Dragon throne, and besides the Courtiers acted behind his back that I can't help it but feel frightened about what he might do when he finds out that you were involved and you orchestrated everything." Manyin responded.
"Where's His Majesty, I shall speak to him." Empress Yang insisted when she noticed that Manyin was reluctant to respond to her.
"What are you hiding from me?" She inquired.
"I am afraid that you can't see His Majesty now Your Highness, you'll have to wait." She responded.
"And why is that?" Empress Yang asked.
"His Majesty just left the Palace and went over to the Han Manor." She reported as the Empress stood up instantly.
"It's still good enough." She asserted, "prepare my palanquin, I shall visit the Han Manor as well." She concluded.
"Yes Your Highness." Manyin reluctantly responded as she withdrew from the hall leaving the Empress alone.
"What!" Grand Empress Dowager Xie exclaimed.
"The Courtiers before the morning Assembly went to the Empress' audience Chamber within the Central Palace and empowered her to have Han Touzhou assassinated, allegedly according to the Posthumous Edict that His Majesty had entrusted you with, nine generations of the Han Clan aren't to be spared but her benevolence surely surpasses that of many that she let Han Touzhou bear the burden of his sins alone." Daiyu reported.
"No." Grand Empress Dowager Xie mentioned, "she exploited the situation." She added remorsefully.
"You don't sound appeased, was this not what you wanted?" Daiyu inquired.
"Han Touzhou's existence was an impediment to the progress of our nation, to the sustenance of the Monarchy it jeopardized the survival of the Crown, the Empress however worries me, it appears as though for a moment I was shortsighted that there is a side to her that I failed to see." Grand Empress Dowager Xie responded.
"Why are you saying that Your Grand Highness?" Daiyu asked.
"I need to have a word with His Majesty." She responded.
"What is it about Your Grand Highness?" Daiyu inquired.
"The Second scroll." She replied, "the second Posthumous Edict that His Late Majesty left behind." She clarified.
"I didn't know." Daiyu remarked.
"I would have as well died without ever revealing it, I would have destroyed it as I thought His Majesty was worried for nothing, but after what the Empress has done I must say that I am very disappointed." Grand Empress Dowager Xie responded.
"But His Majesty has just left for the Han Manor." Daiyu reported.
"Have him informed once he returns." Grand Empress Dowager Xie ordered.
"Yes Your Grand Highness." Daiyu responded as she withdrew from the room leaving the Grand Empress alone.
Mrs. Han along with Han Touzhou's other concubines were gathered in the living room where his coffin had been surmounted onto a raised platform and a funeral tablet had already been erected.
Burning a couple of incense sticks his relatives paid their last respects when Eunuch Deng announced the presence of the Emperor.
Marching into the hall everyone bowed their heads while Mrs. Han wiped her tears and gathered her strength and composure to talk to him.
"My condolences Mrs. Han." He said.
"It isn't necessary Your Majesty, my husband was the sinner here, inwardly you must think that this cruel fate was something that he deserved." She brazenly asserted.
"I understand what you must be going through." Emperor Ningzong mentioned.
"No you don't Your Majesty." Mrs. Han replied, "I am a widow, his son is an orphan, last I heard it was the Empress responsible after all, as the mother of this country, as your most legitimate wife." She asserted.
"Wait, the Empress was behind this?" Emperor Ningzong asked and Mrs. Han surprised by his expression she saw the perfect opportunity to advance her own cause that she looked at the other concubines and her son who were immediately escorted out of the room leaving the two together.
"The Empress provided His Late Majesty the Xiaozong Emperor's Posthumous Edict that demanded for the extermination of Han Touzhou and nine generations of the Han Clan, empowered by the Court officials from the audience Chamber within the Central Palace, she stripped him of all his titles, styles and honours, held him responsible for the failure of the Song Revanchist Campaign she charged him with war crimes and crimes against humanity, treason and corruption and delivered him into the hands of the angry mobs whose mood was already poisoned against him." Mrs. Han reported as the Emperor recalled the words his Empress had said to him.
"Kill Han Touzhou Your Majesty or else I shall be the one to bring an end to him ome way of another, this is the last shred of compassion that I can offer in my position as your Empress, with the power that it commands along with it." She'd strongly cautioned him.
"The Empress!" He exclaimed in disbelief.
"She even kept it a secret from you Your Majesty, she really is shameless, me in my widowhood whether a traitor or not he was a husband that I loved and cherished more than anything else yet Her Highness took him from me I can't help but wonder, to whom are your officials commensurate now, is it Your Majesty or the Empress herself?" She inquired as she bowed her head and walked out of the room leaving the Emperor standing there and lost in his own thoughts.
Opening the doors of the building she found the Empress standing outside.
"Your Highness?" She said hatefully.
"My condolences." Empress Yang responded.
"You finally succeeded at killing my husband that I suppose you are now here to see for yourself how miserable I must be." Mrs. Han muttered.
"I only happened to learn that His Majesty paid you a visit, he might feel lonely that's why I felt my presence was needed here, by his side." She mentioned.
"Congratulations." Mrs. Han said.
"What for?" She asked while Mrs. Han got closer to her and pulling her into a hug, she also embraced the latter.
"I don't care if you are the Empress of this country or not, but I am his wife, I will fight hard enough so all I ask is that remember, you and I have a score to settle." She whispered and about to break free the Empress only tightened her hands around her as well.
"Your husband was not the first, he also won't be the last, I don't like bloodshed, I have seen what it can do, but if you choose to pick a fight with me, then I promise you, it won't be long before I turn your son into an absolute orphan." The Empress threatened as she let go and smirking lightly she continued into the main building while Mrs. Han furiously clenched her fists.
Sashaying through the corridors she moved up to the living room where she found the Emperor standing right in front of Han Touzhou's funeral plaque.
"Your Majesty." She greeted him.
"So it was you?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"Yes." She responded.
"Why?" He asked.
"I believe I already told you the answer." Empress Yang replied.
"Since when did you have the Edict?" He inquired.
"It's been a very long time, probably since I left the Imperial Palace, before the Xiaozong Emperor perished, as it so happened I once served him diligently." She lied.
"Why is it that you waited until now?" He asked.
"For your sake, I was never fond of Han Touzhou, but then after the Empress Han died I saw how the world felt hard on you, I felt every aching that was in your heart, I mourned and grieved every night but could never find the courage to let that burden go because I let myself believe that if you saw some good in him then with time I would also perceive the same." She responded.
"So what happened afterwards?" He inquired.
"So many more things came between us, the war, your throne, Consort Han and the Imperial Prince." Empress Yang replied.
"You of all people in the world went against me." Emperor Ningzong reminded her.
"And I would have repeated it over and over again, my devotion, none of it would have changed that I would have gone against you because I can not bear the world censuring you for his sake Your Majesty." The Empress assured, "I know that I have done nothing wrong." She professed as she turned to look at the wooden funeral plaque.
"Do you know what hurt me more than anything?" He asked as he turned to her, "Han Touzhou had his flaws but with you, he was another hand that I had, another person that I needed and seeing you both against each other broke my heart to pieces." He claimed.
"Han Touzhou merely met the fate he helped mete out of many Innocents, if it wasn't by my hand it would have been at another's, his end was inevitable." Empress Yang notified him.
"Then you'll forgive me my Empress." Emperor Ningzong said.
"Even His Late Majesty stands with me, it was his order." Empress Yang protested.
"As it is that you honour a dead Emperor more than a living one, you can not be excused for having indulged yourself in the affairs of State by summoning the Courtiers to your Audience Chamber therefore with effect immediately you are not to leave the Central Palace." The Emperor mentioned as he turned around and departed from the place at once.
Unbeknownst to the two, Tawan hidden behind the nearby wall had heard everything.
The Empress stepping outside the main building she was intercepted by Mrs. Han who bowed her head to her.
"It is going to take more than a word from the Emperor to hold me captive but luckily, you are about to learn the intensity of the power that I am capable of wielding." Empress Yang mentioned.
"But be careful Your Highness, don't let His Majesty's affection for you evolve into fear." Mrs. Han remarked•,, as she smiled at herself ghastly while the Empress descending the stairs she walked past her.
Shi Miyuan quietly seated in his Chambers Dong Hua walked in and found him absent minded.
He took the seat in front of him and watched him slowly tapping the table.
"What's on your mind?" He inquired.
"Now that Han Touzhou is dead what next?" Shi Miyuan responded as he looked at him in the eye.
"What do you think Your Excellency?" He inquired.
"The Seat of the Grand Chancellor is empty, the Left or Right Chancellors are likely to succeed but after what transpired, it is less likely that His Majesty will consider their abilities." Shi Miyuan mentioned.
"How certain are you, what makes you say that?" Dong Hua asked.
"The Grand Chancellor was killed savagely he couldn't possibly look the other side, he must consider that some hint of personal ambition drove them to empower the Empress." Shi Miyuan replied.
"What are the chances that you could be right?" Dong Hua questioned.
"I can not claim that the reason the Emperor chose to protect Han Touzhou to the bitter end wasn't entirely because he tolerated him, he respected him to some degree because apart from the Late Grand Empress Dowager Wu he was the other person that placed him on the Imperial Dragon throne." Shi Miyuan responded.
"Then he must dread another political influence in the Imperial Court, in particular, he must have started to suspect another." Dong Hua asserted.
"And that is what I fear the most." Shi Miyuan said, "up till now those men have been faithful to the Empress but after she exposed that she fabricated the Xiaozong Emperor's Edict we can not guarantee that they shall remain loyal forever especially if they are ushered into the corridors of a higher power." He claimed.
"They must be contained but we don't have that much power." Dong Hua mentioned.
"Therefore we should gain it." Shi Miyuan responded, "I will aim for the Grand Chancellory." He confidently concluded.
"But what's the guarantee that His Majesty will support you, let alone embrace you in that position?" Dong Hua asked.
"He just has to trust me a little bit more than he trusts the others." Shi Miyuan replied.
In the dead of night the Grand Empress Dowager sweating profusely she started coughing loudly.
Daiyu who was standing outside heard her and leaving the other ladies in waiting she immediately made her way into her Chambers only to find her struggling to sit up.
"Are you alright Your Grand Highness?" She inquired as she helped her up while the latter covering her mouth with her handkerchief struggled to speak while gasping for air.
"I can hardly breathe." She mentioned and coughing again she removed her hand only to notice that the whole handkerchief was soaked in blood.
"Your Grand Highness!" Daiyu exclaimed while the old woman too weak she leaned her head on Daiyu's chest.
"I'll have the Imperial physician brought over." Daiyu notified her and turning to call for help the latter with the strength she could find she held her.
"Don't." She halted her.
"What are you saying Your Grand Highness?" She inquired.
"My final hour is nigh." Grand Empress Dowager Xie replied weakly, "I need to talk to His Majesty in private, please send for him instead." She insisted and Daiyu reluctant she kept quiet for a moment.
"Please?" She pleaded that without a choice anymore, Daiyu called one of the ladies in waiting inside and she swiftly made her way through the doors.
"Milady." She gracefully said bowing her head.
"Please hurry up and inform His Majesty that Her Grand Highness wishes to speak to her and it's urgent." She ordered.
"Yes Milady." The young girl replied as she immediately withdrew from the room.
Emperor Ningzong asleep in his bed Eunuch Deng opening the doors he rushed into his presence and standing behind the silk curtain that hang over the Emperor's bed he bowed his head as he called to him.
Awakening, the Emperor turned to him still exhausted and noticed a worried expression on his face.
"What's the problem?" He asked instantly.
"Her Grand Highness seeks an audience with Your Majesty in the Cifu Palace and claims that it's urgent, it appears that her health is receding drastically." Eunuch Deng reported and the Emperor getting out of his bed immediately he put on a robe and stepped out of his bed Chamber.
Joined by his retinue and led by Eunuch Deng who with his colleagues lit the path with some lanterns, the Emperor headed West and negotiated a corner that sent him through the Gates of the Cifu Palace.
Mounting the stairs that led to the Grand Empress Dowager's chambers, there he was greeted by one of her Court Ladies.
"Where is the Grand Empress Dowager?" He inquired.
"Inside." He responded, "she's waiting for you." She said as she stepped aside signalling for him to proceed forward which he did.
Going through the doors he made his entrance and Daiyu seeing him she immediately stood up and bowed her head to offer her respects while the Emperor got closer to his foster grandmother.
"Your Grand Highness?" He called to her while she slowly opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Your Majesty is it you?" She inquired as she raised her left hand and tried to feel his cheek.
"It is I Your Grand Highness." He replied while she smiled at him.
"I couldn't even realise." She pointed out.
"It's alright." Emperor Ningzong mentioned, "you wanted to see me?" He asked her.
"I don't have that much time left to live, slowly I can feel life sipping out from my body." She said.
"Don't say such words." Emperor Ningzong pleaded with her.
"Death is inevitable, at last I can see it with my own eyes, the darkness creeping up and slowly engulfing me, I'm tired and I can not accompany you any longer." She pointed out as she moved her hand a little and pointed at a small cupboard right in front of them.
"Check behind it Daiyu." She ordered and the latter running towards it immediately she pushed it a little when she saw the wall, she hit it's parts slowly by slowly until she felt one of them hollow.
"There's a hollow Your Grand Highness." She pointed out.
"Yes." Grand Empress Dowager Xie confirmed and the latter struggling very hard she eventually succeeded in opening it only to see a small long wooden chest.
She lifted it out and brought it before the two finally opening it.
There was a scroll inside that the Emperor recognized almost immediately.
"An Emperor's Scroll?" He asked.
"His Late Majesty, the Xiaozong Emperor's other Posthumous Edict." She responded and Daiyu handing it over to the Emperor, still supporting her with his left hand, he held it with his right hand and looked at it.
"I did not have the strength or the confidence to reveal it myself, I hoped that there wouldn't be a need for me to reveal it either." Grand Empress Dowager Xie mentioned, "stay strong Your Majesty whatever it says, for I know the words that are written within in my heart and I can not promise they'll give your heart comfort." She pointed out before she continued coughing vigorously.
"That's enough Your Grand Highness." Emperor Ningzong said to her as he returned the Edict into its box right when the old woman started gasping for breath much harder than before until she was out of it.
Her eyes teary and slowly her eyelids growing heavier, she let go of her last breath and at that very hour in the darkness she ceased to exist.
Her hands hang limp while the Emperor bowing his head he broke into heavy sobbing.
"Your Grand Highness?" Daiyu said while falling onto her knees and before long the whole of the Cifu Palace was in tears.
Empress Yang standing on a balcony unable to sleep heard the sound of the mourning drum and while gazing at the moon she faced the Western direction where she bowed her head.
"Go in peace, Your Grand Highness " she said while the wind howling gently the breeze died out for the first time in a long while the Emperor felt lonely within the Palace.
At daybreak the entire Palace was in mourning and the Emperor seated right in front of the Late Grand Empress Dowager's coffin he quietly tried to reminisce some of the scarce moments he had shared with the former as he burnt talismans.
The Courtiers gathered outside they looked at each other while Yang Cishan and Shi Miyuan stood next to each other.
"It's a pity that the Grand Empress Dowager passed on." Yang Cishan mentioned.
"She was truly formidable." Shi Miyuan responded.
"His Majesty must have lost it by now." Yang Cishan remarked.
"Perhaps." Shi Miyuan mentioned, "but I believe that while the waters might seem calm on top the undercurrent is a bit troubled." He said.
"Why?" Yang Cishan inquired.
"His Majesty might have indefinitely suspended the Imperial Court from meeting but sooner or later he has to convene it." Shi Miyuan responded, "with Han Touzhou out of the picture someone must take over the Grand Chancellory." He whispered.
"Who do you think His Majesty will appoint?" Yang Cishan inquired.
"After Han Touzhou was bludgeoned to death I heard that a rift emerged between His Majesty and Her Highness however I am still missing out on the details of how serious it is, one thing that I know however, if it should be one of us then I fear that we're still a long away from seeing that dream realised." Shi Miyuan responded.
"Either way, it will be less troublesome if it is one of Her Highness' supporters." Yang Cishan remarked.
"And how many of those people can we trust, how many of them are reliable?" Shi Miyuan inquired.
"So what is it that you are trying to propose?" Yang Cishan asked.
"Your Excellency and me are the most reliable people for Her Highness, only the two of us can protect her first because as your sister she represents the Yang Clan and for me, she is the woman I love." Shi Miyuan responded.
"I am already old as it is, I don't have that much time left to live." Yang Cishan remarked.
"We should aim for the Grand Chancellory either way, it's the best way of protecting Her Highness, the best way of protecting ourselves." Shi Miyuan said as he looked with Yang Cishan across the square at Qian Xiangzu and Ye Shi both of whom stared back at the two men.
"Where is the Empress?" Emperor Ningzong turning to Eunuch Deng he inquired.
"Her Highness is mourning and she hasn't left the Central Palace, you barred her from moving out whatsoever." He reminded him as the Emperor nodded his head recalling finally.
"Perhaps you wish to forgive her?" Eunuch Deng inquired.
"No." The Emperor responded, "she'll come once to offer her respects and she'll return there into confinement." He said.
"Yes Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng responded reluctantly.
Empress Yang seated in her bed Chamber while dresses in her white linen mourning attire Xiaoyang walked in and bowed her head.
"Can I see Her Grand Highness?" She inquired.
"Later when everyone has left." Xiaoyang responded, "then you are to return to your confinement." She reported.
"His Majesty is strangely persistent this time round, it's very much unlike him." Empress Yang remarked.
"What are you going to do now Your Highness?" She inquired.
"If His Majesty won't willingly reconsider then we shall force his hand." She responded.
"But Your Highness, that is dangerous." Xiaoyang cautioned.
"You can leave everything to me, just tell my brother and Shi Miyuan to make their move right now." She said.
Emperor Ningzong seated in his Chambers he stared at the chest with the Imperial Edict that the Grand Empress Dowager had given to him.
Recalling the words that she had mentioned he was very hesitant to look through its contents.
"What could it be?" He thought to himself curiosly when the doors of the room being flung open Eunuch Deng walked in with a tea set in his hands as he hid the chest away.
"Your Majesty." He said offering it to him.
"I am not hungry." He informed him.
"You haven't heard anything since yesterday night, I am merely worried for your health, I understand that you are grieving the Grand Empress Dowager but I don't think in the Netherworld she'd be very happy seeing you like this." Eunuch Deng responded and the Emperor unable to resist he allowed him to place it onto the table as he quietly debated with himself whether to tell him or not.
"Can I ask you a question?" He inquired.
"Yes Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng replied.
"What kind of person do you think the Empress is?" He mentioned.
"Why do you ask Your Majesty?" He inquired.
"I was ill and unconscious for a long time, very many of the Courtiers seem to have grown attached to her meanwhile, I do not know much of what she did as the Regent during those dark days and I am more curious of her role in the assassination of Han Touzhou, she does give me a reasonable explanation but she met my officials in her audience Chamber and moved them without my insight or opinion." Emperor Ningzong responded and Eunuch Deng looked away shyly.
"Is there something that you are hiding from me?" He inquired.
"Forgive me Your Majesty but Her Highness had asked everyone to keep it a secret and not tell you a single word." Eunuch Deng replied.
"What is it?" He demanded to know.
"Your Majesty passed out and when the Imperial physician examined you he concluded in his diagnosis that you were suffering from Bechet's disease, he advised that you have bed rest that was adequate until you had fully recovered and relax some of your duties as the Emperor.
On Her Highness' orders, Your Majesty was sedated until your condition improved, many times she spent the night at the Ministry of War and when she returned to the Palace she kept herself busy reviewing memorials until she fell asleep by your side, she personally tested all your medicines even against the Imperial physician's advice as it would have a toll on her health since she wasn't ill so that she would make sure that you aren't poisoned." He responded.
"Did she do all that much?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"Everyone in the Palace is aware of Her Highness' sacrifice, she chose to conceal this much from you because she didn't want you to feel guilty and burdensome to her." Eunuch Deng confessed.
"I had no idea." Emperor Ningzong replied.
"Her Highness has in deed sinned but seeing that she wouldn't mind to take punishment and moreso conceal this, she really cares about Your Majesty so much." Eunuch Deng remarked.
The doors of the room being flung open another Eunuch rushed before the Emperor's presence and bowed his head.
"Your Majesty." He said gracefully.
"What's the matter?" Eunuch Deng inquired.
"It's the Courtiers Your Majesty, they are in the Grand Square." He reported sounding so tense.
"What are they doing?" He inquired.
"Forgive me Your Majesty but they are begging you to rescind and spare Her Highness, they are appealing you to end her confinement within the Central Palace." He reported.
"What!" Eunuch Deng exclaimed as he turned to the Emperor who had gone furious that very instant that he stood up from where he was seated and charged out of the hall while the two followed him.
Yang Cishan and Shi Miyuan kneeling in the Grand square with all the other officials they faced the Grand Hall in their Official robes with the Ceremonial Jade tablets in their hands.
"Please rescind your order Your Majesty." Yang Cishan voiced out.
"Do not punish the Empress Your Majesty." They all pleaded in unison led by Shi Miyuan.
The Emperor arriving he stood at a distance behind the hall, unable to believe the large number of Courtiers that were begging for the Empress' pardon.
"How come they are aware?" He inquired, "could the Empress have informed them?" He asked Eunuch Deng.
"Her Highness hasn't left the Central Palace as of yet since you barred her, she hasn't even met anyone from outside as well." Eunuch Deng defended.
"The rumours spread from the Han Manor Your Majesty all over the Capital, perhaps it's because of that that the Courtiers became informed of the incident." The other Eunuch remarked.
"But such concern for the Empress coming from the Court officials is very alarming especially if it is the Empress' brother and most trusted protector." The Emperor muttered.
"What are you going to do Your Majesty?" Eunuch Deng inquired.
"Leave them." He responded, "I am more interested in seeing what happens after wards." He responded.
The Empress quietly seated in her room she was lost in her thoughts and anxiety when Xiaoyang rushed in front of her.
"Your Highness, the Courtiers are gathered outside the Grand Hall begging His Majesty to rescind the order." She reported.
"What about His Majesty?" She inquired.
"He has still not revealed His presence but I fear that he won't be as pleased, besides with Yang Cishan and Shi Miyuan at the forefront, he will be suspicious." She remarked.
"And that's what I need." Empress Yang replied, "a man's guilt can not be controlled when he learns that his suspicions are wrong besides after what transpired with Han Touzhou when I talked to Mrs. Han she told me to look out and that she'll make sure she settles the score between us." She mentioned.
"What are you going to now Your Highness?" Xiaoyang asked as she stood up from where she was seated.
"It is now my time to act." She responded, "send word to Eunuch Deng." She added.
"Yes Your Highness." Xiaoyang replied as she immediately walked passed him and moved out of the room.
The Courtiers still gathered outside in the Grand Square the Emperor was seated inside his study close by was looking through a couple of memorials that the Empress had reviewed during his illness when Eunuch Deng rushed in.
"Forgive me Your Majesty." He said, "I have heard something preposterous." He muttered short of breath as he gasped for air while sweating profusely.
"What's the problem?" He inquired.
"It's the Empress, she's on her way towards the Grand Square." He reported while bowing his head and the Emperor immediately putting the memorial away he stood up and walked out of his study immediately.
"In her mourning attire while being accompanied by her retinue, everyone in the Palace halted to have a look at the Empress who was furiously making her way through the hallways to the Grand Square.
Halting outside for a moment they all stopped.
"I must continue alone." She spoke commandingly and Xiaoyang and Manyin hardly saying a word they bowed their heads in submission to her will before she turned to Beiyuan.
"Announce me." He ordered while he turned and faced the doors.
"Her Imperial Highness the Empress." He said and the Courtiers turning their heads she personally pushed the doors open with all her might.
Folding her arms again within her hanfu she majestically stepped over the threshold before she continued while silence prevailed as she slowly moved forward the bottom of the staircase that led to the Grand Hall.
Halting in her footsteps, the Emperor's who had already arrived hidden behind one of the corners watched the Empress as she slowly went down onto her knees and bowed her head.
"Your Majesty, it is I the Empress." She said nearly breaking down into tears while everyone was watching.
"I schemed behind your back and had Han Touzhou assassinated without your consent, kept hidden the Late Emperor's Posthumous Edict I have not only failed in my duty as your wife but also as your Empress and the mother of this nation, our most glorious Heavenly Empire." She mentioned while the Emperor carefully listened.
"I therefore beseech you Oh Great Son of Heaven, accept my most profound repentance for having affixed my name even though against my own will to acts which are in conflict with Your Sovereign will, take this Phoenix Crown that hangs on my brow for without your forgiveness I am better off dead than living miserably." She said as the Courtiers burst into endless murmuring while the Emperor was surprised by her reaction.
"You can not do that Your Highness." The Minister Ye Shi protested.
"It is absurd Your Highness." Qian Xiangzu mentioned.
"The traitor Han Touzhou deserved to die." Shi Miyuan aggressively remarked.
"It was a posthumous Edict Your Highness carried out, you have fulfilled your loyalty to the Dynasty and that means you have also fulfilled your loyalty to the Emperor." Yang Cishan mentioned.
"Please don't abdicate your throne Your Highness." The Courtiers changed their plea instantly.
"Silence." The Empress ordered and they immediately fell quiet staring at her.
"His Majesty holds the Mandate of Heaven in his hands and everything that is under the Heavens is therefore subject to his command therefore only he can give and take away, charge and absolve, punish and reward and as it is that I have disregarded it, I lay my life and title as Empress to the one that gave it to me." She confidently mentioned her veins popping out and her eyes turning red when the gates to the square were opened and Manyin walked in with a small table in her hands whose contents had been veiled with a fine piece of white linen cloth.
She rested it on the ground in front of Her mistress and the Courtiers watching she pulled away the veil unravelling a white bowl that was filled with a dark substance it didn't take long for the Courtiers to realise that it was poison.
"Your Highness?" They cried as they went onto their knees.
"A traitor deserves a traitor's death, if you keep on pleading to His Majesty to withdraw my punishment then I shall die on this spot." She threatened.
"Your Highn......" Yang Cishan still speaking in protest she seized the bowl with both her hands and slowly raised it towards her mouth when the Emperor unable to contain his feelings he suddenly stepped forward.
"Enough." He yelled at the top of his voice and the Empress seeing him she bowed her head low.
"Forgive me Your Majesty." She said.
"Enough my Empress." The Emperor replied.
"Perhaps I have been hard on you that I pushed you too far." He muttered.
"I have sinned against you Sire, it hurts me to have failed you as your Empress." She bitterly asserted.
"I have thought about it, you all don't need to overreact, I reviewed the Empress' memorials over the past years, I saw how she governed the State, provide relief to the people and opened the State Granaries, addressed the corrupt officials and even the grievances of our Imperial army and the Soldiers in the North, fought on the bloodied battlefield holding my banner high into the sky, weathered the pain of poisonous arrows and treaded through wild flames and not even once did I think how hard it had been for you I have failed as a father to this nation in punishing it's evildoers, I have looked away and tolerated the pain my people have been through and not even once did I nurse their sounds or provide them with the comfort they longed for." The Emperor said while everyone fell silent.
"I would have called you disloyal Officials behind the Empress and you wouldn't mind, protecting her and standing up for her it is because she's been a light for you in the darkest of days my eyes opened at last I see statesmen in our finest hour." The Emperor mentioned and having quelled their rage in his speech they all seemed to instantly become humble.
"The Empress is blameless, she's our heroine, the author of our salvation and our blessed and eternal goddess the glorious one." He mentioned.
"I thank you Your Majesty." The Empress said bowing her head.
"Long Live Your Majesty." The Courtiers shouted after her as they kowtowed to him while he looked around at all of them, his eyes strangely enough unable to abandon the Empress who looked humble, virtuous, wise and perhaps to him, harmless.
The Empress returning to her Chambers she sat down while Shi Miyuan and Yang Cishan bowed their heads to her.
"It's a relief." Yang Cishan mentioned, "His Majesty alas has forgiven you." He pointed out.
"It's still too early to say." The Empress replied, "I can smell it that he is conflicted." She remarked.
"What makes you say that Your Highness?" Shi Miyuan inquired.
"We have become more aggressive every day, to gain a fraction of His Majesty's trust I needed to take a gamble with my life but no one can tell how much he doubts me, I need to convince him that he can trust me wholeheartedly as he did before." Empress Yang mentioned.
"How do you plan on doing that Your Highness?" Yang Cishan asked.
"Tomorrow the Daily Assembly shall be resumed and we need to start negotiations with the Jurchens, after a long while of political instability within our Empire we should start by returning everything to its rightful place that is why I need you all to petition to His Majesty the return of Consort Cao and the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji to the Palace." She mentioned.
"But Your Highness, getting rid of them wasn't easy and yet Consort Han provided us with that opportunity, bringing her back will not only threaten your influence within the harem and the Inner Court but it shall also compromise the Crown Prince's position." Shi Miyuan mentioned.
"That is why we should do it." Empress Yang resolved, "we must win the confidence of His Majesty of we are to strengthen our political influence." She remarked.
"What about the Imperial Prince Zhao Shen?" Yang Cishan inquired.
"He needs to be removed from the picture, a commoner like him with Imperial blood can not come anywhere close to inheriting the Imperial Dragon throne." Empress Yang replied.
"Even in his exile, it could spark a lot of unpleasant discussion and suspicion." Shi Miyuan cautioned.
"Don't worry about that," Empress Yang calmed him, "it is much easier to hunt outside the Palace than within it." She remarked as she smiled at herself ghastly.
The Emperor seated in his own bed Chamber he stared at the chest with the Imperial Edict in front of him, for a moment appearing to have solicited the courage he needed as he recalled the Grand Empress Dowager's last words of caution.
Hesitantly, he opened it and pulled out the Edict, untying the threads that bound it he rolled it open and let his eyes peruse through its contents.
He halted there, staring at the white paper, unable to believe what he was seeing, a hole was struck in his heart as he breathed heavily with fear.
"No." He said to himself, reading the order over and over again that he was certain he wasn't just seeing things.
"COURT LADY YANG IS ENTERPRISING AND SMART, SHE IS INTELLIGENT AND QUICK-WITTED AND HAS WHATEVER IT TAKES TO BECOME THE EMPRESS OF OUR HEAVENLY EMPIRE, BUT THIS HERE IS MY AUGUST AND SOVEREIGN WILL, WHOEVER SEES THIS IS BLAMELESS AND MUST KILL HER FOR THE WELFARE OF THE KINGDOM, LEST THE LAND WILL BE BAPTISED WITH BLOOD WHEN THE CALAMITY OF THE EMPRESS WU DESCENDS UPON US ALL AGAIN." It said as the Emperor fearfully folded it and put it back in its chest.