Miss Yun lying down on her bed, her husband Xie Qubo slowly approached her holding in his hands a small tray that bore a pearl white bowl.
He halted in front of her and sat down by the bedside.
"Milord?" She spoke lovingly.
"It's time for your medication my dear." He responded as he slowly helped her take the bowl and drink its contents.
A bit out of duty she swallowed the concoction before she placed the bowl back on the tray.
"Well done." Xie Qubo lauded his wife.
"Soon enough we shall be holding our little bundle of joy." He mentioned.
"I can't help but worry that what if it's not a boy?" She said.
"All will be well my dear, whichever it is that you decide to give me I shall take pride, even if it is a daughter, I know that she'll have beautiful and lovely eyes like you my dear." He encouraged her but she seemed to be feeling unusually sad.
"Is something wrong?" Xie Qubo inquired.
"I can't help but wonder, I had a strange dream last night." She said.
"What is it my darling?" Xie Qubo asked with a rather curious expression on his face.
"A phoenix, it descended from the North Star and it entered into my womb." She responded.
"Isn't that a good sign, after all, it only means that our child will be a miracle baby." He asserted.
"The fortunate my dear have one unfortunate end, like it or not there'll always be someone out there determined to obliterate them." She mentioned.
"What makes you say that?" Xie Qubo asked her.
"I have lost people that I have loved because of that," she responded as she looked him in the eye, "I never want to lose our family, I never want to lose our children, I never want to lose you too." She responded as he raised his right hand and touched her left cheek.
"Don't worry about it, all will be well, you'll never lose any of us I promise you because we shall always be here beside you every step of the way." He assured her as he pulled her closer and kissed her forehead while she smiled momentarily in much better spirits.
The Empress walking around the garden with her retinue, she caught sight of a couple of guards that were fighting with an old man who seemed like a beggar at the gates.
"Let me through." He pleaded.
"You can not Sir, this is the Palace." The guards kept on telling him.
"I must go through." The man said but himself very weak to match up the Strength of the young and muscular young men, they triumphed in pushing him out that he fell onto the ground.
The Empress changing her course approached the gates where the guards recognizing her presence bowed their heads as she walked through to the latter who was crying.
She stopped and looked down at him, his clothes tone and his skin rough and dirty, his hair very long, thick and unkempt while his feet were red and sore with open wounds and flies all over them.
"Your Highness, be careful." Xiaoyang said but the Empress offered him her hand.
He saw it, adorned with the beautiful diamond ring that he raised his head and looked at her smiling heartily at him.
"So you see me?" She inquired.
"Your Highness." He responded as he slowly lifted his hand and held hers briefly before he let go seemingly frightened.
"What's the problem?" She asked him but the latter raising his head and hands to the sky turned side to side while his eyes barely dry they became teary once more.
"There's none but you Your Highness in the whole world, and neither shall there be a ruler as great as you for as long as the twelve stars of the zodiac are akin to the North star Ma'am, you shall reign over all creation for generations to come." He said which words triggered the Empress' mind into recalling what seemed to be a distant memory before long he could recognize the man that was seated right in front of him.
"You?" She said, "it's you." She muttered while Xiaoyang and Manyin seemed confused at how the Empress appeared to be familiar with the strange man.
"Yes Your Highness," he said, "I only wish that it wasn't you of all people, how is it that heaven would be so cruel." He added.
"What do you mean?" Empress Yang asked.
"You would have been better off an ordinary girl living on the prairie, you would have been better off as an ordinary married noblewoman with your husband and children." He remarked.
"Why are you saying this Sir?" She asked as the man forcefully held her wrist and the guards with Xiaoyang and Manyin getting close the Empress raised her left hand and halted them.
"Because your worst fear Your Highness will come to pass, because Your Highness shall tread on amber all the days of your life, your sons will kill one another and your brilliance will wane, because you'll fall from the heights to which you have ascended to become the shadow of another and your kingdom will come to an end." He said when Beiyuan violating her order he ceased the old man's hand and pulled it away from hers leaving her furious.
"Why?" She asked, "why?" She insisted on knowing while the man looked down momentarily as silence prevailed before he faced her again.
"Woe upon you, oh most brilliant sun of heaven, for the Almighty says unto you that on the day the twelve stars of the zodiac shall cease to be akin the North, she that is most able to counteract with your gusto shall be advened." He responded as he raised his eyes looking at her.
She felt him stare through him and it compelled her to turn around and see what it was that had won his attention entirely.
There over the Palace with her eyes she saw the North Star brilliantly shining in broad daylight.
"Your Highness?" Manyin called her as she slowly turned around to see the old man that had been before her.
He had vanished into thin air almost instantly and nothing was left of both him and the guards.
"Where is the old man?" She asked herself.
"He was just here." Bao Langya said and their eyes searching about the place they couldn't find him anywhere.
"Something is not right." The Empress said, "No." She mentioned.
With the sun setting, Bao Langya and a couple of his men were already gathered in the arena of the Martial Academy armed with swords and sabres when Yang Shi suddenly joined the company beside his brother who was hiding inside one of the pavilions to study the situation.
"Where have you been?" He asked him.
"I was a little bit caught up with some errands." He responded.
"I see." Yang Gu muttered.
"They are so many." Yang Shi said.
"It's worth it," Yang Gu responded, "for our Yang Clan and for the Empire, we must protect the Empress at all costs." He added.
"But I can't help but wonder, why in the world would the Deposed Crown Princess be a danger to that?" Yang Shi said.
"You never know, a fly is too small but it is big enough to make someone sick." Yang Gu responded as they turned back and looked at Bao Langya.
"You are all gathered here to fulfil a task that is set ahead of you, whatever happens you know that you can not get caught and you are certain of who it is that you are after, for the sake of the Imperial Dragon throne, the sake of our Great Heavenly Empire, the Deposed Crown Princess can not live along with her offsprings." He said.
"Yes Sir." The men replied in unison as they veiled their faces immediately.
The Empress seated in her Chambers was lost in her thoughts and trying to recall the words that the old man had mentioned to us earlier in the day when Manyin walked in before her and bowed her head.
"Everything's ready Your Highness." She said gracefully.
"Very well then, I'll be there in a while." The Empress responded as the young girl immediately withdrew from the room.
Shaanxi walking into Mrs. Xie's room she found the latter in pain as she noticed a wet patch on the sheets.
"Milady?" She said.
"It's coming," the Deposed Crown Princess Cao mentioned, "it is time." She asserted as Shaanxi rushed to her.
"Hold yourself together for a moment Milady." She whispered to her before she turned around, "anyone, someone call the midwife." She shouted.
The people all over the Xie Manor in panic rushed back and forth towards Lady Yun's Chambers and Xie Qubo along with her son Xie Jingrui standing outside the doors they could hear her screams penetrating through the walls and resounding across the whole manor.
Bao Langya and a couple of his assassins having arrived at the place started to surround it.
He seemed close to approaching the main gate with a few elite fighters when he negotiated a corner and from the opposite end of the street, he recognized what appeared to be a black Palanquin that was borne by masked carriers and guarded by warriors in a similar attire.
Raising his right fist the men behind him halted in their footsteps as the Palanquin was slowly lowered onto the ground and its doors were opened.
The Empress emerged from within, dressed in a pitch-black hanfu with a translucent veil hanging over her head, her eyes sparkling and fierce in appearance, she'd worn her mascara strongly and her face was wan like the moonlight.
"Your Highness." Bao Langya said leading his men as they bowed their heads to her.
"You moved before I asked you." She spoke as he went onto his right knee.
"Forgive me Your Highness, I was merely......." He was still saying when she interrupted.
"Fulfilling an order I gave you long ago, accomplishing a task that was left undone?" She spoke inquisitively.
"Yes Your Highness." Bao Langya confidently replied.
"Take out your sword." She ordered and everyone suspicious of what was to happen next including Bao Langya himself, he hesitantly complied.
"Do it." The Empress said, "finish this task." She added.
"Yes Your Highness." Bao Langya responded as he turned and faced the others who immediately dispersed from the place.
Manyin hurrying over to the Empress' side held her hand.
"Aren't you going back Your Highness?" She asked her.
"This time around, I want to see everything." She responded.
Mrs. Xie pushing as hard as she possibly could the midwife tending to her noticed something strange that she froze.
"Something isn't right." She said.
"What's wrong?" Mrs. Xie inquired.
"The baby's not coming out." She responded.
"Perform a caesarian." Shaanxi suddenly said.
"But that is risky." The Head midwife said.
"We do not have a choice if we wish to save the both of them." Shaanxi insisted as they looked at Mrs. Xie who nodded her head in approval.
Seizing the surgical blade the midwife started the operation while Bao Langya and his assassins swiftly made their way through the shadows as they sneaked around the residence.
They leaped and hid behind the hedges while the servants barely noticing that there were Intruders in the vicinity.
The midwife done with the surgical blade, the Empress standing outside Manyin suddenly pointed at the North Star in the sky that was shining extraordinarily bright.
"Look Your Highness." She said as the Empress raised her eyes up to it, alas pulling the child up from the mother's womb in the hands of the midwife, it cried aloud that its noise travelled through the entire compound.
The North Star in all its brilliance exploded while a wave unseen before possessed the night sky while in its place, two stars remained.
"Impossible." Xiaoyang said while Beiyuan startled he could see as well the reason the others were speechless.
"Another star?" One of the other Eunuchs pointed out while the Empress then more vividly she recalled the words of the old man than ever.
"Woe upon you, oh most brilliant sun of heaven, for the Almighty says unto you that on the day the twelve stars of the zodiac shall cease to be akin the North, she that is most able to counteract with your gusto shall be advened." They resounded through her ears while the cries of the baby lingered there shortly afterwards.
"The Child," she said, "it's the real problem." She whispered to herself while she turned to the other guards around her.
"Kill the baby." She ordered.
"Yes Your Highness." They responded bowing their heads to her immediately before they dispersed from the scene.
"Congratulations Milady, it is a daughter." The Head Midwife said as he handed over the young baby girl to its mother who took it into her hands and embraced it while kissing her forehead.
Xie Qubo anxiously waiting outside with Jingrui the doors were opened and Shaanxi walked out into his presence bowing her head.
"Congratulations Milord, Milady has given birth to a daughter." She reported as she stepped aside allowing them to walk into the room.
Qubo rushed to the side of his beloved wife and sat down with her son.
"Milord?" She said showing him their child while the latter held it in his arms and looked at it peacefully sleeping.
"Thank you, my dear, I laud your efforts." He remarked while smiling at her.
Suddenly, a couple of arrows flew towards the chamber striking the few servants around it dead and some making their way inside.
"Assassins." One of the servants shouted and the rest thrown into panic they started fleeing for their lives while Bao Langya and his clique leaped from the shadows and charged towards the chamber.
A couple of the Xie Manor's guards appeared to put up some resistance against their Intruders and Xie Qubo looking at his sword on the rack seized it from his sheath putting Jingrui behind himself.
"My dear don't." Mrs. Xie protested seeming momentarily certain that whatever was happening had something to do with her.
"I have to." Xie Qubo insisted when the doors were thrown open the Assassins made their entrance.
Staring at the baby that Mrs. Xie was holding she tightened her grip around her child when the man leaped towards her.
Her husband approaching him he guarded her with his sword and using his entire might he pushed back the attacker and knocked him out giving his wife and children along with Shaanxi the gap they nodded.
"Go." He said while Shaanxi struggled to help the young woman onto her feet but failed.
"But Milady has just had a caesarian, she's in no good condition to move and there's no guarantee that she can survive if she strains herself." She pointed out.
"I can't." She professed while she looked at her daughter.
"Forgive me," she said before she turned to her husband while the guards outside were struggling so hard to protect their master's Chambers from further invasion.
"My dear, we don't have time, you must survive." Xie Qubo insisted.
"I'll only drag others down." Yun Feiyan remarked as her eyes travelled to Jingrui who was so scared hiding behind his nanny that she smiled lightly, "our children, they must survive." She whispered under her breath as she finally looked at Shaanxi who was standing next to her she appeared to immediately comprehend what she was indirectly saying.
"No Milady." She said falling onto her knees before her and bowing her head.
"We can survive on our own, I can survive on my own but aside from myself there's no one else that I can trust with the safety of Jingrui and our daughter." She asserted.
"Please don't lose yourself Milady, Milord please." She protested unwillingly.
"It's the least that you can do, I beg you please." Mrs. Xie said when Bao Langya, his guards and the reinforcements that the Empress had sent eventually overpowered the defences of Xie Qubo's household.
"There's men everywhere, leaving won't be easy." Jingrui's nanny said.
"I'll make way, escape through the secret passage." Xie Qubo said as he approached a bookshelf that was close to the wall and pushing it away he revealed a small opening descending into a tunnel underground.
Shaanxi hesitantly taking the young baby and tying it around her body she held Jingrui's hand and led the way to the secret passage which was lit with torches.
Closing the door behind them, Xie Qubo remained with his wife in the chamber all alone when the doors were knocked open and the other assassins made their entrance only to find the couple with the windows open looking at each other.
Bao Langya seeing the deposed Crown Princess he charged towards her while her husband Xie Qubo intercepted him with his sword.
Ganging up on the young man while the deposed Crown Princess was watching everything trying to force herself onto her feet, the swords started fatally clashing.
A pair of the assassins charging forward to the young man he kicked the stool close to him towards them to halt their advance.
Bao Langya seeing it headed towards their way leaped with his sword and cut it into two as he made another attempt to get close enough to the deposed Crown Princess Cao still noticed beforehand, with his blade at hand aimed at the attacker's chest Xie Qubo launched himself to take his strike as well, a move that appeared predictable.
By default he stepped aside and dodged the attack, sending a fist with his left hand towards Xie Qubo's abdomen which hit the spot just right enough for the young man to stumble backwards towards his wife's bed.
He restrained himself from feeling the pain as he tightened his grip around his sword to prevent it from falling out, unwilling to yield to loss he appeared just as determined to fight or even slightly more than his adversaries.
About to collide again one of the assassins outside rushed in.
"It's the Capital Patrol guards." He reported when Bao Langya looking at the Deposed Crown Princess on the bed infuriated he raised his hand and signalled for them to retreat.
"Find the children, they couldn't have gone far." He ordered.
"Yes." The assassins replied as they made their swift escape from the Xie Manor.
The Empress at a distance with her people watching everything they saw the Capital Patrol guards surrounding the residence.
"We must leave Your Highness, if anyone sees you here then I fear that you shall be in trouble." Manyin said.
"Who do you think is responsible for the presence of the Capital Patrol guards?" Empress Yang asked as she turned and looked at Manyin who seemed to realise the answer immediately.
"Didn't you want the Deposed Crown Princess dead Your Highness?" She asked.
"Yes," she responded, "but when I thought about the fact that she had to live by hiding her identity I couldn't help it but wonder how much her husband knew about her and even if he did, if word of this were to get out what impact would it have had on the Xie family?" She responded.
"I see." Manyin muttered under her breath.
"The assassins were merely an opportunity to suffice the Crown Princess' ill behavior as it so happens that she refused to honour the Emperor's order and she defiled her body that was supposed to be kept pure for the deceased Crown Prince, she's immoral in conduct and has broken about every law to stay alive if I can't kill her with my own hands then I shall use the Imperial law to get rid of her." Empress Yang responded as she stared at the Xie Manor.
The Capital Patrol guards making their way into Xie Qubo's Chambers led by Jinglan seemed to notice her immediately.
"The Deposed Crown Princess?" He said aloud that his subordinates were very much surprised by his allegation.
"How is that possible?" Xie Qubo inquired, "she's my wife." He professed to them and Jinglan looking at him spitefully he turned to his guards.
"Arrest this man." He ordered as they immediately seized him.
"What are you doing, you are supposed to catch the assassins." Xie Qubo shouted in protest while they were preparing to bind him with a strong red chord.
"It isn't his fault." Deposed Crown Princess Cao said, "he had no idea that I was the Deposed Crown Princess of the Cao Clan." She added.
"No." Xie Qubo muttered.
"If someone has sinned against His Majesty and against the Dynasty then it is me, I got selfish and bewitched him into loving me." The Deposed Crown Princess said.
"Do not listen to her as she is lying." Xie Qubo said, "I loved her willingly and I was aware of her identity when I married her." He lied.
"As it is that the both of you committed such a heinous crime we'll only take you in, but this is an issue that concerns the welfare of the harem and that of the Inner Court therefore it is up to the Empress to decide." Jinglan said, "take them both in." He ordered while they hurried and carried the deposed Crown Princess out of the bed and bound her as well.
"I am so sorry." The young woman said to her husband while the two were dragged away amidst endless protest.
"No." Xie Qubo yelled aloud while the Deposed Crown Princess Cao was left in tears.
Shaanxi along with the baby and Jingrui made it outside the tunnel emerging from a dark alley within four hundred metres from the Xie Manor.
They could see the numerous Capital Patrol troops parading outside the fence and at a distance Mr and Mrs. Xie being dragged out.
"Moth......" Jingrui about to call out to her Shaanxi immediately silenced the young boy.
"Don't say anything otherwise you'll get into trouble" She cautioned him.
"But....." He was still speaking when she slapped him across his face.
"Come back to your senses, you must survive this." She said to him in tears, " you must fight this, regardless of how hard and long the strife may be, keep fighting this." She said to him.
"Yes." The young boy replied as she held onto him and stealthily they scurried away.
Emperor Ningzong on his way to the Central Palace, he caught sight of the Empress who was equally walking in the direction of the Grand Palace.
Halting right in front of him she bowed her head as he seemed surprised seeing her dressed in a couple of dark clothes she was almost unrecognizable.
"Your Majesty." She said to him.
"What's this My Empress?" He asked.
"I just received word from the Capital Patrol guards." She responded.
"What would they report to you about?" He inquired.
"Forgive me Your Majesty, perhaps you didn't know, it's the Deposed Crown Princess of the Cao clan." She said.
"I thought that she perished in the fire that consumed the Nunnery?" Emperor Ningzong said.
"I also thought the same, but there were bodies that were never unravelled from the remnants of the temple that raised sufficient speculation that she might have survived, though it seems none of us was hopeful back then, it appears that at last she has sufficed." Empress Yang reported.
"What?" Emperor Ningzong inquired.
"I didn't want to tell you this Your Majesty knowing that both you my Sire and Her former Highness lacked a smooth friendship and her actions were in conflict with the regulations of the Palace and the rules of the harem and the Inner Court, once again I am informed however that dark materials were found in the Xie Manor and she was using them to curse the Imperial family, Your Majesty in particular." Empress Yang professed falsely.
"If I didn't meet you tonight would you have kept it from me?" He asked.
"As it is, regardless of her position as the deposed Crown Princess and a woman who once served in the Inner Court, as its Empress it's my duty as I was meant to ease your worries and burdens." She responded as she got closer to him.
"I allowed her to keep her life, couldn't she be grateful at the very least?" He asked.
"I also thought just as much but perhaps some people will never turn from the darkness, she persisted with her insidious deeds, bewitched the young master of the Xie family knowing that it was a family of influential officials and it was the clan of her late Grand Highness the Empress Chengsu, she lied to His Majesty and the entire Court there's no guarantee that she didn't have any insidious schemes against Your Majesty." The Empress muttered.
"Even now she refuses to seek absolution?" Emperor Ningzong inquired.
"It's still too early to tell, besides, if word of this were to spread then it would tarnish the reputation of the Imperial family and the Inner Court," Empress Yang suggested, "I'll see to it that I handle everything as reliably as possible, just focus on your health Your Majesty and leave this issue to me." She whispered to him.
"You are my Empress, I trust you, surely whatever it is that requires rectification, I know above everyone else that you shall get to the bottom of this." Emperor Ningzong said as she lightly smirked at him while he returned his most sincere smile.
The Deposed Crown Princess Cao was led into a dark and cold dungeon where she was cast by the Imperial guards with the accompaniment of Madam Mo.
"Let him go, please don't do this to him." She pleaded as she held onto the wooden logs confining her to the small dark cell.
"There's no use." Madam Mo said.
"He did nothing wrong." The young woman shouted in protest.
"He did something very wrong." Madam Mo replied, "he let himself fall in love with the deceased Crown Prince's woman, he fell in love with a traitor of the harem and the Inner Court, a deposed Crown Princess of all people, that was his fault." Madam Mo asserted as she turned around to walk away.
"Why?" Deposed Crown Princess Cao asked that the latter halted in her footsteps as she slowly looked after her shoulder.
"Why do you do this?" She insisted on asking that Madam Mo turning around she slowly walked towards the cell and halted in front of her.
"Do you really want to know why?" She mentioned.
"You serve the Empress well, can't I be curious why I must suffer?" Deposed Crown Princess Cao asked.
"I was three years old by the time I entered the Palace as a slave, a lowly servant girl, those were the days when the Emperor's mother and the Grand Empress Dowager Wu ruled the harem, all my life I have watched people like you, privileged misusing your power to oppress and trample the weak, rising in rank because of connections without any hard work, when you get angry if it pleases you you can have us buried within these walls, us knowing you and serving you puts our lives at risk, but do you know what Her Highness does, she never allows any of us to taste her food worried that we might die of the poison that's supposed to kill her, she's introduced promotion in the Palace on merit and cares for all the servants personally that she abolished those unfair laws that repressed us in service therefore if I must question my service, I am foolish because there has never been a master that cares for their servants first like she is." Madam Mo responded as she turned around to walk away, "I am a Lady Investigator of the Ladies' Investigations Bureau of the Imperial Palace, I am a trusted servant of my Empress therefore anything that exists with or without her knowledge that threatens her very own existence and survival, I shall get rid of it." She confidently added.
"Then please, grant me an audience with Her Highness." Deposed Crown Princess Cao pleaded.
"Why?" Madam Mo asked.
"If fighting puts at risk the life of an innocent man whose only sin was falling in love with me I can't bear it therefore I hope to resolve whatever conflict there is between the Empress and me." She responded.
"How is it that I can trust your words?" Madam Mo inquired.
"My only crime is that I chose the Empress as my enemy which is why I need to rectify that." Deposed Crown Princess Cao responded.
"And how is it that you intend to do that Milady?" Madam Mo asked.
"Innocents mustn't suffer for the mistake I did, if word of this were to spread then it would not only jeopardize the reputation of the Imperial family and the Inner Court but also His Late Highness the deceased Crown Prince, every thing can end quietly and silently because I am the only one the Empress wants, I am the only one the Empress needs." Deposed Crown Princess Cao professed as Madam Mo stared intensely at her suspiciously.
Empress Yang seated in her Chambers she was quietly lost in her thoughts as she recalled the words of the Old man and everything that had happened earlier in the night, her heart could hardly find peace that momentarily staring at the candle next to her she took a deep breath and sighed.
"Your Highness, it is I." Xiaoyang announced her presence outside the doors.
"Come in." She responded and the latter complied making her way through to her presence where she halted and bowed her head.
"Your Highness, Madam Mo is here requesting to have an audience with you." She reported.
"Let her in." Empress Yang responded and withdrawing at once, the latter returned with the fairly old woman before her mistress.
"Your Highness." She greeted her bowing her head.
"What's the problem?" Empress Yang inquires from her.
"The Deposed Crown Princess Cao has been brought in and handed over to us, she however insists that she wants to talk to you Your Highness." Madam Mo reported.
"You know me well enough, if it is to beg me for her life she should be well aware that I can't grant her that request, even if I wanted, my position and hers won't allow me to do that." Empress Yang mentioned.
"I thought it could be so as well, perhaps I was myopic but it didn't seem like she is willing to keep her life, in fact, she doesn't seem expectant to attain that favour." Madam Mo responded and the Empress intrigued turned her head aside as though trying to clarify what she had heard.
"How can you be so certain?" She asked.
"Revealing this to the General public would be chaotic to the Imperial house and the Inner Court, I didn't expect her to love her new husband who was apprehended for being very much unaware but most importantly, she professes her belief that she is the one you want, the one you need and the one that can end this strife once and for all confidently." Madam Mo responded.
"What do you think?" Empress Yang inquired curiously.
"I am not as perceptive as you Your Highness, and neither am I astute or politically apt, however the deposed Crown Princess is a dying woman since survival must be painful for her, it wouldn't hurt to hear her out if there is a possibility of making unpleasant rumours and questions die out silently without much effort." Madam Mo replied.
"I need some time alone, I'll see her tomorrow in the morning." Empress Yang concluded.
"Thank you Your Highness." Madam Mo said as she bowed her head before she slowly walked out of the hall.
Xie Qubo furiously hitting the bars of the cell where he was confined, he raised an annoyingly loud noise that disrupted most of the guards watching him.
Shi Miyuan walking into the Dungeons he was greeted by one of the guards.
"Is this the Criminal that was just brought in?" He asked.
"Yes Your Excellency." One of the guards replied as he stepped aside and he walked past him.
Shi Miyuan continued down the dark hallway as he slowly approached the isolated cell where Xie Qubo was and halted right in front of him.
"Get me out of here." He shouted.
"It isn't yet the right time to do that." Shi Miyuan responded.
"What are you talking about Your Excellency, where is my wife?" Xie Qubo inquired.
"You even have the audacity to call her your wife, is it so that you do not yet understand the gravity of the situation?" He asked.
"Why are you saying this?" Xie Qubo asked, "did the Empress put you up to it?" He asked.
"Let's leave the Empress out of the picture, you took in a Deposed Crown Princess as your spouse and the Imperial law forbids it." Shi Miyuan said.
"Do you honour the law so much, why should a deposed Crown Princess let alone one whose previous spouse died not marry the man she loves?" Xie Qubo challenged.
"And is it that she told you she loved you?" Shi Miyuan retaliated while the young man remaining silent he took it as a no.
"The Deposed Crown Princess had orders from His Majesty to spend the rest of her days at the nunnery atoning for her sins, she brought dark materials into the Palace but what's more shameful is that the same things that she was banned from holding into her custody were unearthed in the Xie residence and according to my understanding how is it that the Imperial Court won't be convinced that Your Excellency, a full official hid the identity of a criminal in the Dynasty and went ahead to connive with her and curse the Emperor and the Imperial house?" He asked.
"All those are lies." Xie Qubo said.
"Unfortunately that's not up to Your Excellency to decide, it so happens that nine generations of your family are facing the threat of annihilating how is it that you still fail to see beyond the lies of your beloved wife?" Shi Miyuan asked.
"Because I love her." Xie Qubo professed.
"How can love be built on lies, how is it that you can claim to love something that you have failed to protect?" Shi Miyuan yelled at the top of his voice and Xie Qubo intimidated he kept quiet.
"It doesn't matter how hard you hit these bars, they won't feel the pain, the Deposed Crown Princess can not survive death this time so for you to hope that you'll get out of here to help her through that you are mistaken," Shi Miyuan said as he stepped closer to the cell, "It is Her Former Highness' unfortunate fate, it would have been better if you had never met her so save your clan, save yourself." Shi Miyuan said as he turned around to walk away when Xie Qubo spoke up.
"You must understand what I am going through, I highly doubt that you are any different from me." He said.
"You are wrong, perhaps I don't get what you are going through." He professed.
"Your Excellency and I each want something that we can never have until now." Xie Qubo insisted.
"But there's a big difference between yourself and me, one that will always remain significant over the years and makes me superior, it makes me more loyal, it makes me more loving than you shall ever be." Shi Miyuan responded.
"What is it Your Excellency, perhaps you could enlighten me?" Xie Qubo asked.
"I am powerful enough to protect all those that I love and I shall do whatever it takes to protect that power." Shi Miyuan said before he continued out of the dungeons leaving Xie Qubo alone in the darkness.
Descending onto his feet in tears, he cried and covered his eyes.
"Forgive me Fei'er, I am so sorry that I couldn't protect you." He said to himself as he sobbed quietly.
"At sunrise, the Deposed Crown Princess Cao still in the confines of the dungeon Madam Mo appeared before her.
"I suppose Her Highness allowed me to see her." She said.
"You can count yourself unlucky, I assure you that today shall be the last you'll see the sun's rays." Madam Mo said as the doors were opened and a couple of other lady Investigators moved in and seized the Deposed Crown Princess moving out with her.
She was paraded through the Courtyard of the Central Palace while all the other staff in the Palace stopped to have a glance at her.
She could almost hear them murmuring endlessly but she tried to retain her composure turning a deaf ear to them until she was led into the gates of the Central Palace where she mounted the concrete stairs gracefully until she positioned herself right behind the doors of the Empress' personal Chambers.
"Her Former Highness the Deposed Crown Princess Cao." Xiaoyang announced.
"Let Her in." The Empress' voice emerged from within that they responded by opening the doors for her.
Making her way into the presence of the Empress she bowed her head and raised it up to realise the latter staring at her hatefully.
She was beautifully dressed in crimson phoenix robes while her head was adorned with gold and Jade hairpins.
"Your Highness." She spoke to her seemingly unafraid.
"Don't you think that you coming out here in my presence is dangerous?" Empress Yang asked.
"I am well aware Your Highness." The deposed Crown Princess Cao responded.
"Why then did you come here when you were well aware of the consequences, what is it that compelled you to walk into this room to confront me when knowing that as it is you are a Crown Princess that was banned from the Capital?" She inquired.
"Because I am afraid Your Highness, because I dread your power, your influence and your name, for where is it in this Vast kingdom that I could take refuge to hide from you who sees and hears everything that goes on within this Great Heavenly Empire." She responded.
"It is good that you have realised that soon enough, but still however soon it is for you don't you think it's too late?" She asked.
"Because Innocents have been hurt in my name, because my whole life was pasted with lies to a man I claimed was a husband of mine that I loved so much yet I hid everything in my past from him." Deposed Crown Princess Cao answered.
"How futile!" Empress Yang exclaimed.
"But I want it all to end Your Highness and the only person that can end this is you, I want to give you my life, whole as it is, they'll carry me out of those doors a lifeless body if you will but please, let Xie Qubo keep his life at least, his family as well, it is all my fault that he knew nothing that is why I insist whatever grudge or hatred it is that you have for me do not let it fall upon him." The young woman resolved.
"So you'd be willing to die for him that much?" Empress Yang asked.
"Without my children he's the only person in the world that I am left to protect." She responded as she bowed her head to the Empress who gracefully stood up from where she was seated and slowly she approached her and stood beside her while she kept kneeling.
With her right hand, she caressed her left cheek noticing that the latter shivered in fright.
"You are fair, perhaps fair like I was when I was your age, empowering, confident that I would give up my life." She mentioned as walked around her, running her fingers around her neck, "but you see until yesterday night I realized that your life was worthless and that you weren't the biggest problem that I should dread." She added as she stood in front of her.
"Please Your Highness, I am begging you." She mentioned as the Empress pulled from her sleep a small bottle of poison and she placed it on the ground in front of her.
"As I understand how living must be painful I shall grant you your request, when you drink this you'll have a short painless death at least." She muttered that the young woman rushing to grab the bottle as she stepped on it.
"Don't be too impatient as I have a small favour that I wish to ask of you." She said as she bent her head and slowly brought it close to hers.
"Whatever it is that you ask Your Highness, if it is in my power I shall certainly do it." She responded.
"You gave birth to a child, I heard that it was a girl." Empress Yang mentioned and hearing this the young woman froze while the latter standing upright she smiled at herself.
"Just as I thought, the child survived." The Empress muttered as she moved back to her seat and gracefully sat down on the stool behind her table while the Deposed Crown Princess Cao remained quiet looking at the poison bottle in front of her.
"No one has to die, not even the Crown Prince's son, if you can just give me your daughter, I can guarantee that I'll let the Xie family go, your husband will live and above all, even the child that you had with the Late Crown Prince Zhao Jun." She said.
"You are a mother yourself Your Highness, what kind of mother would give up their child's life to save the lives of others?" The deposed Crown Princess asked.
"And it is because I am a mother that I am doing this, anything that challenges my existence challenges the existence of my children, anything that threatens my power threatens the power of my children as well, it took me years and I still found you no matter how hard you hid yourself from me and my people, with my power I can't help but wonder how much longer do you think that you can keep your daughter safe from me?" Empress Yang mentioned.
"I'd rather die Your Highness." The deposed Crown Princess professed.
"Then please do," Empress Yang responded, "I already told you that your life was worthless anyway and you had the chance to make my job easy, I don't mind if I have to take the hard way around but I'll always get what I want." Empress Yang mentioned as she stood up to walk out of the room that very instant.
"My daughter just came into this world, why is it that you hate her that much to want her dead?" The deposed Crown Princess Cao inquired.
"I do not hate your daughter Your Highness, I never did, it's her fate that makes her existence unbearable, seeing that she is destined to contend with my might, this much I'll tell you so that you may rest in peace." The Empress responded and looking over her shoulder she stared at the deposed Crown Princess who was already shedding tears while slowly holding up in her hands the poison that the Empress had delivered.
"Yes Your Highness, I'll rest in peace, knowing after all that in the end my daughter will finish the fight my late husband lost." She said as she drank the poison up and finally she let go of the small bottle.
"I'll tell you this, I won't succumb to a fate that I don't write." The Empress mentioned as she walked out of the room while the latter fell onto the floor and slowly but painlessly, she breathed her last.
The Empress walking out of the building she was intercepted by Xiaoyang and Beiyuan as she looked up at the starry sky watching the twin star glowing brightly.
"Are you alright Your Highness?" Xiaoyang inquired.
"How much more blood has to be shed for the world to realise that it shall never defeat me?" She asked.
"I don't know Your Highness but one thing is certain, this was never the end of this story, it was never the end of the fight." Beiyuan responded.
"Perhaps," she responded as she slowly turned around and faced him, "but I won't give in, I'll keep up the fight as well, until my last breath, because it doesn't matter how many stars will die and be born anew, only one North Star will rule the skies and the twelve stars of the zodiac shall remain akin to it." She confidently professed as she gracefully descended the stairs of the pavilion.
Eunuch Deng walked into the dungeons where Xie Qubo was seated lifelessly with his back against the dark wall looking at the thin rays of the sun penetrating through the small narrow window next to him.
"His Majesty the Emperor's Edict." He announced but the latter barely paying any attention to him he saw it wise to proceed.
"HER FORMER HIGHNESS THE DEPOSED CROWN PRINCESS OF THE CAO CLAN IS A DISGRACE TO THE INNER COURT AND THE IMPERIAL FAMILY, SHE DISRESPECTS HIS MAJESTY AND BEWITCHES HIS LOYAL SERVANT, BUT I AM GENEROUS ENOUGH TO SPARE THE NINE GENERATIONS OF THE XIE CLAN, HIS EXCELLENCY XIE QUBO IS HEREBY RELEASED FROM THE CUSTODY OF THE CAPITAL PATROL GUARDS AND HE SHALL RETURN TO HIS RESIDENCE IMMEDIATELY." He said and the young man shortly after he was escorted from the building and set free, where he stood and stared at the buildings around him while the guards bowing their heads they accorded him the respect befitting of an official.
Shaanxi with Xie Jingrui, she couldn't help but recall the words that Her mistress had given her the day before.
"What's the matter?" Jingrui asked her while she held onto the baby in her hands, "will we ever see our mother and father again?" He asked.
"No," she responded.
"Why?" Jingrui asked.
"Because bad people want you dead." She whispered to the young boy whose eyes were slowly becoming teary that she couldn't help it but take pity on him momentarily before she discarded it away with some harsh words.
"Remember that pain, you are an orphan without a home, you must use that anger and heartache to nurture your strength, grow up and become a strong man to fight off the world and protect your sister, I tell you this because she is the only family that you have left in the world, guard her jealously, after all, this much I am certain, both your mother and further would have wanted from you." She said.
"Yes," Jingrui replied and holding his hand, she led him away from the hill that overlooked the capital.
The Courtiers secretly gathered in their new secret Chamber, the Empress took her seat behind the silk screen that had been prepared for her while they bowed their heads to her.
"You all must be aware of the news, the Deposed Crown Princess has passed on." She mentioned while they each felt a shred of sombreness that they recognized a moment of silence, "There's rumours going around that she had a child with the deceased Crown Prince but we're lucky it's not serious, however if such a rumour can exist then it can bring disorder to our Great Heavenly Empire in the near future or even worse the generations to come." She said.
"What must we do Your Highness?" Shi Miyuan inquired.
"In guarding our Empire from destruction, internal threats both past and future must be considered at present which is why I wish you would all appeal to His Majesty in the name of peace and stability to the Government and the Imperial Court of our Great Heavenly Empire, Imperial issues that are born after the deposition of a Crown Prince or Princess, Imperial Consort or Empress if not recognized as part of the succession can not inherit the Imperial Dragon throne." She responded.
"Rest assured Your Highness, we shall see it through." Shi Miyuan assured her while everyone bowed their heads to her.
Stepping outside the building, she met with Bao Langya who offered her his salutations.
"Your Highness." He said gracefully while she held his hand and he looked up at her.
"Don't feel guilty about it." She said.
"How is it that I could possibly set my heart at ease when I can't stop worrying about the fact that I failed." He responded.
"None of us is perfect." She muttered.
"But I can't be as imperfect as others." Bao Langya insisted.
"I understand, that's why I need you to do something for me." She said.
"What is it?" Bao Langya asked.
"Search everyone that could have been close to the Xie family, the deposed Crown Princess Cao particular, have your men do whatever it takes, find that baby that was born with her lady in waiting, kill it whatever the cost may be." She responded.
"Yes Your Highness." Bao Langya responded as he bowed his head and stepped aside for the Empress who slowly walked away.
Xie Qubo seated in his room, in front of him he saw the bloodstained hanfu that had belonged to the deposed Crown Princess Xie in her final hours with his retainer by his side.
"This is what she wore at last?" He inquired.
"Her Highness could only offer us this much, as tradition suggests, she shall be entombed with her late husband the Crown Prince Zhao Jun." The young man responded.
"I wish to be alone." Xie Qubo muttered and without further ado, his retainer withdrew from the room leaving him all alone to embrace the sombreness that he was feeling.
He held the hanfu in his hands and pulling it closer to his nose and smelling the last of her peony fragrance having blended with the stench of blood it forced the tears from ears eyes, running endlessly like streams of water with an anger brewing in his soul almost steadily at the end all he was longing for was nothing other than revenge sooner or later and he seemed certain that one day he would achieve it.