Chapter 31 - MASQUERADE

Lightning streaked across the sky, veiled in darkness by the thick clouds that signalled what appeared to be a heavy downpour soon.

The gates of the Yang Manor were instantly flung open and the servants of the household lined up the walkway and bowed their heads.

The Empress accompanied by her retinue walked through with her head held high, It had been eleven years since the banishment of Consort Cao from the Palace and with hardly a strand of grey hair, all signs spoke in unison including the aura around her that she had come to represent the true power behind the Imperial Dragon throne.

Gracefully she mounted the stairs that led to her brother Yang Cishan's bed chamber, there she was greeted by his two sons Yang Shi and Yang Gu along with their two families.

"My brother, how is he?" She inquired.

"He asked to see you Your Highness." Yang Shi responded and the two stepping aside the Empress walked into the dark room that was lifeless right up to the bedside of her brother who was already blind.

He seemed to sense her presence instantly from the rose fragrance she was wearing.

"Your Highness." He confidently spoke.

"It's me, brother." Empress Yang replied as she held his hand tightly in her own."

"Are the Princes here? " He inquired.

"They are on their way, please, stay strong, hold on a bit longer." She insisted.

"Have I not held on a bit longer Your Highness?" He asked, "all those years of service, of war that we have faced, now that it is so that I can not see, please hold in your tears and don't mourn my weakness or fragility, neither should you take to heart my death I would hurt from leaving you scarred." He said.

"Don't talk too much, it isn't good for you." Empress Yang tried stopping him.

"I am afraid that my will is much greater than what you ask of me, it's better to die having spoken than to live without saying these words I might never have the chance to say." Yang Cishan remarked.

"Brother?" She seemed determined to silence him.

"Thank you so much, the Yang Clan, my late father and myself, we would have achieved nothing, be it even absolution in the annals of our History had it not been for you." He mentioned.

"Don't say that." Empress Yang insisted.

"Please stay strong Your Highness, you must endure this fight until the end, for the sake of your children, for the sake of our Glorious and Great Heavenly Empire, you must stand firm for I am sorry that I can accompany you no more." Yang Cishan said with Yang Shi and Yang Gu beside him.

Slowly, he closed his eyes just like that, having aged so rapidly and his hand instantly turning cold, it fell and it was the last that he had breathed.

"Father?" His sons cried as they bowed their heads to him while the Empress lifting her left hand she caressed his cheek.

"Thank you my brother, she whispered to him, had it not been for you, perhaps I would not have come this far." She whispered to him when the doors of the room were flung open and Crown Prince Zhao Xun along with his brother Zhao Ji walked in.

"Mother?" Zhao Xun called to her while she turned around and looked at him his brother quietly standing by his side while he got close enough to the bed where his deceased uncle was.

"Xun'er, Crown Prince, you're too late." She whispered to him.

"Forgive me mother." He responded.

"You must have been very busy, it isn't easy being the Crown Prince, however, how I wish you had been here in your uncle's final hours." She mentioned as she stood up and faced Zhao Ji.

"I'll leave you both with him." She said before she continued outside the room Yang Shi and Yang Gu joining her outside while the two Princes each came close enough to him.

"Why didn't you tell her brother, why didn't you say a word?" Zhao Ji asked.

"I can not make mother worry about me, it would break her heart, seeing that it must be hard that she has to bury our Uncle, we can't make her shoulder more trouble and pain than she already is." Zhao Xun responded as he stared at his Uncle's body while Zhao Ji looked at him as well.

"You should rest, stressing too much isn't good for your health Your Highness." He suggested.

"Sure brother." The Crown Prince said as he turned and faced him, patting his shoulder with his left hand, "I don't know what I could have done without you." He added before he moved out of the room leaving Zhao Ji alone with Yang Cishan's corpse.

Quietly his eyes searched around the room for something, inwardly wishing that there was no one present.

Momentarily content he took a deep breath and pitifully he glanced at the old and pale body in front of him, a hint of hatred in his eyes perhaps.

"How is it that I could forget, how is it that my eyes could be shadowed by your false affection, alas your reign and time have come to an end, soon enough I promise you, your whole clan will suffer for the atrocities that you committed against my mother, beginning with the Crown Prince." He whispered to him before he took his right hand and lightly, he kissed it mockingly.

Emperor Ningzong standing on the balcony right outside his study studied the roofs of the buildings that were soaring all over the capital, it had been eleven years already and he was starting to develop strands of grey hair, his face was wrinkled as he had seemed to have aged, quite lively but not as youthful as he had once been, it was evident that he had been weakened by the incessant labours that his duty commanded.

Eunuch Deng with his retinue stood at a distance in silence hoping that he'd move, but still and silent, probably even lost deep in his thoughts, he didn't budge even with the slightest wind that everything around him appeared to have adopted his mood.

A young Eunuch moving up to Eunuch Deng whispered something into his ear and he seemed startled that when he withdrew, the former moved close to his master as gracefully as he possibly could.

"Your Majesty?" He called with utmost concern that the Emperor turned around and looked at him.

"How is the Empress' brother?" He asked.

"His Excellency just passed with the Empress and his children by his bedside." Eunuch Deng responded that the Emperor taking a deep breath he sighed.

"The last of his generation, alas even he has succumbed, Her Highness must feel rather sad." He pointed out.

"Her Highness will attend his vigil, he'll be mourned for a whole weak and eventually laid to rest in his ancestral home, many of the Courtiers and the people were so heartbroken at the sound of his death that they wept in the streets while the officials petition that Your Majesty bestows on him Posthumous honours to motivate the younger generation to carry on his great legacy." Eunuch Deng reported.

"He was a fine statesman after all, wasn't he?" Emperor Ningzong asked as he slowly turned around and looked Eunuch Deng in the eye.

"Is there something that you wish to tell me?" He asked.

"No, Your Majesty?" He responded.

"Are you sure there isn't something that you are hiding from me?" He asked.

"No Your Majesty." He responded confidently.

"What about the Empress?" He asked and momentarily his confidence seemed to waver before he gave his reply hesitantly.

"No." He lied that the Emperor nodded his head as though buying it but meanwhile, Eunuch Deng had become curious, "why did you ask me though Your Majesty?" He inquired.

"Aside from Lan He you have served me diligently ever since I ascended the Imperial Dragon throne, I very much honour and respect you, there are things you know about me that not many people know, things you see that not many people see, while I shall tire and fade away with the wind one day, I want you to know that you of very few I can trust the most." The Emperor responded.

"Rest assured, I won't let Your Majesty down." Eunuch Deng assured him.

"Thank you." Emperor Ningzong muttered and with a smile on his face, he patted his shoulder with his left hand.

Empress Yang quietly seated in her Chambers she was lost in her thoughts while Manyin noticing this about her was compelled to speak to her.

"Is this about the Crown Prince?" She asked.

"What took him so long to make it?" Empress Yang inquired.

"I won't lie Your Highness, I don't know." She responded, "but he admitted error, that's what's good enough." She asserted.

"Perhaps there was something that my brother would have told him, perhaps there was something he wished he would know before he breathed his last, the Palace and the Imperial Court have been peaceful for the last eleven years, why does my heart ache this much?" She inquired.

"You cared for His Excellency a bit more than you thought you did, his passing must have hurt you deeply." She said.

"Perhaps." Empress Yang muttered as she struggled to convince herself, certain that she could be worrying excessively over nothing.

The Emperor seated in his room his eyes fixed on the white paper in front of him, the doors were flung open and Lan He marched in right up to his presence.

"You called for me Your Majesty?" Lan He asked.

"It's Superintendent Deng," Emperor Ningzong said, "he is hiding something from me." He added as he lit the incense close to him and putting it in the incense pot he watched it burn slowly.

"Is something bothering you Your Majesty?" He inquired.

"I received this letter a couple of days ago, it hurts me so much to think that there is such a possibility." Emperor Ningzong responded as he rested the small piece of paper in front of Lan He who picked it up in his hands.

Slowly he unfolded it and read through its contents before he took a deep breath and sighed.

"The Empress is manipulating the politics of the country, she creates for herself her state within this state."  He read.

"Why?" Emperor Ningzong asked, "Even Superintendent Deng connives with her behind my back to keep this a secret from me." Emperor Ningzong mentioned.

"How can you believe a simple piece of paper Your Majesty?" Lan He asked, "I don't care about what Her Highness does or doesn't do but are you implying that she'd act against you?" He insisted on knowing.

"Hasn't she done so before, besides, if word of this reached the public, I can't help but wonder, what is it that the people would think?" He responded.

"You worry for nothing Your Majesty." Lan He said.

"I wish to believe so too." Emperor Ningzong muttered, "I looked through the Imperial archives and cases of minor significance have been reviewed by the Empress and sealed with her seal, not just hundreds but thousands of memorials." Emperor Ningzong remarked.

"What do you want me to do Your Majesty?" Lan He inquired.

"Even I don't know too." Emperor Ningzong asked, I just wish to understand the Empress, I just need to know why?" He added.

"Then why don't you ask her?" Lan He said.

"Where is it that I can find the courage, I can't help but imagine if what my grandfather dreaded would come to pass." He responded.

"What is it that His Late Majesty dreaded?" Lan He inquired as he kept quiet instead.

Empress Yang seated in her Chambers was lost in her thoughts when Eunuch Deng walked up to her presence.

"Your Highness." He offered his earnest salutations while bowing his head.

"What brings you to visit me at such an ungodly hour?" She asked.

"I informed His Majesty that you were in low spirits ever since the passing of His Excellency, and he forwarded an Edict to the Yang Manor to bestow upon him the Posthumous honour of PRINCE CANLAN, seeing that it was inadequate he hoped that some chrysanthemum tea would lighten up your mood." He responded.

"How kind of him, you can hand it over to Manyin." The Empress said and the young woman approaching him took the crimson box from his hands and withdrew.

"Seeing that I am here there is also something urgent that I wish to inform Your Highness about." He mentioned as the Empress nodded her head which he interpreted as a sign for him to proceed.

"His Majesty was talking to me and asked me if there was something that I was hiding from him and I denied it, it is then that he bought you up abruptly which aroused my suspicion." Eunuch Deng reported.

"What do you think?" She asked him.

"It could be that His Majesty has either seen or heard something, as I couldn't set my heart at ease thinking that once he had that posthumous Edict, what could it be this time round?" He responded.

"How long do you think secrets can be hidden, Superintendent Deng?" She asked.

"That depends Your Highness, some that are brilliant can keep them as long as forever." He responded.

"How long do you think my power and political influence can remain hidden from the sight of many in our Glorious and Heavenly Empire?" She asked him.

"Are you suggesting.......?" Eunuch Deng hesitated.

"His Majesty can not curtail my influence, best that he learns it soon enough I don't mind, nonetheless one thing is certain, he can hate, he can abuse, he can kill me but for heaven having been my greatest witness all I ever did was to bring stability and peace to his people, all I ever did was to protect him and his precious throne that the generations to come would look back and call his reign a glorious age." She responded.

"I see Your Highness." Eunuch Deng said.

"Protect him for me as you always have." She ordered.

"Rest assured Your Highness." Eunuch Deng responded and bowing his head he withdrew from the room immediately.

Manyin studying her mistress noticed that she seemed tense but was doing a good job hiding it.

"Are you alright Your Highness?" She dared to ask.

"Where in the world did so many things start to come between us?" She muttered instead and Manyin keeping quiet the Empress innocently smirked at herself.

The Crown Prince seated with his tutors in the pavilion of Eternal harmony the following morning, Shi Miyuan, the Grand Chancellor stood at the forefront of them while the Empress seated behind a silk screen observed everything.

"Your Highness will one time be the ruler of this our Heavenly Empire, what do you think is of utmost importance to an Emperor?" Peng Zishou inquired.

"The Emperor is for the people and the people are for him, a Great ruler is one who treasures the people above anything else." Zhao Xun responded.

"A ruler is subject to three respects, would Your Highness care to explain what each of those respects is?" Yu Tianxi asked.

"The first is filial piety, every ruler must honour his legal and birth parents for it is through them that he can live a long life stemming from their blessing, the second is respect for power, all authority vested within the ruler must be exercised wisely to benefit the people and the state, the third is the respect of the heavens and the faith, as it is that the ruler is the son of heaven he must carry out its will which is go govern the people efficiently and ensure peace and stability." Zhao Xun responded.

"Excellent." Yu Tianxi muttered as he smiled at himself when Shi Miyuan studied him.

"If I may Your Highness?" He asked.

"Yes." Zhao Xun replied.

"Your Highness, there is a man in Suzhou and he is blind, he has a wife and children to look after so he goes out every morning to the lake with his friend and casts his net on the right side of the boat, he must continue to work regardless of the situation because he is the breadwinner of the family and today he catches three fish, tomorrow two, the next day one and the other none. What do you think makes this man so special, please reference it to the example of a ruler." He said.

"The man is blind but goes to fish, this is an indicator that he is fulfilling his duty as a husband and a father despite his own hardships as an individual, even when his catch keeps on reducing every day, he keeps on going back to the lake to fish therefore he is certainly persistent. It is therefore because of this that I can say as a ruler it is my duty to serve my people of our Great Heavenly Empire ceaselessly, regardless of whatever it is that I am going through however hard and trying it may seem, my responsibility is God-given and for the sake of that service I must persevere." Zhao Xun said.

"Good." Shi Miyuan said.

"But I am not done Your Excellency." Zhao Xun suddenly mentioned that all the tutors were surprised.

"Why do you say that Your Highness?" Shi Miyuan asked him.

"The man would have been fortunate but he had the worst choice of a spouse, as a marriage that is built on hard work between both members is meant to thrive but she sits home to do nothing instead she brings disgrace to the family and it would have been better off if she was the blind one instead therefore, even as the ruler of our Great and Heavenly Empire, one must consider a wonderful choice of a mother of a nation just like His Majesty, my father made the most remarkable one." Crown Prince Zhao Xun said and everyone was pleased to hear, Shi Miyuan with a faint smirk on his face lifted the tablet that showed that the young man had excelled.

"Your Highness is an excellent student." The Grand Secretary Peng Zishou remarked while the Empress seated behind the silk screen she smiled.

The two left the pavilion and they took a stroll through the Imperial garden.

"Have you not made an excellent score in today's moral class?" She asked.

"It's all thanks to you mother." The Crown Prince responded.

"Then it makes me happy that you are alright, happy that you are thriving even if your uncle passed away." Empress Yang said.

"Don't worry mother, I am working hard so that one day I become a Great Ruler, so that one day I can ease the burden on your shoulders because of father's ill health." He muttered.

"You are right, running the country can sometimes be burdensome, it can be annoying but even then I would wish to hold your hand, even if slightly, for a moment, I can not tire of accompanying you Your Highness." Empress Yang mentioned.

"Don't worry mother." The Crown Prince Zhao Xun said and the Empress continuing to walk a couple of steps forward she noticed that he wasn't following when she halted in her footsteps.

"Your Highness?" She heard his Head Lady calling to him that she turned around to notice his nose bleeding as he held onto it and slowly started collapsing onto the ground.

"Your Highness?" She shouted as she quickly rushed over to his side with Beiyuan, Manyin, Xiaoyang and her entire retinue kneeling and placing his head on her lap.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, Xun'er?" She called to him while lightly slapping his cheek but the latter was not responding as one of his court ladies watched suspiciously, stealthily she made her way around the Palace and approaching the Yuchin garden, she found a masked man standing there.

"Milord, the Crown Prince has fainted in front of the Empress." She reported.

"What were his signs?" The stranger inquired.  

"He bled heavily from his nose and his face turned pale, his eyes looked dark and sunken, they immediately rushed him to the East Palace." She responded.

"Is that so?" The stranger asked.

"I must go back to tend to His Highness immediately before they get suspicious about my whereabouts." She said.

"You may leave." The stranger said and the young woman bowing her head she immediately withdrew from a distance being watched by another man who was garbed in the armour of the Imperial Palace guards.

"Milord?" He said to the masked stranger while kowtowing to accord him his respects.

"I need to have a word with the Chief Minister of Rites." He ordered, "I'll see him tonight." He insisted.

"Rest assured Milord, I shall relay your message." The guard replied as he also withdrew and went his way.

Empress Yang seated on a small stool beside Zhao Xun's bed side, she held his right hand in both her two and pecked it lightly while she looked at him worriedly as the Imperial physician slowly tended to him to make his diagnosis.

The Crown Princess Yin seated slightly next to her the Imperial physician concluded what he was doing.

"How is His Highness?" Empress Yang mentioned, "how is the Crown Prince?" She insisted on knowing him even with the sad look on his face.

"I don't know how I should be saying this Your Highness, forgive me but His Highness is in a very dire situation." He responded.

"What's he suddenly from?" Crown Princess Yin inquired.

"His Highness must have been injured before to take in poisons that are used to fight diseases but now it appears that the poisons have increased and they are now corroding his vitals which is not only destabilizing his meridians but drastically destroying them." The physician replied.

"But he was fine until now, how is it that his condition could go from bad to worse?" Empress Yang inquired.

"According to my diagnosis Your Highness this can't be the first time that it has happened, there must have been recurring symptoms and signs and today perhaps it was just out of hand, besides, it seems to me that the Crown Prince continued to admit the poison in his body and took an overdose in the process which has exacerbated the situation." The Imperial physician said.

"It couldn't have been the first time?" Empress Yang asked as she turned to the Crown Princess who bowed her head and looked at the ground.

"Forgive me Your Highness, I am just being informed about this for the first time as well, I had no idea what the Crown Prince was going through." She professed.

"His Highness hasn't visited the Crown Princess frequently in the past year and when he did he didn't stay over for long, most times he spent the nights in the Imperial study, others he retired to his Chambers early in the night and got up late in the morning, however during that time, the only person that he saw was his young brother Zhao Ji who kept him company but his visits were brief." The Crown Prince's Head Lady Ma reported.

"The Imperial Prince Zhao Ji?" Empress Yang muttered.

"His Highness might have taken the poisons willingly or unwillingly, I shall try to expel much of it and monitor his health until it improves but if we must be cautious, we can not rule out the fact that someone might have deliberately poisoned the Crown Prince." The Imperial physician said.

"Thank you," Empress Yang said, "just don't mention a word of this to anyone." She ordered.

"Rest assured Your Highness." The Imperial physician said leaving the Empress and the Crown Princess next to the young man as the Court Ladies escorted him out.

"Your Highness, how is it that someone tried to poison the Crown Prince?" Crown Princess Yin inquired.

"I don't know." Empress Yang muttered.

"But His Highness fainted and there were people that saw him pass out aside from the Court Ladies, his retinue, we can't hide the fact that he is ill." She seemed to remind her.

"Certainly." Empress Yang replied, "we only need to stall the public attention and that of the officials until he gets better." She said as she turned around and looked at her daughter-in-law.

"You'll have to do something for me." She said.

"Whatever it is that you want Your Highness, I shall certainly see to it that I fulfil it to the best of my efforts as long as it's within my capability." Crown Princess Yin assured her.

"The Crown Prince is sick and he is suffering from chicken pox, as it is that him being an adult will only make it dangerous the Imperial physician has suggested that he takes a leave from his duties as the Crown Prince and be sent from the Palace temporarily to recover around some hot springs, you'll publicly accompany him away." Empress Yang muttered.

"Rest assured Your Highness, I won't let you down." Crown Princess Yin said while the Empress turned to her son that was unconsciously lying down ill in front of her.

"If someone is trying to kill the Crown Prince of this Empire then I am going to get to the bottom of this." She swore as she furiously clenched her right fist.

Emperor Ningzong in his Chambers, Eunuch Deng walked in.

"Your Majesty." He said bowing his head to him as he got closer to where he was seated.

"What is it?" Emperor Ningzong inquired as he stepped aside and the Empress walked in before her husband and bowed her head to him.

"I wanted to see Your Majesty, regarding the Crown Prince." She said to him bowing her head.

"What about him?" Emperor Ningzong asked her.

"His Highness just left the Pavilion of Eternal harmony after having his moral lecture sessions with his tutors and was having a walk with me in the Imperial garden when he passed out." She responded.

"What happened, is it something serious?" He asked somewhat concerned for him.

"I was worried too Your Majesty but it's nothing much, however as it may seem His Highness is down with chicken pox which has no effective cure I only wished to silence the public while his Imperial physician strongly suggested that it is necessary that we strengthen his immunity to try and subdue the disease that's why I am here to request for an Imperial leave from his duties on his behalf and Your Majesty's official permission to safely escort him out of the Palace to visit the hot springs in the South." She asserted said.

"I understand you my Empress, but in the mean time someone must still be in the position to take care of the Crown Prince's duties in his absentia." Emperor Ningzong said.

"It does happen that the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji is also my son and naturally his brother and therefore the next in line if anything happens to him, but seeing that he is still young and quite naive with politics I wish to share Your Majesty's burden that is with your permission and oversee his education and his Imperial duties for the time being." Empress Yang responded.

"It does happen that you are the most qualified for this job being the most reliable person in the Palace within this field, this much I am sure I can trust you to do for the time being." Emperor Ningzong said.

"Thank you Your Majesty." Empress Yang said and bowing her head to the Emperor, she slowly withdrew from the room leaving him alone.

Stepping outside she was joined by Manyin and Xiaoyang.

"What did His Majesty say?" Manyin inquired.

"We have secured the Imperial permission, all that's left is to proceed according to the plan." Empress Yang responded when Beiyuan swiftly walking through the gates of the Grand Palace, he intercepted her.

"You must hurry to the Central Palace Your Highness, the Imperial Prince is requesting to have an audience with you urgently." He reported.

"What could be more urgent at this time if it isn't the Crown Prince's health?" Xiaoyang asked.

"His Highness claims that it's about the Crown Prince's condition." Beiyuan responded and the Empress startled she immediately rushed off in the direction of her Palace.

Shi Miyuan seated in his Chambers his eyes were perusing through a letter that Dong Hua had handed over to him.

"The Crown Prince is sick?" He asked as he folded it furiously and threw it into the brazier right beside him.

"But he attended his lecture with you in the morning and he seemed to be perfectly fine." Dong Hua pointed out.

"We are all wearing masks over our faces every day and how many people in the world do you think really know what's going on underneath, as it is that the Empress wrote to me out of worry there is no way that I can not help her get to the bottom of this." Shi Miyuan responded.

"What are you going to do Your Excellency?" Dong Hua inquired.

"Mobilize our men." He said.

"What's the Crown Prince's health got to do with our private army Your Excellency?" Dong Hua asked still uncertain what was going on in his master's mind.

"The Crown Prince will be leaving for the South to visit the hot springs with the Crown Princess, we can't trust too easily the Imperial guards to do their job properly." Shi Miyuan responded.

"Yes Your Excellency." Dong Hua said and bowing his head to him he withdrew.

Empress Yang walking through the gates of the Central Palace found the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji standing outside and waiting for him.

"Your Highness." The ladies in waiting spotting her first greeted her, alerting the young man about her presence that he in turn accorded her his attention by doing the same.

"Mother?" He called her with a sombre expression on his face that she seemed to know instantly what it was that they required.

They moved into her room where she sat down quietly in front of him while he on the other hand knelt.

"I was told that you wished to urgently see me, regarding your brother's health." She pointed out.

"I heard that my brother fainted, I couldn't bring my heart to ease, by now I am certain that Your Highness is aware of his condition." He professed.

"His condition?" She muttered inquisitively.

"Yes." Zhao Ji responded.

"Tell me about it." She said and looking down at his hands, probably hesitant to give his response it appeared hard for him to take all the courage there was that he needed in before he opened his mouth to speak up.

"It has been a year mother, one time the Crown Prince and I were enjoying a game of chess at the Huaiyang pavilion, it was jolly momentarily as I was getting ahead of the match and winning him, he suddenly felt a migraine and cried out in pain before he passed out, my personal Imperial physician being near enough reached out his hand on my demand and diagnosed him and depending on his diagnosis, he said that His Highness was suffering from poisoning as it seemed that he had admitted poison into his body before and it had started to retaliate by fighting his body." Zhao Ji responded.

"Then why didn't you say anything, why did you have to keep quiet about this?" Empress Yang calmly asked.

"Because I promised my brother that I wouldn't mention it to anyone, because I promised him that until he felt the time was right I would not show any suspicion, he feared to bring worry to your fragile heart, he dreaded putting both you and father in pain." Zhao Ji responded.

"But you are breaking that promise now." Empress Yang pointed out, "the mere fact that you are kneeling in front of me makes it so painful that he trusted you but you failed to remain silent about it." She added.

"And I am guilty, but I shall be more guilty if the situation worsens because of my silence, all those nights of making him forget that strife and pain will have been nothing but a worthless episode of his life that is why I trust you mother, I put my undoubted confidence in you, I only hope that my brother could get better." Zhao Ji muttered.

"Rest assured he will, at the very least I shall make sure to strive and use my power to make him well." She professed as the aura around Zhao Ji suddenly turned calm.

"I just saw His Majesty about your brother and asked for permission to send him South with the Crown Princess that he may recover, in the mean time as your father seemed concerned with the Crown Prince's duties he earnestly wished that you temporarily fill in during His Highness' brief absentia by virtue of the fact that you are His Majesty's son and also the second in line to the Imperial Dragon throne, seeing that you are young he personally entrusted you to my care and I shall oversee all your Imperial duties as I did for your brother." She said.

"But Mother, I don't think that I am ready and neither do I consider that a calling of mine." He spoke hesitantly.

"I understand that you do not wish to be like your brother, I understand that you'll never be like your brother, that's why I shall officially assist you on all matters after all as your mother this is what nature demands from me." She remarked as she smiled at him heartily.

"I am grateful for your Providence mother, I promise that I won't let you, father or brother down." He swore.

"I am very glad to hear you say that." Empress Yang replied and the young Prince standing up, he bowed his head to her before he departed from the room.

Stepping outside the hall the young Prince stared back at the plaque that hung above the entrance of the Central Palace.

"Are you alright Your Highness?" Xiaoyang standing outside asked him.

"It's nothing." He responded as he descended the stairs of the building and walked out of the room.

"Why would His Highness keep something like this from you?" Manyin asked the Empress.

"Something doesn't feel right." Empress Yang responded, "have you found out anything strange concerning the Crown Prince's personal staff?" She asked

"We are still looking into it Your Highness but so far there's still no news yet." Manyin responded.

"Whoever it was they surely did a fine job keeping their tracks covered." Empress Yang said.

"Do you have something in mind Your Highness?" Manyin asked noticing that she was spacing out.

"Let it be, keep looking." Empress Yang responded.

"Yes, Your Highness." Manyin responded walking out of the room as well.

In the dead of night, the masked stranger stealthily making his way through the streets he approached the door of the Qian Manor.

He knocked twice, thrice and then once, halting for a moment before he received a response.

"Who are you?" A strange voice asked behind the doors.

"Your Master expects me." He responded and the latter hesitant he took some time to open for the strange visitor.

Walking across the Courtyard they approached the room where Qian Xiangzu was seated and the man turned to him.

"Wait here briefly, allow me to notify my master." He said as he walked in ahead leaving the latter behind.

The stranger stood there for a few minutes before they returned to fetch him, ushering him into the small illustrious compartment he approached the old man that was seated on a stool behind his study table.

"Your Excellency," The masked stranger standing right in front of Qian Xiangzu said bowing his head to offer his salutations while he smiled.

"You asked to have a word with me, what is it this time Your Highness?" He inquired when he removed the veil that was hanging over his head and turned out to be the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji.

"There is something urgent that I wish we could discuss." He responded as he took the seat right in front of him and the old man stretching his hand he poured him a cup of tea.

The young boy picked it up gracefully and stared at it momentarily, inhaling its rich aroma before he took a sip and placed it down at the table.

"You haven't visited me in a while Your Highness, I can't help but wonder what is the matter with you?" Qian Xiangzu said.

"You should have heard of the Crown Prince's sickness." He said.

"His Highness is down with chicken pox, surely, the entire Court is aware." He responded.

"Quite the contrary, it is certain that the Crown Prince's condition is serious, he won't live long enough." Zhao Ji said that Qian Xiangzu who was about to sip his cup of tea halted halfway and returned it onto the table as he cautiously studied the young Prince.

"What do you mean Your Highness?" He asked.

"Anytime from now, the Crown Prince will die, as it so happens that there is poison running through his veins and his vitals and meridians have been damaged, all that is left is a fatal blow to end his misery." Prince Zhao Ji responded.

"How can you be certain about that Your Highness?" Qian Xiangzu asked.

"Because I am responsible for his condition." Zhao Ji boldly responded and Qian Xiangzu unable to believe what he was saying his heart trembled and he slowly started shaking while he tried to hide it well enough from the young man that seemed to take notice.

"Your Highness, your words I am afraid could get you killed." He cautioned.

"And who holds my life in their hands, to whom does it belong, one thing with poison is that when it becomes too much to control, it starts to fight the body with all its might until it gains control." He responded as he looked him in the eye, "I have every right to inherit that throne, given that I am the Emperor's flesh and blood, unlike me, he isn't and on top of that he is the son of the woman I hate the most, the woman that stole my heritage, the woman that butchered my grandparents and the woman that took from my mother what was rightfully hers." He whispered.

"Even then, how is it that you could be so fearless, even if you wanted to get all that, you can not forget that the Empress holds all the power, you must first much up to that before you take your strike but as it is you can only have one chance therefore if you fail, I can't warn you as you are aware from experience, from the things you might have secretly seen or heard what an awful fate you could encounter." Qian Xiangzu well intending he pointed out.

"That's why I have chosen to see you Your Excellency," Imperial Prince Zhao Ji said, "I wished to prepare in advance for the inevitable that is why it was my heartfelt desire to discuss with you the changes to the balance of power in the Imperial Court most preferably in our favour." He added.

"Forgive me Your Highness if I may sound rude but how so do you suggest that a fifteen year old boy whose only received basic princely education would understand what it means to discuss the politics of this country?" Qian Xiangzu asked him as he smiled at himself.

"Why don't you tell me another fifteen year old who is courageous enough to supplant a Crown Prince, tell me another that is strong-willed as I am." He said.

"This surpasses courage and wills Your Highness." Qian Xiangzu said.

"You mean faked civility with hidden brutalities, each of you hidden behind the strong and abandoning the weak, it doesn't matter who calls the shot but if you can prey on them to wield enough power to become masters to nations, regardless of the people that have to be killed or gotten rid of to keep some secrets hidden, friendships and promises that have to be broken to move forward, humanities that must be sacrificed for the greater cause, I have seen, I have read, I have heard it all." He responded, "it is now my chance to step onto the stage of this dynasty and I intend to be the climax of the Empress' reign." Zhao Ji mentioned.

"Enlighten me Your Highness, my position, my power and my own safety might seem inadequate for your grandiose cause." Qian Xiangzu pointed out.

"Perhaps your Excellency, but as it is with the Crown Prince away from the Capital someone else must take over his duties and the Empress trusting the faked piety and most importantly my profound Innocence in her eyes pushed me forward to manage the Crown Prince's official duties during his absentia, equally another chance for her to indirectly manipulate the politics of this our Great Heavenly Empire, before she can reinforce her influence I ask you support my Independence when the time comes and I assure you when I become the Emperor whoever the Empress is she will have to be from your house." Zhao Ji responded as he smiled at the old man.

"You tried to supplant the Crown Prince, I can ally with you on that promise but allow me to inquire this once, how sure are you that the Empress won't find out?" He asked.

"If she's after the person who dared to harm the Crown Prince she'll only be led to a fiery pit, besides, I seem to have learnt from her Highness in particular how to get away with murder and what's best is that no one's intuition in the world would cause them to suspect a naive fifteen year old for a heinous crime." Imperial Prince Zhao Ji responded as he smiled at himself ghastly.

The break of dawn found the Crown Prince and Princess along with their retinue stepping outside the main hall of the East Palace with a big red umbrella over their heads as they entered the carriages that had been stationed at the entrance.

The Empress standing at a distance including the Emperor watched as the procession started to make their exit from the Imperial City for some it was a teary farewell and the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji standing next to his parents he seemed to be the most emotional.

"Take care my brother," he muttered under his breath, deliberately making it possible for the Empress to hear him.

"Don't worry about your brother too much, he will return where he belongs." She mentioned.

"The sooner the better," he responded while the Emperor quietly he listened to their conversation.

"You are the Crown Prince's brother and your official duties will commence immediately, I can be the wind if you wish but every judgement you make is for him and for the people of our Great Heavenly Empire, I ask you therefore, do not make reckless decisions and where you feel unable to move forward seek wise counsel, refrain from indulging yourself with the politicians too often for they might lead you to calamity, surround yourself with good company and it will be impossible for you to sin." She said.

"Rest assured mother, I will sow those words in my heart and let them flourish through my actions." Zhao Ji responded as he kowtowed to her.

"I have no worries that you'll certainly do so my dearest son." She responded as they watched the carriage slowly vanishing from sight.

The people lined the streets and they watched the procession heading out through the gates of the Capital, Qian Xiangzu watching earnestly Ye Shi stood by his side.

"The Crown Prince has left the Palace, the Imperial Prince will now preside over his duties." He remarked.

"It's a pity that the Empress will never know that she reared a serpent that will turn on her." Qian Xiangzu muttered.

"One can only imagine, after seventeen years in power she'll fall to the same fate she helped mete out of so many." Ye Shi said when in the crowds across from where they were standing, a young and fine looking energetic man stood, his hands muscular and his pitch-black hair long running up to the bottom of his shoulders.

He had a pair of fiery dark eyes and thick brows, his jawbone was wide along with his temples while his nose was fairly small and hooked.

He studied the situation before his eyes turned to the walls of the Imperial City, the Emperor's private residence, slowly, he walked towards the gates having heard much of what the two had spoken.

The Empress returning to her Chambers she crossed through to the back of her side Chamber, there behind a folding screen was a small hidden compartment in which she entered with Xiaoyang, Manyin and Beiyuan to find the Crown Prince's Physician tending to him.

"Your Highness." He said bowing his head to her.

"Did you ask for a leave at the Health Bureau?" She inquired.

"Rest assured Your Highness." The physician responded.

"Leave us for a moment." She ordered the old man who standing up from where he was seated, he complied almost immediately leaving the Empress with her three trusted companions.

"We lied to His Majesty about the departure of the Crown Prince from the Palace, if anyone learns of his presence in the Central Palace we could be in big trouble." Xiaoyang pointed out.

"It was necessary, as it appears that someone made an attempt on the life of the Crown Prince he's much safer close to me rather than far away." She responded.

"What about the Crown Princess Your Highness?" Beiyuan asked.

"The last eleven years have been peaceful in the Imperial Court and the capital but if the Crown Prince was poisoned then it is clear that someone intends to defile that, the Crown Princess could have equally been a political target that is why I intend to keep her safe far away." Empress Yang said.

"Now that the Crown Prince was poisoned, we must find out who was responsible." Beiyuan mentioned.

"They must be well aware that the Crown Prince's position gives Her Highness strength." Manyin pointed out.

"And it must be someone very close to him." Empress Yang asserted, "if they could do it right under our noses they are most likely within these walls." She added.

"I'll carry out a thorough investigation on all the staff in the East Palace and their movements." Manyin said.

"In the mean time I will mobilise our people in the Imperial Palace to keep a close eye out for any suspicious persons." Xiaoyang added.

"I'll see if we can find a way to cure His Highness." Beiyuan promised.

"Yes, that's good enough." Empress Yang muttered.

"But you don't sound contented Your Highness." Beiyuan spoke up when he noticed her strange expression.

"It's nothing." She lied, "I wish to have a word with the Grand Chancellor." She responded.

"You can leave the arrangements to me." Xiaoyang said and the three withdrawing from her presence they left the Empress alone with her son in the room.

She slid her hand right underneath his and held it tightly in her own while tears nearly flowed from her eyes.

"Promise me you'll get well Xun'er, get well soon for my sake as I am the one that put you in the face of danger when I adopted you, then and only then I promise you that with all my heart I will seek out whoever it is that wronged you and they'll pay for it dearly." She whispered ultimately patting his head with her right hand.