The Mourning drum sounded and its beat reverberating throughout the Palace The Emperor heard it all the way from his Chambers that he immediately awakened from his sleep and sat up in his bed.
He was gasping for air while sweating profusely, his thoughts lost elsewhere when Eunuch Deng walked in through the doors right up to his presence.
"Your Majesty." He muttered surprised as he bowed his head.
"I know that sound anywhere, I have heard it before, "what's going on?" He asked.
"Forgive me Your Majesty," he responded, "it's His Highness the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji." He mentioned.
"What about him?" Emperor Ningzong asked, "what has happened to my son?" He asked.
"The Empress regrets to inform everyone that His Highness has succumbed to death because of Heart Palpitation." He responded while bowing his head down and hearing these words the Emperor was taken aback.
"No." He muttered in disbelief as tears started to slowly form in his eyes.
The Imperial Physicians at the Health Bureau were about to retire to their homes that they descended the stairs of their office in their usual clique.
As they approached the gates of the building, they heard the sound of the mourning drum as well and it was a matter of time before the Imperial guards barged right into their Courtyard fully armed as they were led by Bao Langya, by then a Grown man that was starting to show some little strands of grey hair but looked more energetic than before, he had appeared to grow taller and more prominent muscles formed on his body while still as before, he possessed the fierce look on his face that many were used to.
"What's going on?" The Head physician, an old man with long grey hair and also soon to retire inquired.
"Forgive me Sir," Bao Langya said gracefully while kowtowing to him to offer his salutations before he raised his head yet again allowing his gaze to meet the latter's, "We are here to arrest the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji's personal physician." He informed them that they were greatly moved by his response.
"What have I done wrong?" A man appearing to be in his mid-thirties inquired as he stepped out from his colleagues and moved to the forefront.
"The Imperial Prince has just passed on at the hour of eight and the cause of death is Heart Palpitation, a condition which you kept secret from the Empress and everyone else that is responsible for him." Bao Langya said and turning to look at his subordinates, they moved forward and bound the Physician with strong red nylon ropes.
"What are you saying, you can not do this to me." He shouted in protest as they dragged him away and Bao Langya kowtowing to the other physicians one more time turned around and followed the criminal out of the vicinity.
Consort Cao seated in her villa suddenly heard strange noises outside that she was compelled to get up and walk towards the door.
Setting foot outside she found the Imperial guards surrounding her residence gathered in her Courtyard with a carriage a small distance away.
"Your Grace." They said in unison while bowing down to her.
"What are you doing here?" She asked.
"We have been sent to escort Your Grace to the Imperial Palace." The Head guard responded.
"Why, what has happened?" She inquired.
"Forgive me Your Grace, but it is on a sad note that I wish to inform you of the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji's untimely passing." The man responded and Linxiang standing close to her mistress, the old woman felt the entire world falling upon her that she crumbled and fell onto her knees.
"No." She muttered to herself in disbelief, "it can't be so, my son can not die, my Ji'er can not be dead." She tried to comfort herself but unable to hold back the tears in her eyes, she exploded into very loud sobbing as she furiously beat her chest.
Emperor Ningzong and his retinue making their way through the gates of the young Prince's residence they found the servants kneeling and mourning while facing the direction of his bed.
He continued towards the doors where he was intercepted by Manyin and Xiaoyang.
"Where is the Empress,?" He asked.
"She's already inside, she was with His Highness when he started coughing blood and passed on and she was so distressed that she asked to be alone with his body for a while." Xiaoyang responded.
"Step aside." He ordered and the two kowtowing to him they complied as the Emperor walked into the dark room.
It was entirely silent and all the candles were extinguished, the only light that was present within was that from the moon that shone brightly through the window.
He could see the Empress, seated there on the floor close to the corpse of the young man, half her face hidden in the darkness the other half a visible indicator of the well falsified sombreness in her malevolent heart.
"Where in the world am I to turn?" She asked as she slowly raised her head and looked at him as he got close enough and stood in front of her.
"Is it really heart palpitation?" He asked.
"I too could hardly believe it myself, such a fine young man, a child I raised like my own and held close to my bosom, we only learned much later that his personal physician was secretly treating him and when we inspected the dregs of his medicine there was cassia twig, Rehmania and Red Ginseng." She responded as the Emperor knelt in front of her.
"How is it that there was no record in the Health Bureau or the Imperial Clinic, as the woman who raised him as his mother I was supposed to be aware at least but why, how come I wasn't able to see or tell or study from how he acted, he ate and slept and tell that he was not alright?" She asked.
"Stop this please, stop blaming yourself." The Emperor tried to comfort her.
"You wouldn't understand, seeing this only reminds me that you are walking down the same path Your Majesty do you now see why until now I have made an effort to come this far?" She asked while he fell silent.
"I'll gain all the power I possibly can find in the whole world to protect the people I love and as it is that the Imperial physician was one of the first to cross a line he shouldn't have my Emperor, I am going to make him pay dearly for my Ji'er's death." She swore as she stood up from where she was seated and bowing her head to him, she left him all alone with the corpse of his son in the room.
He studied it and tears slowly forming in his eyes he slowly moved his left hand and touched his cheek, caressed it mildly with regret clouding his thoughts.
"I am so sorry that you heard to hear that, why did you do that, why did you battle this on your own until the bitter end, why did you give in and let it kill you?" He asked without receiving any response that he appeared to have very much hoped for, he was reminded, the little one could not move anymore, he could never smile again, never could he even run around the entire Palace calling to him by name he instead gently rested his head on his forehead and there he bitterly wept.
At the break of dawn the entire Palace filled with talismans was in mourning while everyone was dressed in their white mourning attires.
The ladies of the harem and the Inner Court along with the officials were gathered in front of the young boy's residence observing a moment of silence and the Emperor and Empress kneeling side by side they faced his memorial plaque and coffin.
"Her Grace the Imperial Consort of the Cao Clan." Zhao Ji's mother's presence was announced and the officials slowly turning where they were they faced the gates which were instantly opened.
Consort Cao dressed in her mourning attire slowly approached the funeral parlour while being accompanied by Linxiang and mounting the stairs and getting inside she halted at the sight of the funeral tablet and the coffin which contained the corpse of her one and only son.
Hardly convinced she moved closer and closer with every step and the Emperor and Empress both watching she knelt in their midst and bowed her head.
"Isn't she a pitiful character?" Yang Shi asked his brother.
"Surely, eleven years away from her son only to hear that he passed on, she must be feeling awful at the thought that in each of them he might have surely forgotten whose son he was." Yang Gu asserted as Consort Cao knelt upright.
Everyone having concluded paying their final respects, the Emperor stepping outside the funeral parlour approached Consort Cao.
"Your Majesty." She greeted him.
"My dear." He responded as courteously as possible.
"I am sorry for having turned up late for the ceremony, sorry that my presence was announced." She mentioned.
"I am more sorry, it mustn't have been easy travelling the long distance, besides he was your son as well and he would have wished for his biological mother to be present at the funeral more than anything." He tried to comfort her.
"But one thing still perturbs me so much Your Majesty, as it so happens that he was very young and lively, how is it that he was struggling with Heart Palpitation?" She inquired.
"His personal physician already confessed that His Highness intentionally kept it a secret and he was being treated with herbs from an unknown source, the situation got out of hand but seeing that none apart from the two were informed of his condition, no successful effort could be made to save his life." He responded as the old woman wept bitterly.
"I see." She said.
"It must be hard enough for you to live in the Palace." He remarked.
"The villa was worry free, at least there I had a very good life thinking that he was alright in the Palace, as it is that I left it before my presence is unnecessary that is why I was merely requesting to at least stay until the mourning period is over." She mentioned to him.
"You can, I am fine with it." Emperor Ningzong said.
"Thank you Your Majesty." Consort Cao said and bowing her head to him, she stepped aside as he continued his way.
The Empress having returned to her Chambers, Shi Miyuan sat down in front of her.
"It mustn't have been easy for you Your Highness." He pointed out.
"Grief is the price we pay for love, my heart is so far beyond the point of redemption, I could have given him anything he wanted even this world if the Crown Prince didn't live long enough, the fact that he turned into an enemy I had to get rid of him and I am not sorry for that." She responded.
"But how did you find out he was the one, when did you find out that he was the enemy?" Shi Miyuan inquired.
"After my brother passed on, we left him in his room, one of the ladies in waiting reported having heard him swearing revenge starting with the Crown Prince, since the Crown Prince's illness moved out of hand and he professed to me that he had been aware and was keeping the secret because of him, I was certain then that I couldn't trust him, alas, he couldn't beat me at my own game." She responded.
"But what happens now Your Highness, we can't keep the Crown Prince's condition a secret anymore and what's worse is that everyone would anticipate his return to the Palace since it's the mourning period for his brother." Shi Miyuan said.
"And his condition hasn't yet improved, what worries me the most however is the fact that Consort Cao has returned to the Palace, she'll undoubtedly devise means to remain here." The Empress pointed out.
"We can't let that happen." Shi Miyuan insisted.
"But His Majesty has already allowed her to remain in the Palace during this morning period and the only thing that was keeping her out was the fact that she was the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji's biological mother, with everything that's going on if we are hasty we could only attract negative attention and so much suspicion." Empress Yang remarked.
"Then are you going to just sit back and do nothing Your Highness?" Shi Miyuan asked.
"You don't get it yet, the murder of the Imperial Prince is a declaration of war on Consort Cao, besides, as it so happens that His Majesty is now aware of the power that I command our every move should be with caution as we have to make sure that he doesn't back her up against me." Empress Yang mentioned and Shi Miyuan kept quiet.
"Let's first return the Crown Prince to the Palace for the people." She said.
"Very well then Your Highness." Shi Miyuan muttered and standing up, he bowed his head before he withdrew from the room right when Manyin walked in.
"Your Highness." She said, "there's a bit of a situation." She mentioned.
"What is it?" She asked.
"It's the Imperial Prince's physician, he insists on telling His Majesty the reason why the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji kept his illness a secret and it appears that His Majesty is on his way to the Imperial State Tribunal." She reported.
"We can't let him speak ill of us, if he says that the Imperial Prince was distrustful of me then I'll be in big trouble." Empress Yang said.
"Killing him would also be too risky." She reported and the Empress holding onto her table she slowly tapped it as she immersed herself in thought.
"But he won't possibly say a word if he kills himself." She muttered as she turned to Manyin, "How long until His Majesty leaves the Palace?" She inquired.
"Most likely the next ten minutes." She responded as the Empress pulled out an envelope from underneath her table and handed it over to Manyin.
"The Imperial State Tribunal is my people, tell them to carry out that order in the cleanest way possible." She ordered.
"Yes Your Highness." Manyin replied and bowing her head she walked out of the room as well leaving the Empress seated there on her own.
The envelope being received by Xue Feng, the Officer in charge of the Imperial State Tribunal's Prisons he opened it and read its contents while Manyin disgusted in a soldier's uniform watched.
"Her Highness asked me to tell you to carry out this order in the cleanest way possible." She muttered with a smile on her face.
"Rest assured, we shall diligently deal with this insidious Criminal." He assured her smiling heartily as well.
The Imperial Prince's physician in his dungeon knelt looking at the brilliant beam of sunlight that shone through the small dark elevated window of the cramped space when he heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching the doors.
The padlock was removed and without wasting any more time a group of three muscular men that were entirely masked made their entrance, one in particular holding a piece of silk fabric.
"So Her Highness has sent you here after all." He muttered as they got closer and closer without saying a word he couldn't help but slowly shed a tear from his eye when they moved the fabric right in front of him and holding his arms, they wrapped it around his neck and lifted him off the ground.
He fought vigorously, without a whimper, so silently in the darkness as breath left his body until he was finally done with.
The murderers let go of him and his corpse fell back onto the ground lifeless, one in particular getting close enough he checked for a pulse and looked into his eyes to make sure if he was still alive and in deed he confirmed that the job was done.
The Emperor Ningzong accompanied by Lan He and Eunuch Deng arrived moments later only to find the officers of the Imperial State Tribunal gathered around the dungeon.
He froze at the awful sight of the Imperial physician's corpse hanging while his blood was dripping on the floor.
He moved in only to be greeted by Xue Feng.
"What happened here?" He asked.
"The guards had gone for a break of ten minutes and by the time they returned the Imperial Prince's physician had hanged himself after writing a confession with his own blood, he admitted that he was the one who poisoned the Imperial Prince by bringing in herbs of an unknown source into the Palace and he professed that he was moving on the orders of the Minister of Rites." Xue Feng responded and the Emperor looking at the confession in his hands he seemed powerless and disappointed at that very moment.
"Bring him in." He ordered.
"Yes Your Majesty." Xue Feng responded as he immediately set out from the room leaving the Emperor alone with Lan He staring at the hanging corpse.
"How could he dare to commit such a grave sin?" Lan He inquired.
"What do you think was his intention going after the Imperial Prince?" The Emperor said.
"What do you think Your Majesty, he tried to get rid of the Empress before but failed, the Imperial Prince's presence in the Palace as her adopted son only made her position more secure." Lan He responded.
"So he intended to weaken her influence?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"There's no better explanation than that." Lan He responded.
"Then it worries me." Emperor Ningzong remarked.
"What is your main concern Your Majesty?" Lan He asked.
"I don't wish death for him but after what he has put the Empress through there's no guarantee that she could hold back her wrath, with every breath and every ounce of power she can find, she'll demand his head." He responded.
"An attack on a member of the Imperial family, an Imperial Prince, Your Majesty's son and own flesh and blood is tantamount to treason, even if the Empress doesn't ask for his head directly, the Courtiers and infuriated masses will and along with it the heads of mine generations of his family." Lan He pointed out.
"Is there no way to save his soul?" The Emperor asked.
"If it is not death there is only one more punishment that can be accorded to a traitor." Lan He muttered clicking something in the Emperor's mind.
The Imperial State Tribunal's running through the streets they approached the gates of the Qian Manor and knocked them open, dispersing inside, they were led by Xue Feng and moved across the Inner Courtyard to the old man's private Chambers.
Mounting the stairs that led to its interior they flung the doors open and walking in, they found him seated behind a table and writing something on a piece of paper.
"Your Excellency." Xue Feng said while bowing his head to him.
"Seeing that you are all armed I suppose I am the criminal you are after." He mentioned.
"You are under arrest for conniving with the Imperial Prince's physician and poisoning him, you have the right to remain silent or else whatever you say shall be used against you." He informed him and his subordinates moving forward towards the Minister of Rites they seized him with their thick red nylon ropes and dragged him outside.
Parading him through the streets the rumours had already circulated like a wild fire and angry mobs of people in shock incited by the Empress' people in fury threw rocks at him as he was led to the Imperial State Tribunal.
Consort Cao seated behind the table of her deceased son she couldn't help it but reminisce the moments she'd shared with him in his infancy while she additionally imagined how he must have lived in that luxurious space.
Pulling out his drawers one by one and looking through, she eventually managed to land on a white envelope by chance appearing no older than three days with the words written boldly in black, 'MY DEAR SWEET MOTHER.'
She gathered all the courage that she could find to hold it up and opening it slowly she pulled out a fine piece of paper in which he appeared to have expressed himself in writing.
She started to peruse through its contents while thinking about how it must have been while he was writing it.
DEAR MOTHER,
HOW ARE YOU AND HOW HAVE YOU BEEN, IT'S BEEN ELEVEN YEARS, EVERYDAY THAT PASSES BY I AM MORE AND MORE WORRIED, I CAN HARDLY SLEEP BECAUSE OF THE AILING IN MY HEART, I'M BREAKING UPON REALISATION THAT EVERY MORNING DAWNS AND THE MEMORY OF YOUR FACE BECOMES MORE AND MORE FAINT, I DO NOT WISH TO FORGET YOU, I NEVER WISHED TO DO SO, WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE WORKS OF OUR FOES FORCED US APART, I ONLY HELD MYSELF TOGETHER WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU, THERE'S NOTHING THAT THE CROWN PRINCE HAS THAT I LACK, WHAT IS THERE IN THE WORLD THAT MAKES HIM A MORE WORTHY HEIR TO MY INHERITANCE, TO THE IMPERIAL DRAGON THRONE AND TO OUR GREAT HEAVENLY EMPIRE THAT WAS FORGED FROM THE BLOOD OF OUR FOREFATHERS? I SHALL BECOME STRONG FOR YOUR SAKE, I SHALL TAKE HOLD OF THE EMPRESS' POWER AND STRIP IT FROM HER, I WILL ASCEND THE IMPERIAL DRAGON THRONE AND RETURN EVERYTHING TO ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE BY ABOLISHING HER DYNASTY, THIS MUCH I PROMISE TO DO MOTHER TO ENSURE THAT YOU GET THE HONOUR AND POSITION, THE RANK THAT YOU TRULY DESERVE.
SINCERELY,
JI'ER
Holding the letter close to her chest she slowly started sobbing bitterly.
"Forgive me my dear, forgive me Ji'er, it is my fault that you had to die at such an early age, my fault that I couldn't protect you from my enemies." She said to herself when suddenly the Empress' presence was announced.
"She swiftly wiped away her tears and the doors being opened the Empress walked in before her but she didn't bother to stand up or even kowtow to her to pay her respects.
The Empress seemed to immediately understand the reason why she didn't pursue it further.
"It was only just yesterday that he was playing within the walls of this magnificent Palace, and now without him it sure feels empty, I asked the Palace staff to have it cleaned up, I wouldn't want you to dwell on the past much longer as it is unfortunate that he died prematurely." She remarked.
"You must be content now Your Highness." Consort Cao remarked.
"He kept it a secret from everyone that he was suffering from Heart Palpitation, alas his Imperial physician ultimately connived with the Minister of Rites to have him killed and he is being apprehended as we speak." Empress Yang notified the old woman.
"They can say whatever they wish to say is the cause of my son's death, I know the truth Your Highness." Consort Cao said.
"And what is the truth Your Grace?" She asked.
"You killed my son." Consort Cao brazenly replied.
"You are very right, I did kill your son with my own two hands." Empress Yang said as she slowly bent over, "but even if you tell the world who would believe you, who would understand that underneath the smile I wore for him every day there was immense hatred because his presence meant the displacement of my son?" She mentioned as she stood upright again.
"I shall expose the truth to the whole world one day." Consort Cao assured her.
"Go ahead Your Grace, be my guest, you should understand that by now the truth surpasses what one merely professes but is what everyone chooses to believe, in this country, what I say is the truth because it was what everyone, a majority of all its people choose to believe." Empress Yang confidently mentioned.
"Aren't you afraid of divine retribution?" Consort Cao inquired.
"Is this not your Divine retribution?" Shepp posed a question that forced the latter to keep quiet, "you thought that I would never know, you thought that I'll never make sure that we're even? Or you must have felt the same way I feel right now after murdering my two sons, guiltless, safe, proud." She said as Consort Cao immediately suffocated.
"What goes around comes around, this is the inevitable law of Karma, don't you really want to know how glad I felt when I watched him slowly and painfully dying in front of me?" She asked as she turned around to walk away.
"I won't forget Your Highness." Consort Cao mentioned and she halted in her footsteps, "this won't end with my son and neither shall it end with me, I will return to this Palace and I will extinguish you. " She swore while the Empress turned around and looked at her again.
"I'll look forward to it Your Grace." She said as she smiled at her before she turned around and walked out of the room leaving Consort Cao seated in the darkness all alone.
Stepping outside the building, Manyin approached her.
"The Minister of Rites has been apprehended and is at the Imperial State Tribunal, His Majesty however might not be willing to sacrifice his life but what's more is that he might refuse to confess to the crime." She reported as they walked out of the residence.
"That's for the better." Empress Yang responded.
"How so Your Highness?" Xiaoyang asked.
"If the Minister of Rites doesn't admit that he was the mastermind then we'll have to torture him using all the bloody methods we are conversant with, he won't be able to contain the pain therefore it is without doubt that it will kill him." The Empress responded as she smiled at herself ghastly.
Qian Xiangzu in the Interrogation room Xue Feng sat down in front of him.
"You'll have to forgive me for my conduct but I believe that you have something that I want to hear." He said.
"You want me to say that I killed the Imperial Prince?" He inquired.
"All irrefutable evidence points to you Your Excellency, your accomplice is dead and having been the hand that you used efficiently there is no doubt that you are the perpetrator." Xue Feng responded.
"But you and I both know the answer, we know the real culprit." Qian Xiangzu said.
"Then allow me to tell you what's wise Milord, as it is you might be old but we all understand the price for treason." He said placing his hands on the table, "don't you think that admitting that you did it is much safer than having your bones broken or even worse dying under unbearable torture?" He asked.
"If I admit that I am a traitor I acknowledge that I am worthy of a traitor's punishment, I am in a bottomless pit with no way of climbing out is it not better to die an honourable man than a sinner to the Dynasty?" He asked.
"But if you admit to your wrong doing don't you think that His Majesty might protect you at the very least?" Xue Feng asked.
"And how sure are you he would, besides, what power has he to do so?" He asked.
"The one power that the Empress despite her rank and support doesn't have, the final say." He responded and Qian Xiangzu startled Xue Feng smiling at him he stood up, "I'll let you think about it." He muttered before bowing his head and turning around to walk away.
"Why is it that you are helping me?" He asked him before he would go any further.
"It's very bold for you to try and challenge the Empress but you don't have what it takes, besides, who is to tell you, maybe one day you shall return the favour." Xue Feng responded as he continued his way outside the room and left Qian Xiangzu still in awe.
Walking into his office a strange man was standing and facing the map of the Empire that was engraved on the wall.
"I did as you asked." He said.
"Well done." The strange man responded as he slowly turned around to face the Head of the Imperial State Tribunal guards.
Those features in deed familiar it was none other than Feng Ba who was smiling at him.
"You said that you needed the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji, seeing that he is now dead how could you be delighted as the Empress has emerged triumphant?" Xue Feng inquired.
"The death of the Imperial Prince was inevitable, I was certain that he would never ascend the Imperial Dragon throne, if the Empress didn't kill him the Heart Palpitation would have done the job, if it wouldn't have killed him I would have personally done that job as well." She responded.
"Of what use is a dead Imperial Prince Tawan?" He inquired finally calling him by his real name while the young man slowly turning around he walked back and forth.
"The Imperial Prince was Consort Cao's biggest confinement and the reason that she could no longer live in the Palace, with him gone and Consort Cao finally back in the capital from her emotional ailing I have succeeded in setting the stage for the ultimate battle for the Crown, one in which I'll have the Empress' dragged down myself." Tawan swore as he looked at the brazier burning not so far from him, "I'll get vengeance for my family which the Empress killed." He spoke determinedly.
The Crown Prince's entourage arriving in the capital made its way into the Palace in the dead of night and a couple of Eunuchs with the help of Beiyuan secretly transported him to the East Palace where the Crown Princess Yin sat down by his side as the Imperial physician tended to him.
"Please get up Your Highness." She whispered to him, " please." She pleaded when suddenly, the latter opened his eyes.
"Your Highness?" Everyone mentioned startled while the Imperial physician remained to check his pulse.
"Mother?" Zhao Xun called instead.
"Inform Her Highness that the Crown Prince wishes to have a word with her." Crown Princess Yin ordered her Head Lady who immediately withdrew from the room.
The Empress hearing she swiftly made her way towards the East Palace and mounting the stairs that led to her son's bed chamber she halted right outside his doors where the Imperial physician was standing.
"How is he?" She asked.
"His Highness has gained consciousness but his pulse is hardly detectable, I am afraid that we have done all that we could but sadly, it's His Highness' fate, he can not beat this, he must succumb." The Imperial physician responded.
"How much longer does he have to live?" She inquired.
"Forgive me Your Highness but I doubt he'll make it through the night." He replied bowing his head to her as he stepped aside while she approached the doors.
Hesitantly, she raised her head.
"Open." She ordered and the servants complied letting her in as she walked through and found the Crown Princess standing right behind the silver silk curtain that was hanging over her husband's bed.
"Mother?" She said to her in tears as she bowed her head.
"I'll talk to him." She responded seemingly calm and the young woman withdrawing from the room the Empress moved around the curtain where she saw the Crown Prince lying down.
Sitting beside him, he'd turned and shown her his back.
"Why didn't you tell me, why didn't you say anything?" She asked.
"Would you have been happy mother?" Zhao Xun inquired from her.
"Your brother, Ji'er is dead, if you leave me alone as well, how is it that I will survive in this world, without a shoulder, without a child?" She muttered.
"You will mother," the Crown Prince Zhao Xun responded, "you must mother." he further insisted.
"Is it that easy for you?" Empress Yang asked and the young man turning around in his bed he looked at the ceiling as tears flowed out of his eyes slowly.
"What do you think?' he asked, "all my life you have given me much more than I have ever asked and Ji'er, he's lonely on the other side too, he's young, he is without a shoulder to cry on, he knows and sees no one and there isn't someone to tuck him in when he sleeps." He mentioned as he started coughing vigorously.
"Save your strength." She cautioned him.
"It's useless mother." He responded.
"Don't say that." Empress Yang insisted.
"I must thank you mother, you took in this insignificant Prince and made him the heir to the Imperial Dragon throne, I am also sorry that I have failed to live up to your expectations." He said.
"You can survive this." She insisted on telling him.
"Promise me that you'll survive mother, you must survive mother." He said as he slowly closed his eyes and peacefully like that, he breathed his last.
"I promise you Xun'er, I will stay strong, for your sake I shall survive this cruel and heartless world, for your sake I shall live and fight." She promised and her eyes getting teary she seemed to have great difficulty shedding even the slightest tear from them.
"Please return Your Highness, please return Your Highness, please return your Highness." The servants of the East Palace wept as the mourning drum was sounded and its thud resounded throughout the walls of the Palace.
Emperor Ningzong seated in his study Eunuch Deng walked in before him.
"Who has died this time round?" The Emperor inquired.
"The Crown Prince has succumbed to dysentery." He responded and the Emperor hearing those words he shed a tear.
"What wrong did I do that the heavens are so heartless, I have buried all eight of my sons prematurely perhaps it is my divine retribution for having failed our forefathers." He muttered.
"Don't say those words Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng tried to stop him.
"Where in the world is there a man that can understand my sorrow, childless and lonely within these crimson walls I am always being reminded that the next coffin that will move out of the Palace is mine." He said as he stood up and Eunuch Deng still keeping his head low moved up to the window of his room and there he mused at the full moon temporarily lost in his thoughts.
"How is the Empress?" He inquired.
"Distressed," he responded, "she's still seated beside His Late Highness' bed." He supplemented.
"Let her be." The Emperor mentioned and taking a deep breath he sighed.
The sun rising over the Palace, the whole Capital was in mourning, the Empress alone was seated in the Empty funeral parlour where she faced the coffin of the Crown Prince Zhao Xun behind his funeral plaque.
An incense pot had been set up to hold the incense sticks and as she slowly watched them burn, the doors were slid open and the Grand Chancellor, Shi Miyuan walked in.
He knelt down a couple of steps away from the Empress who appeared to notice his familiar presence but retained her sombreness.
"Such a cruel and unfortunate fate for an innocent and smart young man!" He exclaimed.
"Why do the heavens resent me so much?" She suddenly asked still looking up to the funeral tablet with his name.
"I'm so sorry Your Highness." He apologized.
"It's not your fault at all perhaps it is mine." She mentioned as she took a deep breath and sighed.
"Don't be too hard on yourself Your Highness." He insisted.
"I can't pretend to be easy on myself either," she spoke up in protest, "at times I can't help but keep wondering, what is it that I did wrong, if I didn't adopt the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji with my very own hands, if only I had killed that bastard when he was still a very young baby, if only I had known everything soon enough I would have stopped it all." She muttered.
"At the end we are all human." Shi Miyuan said.
"We all live and die the same, surprisingly I never expected myself to live a very long life yet I held on nonetheless." She remarked.
"It was His Highness' time, this much the heavens decided and willed." He asserted.
"How is it that their will would have synchronized with that of an insidious person like me." She cursed at herself.
"Our lives were never meant to be easy Your Highness, we can never be free from Court intrigue and political machinations it seems that every day we'll die slowly until we vanish without a trace, every day our enemies will keep rising and fighting against us, every breath we take and ounce of energy we spend is out of defiance to natural will and law." He said.
"And we are only survivors and not immortal." Empress Yang remarked as she bowed her head down and slowly, she stood up from where she was seated, turned around and walked right up to Shi Miyuan.
She halted right in front of him and he raised his head to look up at her.
Her eyes were only fiery with so much gusto and her very aura was alarmingly filled with much bravery, he couldn't see weakness, he couldn't see pain, in the dark bottomless pits of her irises, he couldn't see fear or pity.
"Your Highness." He calmly called out to her.
"I once told myself that I could get to the highest position a woman would get to, afterwards I went ahead and convinced myself that regardless of what comes my way in this life I would keep living without regrets." She said to him.
"Why do you think that I need more comforting instead of you Your Highness?" He asked her.
"Because you are a man who knows to sow where he can reap, because you are a man who knows when it is wise to stop and admit defeat." She responded.
"And you Your Highness?" He asked her.
"I am a woman who knows no defeat, I am a mother who understands ailing, but even in his final hours His Highness cared only for me and asked me to endure." She responded.
"So what will you do Your Highness?" He asked.
"The exact thing my son asked for me, the only thing that he wanted from me," she responded as she bent her head and slowly leaned towards Shi Miyuan's face, "I'll not give in this fight, I'll keep up the struggle, I will keep fighting, until my last breath." She added so confidently and Shi Miyuan marvelled at her gesture he instantly bowed his head in worship.
Consort Cao in her residence was equally lost in thought when Linxiang walked in.
"Your Grace, you have a visitor." She notified her.
"I wish to be alone." She responded.
"He insists that he was a close friend of His Late Highness the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji." She responded and Consort Cao who was about to sip at her cup of tea she instantly halted.
"A friend?" She inquired.
"Yes." Linxiang confirmed.
"Let her in." She ordered and Linxiang stepping out, a short while later the strange man made his entrance before her.
He stopped in front of the table where she was seated and there he went onto his knees and bowed his head to her while she took a keen study of his body and his features, his strikingly fearless and beautiful dark eyes along with his muscular build and judging from her silence, he invited himself to sit down before her.
"A friend of the Imperial Prince, I expected someone around his age, I am surprised however that it is an older man before my eyes I can't help but inquire the type of relationship you shared with my son." She pointed out.
"It shouldn't perturb you so much Your Grace as I am merely a man of innocent origins, not many could have seen me in the Palace as yet I am but a low-ranking guard, equally, not many would honour me as I am a child of a sinner at least, but allow me to be bold and sincere, I was very close to His Highness, his confidant and perhaps the only true friend he ever had in this cruel world." He mentioned.
"How am I to believe that, judging from your expression and words your relationship must have been a secret but as it is unfortunate that my son descended to the Netherworld, who can convince me that there was ever such mutuality between the both of you?" She inquired.
"Because few people would know that the Empress personally toppled His Highness after she learnt that he was the one who poisoned the Crown Prince, because only those closest to him would have known that amidst the great respect he accorded the Empress publicly in his heart there was undying hatred and because only one true loyal person he could tell everything would know that until his bitter end, all he ever longed for was to ensure that his mother received the respect and position that she deserved." He responded while she smiled at him.
"The Empress is a remarkably undying tale that goes even beyond the walls of this Palace, one that surpasses even the borders of this Empire, knowing her capabilities and what she could give you in her position if you are useful enough to abide with her, why is it that you chose allegiance with my son who had nothing?" She asked.
"However strong a woman may be, she can never sit on the Imperial Dragon throne, despite His Highness' illness he looked determined to outlive the Crown Prince and even if I willed it, the Empress would never admit to putting me under her patronage, what's worse is that there is a longing in my heart to lay to rest the souls of my parents and get justice for them which I can achieve only by toppling her Dynasty." He responded.
"Such filial piety, your resentment towards Her Highness must be deep-rooted, certainly, your parents must have only received the worst." She remarked.
"You might not recognize me, but you knew my father, the biggest of rebels, the strongest and at once the most powerful man in the world who as a matter of fact once sat down in this room, in this very spot, in front of you." He said and Consort Cao studying him appeared to bring a familiar picture back into her mind.
"By any chance, are you.......?" She hesitated.
"If Your Grace is thinking what I am thinking yes, I am Han Touzhou's only son, Tawan, my courtesy name is Han Gong." He responded and Consort Cao amazed smirked at him.
"I see, the last I heard you died in exile with your mother, seeing that you have chosen to return to the Imperial Palace could it be that you have decided to follow in his footsteps?" She inquired.
"Watching my mother die before me brought me on the edge of death, I killed myself after it made me realise that the only way I could honour my parents who gave birth to me, who dearly raised me, and entirely cherished me, was by taking away all the power that the Empress owns." He responded.
"Seeing that you are here, you must be in dire need of my help." Consort Cao muttered.
"Putting you right Your Grace, it is you who is in dire need of my help or perhaps even better we need each other to survive." He said.
"For the enemy of my enemy is my friend, isn't it?" She asked.
"And we share a common goal, we have a common understanding." He responded.
"What will you give me in return?" Consort Cao inquired as she leaned over.
"Vengeance isn't enough for the both of us, you must realise, the one thing we can share however is the power we could gain and that is after safely channelling it from the Empress and her people therefore I believe, you would make good use of one loyal man, a shadow in the Palace as I can preach for you the gospel that creates armies and I could gain you, hundreds of thousands of loyal allies." He responded with a ghastly smile on his face and Consort Cao looking at his expression smiled back at him as well.
Qian Xiangzu seated in the Interrogation room quietly was lost in his thoughts thinking about the words that Xue Feng had mentioned to him when the Emperor's presence was suddenly announced.
He stood up instantly and bowed his head as the Emperor walked in.
"You wished to see me?" He inquired.
"Yes Your Majesty." He responded and the Emperor without wasting any more time he sat down before him.
"What is it?" He asked.
"I'll get straight to the point Your Majesty and everything I'll say will depend on the answer that you'll give me so forgive me in advance if I may sound brazen." He said.
"You may." Emperor Ningzong responded.
"By any chance does Your Majesty believe that I connived with the Imperial Prince Zhao Ji's personal physician to poison him?" He inquired.
"What if I told you that I don't believe that you would go overboard even if there's concrete evidence before me?" He asked.
"Then your word is enough, I won't resent you for fulfilling your duty as the Emperor of this country, as the ruler of this our Great Heavenly Empire." He responded.
"What is going on in your mind?" Emperor Ningzong inquired.
"The Empress was distressed so a culprit would put her heart to ease, there's no doubt she wants to hear it from my mouth she'd do whatever she can even if it means getting her hands dirty or standing against you which is why I wish to offer myself a chance to be redeemed by Your Majesty's one tool not even the Empress can suppress." He professed.
"How is it that you place your faith in me?" He asked.
"Because Your Majesty has done it first." Qian Xiangzu responded.
"I can't guarantee your safety." Emperor Ningzong said.
"If I admit to the charges against me Your Majesty out of my meritorious service to this nation and considering my age could at least grant me an exile, close this case once and for all, the Empress will find a captive and even some ease and the people shall praise your benevolence and sense of justice." Qian Xiangzu said and stretching his hand into the sleeve of his cloak, he pulled out a folded white piece of paper which he slid across the table.
"This is my humble confession, Your Majesty, I beg you to receive it and with Your magnanimous heart, maybe you can send this man to die far away." He said.
"Very well then, if it is your wish." Emperor Ningzong muttered as he took the confession in his hands.
At dawn the following morning, Eunuch Deng with the Edict from Emperor Ningzong arrived in the Cell where Qian Xiangzu was being held Prisoner.
This is an Edict from His Majesty." He said and the old man immediately fell onto his knees.
"HIS EXCELLENCY THE MINISTER OF RITES QIAN XIANGZU CONNIVED WITH THE IMPERIAL PHYSICIAN OF THE LU CLAN TO MURDER THE IMPERIAL PRINCE ZHAO JI AND IS THEREFORE GUILTY OF TREASON, HOWEVER AS HE ADMITS TO HIS CRIME AND IN CONSIDERATION OF HIS MERITORIOUS SERVICE TO THIS NATION AND OUR GREAT HEAVENLY EMPIRE, I HAVE CHOSEN TO SPARE HIM FROM DEATH AND HEREBY EXERCISE MY RIGHT WITH UTMOST BENEVOLENCE TO PARDON HIM AND NINE GENERATIONS OF HIS KIN, HE IS STRIPPED OF ALL HIS OFFICIAL TITLES AND HIS PROPERTIES ARE ALL CONFISCATED THUS WILL HEREBY BECOME ASSETS OF THE IMPERIAL CROWN, HE IS EXILED TO HUAINAN WHERE HE SHALL LIVE FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE." He read.
"Qian Xiangzu thanks His Majesty for his benevolence." He said as he bowed his head.
Empress Yang seated in her Chambers Manyin walked in.
"Your Highness." She said bowing her head to him.
"I suppose the case has been wound up." She muttered.
"Qian Xiangzu has been exiled to Huainan, His Highness will be laid to rest, the Crown Princess has expressed her wish to retire from the Palace and forsake her titles to live as a nun, it is safe to say that everything has come to an end." Manyin mentioned.
"Not at all." Empress Yang responded, "this is where the real battle begins." She said as she raised her head and looked at Manyin, "now the Grand strife that will decide the mastery of the Imperial Dragon throne and our Great Heavenly Empire begins." She cautioned her as she took a deep breath and sighed out of immense fear, one she had never felt before in her entire life.