Jia-Hao went down the beautiful courtyard that bloomed with cherry trees and headed straight for the main courtroom.
"Where do you think your brother would be?" Xi asked him.
Jia hao ascended the stairs that went up to where the courtroom was.
"Seated on the throne I am sure." Jia hao replied his face hard as it always was.
The Queen dowager was following him right behind he knew.
As soon as he stepped into the massive courtroom he saw all the concubines seated down, bowing to him.
He ignored them and looked at his brother who was sitting on his late brother's throne.
His now own throne!
Tai-hua smiled at Jia-hao.
"My brother." Tai-hua said "it is very good to see you. Welcome back home."
"Was I missed long?" Jia hao asked. "It seems that you have already adjusted without my presence."
Tai-hua laughed. "Adjusted to your absence? Me? Of course not my brother. I am only managing things until you returned."
The ministers were also seated on their seats.
Jia-Hao looked at his cunning brother.
If not for the fact that he wanted vengeance for his brother he would have taken the seat right away.
Yes, he did not want to be emperor, but seeing Tai-hua on the throne he wanted to tear him away.
He did not belong there.
"A festival is being held in your honor." The Empress dowager said. "You have been fighting off the battle for us and for that we are forever grateful."
Before Jia hao could respond to her he saw the Queen mother.
His Father's sister and the one who had raised him after his mother had died.
"Mother." He said. He usually called her his mother.
She smiled and opened her arms to him.
She was the only one that Prince Jia hao had let touch him throughout the entire welcome party.
The Queen dowager stood afar gritting her teeth in anger.
She hated the fact that no matter what she had tried to do, the Queen mother had been the one that had his hand.
She snarled but tried her best to maintain her composure.
The Queen mother was delighted to see Prince Jia hao.
She touched his cheek with affection. "How are you my son?"
"Fine mother." He said holding her hand.
"You look tired." She said sad. "You need to rest and eat and prayers need to be made to send a way the evil spirits."
Prince Jia Hao was always touched by his aunt and despite how much she always begged him not to go to war, he had made an oath to his dead brother that he would find his killer.
Then he turned to the ministers.
They all bowed to their feet. "Your majesty."
"There are matter of importance we need to discuss." The ministers said.
The Queen mother turned to Jia Hao. "Your father is very weak. You need to see him first."
Jia Hao stiffened.
He knew that his father did not care for him.
It was his late brother who would have been king that he admired.
Jia Hao and his father had never ever for once been one good terms.
It had only gotten worse after their mother had died and he had remarried.
"I shall return." Jia Hao said to the ministers and then in his military attire he marched off to his father's room.