Emperor Li Ming rode hard against the fierce wind with only his most trusted guards at his side, the only ones who knew the true reason for this journey. This was his last option, he'd exhausted every other one in his search for answers, he brought his horse to a stop outside the building and made sure his cowl covered his face completely, he wanted absolutely no chances of being recognised.
He got down from his horse and signalled his men to wait for him while he dealt with his business. He knew they'd draw attention, but he hoped he'd be mistaken for a noble at most. As he walked into the into the empty compound, he felt a chill over his spine and shivered. The sooner he did what he came for, the sooner he could be gone from this place.
" You are here to see the wu" a low voice said behind him. He barely withheld his shock as he turned around to see a young woman standing behind, he hadn't heard her come up to him and his senses had been trained to react to the slightest things. This place was rubbing him the wrong way but he hid it behind an impenetrable poker face.
" Yes I'm here to see the witch" he sneered
" Follow me" the shaman assistant said with a seren smile as she practically floated down the trail towards the only inhabitable looking building in the entire compound.
"In here" she said as she pushed open the doors, " go down the hallway and take the first left, she's waiting for you". Emperor Li Ming took the first step and froze with his foot poised over the threshold, there would be no going back after this, he wouldn't be able to feign ignorance anymore, he'd be admitting there was a problem. He steeled his nerves and crossed over with a deep breath. He paused in front of the door to the shaman's chamber and then pushed it open when a deep sultry voice said " come in" from the other side of the door.
He coughed as the incense covering every inch of the room entered his eyes and choked him. He rubbed his watering eyes and peered through the fog to see an extremely beautiful face holding a pipe and staring back at him.
"I've been expecting you" she whispered as she blowed out another puff " I almost thought you'd change your mind at the last moment"
" I almost did " he whispered under his breath and she let out a deep belly laugh.
"You're here to know the solution to your problem" she pulled in another drag and blew it directly into his face as he sat on the cushion across from her.
"I assume you already know my problem and its solution"
"You're scared of the growing unrest in the country, you fear that the crown may be snatched from you just as you stole it from your beloved brother in a bloody coup".
Li Ming squeezed the edge of the table until his knuckles turned white. He touched his face to confirm his cowl was still in place and wondered how she'd recognised him.
"I am not scared of anything and my brother died of unknown causes" he said through clenched teeth.
"Of course your majesty, my mistake" the shaman whispered mockingly and blew another puff in his face. "The solution to your problem is simple. The people loved your brother and not you, in fact they hate you, they expected him to be king and not you, so you have to show them you're willing to bridge the gap between you and them"
"And how exactly will I do that?" The king leaned forward curious.
"The Prince, get him married to a commoner, hold the selection process as usual and make it look fair by allowing commoners to participate, then make sure one of them wins and not whatever noble you had lined up."
"And how exactly is that a solution? That'll just make the nobles turn their backs on me instead" The Emperor asked as he scratched his chim with a confused look on his face.
The shaman rolled her eyes and blew another cloud into the Emperor's face.
"You know, for someone so smart, you are quite slow" The shaman leaned her head on her fist and stared as the Emperor rose to his full height and stared down at her with a terrifying look on his face.
"How dare you!!!" The Emperor raged and threw the table that rested between them across the room. "I could have you arrested, dragged to the Palace and beheaded right now and no one would question it" The Emperor spat into the witch's face as he squeezed her throat as tightly as he could and raised her off the ground. But to his surprise, the shaman simply laughed in his face despite the tight hold he had on her throat.
"And do you really think you would survive the aftermath?" The shaman spat back into the Emperor's face.
"What do you mean by that?" The Emperor flexed his hold on the shaman's throat.
" The People will ask questions, they'll want to know how you met a wu and why she insulted you. Do you really think the guards you brought will keep this meeting secret, rumours will definitely spread, Your Majesty? So how about you put me down and we continue our conversation, hmm"
The Emperor flexed his fingers once more and let her go, seeing the truth in her words.
"Your solution to the nobles, let's hear it"
"Make a noble's daughter the royal concubine instead, that should be enough to appease them. It's a win win situation"
"Hmm" the Emperor stroked his chin "the problem of her fitting in at court, could be resolved by choosing her now and getting her trained for the next year"
"Now you're thinking like a King. I believe your visit is done now"
"Yes, I do hope we never see each other again. Goodbye, witch"
The Emperor rose to his feet and headed back to where his guards waited with his horse. As he mounted, he made a mental note to have all the guards who'd come with him executed the moment he got back to his Palace.