The
study was dimly lit, the heavy curtains drawn to block out the morning sun.
Zhao Wei, known to the empire as Prince Yu and to his enemies as the God of
War, sat behind the polished lacquered desk. His tall, broad-shouldered frame
leaned forward slightly, the flickering candlelight accentuating the sharp
lines of his face. Handsome in a way that spoke of strength rather than
softness, his features held a masculine beauty—strong jaw, high cheekbones, and
deep black eyes that seemed to pierce through any pretense.
His skin
was tanned by years spent in the field with his troops, contrasted against the
deep black silk robe he wore, its silver embroidery catching the light as he
shifted. His long black hair was tied back in a simple knot, the loose strands
framing his sharp profile. He exuded the aura of a man forged in battle, every
movement deliberate and precise, his lean muscles honed through countless
campaigns.
Betrayal.
The
thought burned cold and sharp in his mind, cutting deeper than any blade.
Someone had placed fabricated evidence within his estate, and it had reached
the Emperor before him. Zhao Wei's relationship with his father hadn't always
been like this. His father had held a deep trust in him… what had happened?
Despite his unmatched service to the empire, his victories on the battlefield,
and the loyalty he commanded among the troops, the Emperor now regarded him
with suspicion—a threat too dangerous to ignore, yet it appeared he still
couldn't kill his own son.
Now,
the hidden treachery in his own home threatened to tip the scales. The Imperial
Guards were coming, and Zhao Wei knew what they would expect to find. Whoever
had planted this false evidence was no outsider; they were someone within his
household, someone with access and influence.
A
knock at the door disrupted his thoughts. "Enter," he commanded, his voice
steady but cold.
Chen
Hao, his most trusted lieutenant, stepped inside, bowing deeply. "Your
Highness," he began, his tone measured. "The initial search of the estate has
yielded no direct evidence, but we have identified likely locations. The
western wing and the storage chambers beneath the main hall are our strongest
leads. However…"
Zhao
Wei's dark eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing. "However?"
Chen
Hao hesitated for a moment, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword.
"There have been unusual movements reported from Lady Hua. She has spent more
time near the western wing than necessary. Her behavior has raised suspicion
amongst the hidden guards."
Zhao
Wei's expression hardened, the sharp angles of his face casting a shadow that
seemed to stretch across the room. The mention of Lady Hua sent a cold ripple
through his thoughts. She had once been trusted—favored even—but now her
actions betrayed something far more dangerous than ambition.
"Lady
Hua," he repeated, his voice carrying the weight of his fury. "If she has acted
against me, she will not live to regret it." He rose from his chair with
deliberate precision, the height of his tall, broad-shouldered frame looming
over Chen Hao. "Prepare the western wing for a full search. I want every corner
turned inside out. Anything that should not be there."
"Yes,
Your Highness," Chen Hao replied, bowing deeply before retreating to carry out
the order.
The
corridors leading to the western wing of the estate were dimly lit, the faint
flicker of torches casting long shadows against the stone walls. Zhao Wei
walked ahead of his men, his steps measured and deliberate. Behind him, Chen
Hao and a small group of handpicked guards followed silently, their gazes sharp
and alert. The air felt heavier here, as if the walls themselves carried the
weight of the betrayal they were about to uncover.
Zhao
Wei's long black hair, tied loosely at the nape of his neck, swayed slightly as
he turned his head toward Chen Hao. "How many servants have access to this
area?" he asked, his voice low but commanding.
"Fewer
than ten, Your Highness," Chen Hao replied. "Most of them are responsible for
cleaning and maintenance. Lady Hua was the only member of the household staff
who frequented the area without explicit orders."
Zhao
Wei's dark eyes narrowed, his sharp features hardening further. "Too many
variables. Remove all staff from this wing until further notice. I want this
area locked down completely."
Chen
Hao bowed in acknowledgment, signaling two guards to ensure the corridor was
cleared. Zhao Wei's gaze swept the length of the hallway, his sharp mind
assessing every potential hiding place.
When
they reached the storage chamber, Zhao Wei paused, his tall frame filling the
doorway as he took in the sight of the room. Dust-covered shelves lined the
walls, their surfaces cluttered with forgotten relics of the estate's past.
Crates and barrels were stacked haphazardly in the corners, their contents
obscured by years of neglect.
"Search
everything," Zhao Wei commanded, his voice cutting through the silence.
The
guards moved quickly, scattering across the room as they began to sift through
the clutter. Zhao Wei remained in the center of the chamber, his presence a
silent reminder of the stakes. He watched every movement with the precision of
a seasoned tactician, his mind working several steps ahead.
"Your
Highness," one of the guards called out. "Here."
Zhao
Wei strode toward the guard, his black robes trailing behind him. The man stood
near an old chest, its lid partially open to reveal a stack of neatly folded
documents. Zhao Wei knelt beside it, his tanned hands moving with deliberate
care as he lifted the first sheet.
The
contents were damning—letters and records falsified to implicate him in a plot
against the Emperor. The seal on one of the documents bore his crest, a forgery
so expertly crafted that even he might have doubted its authenticity had he not
known better.
Chen
Hao leaned over his shoulder, his expression grim. "Your Highness, this
evidence would convince any court in the empire. The forgery is… flawless."
Zhao
Wei's lips pressed into a thin line as he set the document aside. "Minister Du
knows how to choose his collaborators," he said coldly. He knew who was capable
of doing something like this. "But even the finest lies have cracks."
Chen
Hao leaned closer, his brow furrowed. "What should we do, Your Highness?"
Zhao
Wei rose to his full height, the dragon robe and forged letters still in his
hands. The light from the torches cast harsh shadows across his face,
accentuating the sharp, unforgiving planes of his features. "We turn their lies
into weapons," he said, his voice carrying the steel of absolute authority.
"How?"
Chen Hao asked, his tone equal parts curiosity and reverence.
"We
will use their evidence against them," Zhao Wei replied, his black eyes
gleaming with calculated intent. "But first, I need to know the full scope of
their plan. Interrogate Lady Hua further… once I'm finished with her. If she
hesitates, remind her what happens to those who betray me."
Chen
Hao bowed. "It will be done."
Zhao
Wei turned his gaze back to the dragon robe, its golden embroidery catching the
light. This robe was meant to be a noose around his neck, but it would not be.
Lady
Hua. Zhao Wei's favored concubine.
For a
brief moment, Zhao Wei's jaw tightened, the only outward sign of his anger.
Lady Hua was a consort he favored, a woman granted privileges few others in his
court could claim. She had managed the household with discretion and
efficiency—or so he had believed.
"Bring
her to me," Zhao Wei said after returning to his study, his tone as sharp as
the edge of a blade. "I will deal with this personally."
Chen
Hao bowed and left the room swiftly, his footsteps fading into the silence.
Zhao Wei leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming lightly against the
desk. His mind moved swiftly, calculating possibilities. If Lady Hua had
betrayed him, it would not have been out of her own ambition. No concubine in
the household would dare to act alone against him. She was either coerced—or
worse, aligned with his enemies within the court.
Minutes
passed before the doors opened again. Chen Hao returned, leading Lady Hua into
the study. She walked with an air of feigned calm, her silk robes trailing
behind her, but Zhao Wei caught the slight tremor in her hands as she clasped
them before her.
"Your
Highness," she said softly, her tone carrying a careful mix of deference and her
usual flirtation.
Zhao
Wei didn't rise from his seat. His piercing gaze locked onto her, his
expression unreadable but charged with latent menace. "Lady Hua," he began, his
voice devoid of emotion. "Do you know why you've been summoned?"
Her
eyes flickered, betraying a moment of hesitation. "No, Your Highness," she
replied. "Have I displeased you?"
Zhao
Wei studied her for a long moment, letting the silence stretch. The weight of
his gaze bore down on her until she shifted nervously, her composure beginning
to crack.
"Displeased
me?" he repeated, his voice soft but cutting. "That would depend on your
definition of betrayal."
Her
breath hitched, but she quickly recovered. "Betrayal? Your Highness, I would
never—"
"Enough."
Zhao Wei's voice was sharp, silencing her instantly. "You have been seen
frequenting the western wing, where fabricated evidence against me has likely
been planted. Tell me, Lady Hua—who gave you the orders?"
Lady
Hua froze, her eyes widening in panic. "Your Highness, I—I only went there to
oversee the cleaning—"
"Do
not insult my intelligence," Zhao Wei interrupted, his tone dropping to a
dangerous low. "You had access. You had opportunity. And now you are lying to
my face."
Her
knees buckled, and she dropped to the floor, bowing deeply. "Your Highness, I
beg you to believe me! I was coerced—forced to act!"
Zhao
Wei rose from his chair, his towering presence casting a shadow over her
trembling form. "By whom?" he demanded, his voice as cold as the blade resting
on the desk.
Lady
Hua's lips quivered, her head bowed so low it touched the ground. "It was—it
was His Excellency Minister Du! He threatened my family—said he would ruin them
if I didn't follow his orders!"
Zhao
Wei's sharp gaze bore down on the woman trembling before him. The name she
uttered hung heavily in the air: Minister Du. A man well-versed in courtly
manipulations, ambitious enough to align himself against Zhao Wei. He'd already
been certain that this was his plot.
He
stepped away from his desk, his long strides carrying him toward her. His
towering frame and imposing presence seemed to shrink the room, making Lady Hua
appear smaller, more fragile, beneath his shadow.
"Minister
Du," Zhao Wei he sneered, his deep voice carrying an edge sharp enough to cut.
"You mean to tell me that you betrayed your prince, your benefactor, because of
the words of a scheming court official?"
Lady
Hua flinched, her body trembling as she pressed her forehead to the floor.
"Your Highness, I had no choice. My family—he has them under watch. He
threatened to ruin their name, destroy their livelihoods. I had to—"
"You
had to what?" Zhao Wei's voice cut through her pleas like a blade. "Turn
against the man who raised you from obscurity? Trade your loyalty for empty
promises? Speak plainly, Lady Hua, because my patience is as thin as the ground
beneath your knees."
Tears
streamed down her face, though she dared not lift her head to meet his gaze.
"I—he ordered me to place documents in the western wing. I didn't know what
they contained, Your Highness. He said it was to expose corruption in the
household, but—"
"Silence."
Zhao Wei's command was final, his tone brooking no argument.
The
weight of her betrayal was suffocating, but Zhao Wei's expression betrayed none
of the anger simmering beneath the surface. He was not a man to be ruled by
emotions. Calculations ran through his mind, weighing the consequences of every
possible action. Lady Hua's crime was unforgivable, but killing her outright
would draw attention and potentially strengthen Minister Du's narrative.
"Chen
Hao," Zhao Wei called without turning.
His
lieutenant stepped forward from the shadows, his hand resting lightly on the
hilt of his blade. "Your Highness."
"Imprison
her" Zhao Wei commanded, his voice cold and steady. "She is to be kept under
strict guard in the dungeons. No visitors. No communication. Anyone who
disobeys this order will share her punishment."
"Yes,
Your Highness," Chen Hao replied, bowing deeply. He gestured for two guards
waiting outside the door to enter.
Lady
Hua's sobs grew louder as the guards approached, lifting her to her feet with
practiced efficiency. She struggled briefly, but Zhao Wei's cold gaze silenced
her protests.
"You
should consider yourself fortunate," Zhao Wei said softly, his voice laced with
menace. "Had I not more pressing matters to attend to, your punishment would be
immediate. Pray that your imprisonment gives me reason to show restraint."
The
guards escorted her from the room, her cries fading as the door closed behind
her.
The
Emperor's distrust, Minister Du's schemes, and Lady Hua's betrayal were pieces
of a puzzle he was determined to dismantle—and when he was finished, those who
had plotted against him would face the same cold, unyielding justice that he
had delivered on the battlefield.
Zhao
Wei returned to his desk, his sharp mind already planning the next steps. The
discovery of the evidence would be only the first move in a much larger game.
Minister Du's involvement would need to be addressed, but not before Zhao Wei
understood the full extent of the betrayal.
'The
Emperor sent his dogs to bark at my gates,' Zhao Wei thought coldly. 'But he
underestimates me. Let them come. I will dismantle their lies and expose their
treachery before they can take another step.'
The
candle on the desk flickered, its flame steadying as Zhao Wei's hand hovered
briefly over the map. The estate was a battlefield now, and he would approach
it with the same ruthless precision that had earned him his victories on the
empire's front lines.
He
rose to his full height, his commanding presence filling the room as he
addressed the guards. "Bring these documents to the study. I will examine them
further."
The
guards moved swiftly, carefully gathering the evidence as Zhao Wei turned back
to Chen Hao. "Have Lady Hua's quarters searched. If she kept anything from
Minister Du—letters, payments, instructions—I want them found."
Chen
Hao nodded, his expression resolute. "Yes, Your Highness."
Zhao
Wei's gaze lingered on the empty chest for a moment, his mind already spinning
through the possibilities. This was only one piece of the puzzle. The betrayal
ran deeper than Lady Hua, and the full scope of Minister Du's machinations
remained unseen.
"Chen
Hao," Zhao Wei said, his tone colder now. "Prepare my horse. I will ride to the
northern garrison tonight."
Chen
Hao's brow furrowed. "The garrison, Your Highness?"
"There
are men loyal to me there," Zhao Wei explained, his voice steady. "If the
Imperial Guards arrive before we are prepared, we will need reinforcements to
hold this estate."
Understanding
dawned on Chen Hao's face, and he bowed deeply. "As you command, Your
Highness."
Zhao
Wei turned back to the room, his black eyes narrowing as he surveyed the
remnants of the search. The fabricated evidence was damning, but it was also an
opportunity—a chance to turn the Emperor's paranoia against his enemies.
"Minister
Du played his hand," Zhao Wei thought coldly, his jaw tightening. "Now it's my
turn."
With a
flick of his black robes, he strode from the room, the sound of his footsteps
echoing through the empty corridor. The storm was approaching, but Zhao Wei was
ready. He had faced greater threats on the battlefield, and he would face this
one with the same ruthless precision that had earned him his name.