Great Jin state

*The Royal palace of great Jin, the Emperor's private study*.

"Report" Eunuch Du the Emperor Chief Eunuch announced as he rushed into the Emperor's study.

Eunuch Du bowled low facing the chess table. Emperor Sima Hong sat at one side of the chess table while General Jang of Jin state was opposite him.

The Emperor picked up a black chess piece and placed it on a free spot in front of a white chess piece, blocking his opponent's path.

"What is it?" He asked eyes focused on the game.

The Eunuch replied looking down at the floor

"Prince Xi just returned from battle in victory"

as soon as the word victory was said a chess piece was dropped loudly.

"is that so", the Emperor said a second later.

Eunuch Du stood silently at the side head bowed low, silently counted the seconds before the volcano erupted.

After many years of service to the Emperor, he was familiar with the Emperor's explosive temper and frequent mood swings.

All of the Emperor's servants were aware that that the Emperor dreamed of conquering Great Han Nation. The only resistance to his plan is Prince Xi and Prince Ji.

The Emperor secretly sponsored the Wo bandits' attack of Great Han with the hope that they would eliminate Prince Xi and weaken Great Han.

Based on the present report the palace was not going to be peaceful this night, a Concubine was bound to die. The Empress had already been informed of the news.

it was an unofficial command that all negative reports be given to the Empress dowager who gave the required command to the Empress.

"anything else?" the Emperor asked gripping the table hard.

"The marriage of Prince Xi and Conferred Princess Fang Xiaoting was announced. it would take place two days after the Lunar New year"

Eunuch Du replied to the Emperor, who on hearing the news got up and instructed General Jang.

"Send a message to our silent partner and book me a room at the Garden of Beautiful flowers for tomorrow night"

******

*The Empress dowager's palace, Jin State*

"Jiu'er I hope I can count on you to handle this"The Empress dowager said facing her niece, Empress Hua.

" Yes your majesty, I promise that won't disappoint you," the Empress said and left the Empress dowager's palace

It was no secret who held the power in the Haram. The Empress dowager wasn't the Emperor's birth mother but raised him as her own.

The Emperor's birth mother the previous Empress abandoned him after a traveling Taoist priest professed that he would bring about the fall of the Jin state.

The prophecy lost the title of the crown prince and the Empress, who disowned him. The Empress dowager previously titled Noble Consort Jiang took him in and raised him as her own.

The Empress dowager lost her son a few years back, he had been killed during her father's rebellion

She had poisoned the past Emperor with a slow acting poison for years before killing him.

The previous Emperor to pass a secret degree that passed the throne onto the third prince Sima Jung.

That was soon clarified by Sima Hong, who killed his brother, demoting his mother, and imprisoned her at the cold palace.

He Promoted Noble Consort Jiang to Empress dowager and crowned her niece Jiang Sujiu as the Empress.

Ten years later the mother and son pair still wished to conquer Great Han.

****

When The Empress arrived at her palace, she sent for Eunuch Zhang and presented the Nameplate of the Concubine to serve the Emperor.

It was none other than Princess Zhou Xiren His maternal cousin and his birth mother's niece.

Princess Zhou Xiren was betrothed to him as his main wife but was given the title of Concubine.

As opposed to the title of Noble Consort which was befitting her station as a princess f second rank. This was done to hurting the past Empress and destroying the Past Empress's Family

**********

At the small unfurnished chamber, a spender beautiful woman was seated at a dressing table, while a group of servants prepared her to serve the Emperor.

Her maid gently ran a comb through her hair with a stoic expression, even the servant applying her make-up barely controlled herself from bursting into tears.

it was normal knowledge that anyone that served the Emperor at the Growth pavilion never came back. The Empress dowager personally sent her off with one or two fabricated offenses.

"Bier get me my aunt's journal box"

The soft voice belonging to Madam Zhou, the next unfortunate victim of the Empress dowager's wrath said

"Yes, your highness" her maidservant Bi'er replied and going into the storeroom. A few minutes later she returned with a box that had seen better days.

Zhou Xiren just looked up and smiling waved the maidservant to the side, not long after she was ready to serve the Emperor.

Zhou Xiren was helped out by her servants and together with Bi'er headed for the Growth pavilion.

On their arrival, she turned to Bi'er and taking the box from her walked into the room to wait for the Emperor.

Zhou Xiren had been married for ten years to the Emperor but had served him only once. She had given birth to a girl who was stolen from her crib at night.

Based on the Empress's bitter words her nameplate was never presented to the Emperor.

Since she was chosen to serve the Emperor, the Empress dowager must have decided to cut all loose ends.

It seemed that the Empress dowager still feared her aunt. Zhou Xiren was in deep thoughts until the Eunuch announced the Emperor's arrival. She quickly stood and kneeling bowed her head to the ground.

"You may rise"

The Emperor said as he walked in and shut the door, he turned back to see the most angelic face she had ever seen.

His mother Empress always talked about her beauty, raved on how Zhou Xiren was a good match but he always doubted. Since the previous Empress wasn't much of a mother to him.

"greetings your majesty" Zhou Xiren replied

She stood only for a minute before falling to her knees with a force that shocked the Emperor. He thought she was about to beg for her life but her next words truly shocked him.

"Your majesty please give this concubine a chance to tell a tale that will put you at ease and clarify all doubts, I only asked that you look at the contents of this box," said holding out an old box.

The Emperor curious to see what was in the box took a seat in front of her and waved her over.

Zhou Xi'an quickly walked up to him and handed the box over to him. The Emperor unlocked the box, in the box was a pile of official letters and commands all sealed with the imperial seal that belonged to the last Emperor and Empress.

He picked up the letter at the top and read it through followed by the next until he was done with the whole pile.

He called in his shadow guard Du Bao and gave the order for him to kill all the Empress dowager's servants and put the Empress dowager on house arrest together with the Empress

He called in Eunuch Du who on arrival, he ordered to tell him the truth concerning the Imperial Royal Haram of the past Emperor.

Eunuch Du began to tell the tale of how the Past Emperor and Empress were misled by the Empress dowager to disinherit the current Emperor to get the crown for her son.

The past Emperor soon discovered her plans but that was five years after the current emperor's birth.

After the failed attempt to get the throne by her family instigated by her, he also discovered that the second Prince was not his child but that of his best friend Prime Minister Jung.

He had killed the Prince to destroy the evidence and banished Prime Minister Jung but she threatened to kill the present Emperor as she had poisoned him for years hence the Emperor let her live.

The previous Emperor made a deal with her to poison him instead of the present Emperor. The Empress was aware but after so many years Noble consort Jiang had poisoned her son's mind against her.

Which broke her heart every day hence she sent her most reliable eunuch, Eunuch Du to serve him.

The Emperor was speechless at the end of the tale, he began to analyze his youth. A few minutes later his private guard returned and reported that the Empress dowager and the Empress were detained.

Among the letters was a doctor's report stating that the Empress was responsible for the death of his deceased children and their mother Consort Chen who was pregnant with twin boys on her death.

*******

The next day the Eunuch read the Emperor's confession, stating all his crime and his punishment of forty days fasting and prayers.

The promotion of the Deceased third prince to Emperor Emeritus and demotion of the Empress dowager to a slave. He reinstatement of the Past Empress to Empress dowager.

He demoted the present Empress and her family to slaves and the crowned of Conferred princess Zhou Xiren the Empress.

The Emperor returned to the news of the Empress dowager's suicide. He gave her a proper burial as payment for raising him.