CHAPTER FORTY

The doors of the Imperial Princess' Chambers were opened and the Empress along with the Crown Princess walked in.

The Crown Prince and Princess Toyomike turned around along with the Emperor and his two Consorts to look at them as they approached Princess Toyomike.

Princess Toyomike smiled at the both of them.

"Your Highness." She said as she bowed her head.

"Congratulations." The Crown Princess added as she did the same.

"Thank you." Princess Toyomike said.

"Heaven is in deed with you and you have been blessed with such a very beautiful daughter." The Empress said.

"News travels about so first, you even heard that she was a baby girl before looking at her." Princess Toyomike said.

"Of course, good news must be shared and the whole world should know." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"You are right Your Highness." Princess Toyomike said. "It is good News that shouldn't be confined selfishly " She added.

"She is very beautiful and she takes after her mother." The Crown Prince said as Princess Toyomike put her cheek there for him to caress.

The Crown Princess felt so suffocated that she angrily clenched her fist.

"Now that the child has been born Your Majesty, we can finally clear the air and let the two of them get married." Consort Ōane no Kimi said.

"What do you think Consort Katashishime?" She asked.

"I also think that the two of them should tie the knot." Consort Katashishime confirmed.

"Yes father." The Crown Prince said, "I have known Her Highness for some time and I can confidently tell that she shall make in a wife to the Imperial household and a mother to the people." He added.

"I too father would have no regrets at all devoting my entire life to loving His Highness, cherishing him and supporting him that as the burden of the Crown in future grows so heavy for him to bear then I shall help him ease the weight." Princess Toyomike said.

The Crown Princess tried her very best to contain her anger and the Princess seemed to have noticed that and she was more determined to keep annoying her.

"Father." Princess Toyomike called.

"Yes dear?" The Emperor replied.

"Don't we remind you of yourself and mother when you were also in love?" Princess Toyomike asked.

The Empress was instantly displeased when that topic was brought up.

"Yes." The Emperor replied and it was as though a sharp shard of glass had pierced right through her heart that she tightly held her chest and stumbled.

"Your Highness." Consort Ōane no Kimi said as she held her up but the Empress halted her.

"I am fine." She said.

"What do you think about the Imperial Princess' marriage to the Crown Prince?" Consort Ōane no Kimi asked.

"They are already engaged so I don't think that this is something that we should debate about, let them get married." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"Thank you so much Your Highness." Princess Toyomike said as she bowed her head.

"Thank you so much mother." The Crown Prince said as he remained playing with the child.

"Don't you think that you have played with her for too long?" Princess Toyomike asked.

"It's natural that most fathers love their daughters and they are very protective of them just like father has always been with you." The Crown Prince said and everyone laughed while the Emperor and the Crown Princess simply reacted like the rest but not heartily.

"That's right." The Emperor said.

"Your Highness, don't you wish to hold your granddaughter?" Princess Toyomike asked the Empress who was standing by and everyone turned around and looked at her.

"Sure." The Empress replied as she stretched out her hands while the Crown Prince reluctantly gave up the child.

"I was already so fond of her she clearly is my favorite." The Crown Prince said and the Empress embracing the girl in her arms she looked at it.

There was a burning sensation that stung her heart so much that she felt like crushing the child but she couldn't.

She also wanted to throw it down but she couldn't, to her own blood she was getting such cold emotions that very deadly even monsters couldn't over their children.

Her hate for the Imperial Princess was so much that it had turned her into someone she had never been before.

She smiled.

"She's beautiful." She said as her eyes became teary, "she is just like her mother." She added as she smiled that the Emperor thought they were tears of joy.

Eventually, everyone walked out of the Princess's Chambers and the Empress along with her people walked until they halted at the bridge that stood right above the Imperial pond.

"Your Highness." Sakae said that the Empress clenched her fist.

"Silence." She said as she turned and looked st the water, appreciating the view, she inhaled deeply as she closed her eyes and the first memory that came to her was the last words of the Iname as he warned her.

"The Imperial Princess." Empress Ishi Hime said, "Her Imperial Highness." she added as she smiled.

"Milady, please calm down." Sakae said.

"It doesn't matter how much that I am going to do, my victory is always temporary yet on her side it's as if even the worst case scenario is a success to her.

Everything is in her favour and in deed I had thought that she was nothing compared to me. I put my people within the Imperial court so that I could consolidate my position as the Mistress of the Inner court." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"His Highness has been totally Bewitched by that woman." Sakae said.

"He is so madly in love with her that you should have seen the both of them in front of us, they were on the verge of canoodling in front of the whole world painting a picture perfect family and as if it was not enough remind his Majesty of the relationship that he shared with her mother." The Empress said furiously but still maintained an awfully calm expression on her face.

"Your Highness, there must be something that we can do." Sakae said, "Originally I had thought that the Crown Prince hearing that it was a daughter he would be disappointed but it turns out that everything backfired in our face." She added.

"He is very much like his father when the Imperial Princess herself was born, you don't understand that for a man's favorite mistress, anything that she delivers for him is good enough." Empress Ishi Hime replied, "It never at once dawned on me that I'd also have to compete with any woman for my son's favour but now I realize that more than anything else the advent of this woman was the beginning of my misfortune." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"She has been bedridden all this time she couldn't organize for any followers of her own in the Imperial court and I heard that with the way that the things have been restructured, Umako is finding difficulties in his duties each and every day because all the men under him are only loyal to the service of his predecessor." Sakae said.

"Naturally we'd expect him to form an alliance with the Imperial Princess considering that it is her clan they are going to support her and back her up in the inner court.

Her favour from the Crowd Prince is another key factor that is going to propel her to match up to my might as some Officials and Imperial concubines might wish to curry favour with her.

Before we can do anything the first thing that we must ensure is that she falls from grace in the eyes of the Crown Prince and we elevate the Crown Prince to a much higher favour." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"What should I do your Highness?" Sakae asked.

"Fight fire with fire." Empress Ishi Hime replied, "It has been a long while that I think we can call back Prince Anahobe to finish what he started." She added.

"Yes Your Highness." Sakae said as she smiled ghastly at him.

The Crown Princess walked into her Chambers furiously and out of so much rage she ceased everything that was on her dressing table and threw it away as she picked up a cup that was made from clay and she threw it at the gilded mirror before her and it cracked.

She stared at the cracks and she was instantly drawn to her own reflection that she sat down in front of the mirror.

"Your Highness." Hotaru said as she went on her knees and bowed her head but the Crown Princess halted her with her left hand.

"Say less." She coldly spoke and that was enough to silence Hotaru who studied her miserable mistress keenly and found her to be so pitiful.

"Hotaru?" The Crown Princess called.

"Yes Your Highness." Hotaru replied.

"What is it that the Imperial Princess Toyomike has that I do not?" She asked.

"I don't know your Highness " Hotaru replied.

"Aren't I graceful?" She asked.

"You are Your Highness." Hotaru replied.

"Aren't I fair, kind and intelligent?" She asked.

"You are Your Highness." Hotaru replied.

"Aren't I beautiful?" The Crown Princess asked.

"Above all your beauty surpasses that of ordinary women and you are perhaps the most beautiful that I have ever seen." Hotaru replied.

"No." The Crown Princess said as she stared at her cracked multiple reflections.

"They say that the mirror is mist honest " The Crown Princess said.

"Yes Your Highness." Hotaru replied.

"And beauty itself is in the eyes of the beholder." The Crown Princess added.

"Yes Your Highness." Hotaru affirmed.

"In your eyes I am most beautiful but it isn't you I cherish. Rather it is the Crown Prince and as long as Princess Toyomike us still alive and she walks this earth I shall always be second to her in everything before his eyes." The Crown Princess said.

"Your Highness, you shall prevail over that wench." Hotaru said.

"She is so confident since the Crown Prince dotes on her." The Crown Princess said.

"Eventually, she shall become normal like each and every other Consort of the Crown Prince." Hotaru comforted.

"With Princess Toyomike you can never be too sure." The Crown Princess replied, "Do you know the worst thing about obsession?" She asked.

"Enlighten me Your Highness." Hotaru said.

"When you are obsessed over something you do whatever it takes to make sure that it is yours and yours alone you don't have to share it." The Crown Princess replied.

"Yes Your Highness." Hotaru said.

"I am so obsessed and so madly in love with the Crown Prince that I am determined even if it is to bury everyone else in Nippon I'll do it so that I do not have to share his heart and his affection with anyone else." The Crown Princess said.

"I understand your Highness." Hotaru said.

"It seems that I have been overly lenient with the Imperial Princess but now since she was the one who struck me first I am going to take the honour of returning the favor." The Crown Princess said.

"What shall we do Your Highness, as it seems that very soon Her Highness is going to enjoy her New status as the Crown Prince's Consort." Hotaru said.

"Just as we women find it intolerable to share the affection of our husbands with anyone else, our husbands also find it intolerable for to share our affection with other men." The Crown Princess replied.

"You are saying that...." Sakae was saying.

"Yes." The Crown Princess replied, "Her Highness is going to be caught in an extramarital affair with another." The Crown Princess replied as she smiled ghastly.

Princess Toyomike was in her Chambers as she watched her baby lying in it's crib.

Sina and Kabane walked over to her and admiring it they smiled.

"Congratulations Your Highness." Sina said.

"She is beautiful just like you." Kabane added.

"He is in deed right." Sina confirmed.

"It seems that everyone really sees the same in her." Princess Toyomike said, "It's all that they gave been telling me since morning." She added.

"It's true Your Highness." Kabane said.

"At last that she has been born all there is that is left for her to do is to survive." Princess Toyomike said.

"It won't be something very easy because her safety shall never be guaranteed as long as it is in this Palace that she is residing under the awful reign of the Empress." Sina said.

"Yes Your Highness." Kabane said.

"There is no day that goes by that I don't worry, now all that I must do is to oust the Empress out of power so that I can protect this child." Princess Toyomike said as she stood up and then she walked towards the window in her room.

"Your Highness." Kabane said, "Her Highness won't rest until she has completely annihilated you.

"I've been dormant for quite a long time but now that I have found my revival it is time that everything that we had planned for the Imperial court fell into place." Princess Toyomike replied.

"Your Highness, of recent your uncle has had issues running his duties, he could be quite competent for the task but the problem right now is that most of the people serving under him were Mononobe no Moriya's underlings." Sina said.

"There will is very hard to break it's going to be very difficult for the Sogas to maintain their influence in the Imperial court as the Empress' shall only grow." Kabane said.

"I am aware of that and first thing is first I want you to send something over to General Fujiyaro's Manor." Princess Toyomike said.

"Yes Your Highness." Sina replied as the Princess walked over to her cupboard and opening it, she removed an envelope which she handed over to Sina.

"Make sure that there is absolute secrecy and watch out because you are very much aware that the Empress herself has eyes and ears all over the place." Princess Toyomike said.

"Yes Your Highness." Sina replied as Princess Toyomike turned to Kabane.

"I trust your skills and there is no one that is more fit for this task so I am going to ask you to go to the Ise Grand shrine and find me the finest bird feeds." Princess Toyomike said.

"Yes Your Highness." Kabane replied as he bowed his head.

"Give the guards outside an order that whatever the case is, they shouldn't let anyone into this manor except for the members of the Imperial family." Princess Toyomike said.

"Yes Your Highness." The two replied in unison.

"When you are done with all that I want you to get me a list of all the names of the Imperial Consorts and Concubines that have sent over gifts to congratulate me." Princess Toyomike ordered.

"Yes Your Highness." The two replied.

"That's it for today." Princess Toyomike said as the two walked away leaving her alone in the room with her baby.

"It is high time my daughter that you also became a legitimate issue." Princess Toyomike whispered to the sleeping child as she caressed her cheek with her right hand. "For as long as me your mother I am still alive, I shall certainly protect you." She added.

The Courtiers had gathered in court the following day and the Emperor as usual was seated on the Chrysanthemum throne with the Imperial Prince standing right there by his side with the other Courtiers.

"Your Majesty." They all said in unison as they greeted the Emperor.

"May you all rise." The Emperor said when at that moment The New Imperial Chieftain Mononobe no Moriya spoke up.

"Congratulations Your Majesty, heaven has graced you yet with the advent of another grand child." He said as he bowed his head.

"In deed I am thankful." The Emperor said, "As you must have heard, the Crown Prince and the Imperial Princess Toyomike welcomed their first child to the Imperial family." He added.

"Your Majesty." The Crown Prince said as he bowed down his head. "May I make a request father?" He added.

"Go ahead Crown Prince." The Emperor allowed and the Crown Prince faced all the other Courtiers.

"Thank you all and as you have said in deed heaven has blessed me, Her Imperial Highness Princess Toyomike has requested me to make a plea on Her behalf as all of you that are gathered here, she wishes to invite you all to the child's naming ceremony to be held tomorrow at her Palace." The Crown Prince Nunakakura said.

"I do not see any problem with that." The Emperor said.

"Her Highness is concerned and she thinks highly of his Majesty that she along with myself have both decided to give the Emperor the honour of naming our first child." The Crown Prince said.

At that point General Fujiyaro spoke up.

"Your Majesty." He said as he bowed his head.

"What is it?" The Emperor asked.

"It is clear that in deed her Highness is kind and virtuos to invite us all to her household despite being strangers who have barely known each other.

Additionally I'm respect of you as the elder in the family she has asked you to name her first child with the Crown Prince.

Nara is in deed blessed and if all women of the inner court could take her example then in deed the country could flourish the most diligent women in the East." General Fujiyaro said.

"His Excellency is right." Umako said.

"It seems that her Highness is quite talented in winning over the hearts of people, even two of my Courtiers praise her?" The Emperor said.

"Your Majesty we only hear for ourselves." General Fujiyaro said, "The streets were already beaming with gossip very early in the morning and the Empire itself was already drowned in praises to her." He added.

"Very well then, all that being said I can expect that everyone of you is going to be present for the Child's naming ceremony tomorrow." The Emperor said.

"Thank you Your Majesty." The Courtiers said as they bowed their heads.

"If that's all then I would certainly wish to dismiss this Assembly." The Emperor said.

"Your Majesty." There was a certain voice that came from the back of the room and everyone turned around to see who it was that was standing their.

In the very loose dark robes their was a young man who looked very thin but was handsome and though weak his tone was filled with confidence.

"Who are you?" The Emperor asked the young man who stepped in the middle to be seen by the Emperor.

"My name is FUJIWARA NO SHIGE OF THE FUJIWARA CLAN, I AM THE SON OF FUJIWARA NO AKI and MASA IE SADA and an Official serving under the SETTSU PROVINCE." The young man replied.

"What is it that you wish to say to me." The Emperor asked.

"Today is a very joyful occasion Your Majesty but however I wish right now to request his Majesty to impeach a very High Ranking Minister." The boy replied.

The Emperor looked and studied him keenly.

"Are you questioning My judgement as the Emperor?" The Emperor Kinmei asked.

"I dare not Your Highness but I myself I am a citizen of this country that has sworn loyalty to you, to watch while a minister is performing an act that is very wrong then I am betraying my own people and I have also betrayed the loyalty that I have sworn to you." Fujiwara no Shige replied.

"Very well then, who is this High Ranking Minister that you wish to Impeach?" The Emperor Kinmei asked.

"First subordinate to Ōmuraji Soga no Umako and the Minister in charge of State granaries and Military works Mononobe no Mori." Fujiwara no Shige replied.

The Emperor smacked the table that was stationed right in front of him.

"Do you have any idea what it is that you are saying?" The Emperor said as he stood up.

"Pardon me Your Majesty but I have proof of his wrongdoings with me." Fujiwara no Shige said as he walked over with a small book in his possession and knelt down before the Emperor who looked at Sato.

Sato walked up to the young man and taking the book into his hand he brought it over to the Emperor.

"What is this?" The Emperor asked.

"It's a records book that shows the people that Mononobe no Mori has been in touch with Your Majesty.

I am but an Inspector in the Settsu Province and recently it has come to my notice that land is plentiful but Everytime that there is a disaster that strikes, there are people who get a larger amount of the relief food than the others.

I decided to do my secret investigation and I came across this book of records on the way and as my suspicions were tight, there are people that choose to buy the relief food at a very high price.

Small rations of this food are given to the poor guy their are some bourgeoisie and third ranking aristocrats who pay Mononobe no Mori a handsome price so that they not only have the most relief food but also the best quality.

My investigation led me to uncover another hidden truth that it's not only for the food rations but also the military tools and works.

As it is that it has been a very long time that the country has spent without going to war, the Minister Mononobe no Mori used this to his advantage and he decided to sell the weapons to those owning private armies and guards." Fujiwara no Shige replied.

The Emperor looked through the list.

"All these names that are in here are in deed third ranking aristocrats." The Emperor said.

"There are a total of one hundred individuals your Majesty all of them with the conclusive sum and quantity." Fujiwara no Shige replied.

The Emperor smacked his table.

"Mori?" He called furiously.

"Your Majesty." Mononobe no Mori immediately fell to his knees.

"There is proof here in my hands, are this man's allegations true?" The Emperor asked.

"I am so sorry Your Majesty." Mononobe no Mori replied, "I admit my fault." He added and at that time the Emperor stood up and then he threw the book at him.

Mononobe no Moriya and Mononobe no Suke's hearts were beating faster than usual as they were in deed certain that their names were somewhere in the book given the fact that Moriya recalled writing down in it as well.

Mononobe no Mori picked up the book and looking at its pages he was surprised to see them all blank without any ink inside at all.

"Your Majesty." He said.

"I thought you to be a loyal servant but I am very much disgraced when even a young man like this without a solid political foundation and from a very humble background could see through you." The Emperor said.

"Forgive me Your Majesty." Mononobe no Mori said.

"It breaks my heart and I am so disappointed in you that I can not be consoled and as it is that you were a very young and capable man I grieve at Nippon's colossal talent that was overwhelmed and corrupted by greed." The Emperor said.

"I admit my fault." Mononobe no Mori said while Moriya and Suke sighed with relief as they wondered who the young man was.

"You Mononobe no Mori are hereby banished by my Imperial Decree to never return to Nara, go as far as Mutsu and serve there for the rest of your life to repent your sins.

This is my act of saving your life and I hope that you take it in good faith and don't walk that rugged path again because should I learn that you persisted then I shall see to it that this time you lose your head for good." The Emperor said.

"Thank you Your Majesty, Long Live Your Majesty." Mononobe no Mori said as he bowed down his head and standing up at once he walked out of the court.

"Fujiwara no Shige." The Emperor said as he turned to the Young man who was standing there.

"Yes Your Majesty." Fujiwara no Shige replied.

"You despite being a lowly official have exhibited the greatest courage to face a traitor of your own country, on top of that even without a hustle you have proven him guilty with simply your wisdom." The Emperor said.

"I am for Nippon Your Majesty and I am for you." Fujiwara no Shige said.

"As I have been graced to see your unwavering loyalty you most certainly posses a heart for the people and you are not selfish like others therefore I shall give you the very title that I have stripped from Mononobe no Mori himself." The Emperor said and at once the young man fell onto his knees.

"Thank you Your Majesty." Fujiwara no Shige said heartily.

"By Imperial decree, from this day you shall assist Ōmuraji Soga no Umako and serve under him as the Minister of State Granaries and Military works." The Emperor said.

"Thank you Your Majesty." Fujiwara no Shige said.

"That brings the assembly to an end, this Assembly is adjourned." The Emperor said as he stood up from his throne and followed by Sato he walked out of the Throne room while the Courtiers bowed their heads as they let him pass.

When he was out they started murmuring amongst themselves and Mononobe no Moriya turned around to look at him while the young boy stared at him as well.

The Courtiers walked out.

"Who is that boy?" Moriya asked Mononobe no Suke.

"I don't know." Mononobe no Suke replied, "I'll have a Group of people to do a background check on him." He added.

"Do that." Moriya's said.

"Today was quite unexpected." Mononobe no Suke said.

"You can tell that the boy being very young is very loyal and one of our primary subordinates under Umako has been uprooted Umako has won for himself a very wise and competent ally." Moriya said.

"But I don't think that such a young boy would gain that courage himself." Mononobe no Suke said.

"Find out each and everything that you can about his family, if he is such a competent talent and he us still young then there is some time for him to adjust to the very standard that we want.

By chance we could even make him loyal to us." Moriya said.

"I didn't think of that." Mononobe no Suke said.

"Of course as it is that I have become the Imperial Chieftain, if Umako still has that title attached to him then I can never rule the Imperial court along with those aristocrats.

The Sogas shall oppose my might and should the worst come to mind then we'll be pushed into an open war which isn't something that we are ready for.

We need as many people on our side as possible." Moriya said.

"Yes." Mononobe no Suke replied.

Umako walked out of the Throne room and standing atop the stairs while all the other ministers walked out, he looked at the sky when one of the Imperial Guards walked up to him.

"Your Excellency." He said as he bowed his head.

"What is it?" Umako asked.

"Her Imperial Highness Princess Toyomike wishes to have an audience with you." The guard replied and at once something came to Umako's mind.

"Take me to her." He said.

"Yes Your Excellency." The guard replied as he led the way.

Princess Toyomike was seated in her Chambers and sipping at a cup of tea when the doors were opened and Sina walked in.

"Your Highness." She said as she bowed her head.

"Tell me." Princess Toyomike said.

"He is here." Sina replied.

"Let him in." Princess Toyomike said "it's about time." She added with a smile and at once Sina walked out.

Umako walked in.

"Your Highness." He said as he bowed his head.

"Uncle." Princess Toyomike replied as she pointed at the chair that was opposite from where she was seated and Umako sat down in it.

"Why did you call for me?" Umako asked.

"I am sure you know very well uncle," Princess Toyomike replied, "how was my gift?" she asked.

"So it was you " Umako said as he smiled.

"I am proving to you that in trusting me you weren't wrong at all and considering the fact that upon my recovery I have been able to free you from the torment of having to suffer I have given you a reliable ally in exchange for your continued allegiance." Princess Toyomike said.

"You take after father so much, I now see why he took you to be so smart." Umako said.

"Empress Ishi Hime is a very smart person and a worthy contender, I fault her though that as she holds no concern for this Nippon and only her power, most of the people that she is working with have been stained and tainted with a lot of flaws both morally and socially.

If I could I would have exposed everyone of those greedy Courtiers but that wasn't my intention in the first place." Princess Toyomike said as she sipped at her cup of tea.

"I believe that I am already aware of that." Umako replied. "Wasn't it your intention to scare them and show them what you are capable of?" He asked.

"As the saying goes forewarned forearmed." Princess Toyomike replied, "My intent is to win over some of Empress Ishi Hime's followers them being capable, not to extinguish them." Princess Toyomike replied.

"But be careful, if you try to tame a tiger that is wild you might end up being hurt." Umako said.

"Men are quite funny, do you know why?" Princess Toyomike asked.

"Enlighten me." Umako replied.

"Unlike women who find it easier to mould devotion and die for it, men would rather do whatever they can as long as it saves their necks " Princess Toyomike replied ghastly.