THE BLACK CURSE

      Qing Yi sat down beside the bed while the Imperial physician took her mistress' pulse.

      "How's she been of recent?" the Imperial physician asked.

      "Not so well." Qing Yi replied, "she has been much of a heavy sleeper which is itself very surprising." She added.

      "When are her periods?" The Imperial physician asked.

      "In about the next ten days Sir." Qing Yi replied.

      "Then so it must be." he muttered under his breath.

      "You have examined Her Highness, care to tell me what is wrong with her?" Qing Yi asked.

      "She'll not have her next period." The Imperial physician said and Qing Yi shocked she widened her eyes while the old man stood up from where he was seated.

      "What do you mean?" Qing Yi asked.

      "To feel nauseous, irritated and very sensitive while sleeping heavily I can confirm even with the weak slippery pulse that's coming from her body." the Imperial physician said.

      "Sir." Qing Yi said.

      "Pass my congratulations when she wakes up and look after her while I'll tend to his Majesty, it calls for a celebration after all now that Her Highness is with Child." The Imperial physician muttered and Qing Yi along with all the other ladies in waiting seemed overjoyed.

      "I'll see to it." She said and the physician bowing his head he walked out of the room while Nuwa moved closer to the bed and soaking a piece of fabric she placed it on her forehead.

      "Congratulations Milady." She whispered, "your days of suffering have come to an end." She added as she wiped away the sweat that was on her forehead.

      "What?" Prince Zhao Kuo said as he shot up from where he was seated.

      "Minutes later after your departure from the Imperial Princess Consort's Chambers Her Highness passed out and it has been confirmed by the Imperial physician that she is with child." Lan He replied while the young Prince fell down into his seat.

     "It must have been then." He muttered under his breath.

      "Congratulations Your Highness." Lan He said with a smile on his face.

      "Forget it." Prince Zhao Kuo said.

      "Her Highness is with Child?" Empress Li asked.

      "It has been confirmed Your Highness." Liu Zhan replied and the Empress hearing that she smiled ghastly resting her hand on the arm of her seat.

      "I suppose Han Touzhou will be pleased to hear the news, after all, another child then she has certainly secured her position." The Empress remarked calmly.

      "It's good enough once a child is conceived but the possibility of it being born isn't a certainty and a very large number of people in the walls of the Palace no well how many babies have been buried." Liu Zhan said.

      "You are implying that I destroy my own flesh and blood?" Empress Li asked.

      "Itself already being born of that woman isn't good enough." Liu Zhan said.

      "But it's a tool that we can use efficiently." Empress Li remarked.

      "Yes Your Highness." Liu Zhan replied, "but how?" she asked.

      "There's two things about being an Imperial Princess Consort and the first though being affiliated with the Imperial house, the latter being a prisoner is the most awful side of it." Empress Li replied.

      "So the Princess Consort Han is a prisoner?" Liu Zhan asked.

      "My son has other women some of which are older than the young and naive Han, knowing that in this Palace I am the only one that can protect her as long as she has the Imperial seed, it's only a matter of time before Han Touzhou can humble himself for the time being." Empress Li replied.

      Yang Meizi stood in the room right next to the Retired Emperor and watched him as he revised a couple of memorials.

       There was some Silence and the Emperor growing restless he broke it when he spoke up first.

       "You weren't entirely wrong the other time." He said and Yang Meizi alarmed she smiled.

       "I'm glad Your Majesty took to heart what I mentioned." She said.

        "Yet you could be so brazen to speak up to me." The Emperor said.

       "I'm one that believes that governance is an excuse." Yang Meizi remarked.

       "Is that so?" Emperor Xiaozong asked.

       "Think about it Your Majesty." Yang Meizi replied and the Emperor caressing his beard he turned his eyes to her.

       "Then tell me what's tiresome about running a country?" He asked.

       "When the people get hungry and the prices rise they feel persecuted for being poor, a number of officials sell the food in state reserves to the rich for their own selfish purposes when it's supposed to be kept for relief.

       You have many eyes and ears but they aren't entirely yours and constantly you are surrounded by enemies and men who believe that they can do the job better the best wanting you at least deposed and the worst dead

       For centuries I believe it has been the policy of the world that we have lived in but even in the most glorious Tang there were rebels and usurpers alike surely there's never been an Emperor without burdens." Yang Meizi replied.

      "Then having spoken all that why say that state affairs are an excuse?" The retired Emperor Xiaozong asked.

      "There are twenty four hours in a day and a total of nine for rest and leisure Your Majesty, to some people even your presence is good enough so a minute of the nine could make your subjects and your harem love you." Yang Meizi replied.

      "You really are honey lipped." Emperor Xiaozong said, "now these Courtiers are all complaining about a mass robbery and a large number have grown too lax with time." He added.

       "This is the concern of the reigning Emperor." Yang Meizi said.

       "Are you asking me to ignore this?" Emperor Xiaozong asked.

       "Children want their parents to have faith in them and be proud, the only way that you can help His Majesty and be proud of him later is if you are to leave him to learn how to handle some things alone.

       When he succeeds the Courtiers will praise you, when he succeeds the people will love him, moreso, this great country of our fore fathers will still stand strong and endure all hardships for generations to come." Yang Meizi replied with a smile on her face.

       "If you say so then, I wish to see for myself what this great and filial son of mine can do." The Emperor said.

       "I heard that Princess Consort Han is with child a couple of days ago." Yang Meizi muttered.

       "Then he must be proud that he is going to be a grandfather." Emperor Xiaozong said.

       "It's an auspicious moment for the Imperial house and in my opinion learning from the common people why doesn't Your Majesty host a prayer ceremony for the young couple?" Yang Meizi requested.

       "You can tell the Empress Dowager." Emperor Xiaozong said.

       "Her Highness is old, the Emperor would be more pleased if this blessing came from his father, the Imperial house has hardly come together in a while, don't you think that it's about time they took you for a very kind father?" Yang Meizi asked.

      The Emperor Silent he smiled.

      "You seem better off an advisor than a Head Lady." He muttered.

      "I have grown up in the Palace for a while, sometimes to calm the people of the country divine favour must be sought to give the world assurance for Providence." Yang Meizi said.

      "The Zhangxian Mingsu Empress was an avid performer of such rites, until now it's hardly been revived." Emperor Xiaozong said.

       "But the Jurchen Rebels don't seem to understand, the Dynasty is continuing and by heaven's will it's important that they learn that it's not to end soon." Yang Meizi muttered while bowing her head and slowly withdrawing from the hall leaving the Emperor lost in thought as her words lingered at the back of his mind.

       Yang Meizi was joined by Nuwa as she entered her Chambers and made her way towards the table nearby where Bao Langya and Bo An dressed in the Soldier's armour were already waiting for her.

      "I believe it's fine to have your presence on such a short notice." She said.

      "Good News." Bao Langya replied.

      "I am sure I am already aware." Yang Meizi said.

      "The houses went well as we speak we have already lent money to the Nobles and for guarantee they have offered some of their finest plots of land with an interest promised." Bo An said.

       "Today is a very good day." Yang Meizi remarked with a smile on her face.

       "In deed it is." Bao Langya agreed.

       "The Palace is getting quite lively and a couple of days ago the Imperial Princess Consort Han was revealed to be expecting." Yang Meizi said.

       "Then is it safe to say that Han Touzhou is going to be a grandfather?" Bo An said.

       "He will be but that's not what matters." Yang Meizi replied.

       "If not then what is it that could be more important?" Bao Langya asked.

        "Any time from now the Retired Emperor is likely to organize a prayer ceremony for the young woman and her child and as I know the one thing that people fear the most isn't power but heaven's ill omen." Yang Meizi replied.

       "I still don't understand." Bao Langya said.

       "The Child is only too innocent to face my wrath but Han Touzhou will feel high with it's birth which is why it's necessary to cut down the ladder before he can use it to climb." Yang Meizi replied as she looked at them happily.

      "Could it be?" Bo An asked.

      "If she is already two months pregnant in the next seven months the child will be born under inauspicious signs, our role is to take advantage of that future much sooner and if better even bolster it by giving them a prayer ceremony that they shall never forget." Yang Meizi replied as she smiled ghastly.

      "A prayer ceremony?" Empress Dowager Wu replied.

      "Yes Your Highness." Wan'er replied.

      "That's very much unlike the Emperor." Empress Dowager Wu remarked.

      "If for the welfare of the Imperial house then how bad could it be?" Wan Mei asked.

       "There's one or two things about the prayer ceremonies." Empress Dowager Wu replied, "the first being that it's a blessing that is attracted portending to the kingdom's greatness and the second is a curse coming into consideration portending to the kingdom's downfall." She added.

      "I wouldn't take it that way, it seems a bit too far fetched." Wan'er remarked.  

      "I admit that I have only seen this stratagem right now." Empress Dowager Wu muttered.

      "A stratagem?" Wan Mei asked.

      "Of recent Eunuch Qin has frequently been tending to the new Emperor that Yang Meizi has spent more time around him.

       Not so long ago the Retired Emperor has started to act affectionate towards his wife which was a very rare instance." Empress Dowager Wu replied.

      "So it's likely that Yang Meizi has influenced the past events?" Wan'er asked.

       "It certainly must be as a majority of the Nobles are now close to wearing rugs and she started up financing houses though the money I wasn't well informed where it is coming from.

      When I think about it, this is her one way of going up against Han Touzhou with each and everything that she has sparing the enemy no time to react and acting when he'd least expect it." Empress Dowager Wu replied picking up her cup of tea.

      "Aren't you worried that she might become a little bit too powerful?" Wan Mei asked and the Empress Dowager about to sip at her cup of tea she lowered it that very instant on the table on front of her.

      "Too powerful?" She asked as she smiled at the both of them.

      "Your Highness." they said in unison concerned.

      "All these years I admit that I have been a powerful foe for Han Touzhou and I have held down his hands on a number of occassions but you might forget that I don't have forever and on the other hand I am starting to grow very old as I'm losing out on the black strands of my hair." Empress Dowager Wu replied, "I might as well say that at this time I might only be able to help her try and reach her dream but there was something strange from the very first time that I looked into her eyes when she was young." She added.

       "Pardon us." Wan'er said.

       "I understand that you are only concerned but from the moment that she was pleading for vengeance I couldn't find any peace and at once I was consequently reminded of the words that that old man said to me." Empress Dowager Wu said.

        "Iron sharpens iron, just as your Highness shall forge a sword without a haft and wield it long enough and if so what you want is the Victory of your own people and the greatness of the nation then aid she who will live through the reigns of five King's." Wan Mei said them.

       "There's not a single person in this Palace that boasts her most remarkable ambition, not the Empress not the Emperor himself and moreso not me." Empress Dowager Wu said, "I have never seen someone who schemes so flawlessly and understands the way of the sword and sabre and someone who from nothing could gain as much power to contend with the might of the Crown." She added.

      "So you believe that Yang Meizi is that Sovereign star?" Wan'er asked.

      "I'm not wrong when I say that she was a child that was born under the brilliance of the North Star." Empress Dowager Wu replied.

       Prince Zhao Kuo was walking through the hallways in the Palace while Shi Miyuan coming from the opposite end he approached him.

       The two seeing each other exchanged glances and Shi Miyuan walking closer he bowed his head to the Prince who didn't seem happy to appreciate his salutation.

      "Congratulations Your Highness." Shi Miyuan said.

      "There's no need." Prince Zhao Kuo replied.

      "Surely Children are a blessing from heaven Your Highness." Shi Miyuan said.

       "We all once we're." Prince Zhao Kuo remarked.

       "It is said that they bring parents closer than  anything else being the living example and evidence of their love." Shi Miyuan muttered.

       "About how many children in the world are cherished?" Prince Zhao Kuo asked.

       "I know your Highness isn't like any other reckless father." Shi Miyuan said.

        "Until now you are pushing it." Prince Zhao Kuo said.

        "I am a fellow man and I can tell by looking at you in the eye that we aren't that different from one another when it comes to the things that we want." Shi Miyuan said. 

        "And what could you give?" Prince Zhao Kuo asked.

        "My heart." Shi Miyuan replied, "I could love, I could cherish, I could protect, I could support with my everything." Shi Miyuan replied.

       "But she is a Court Lady." Prince Zhao Kuo said.

       "And that won't make me give up." Shi Miyuan replied as he bowed his head and started off past him.

      "I hope you are certain you won't change your mind, walking from here you are declaring war with me." Prince Zhao Kuo said.

       "Yes Your Highness, but I won't fight for her heart because I already have it." Shi Miyuan replied as he continued while the Imperial grandson bowed clenched his fists as Lan He noticed.

      "Calm down Your Highness." He said.

      "Are you asking for death?" Prince Zhao Kuo asked.

      "Pardon me Your Highness." Lan He replied.

      "It is clear to me right now that he isn't even afraid what I could possibly do to him." Prince Zhao Kuo remarked.

       "Perhaps he knows that if you hurt him then Head Lady Yang might never forgive you." Lan He replied.

       "And maybe his intuition is right." Prince Zhao Kuo said as he sighed so utterly depressed his eyes were teary.

       "Why of all people does she choose to not see me?" He asked himself.

       "I don't know Your Highness." Lan He replied, "if we don't go right now I fear that we shall be very late for the prayer ceremony." he added.

      "Let's go." The Prince ordered and leading the way Lan He and the others followed him closely from behind until they approached the Courtyard to Princess Consort Han's Palace that was already filled with a large number of people.

      Members of the Imperial Clan and close relatives of the expecting mother had gathered carrying gifts with them and the young Prince looking around he was suddenly joined by the Empress.

       "Mother?" He greeted while bowing his head.

       "I heard that you haven't been yourself of late." Empress Li said.

       "I was just a little bit caught up with studies." Prince Zhao Kuo replied when the Princess Consort Han walked over and stood right in front of her.

       "Your Highness." She greeted.

       "No Red Tape, I don't wish to make the child uncomfortable." Empress Li replied with a smile.

       "Two months it's still very small." Princess Consort Han remarked.

       "That's no way to look after yourself, small or not it is the child of the Imperial house, you of all people should know that you can not be too lax." Empress Li scolded lightly still smiling.

       "I'll take your kind advice to heart." Princess Consort Han replied smiling about just the same as she turned to her husband and looked at him.

       "It's about time for the worship." She said.

       "Lead the way." Prince Zhao Kuo said and the latter smiling she took him to the front where the two held a set of Jade tablets while facing the statue of the Buddha that had been moved outside.

       Yang Meizi having joined in the ceremony she stood at the top of the balcony in a distance with her ladies in waiting as she watched everything going on so smoothly while the expecting couple were kowtowing.

       "What's going to happen?" Nuwa asked.

       "It's almost noon." Yang Meizi replied, "you just wait and see for yourself." She added as the  Princess Consort and everyone bowing their heads altogether they kept them down for a while.

       She heard a squeak breaking loose from somewhere and looking up ahead she caught sight of a black mouse she leaped up and shouted winning over everyone's attention.

       "What's the matter with you?" Prince Zhao Kuo asked along with Han Touzhou and Han Guang who were stationed at the back when the sound became very loud and looking behind the Buddha a number of black rats had already mounted it that the whole compound was thrown into turmoil while Yang Meizi where she was standing seeing the expressions she smiled so satisfied as she turned around and walked away.

       Pula was seated in a restaurant still caught up in his thoughts remembering the words that Shi Miyuan had told him.

        "To have the informants dealt with is enough." Pula had remarked.

       "But certainly can't keep the walls Silent." Shi Miyuan replied, "your father's caring for loyalty and you your business, with the wealth that I own I can buy you all entirely and give you a much more favourable place to stay while sparing your life for her sake." Shi Miyuan warned him and furious he picked up the small cup of liquor and then poured it down his throat.

         A waiter brought over a bowl of rice and placed it in front of him and while he picked up the chopsticks to dig in, the doors of the room were flung open and a couple of men dressed in the Capital patrols' uniform walked in.

         "Did you hear what happened at the prayer ceremony for the Imperial grandson's Princess Consort and her child?" One asked.

        "There were black rats all over her Palace, the news had already spread to every corner." Another replied.

       "There are rumours that the child she is carrying will be unfortunate." One said.

       "It must certainly be, aren't you curious how hundreds of black rats were able to break lose on the day of the prayer ceremony and moreso in her palace it is a lot worse than one could have expected." Another replied.

       "In deed it must be." One said as they sat down at the table that was just close by Pula's.

       "If the Child is bound to be unfortunate then it's a shame on the Imperial Clan moreso the Hans themselves." The other replied.

       "They were already becoming prominent but all of a sudden that success appears to be slowly waning." They remarked amongst themselves while Pula having eavesdropped much of their conversation he stood up and placing the money on the table he walked out.

       Empress Dowager Wu walked into Yang Meizi's Chamber and the latter recognising her presence she sent out everyone else until the two of them remained alone.

       "Please have a seat Your Highness." Yang Meizi said and the Empress Dowager lowering herself into the seat Yang Meizi took the one right across the table.

       "I believe you know what has brought me here." Empress Dowager Wu said.

       "I believe I know well enough Your Highness." Yang Meizi replied.

       "Why?" She asked.

       "It's only logical that there is a bad omen in the air, a number of the Nobles might disregard superstitions but it's what the majority of the people cherish and believe in." Yang Meizi replied.

       "Only three days when the prayer ceremony was announced but black rats to pull off the show, I am in deed impressed." Empress Dowager Wu remarked.

       "Thank you Your Highness." Yang Meizi replied.

       "Such a well played game." The Empress Dowager said.

       "Han Touzhou has fallen so far from the tree that he can not climb high enough, how could we spare him the chance of using the Imperial house?" Yang Meizi asked.

       "And now that it has been done what's next?" Empress Dowager Wu asked.

       "Nothing is done Your Highness." Yang Meizi replied, "only just the beginning." She added.

       "The beginning?" The Empress Dowager asked.

        "Are you not curious Your Highness?" Yang Meizi asked, "rats could pull it off very well but my interest isn't the prayer ceremony or the ill omen that happened to occur." She added.

         "If not then enlighten me." Empress Dowager Wu said.

        "If misfortune is made public and the crime is within the Imperial household, what is supposed to be done for curses and ill omens?" Yang Meizi asked.

         "Cleansing." Empress Dowager Wu replied.

         "Suppose it's the Inner Court's duty with Your Highness as it's head to push forward to seek divine favour?" Yang Meizi asked.

         "Who would tell what the heavens demand?" Empress Dowager Wu replied as she smiled ghastly.

        "It's unfortunate that the Imperial Princess Consort seems too unlucky but as she must atone for certain sins and seek heaven's salvation how long would it take for the people to demand what should be done for the Imperial house to be redeemed?" Yang Meizi asked.

        "Are you certain with this?" Empress Dowager Wu asked.

        "If I wasn't how would I speak up to you?" Yang Meizi replied.

        "And I suppose you need a favour?" Empress Dowager Wu asked.

        "Since Your Majesty has asked there is a very good con man that I trust could make the job easier for the both of us and as I was well informed he knows how to test for the presence of evil and he is quite a make believe." Yang Meizi replied.

       Nuwa and Wan Mei standing outside the doors of the room were flung open as the Dowager Empress stepped out.

        "Summon all the Ladies of the Inner Court." She demanded.

        "Yes Your Highness." They all replied in unison and bowing their heads they dispersed while the Dowager Empress remained behind with Wan Mei.

        "What's it Your Highness?" She asked.

        "We need to deal with this ill omen." Empress Dowager Wu replied as she smiled ghastly.

        Princess Consort Han was seated in her Chambers when the doors being flung open Wan'er led in a couple of ladies in waiting each one of them dressed in plain white and black attires.

        "What is this?" Princess Consort Han asked as she stood up from her chair.

        "Reporting to Her Highness on the orders of the Empress Dowager." Wan'er replied while the others behind her paid their respects.

        "Is now the time?" Princess Consort Han asked.

        "Anything concerning the Imperial house is a matter of the inner Court and the actions at the prayer ceremony cannot be undermined." Wan'er replied.

        "So what?" Qing Yi asked and Wan'er moving closer she slapped her on the face.

        "You dare to question Her Highness?" She asked.

        "You.....?" Qing Yi was about to complain when the Princess Consort Han halted her.

        "What does Her Highness have to say?" She asked.

        "For Your Highness' good the rumours in the capital must be curbed, you shall be moved to the Palace's inner temple to seek absolution." Wan'er replied.

       "Lead the way." Princess Consort Han said and Wan'er smiling she turned around as they walked out of the Chambers.

       Yang Meizi and Nuwa standing at a distance they watched her being moved.

       "So this is your plan." Nuwa asked.

       "Not yet." Yang Meizi replied as she turned around to look at her.

       "Enlighten me." Nuwa requested.

       "Some sins are too big and some curses rather hard to be broken." Yang Meizi replied with a ghastly smile on her face.

        "Heaven won't hear the Princess Consort's absolution, will it?" Nuwa asked.

        "To tell you even I don't know." Yang Meizi replied while nodding her head.

        "Then what about Her Highness' meeting?" Nuwa asked.

        "It's necessary to remind the world who is in charge of the inner Court and that goes for the Empress Li." Yang Meizi replied as she sashayed away while the latter followed.

       Empress Xie and Empress Li had all gathered in the Hall of the Cifu Palace and all the other Imperial wives and concubines had joined in while quietly looking at one another.

       "Her Highness deigns you with her presence." Eunuch Gao announced and the doors of the Hall being flung open the Empress Dowager marched in with her attendants and made her way up to her seat as the others bowed their heads.

       "Don't stand on ceremony." Empress Dowager Wu said and everyone lowered themselves into their seats.

       "By now you must have all heard about everything that happened at the prayer ceremony of the Imperial Princess Consort." Empress Dowager Wu replied.

       "Yes Your Highness." Everyone said in unison.

       "This as a matter of the Inner Court concerning the rumours outside the walls of the Palace has now become a state affair and the duty rests with each one of us here to see that there aren't any further misunderstandings." Empress Dowager Wu said while the others looked at each other.

       "With effect from today the Palace shall not receive any visitors from outside or the Emperor's kin that goes for your relatives.

        No one shall be allowed to contact anyone beyond the walls and whoever does shall be punished for having disregarded our moral law and brought shame to us all." Empress Dowager Wu ordered.

       "Yes Your Highness." Everyone said in unison.

       "You all might wonder why but it's not yet time for you to be answerable to any outsiders and I doubt that you can answer all their questions, anything can go wrong in the process and the worst part of it is yourselves having to be implicated along with your relatives for spreading rumours and stirring up aggression." Empress Dowager Wu said.

       "Yes Your Highness." Everyone replied in unison as she smiled.

       "Her Highness will be confined to the Inner Temple and we shall seek blessings for heaven and perhaps hope that she can be cleansed for it's will." She muttered turning to the Empress Li who was watching quietly from where she was seated.

       Walking out of the room the two women were left alone and still seated.

       "Aren't you that deadly?" Empress Li asked.

       "Why does Your Highness say so?" Empress Dowager Wu asked.

       "Are you deliberately protecting the dignity and reputation of the Princess Consort or perhaps you are also hoping that the ill fortune shouldn't vanish?" Empress Li asked.

       "So you don't trust me?" Empress Dowager Wu asked.

       "Do I have a reason to?" Empress Li asked, "it's funny how well you smile at me and yet I know how well you have played the silent criminal all along that I am that much afraid I'll never know what your mind is up to." She added.

      "It's natural for you to be suspicious but the child in her womb is your grandson, I can't help but think that it bears no blood tie to me but thinking about you Your Highness." Empress Dowager Wu muttered.

       "How heartless you must be to take it out on an unborn child!" Empress Li said.

       "That's where you're wrong." Empress Dowager Wu remarked, "comparing myself to you who is more heartless?" She asked.

        The Empress kept quiet.

       "Until now Your husband's other women miscarry or they bear Prines, who fears babies in the world and who has buried more?" Empress Dowager Wu asked.

       "It's natural that I worry about my son." Empress Li replied.

       "Because he is like his father?" Empress Dowager Wu asked and there was still silence coming from her grand daughter in law.

        "I couldn't expect much more but you don't have to worry about the baby, it'll be safe as it is because my fight isn't with it but with Han Touzhou." Empress Dowager Wu said and herself smiling she stood up and walked out of the hall while being followed by her attendants as Liu Zhan rushed to her Mistress' side.

       "Keep a close watch on her." She ordered, "she's definitely up to something." She remarked.

       "Yes Your Highness." Liu Zhan replied as the Empress stood up from where she was seated and descending the stairs she charged out of the room as well.

       Yang Meizi seated in her chambers Nuwa walked in.

       "We have received news, it's done." She said.

      "Now we act." Yang Meizi said as she smiled ghastly.

      It was early in the morning and Princess Consort Han knelt in front of the Buddha along with Qing Yi and a group of some ladies in waiting.

      She was dressed in her white robes when she concluded her prayers and standing up to walk out the doors were opened and Wan'er walked in.

       "Your Highness." She greeted.

       "Here to pay me another visit?" Princess Consort Han asked.

       "Master Mei and his protege are here." Wan'er replied, "they might be able to do something about what's already happening." she added.

       The young lady with child was led into the main room where the Empress Li and Dowager Empress Wu were already seated with the two monks.

       Standing up her eyes met the younger who was looking down.

       "What's this?" Princess Consort Han asked.

       "For the welfare of the Inner Court." Empress Dowager Wu replied, "you could perhaps be well aware how serious the results of the prayer ceremony were and while the capital is up in arms it's necessary that this problem is dealt with." she added.

       "Isn't it ordinary for rats to move around?" Princess Consort Han asked.

       "Rats are not social animals so it's stranger when they are together in large numbers, someone's scheme or not what matters is what the people outside the walls think." Empress Li replied and the Dowager Empress surprised hearing it from her she kept quiet.

       "I understand." Princess Consort Han said.

       "Master Mei is a well known Monk and it's important that we figure out the root of this misfortune so that we can collectively deal with it." Empress Dowager Wu replied.

       "Do as you please." Princess Consort Han said and the two smiling at each other the Princess Consort sat down while Master Mei's protege pulled out of his bag a number of eggs and he placed them onto the table in front of the Princess while closing his eyes.

       Master Mei with the prayer beads watched intensely as did every one including the ladies in waiting that were inside the room.

       All of a sudden small cracks started appearing on the eggs and widening, blood started flowing out that the Empress herself was forced out of her seat and the young man opening his eyes and looking it was flowing and pouring down on the floor.

      The Princess Consort so surprised she widened her eyes.

       "There's a strong evil presence." The man said.

      "Explain yourself." Empress Dowager Wu demanded.

       "This is in deed a bad omen and while checking for purity the egg is supposed to look natural by all means, by the time blood flows out it's unheard of and my guess is that someone within these Palace walls is practicing voodoo against the Princess Consort." The man replied.

      "You mean to say that someone in the Palace wants this child dead?" Empress Li asked.

       "Not necessarily." The man replied, "there's more than one reason for someone to practice voodoo and if not for ill intent then.....?" He hesitated.

       "For selfish intent." Empress Li concluded while the man nodded with approval.

        "And how are we supposed to deal with this?" Empress Dowager Wu asked.

       "The Palace premises must be secretly searched." the man replied and the Empress laughed.

       "What's funny?" Empress Dowager Wu asked.

       "And what good is searching going to do, you forget how wide the Palace grounds are." Empress Li said.

       "Staff Quarters, rooms of other Imperial Consorts and Concubines from the highest to the lowest." The man replied.

       "Who would wish to harm Your Highness?" Empress Dowager Wu asked and the Princess Consort looked up at her.

       "I also wonder." she replied.

       "Your Highness, does anyone come to mind?" Empress Dowager Wu asked the Empress Li who seemed to think about it.

       "Someone who wouldn't wish to delight in you being a grandmother any time soon or perhaps it could be someone within the palace that bears a grudge on you?" Empress Dowager Wu persisted.

       "Let's search all the rooms within the Palaces." Empress Li said and the two Empresses standing up they descended the stairs.

       Being accompanied by sets of Imperial guards they marched throughout the Palace while the Empress Li sure she charged through the Courtyard of Consort Huang.

       The latter hearing about her presence she quickly hurried over towards the door.

       "Greetings Your Highness." She said going down onto her knees and bowing her head to greet her while the Empress smiling ghastly ignored the salutation.

       "Search the whole premises." She ordered.

       "Yes Your Highness." Her ladies in waiting replied in unison while the Empress walked up to the chair in the compartment right next to her bed and she sat down while the whole room was being checked.

      "Consort Huang looking so frightened she was convinced that there was something wrong but she didn't mention it as she seemed eager to receive some good news from her people.

       Chiyun Ling walked out from the side chamber with her team.

       "Nothing this side Your Highness." She said and Liu Zhan and her party reported the same.

       Soon enough all the other ladies who had searched her whole Palace returned and made their entrance inside the hall.

       "There's nothing we could find." They said and the Empress standing up she looked at Noble Consort Huang who smiled ghastly at her.

       "Anything you're looking for your Highness?" She asked humbly.

       "Nothing Guifei." Empress Li replied, "we just received word from the monks that someone in the Palace is practicing voodoo against the Imperial Princess Consort." She added.

       "And your Highness suspected me?" Consort Huang asked.

       "Who knows?" Empress Li asked.

       "For anyone it must be tough as the Ruler of the Emperor's Harem to always suspect every one when it comes to these matters." Consort Huang replied.

       "We can not always be too lax." Empress Li muttered.

       "That said I certain hope that we find the real culprit behind this ploy." Consort Huang said.

       "And they won't keep their heads because you can rest assured that I'll get to the bottom of this." Empress Li threatened.

       "I trust that Your Highness surely will." Consort Huang replied with a smile on her face as she bowed her head and the Empress sashayed out of the door through which she'd come.

       After she'd vanished from sight Consort Huang's Lady in waiting Ping'er walked over to her side.

       "She was definitely behind it." she muttered.

       "I suppose that I lowered my guard a little bit too soon otherwise had it not been for that anonymous helper then we would have certainly fallen for the Empress' ruse." Consort Huang said.

       "Don't worry Your Highness, I already took care of the voodoo doll." Ping'er said, "yet I still don't understand why didn't you just have me take it to the Empress' residence instead?" She asked.

       "Do you think it's that easy to get inside?" Consort Huang asked.

       "The security there was lax." Ping'er said.

       "Perhaps it's also just an old stupid excuse after all they'd wait for you to get inside and have you confirmed and instead of saving my head you would end up risking both ours." Consort Huang replied.

       "I see." Ping'er said.

       "She might feel so confident about being the Empress but on a number of occassions in history many Empresses have been deposed." Consort Huang remarked.

       "You mean....?" Ping'er asked.

       "I was much too merciful but now that she has thrown the first blow I can't sit down and do nothing myself." Consort Huang replied, "I'll give her a taste of her own medicine and we'll see how long her selfish pride lasts." She swore.

        Empress Li still walking away she halted in her footsteps.

        "Is there anything wrong Your Highness." Chiyun Ling asked

       "Now that I think of it and that look on Consort Huang's face, she certainly was a practitioner of witchcraft." Empress Li replied.

       "But seeing that there was nothing in her room she must have foreseen this coming." Liu Zhan said.

       "I agree with her Your Highness because such a big crime she certainly had to be careful planning everything." Chiyun Ling said.

       "Unless?" Empress Li muttered when something appeared to occur to her right when a lady in waiting approached her running with a panic stricken appearance on her face.

        "Bad News Your Highness." She said breathing heavily.

        "What's wrong?" Empress Li asked.

        "In the Empress Dowager's hall." The lady in waiting replied and hastily the Empress rushed over.

Making her way through the doors and caught sight of the Empress Dowager seated right in front of her and on the ground beneath her feet one of the ladies in waiting had been bound by ropes.

        Mounting up to her seat, she gracefully sat down while the Empress Dowager smiled.

        "What's going on here?" Empress Li asked.

        "Wd finally found the Culprit." Empress Dowager Wu replied and Wan Mei clapping a couple of guards brought over a basket that was filled with knives guards and voodoo dolls standing amidst some talismans that had been written with red paint.

       The objects cast in front of everyone the guards lifted her face which had already been struck and her eyes meeting the Empress she shrieked in fear.

      "Lin Zhi?" Empress Li asked hardly believing everything that she was seeing while the culprit kept quiet.

       "Did you do this?" Empress Dowager Wu asked.

       "I have been wronged Your Highness." Lin Zhi replied.

       "How so if this was found in your Chambers, perhaps you are trying to imply that we are fools and that we can not see." Empress Dowager Wu said.

       "Someone set me up." Lin Zhi replied.

       "Who would have set you up?" Empress Dowager Wu asked, "where is the proof to your innocence?" She went ahead to pester her but the latter kept quiet.

       "You have been in this Palace long enough and you are quite old." Empress Li said.

       "Pardon me Your Highness but please believe me." Lin Zhi said.

        "If so then I have another piece of evidence to present with me." Empress Dowager Wu muttered and looking at the doors of the Hall with all the other ladies in waiting an old man was led in on chains.

        "Care to explain to us who this man is?" Empress Dowager Wu asked and Lin Zhi remained silent.

        "It's strange enough that one of your colleagues saw you frequently coming into contact with this man inside the Palace stores but what's even more appalling is the fact that once the Princess Consort Han starved him and the two of you had a fall out otherwise you wouldn't have left her residence and applied to work in the laundry but even after this incident you couldn't help but try to butter up your lies by baking the Princess Consort Abortifacients in her snacks and to that there were other witnesses." Empress Dowager Wu said as a couple of other ladies in waiting were brought in before the both of them.

      "Empress, what do you think?" Empress Dowager Wu asked while the other looked at the old woman whom she'd already recruited into her service a while ago.

       "This must have been that wench Consort Huang." She thought inwardly.

       "She is such a very cruel woman." Empress Li replied.

       "You are the Empress and the ruler of the Emperor's Harem while I am too old and worn out from this case, if Your Highness would please decide how this lowly woman is to be dealt with tell us immediately and we might get justice for the Imperial Princess Consort." Empress Dowager Wu said.

       "Flog her along with her accomplice until I can not hear the sound of breath coming from their lungs." Empress Li replied as she stood up from where she was seated and the guards rushed in.

      "You heard her." Empress Dowager Wu said and ceasing her as she cried she was dragged out of the room.

       "Let this be an example to all you women of the Inner Court, servant, Consort or not for any misdeeds as grave be certain that you'll share the same fate without any exemptions." Empress Li said.

       "Yes Your Highness." They all replied in unison and the Empress not wasting time she descended from her seat and walked out of the room while everyone followed and the Empress Dowager was left behind smiling ghastly as she stared behind the nearby pillar where she saw Nuwa.

       Nuwa quickly made her way into Yang Meizi's Chambers where she was giving out instructions to a couple of Eunuchs and seeing her she waved them out as Nuwa walked up closely to her.

      "The Culprit was apprehended and it turns out Consort Huang in retaliation framed Lin Zhi." Nuwa muttered.  

      "Poor thing, she was merely a victim that suffered such an injustice because of choosing the wrong side." Yang Meizi remarked.

       "It's a very cruel world." Nuwa muttered.

       "In deed." Yang Meizi replied.

       "But there's still one thing that I don't understand Your Highness and it's simply the reason why you had such a perfect chance to topple Consort Huang after what she did to Yang Cairen yet again you are the same person that ruined it." Nuwa said.

       "My thoughts aren't yours but to let you in on a tiny secret I prefer to hit more than two birds with one stone." Yang Meizi replied.

       "I don't understand." Nuwa said.

       "It was a one man conflict to begin with that had died out between the Consort and the Empress but now that Consort Huang takes it that the Empress threw the first stone to get rid of her what do you think it'll do?" Yang Meizi asked.

       "It's bound to spark off a very hard struggle between the two." Nuwa replied.

       "In one way if one topples the other the results are bound to be horrendous and like a blade without a haft even the one orchestrating the other's demise will be caught in, as long as the Empress can survive then Han Touzhou on the other hand will have lost one of his hands in the Inner Court because after all the humblest result would be the Empress losing her position and the worst case scenario herself dying." Yang Meizi said.

      "You are so wise Milady." Nuwa remarked.

      "Regardless of everything that happens in the Inner Court at the time His Majesty the Retired Emperor isn't yet deaf he'll be hearing every one of the Empress' misdeeds and I can promise you that regardless of how hard they try the two will barely see it coming." Yang Meizi said as she smiled ghastly.

      Empress Li barged into her room being accompanied by Chiyun Ling and Liu Zhan altogether.

      "Calm down Your Highness." They said.

      "By now a large number of people are talking about how I was involved as Lin Zhi was already a new recruit in the servants that I recruited and that I hardly ever loved the Imperial Princess Consort so it's more and more chaotic on my side." Empress Li said.

      "Now that I think about it it must have really been that wench's doing and Grand scheme from the very beginning." Liu Zhan remarked.

      "I must admit that I underestimated her and in return she chose to become more arrogant that if something were to happen to me right now my son so innocent might be caught in the crossfire." Empress Li said.

       "Give your orders Your Highness and we shall deal with her." Chiyun Ling said as the two bowed their heads.

       "I can't lose my head right now furthermore, I can't be distracted anymore that I should act fast by consolidating Zhao Kuo's position." Empress Li said.

       "For the time being you heard the Empress Dowager and the Palace is to be excommunicated from the outside world as the incident of the voodoo for your own sake can't be made known and the outside world is still questioning the Princess Consort Han's misfortune." Liu Zhan said.

      "Why do you think I read carrier pigeons?" Empress Li asked.

      "Pardon me Your Highness." Liu Zhan said.

      "It's time that the Emperor named a Crown Prince in order to secure the state." Empress Li ordered.

       "Yes Your Highness." Chiyun Ling agreed.

       "Tell Han Touzhou and he'll know what must be done." Empress Li ordered and the two walking out of the room the Empress clenched her fists.

       "Well played Your Highness but you can not blame me for the consequences, after all, it's only fair now since an arrow once loosed can not return to the bow." She swore inwardly biting at her teeth furiously.