THE GREAT DIVIDE

The Emperor barged through his Chambers furious while his retinue followed behind accompanied by the Empress.

      "Calm down Your Majesty." Empress Li said but the Emperor unwilling to listen to her he turned around and faced his wife.

       "Calm down?" He yelled.

       "And why shouldn't you, it must have been a simple accident." Empress Li Said.

        "Even you are most cautious Empress how could it have been an accident, I travelled back to the palace a humiliated man barely raising up my head to the world, and what had I done wrong to deserve such ill Fortune, the ancestors in their graves must have felt more ashamed and His Majesty and the Empress Dowager must have laughed their hearts out." Emperor Guangzong replied.

       "You can not prove that His Majesty the Retired Emperor and the Empress Dowager were behind this." Empress Li muttered.

        "Then who else would benefit?" Emperor Guangzong asked as he looked away, "for father this is something that is understandable but Grandmother I know her too well when it comes to convincing the masses, how can I not call the old pair too conniving I'm sure now this is what His Majesty was playing at giving his rituals to be performed by me." Emperor Guangzong said.

"Blame them or not Your Majesty, responsible or not the world shall see them otherwise, the Courtiers in the Capital are their staunch followers that they shall back them up, justify their cause to hold the country I fair His Majesty will return to the throne again and what would that make you my dear?" Empress Li asked.

"I was too lax and for that they must have taken me for granted." Emperor Guangzong said as he sat down on his throne.

"But the public opinion now to Your Majesty is more poisonous we must deal with it first." Empress Li said.

"No." Emperor Guangzong replied.

"Why not Your Majesty?" Empress Li asked.

"It will do little good if we can't rid the Imperial Court of it's rats." Emperor Guangzong replied.

"Your Highness?" Empress Li asked.

"I need to fill the Court with my people, not the Retired Emperor's or the Empress Dowager's but my people." Emperor Guangzong replied and the Empress listening to her husband she smiled in contentment while he clenched his fists in fury, wrinkles all over his face and his breath uneasy his eyes burnt with absolute hate.

The Empress walked out of the room while Chiyun Ling and Liu Zhan accompanied her as she was joined by her brother who bowed her head to her.

She ceased his hand and dragged him far away and while they slowly walked through the palace he spoke up.

"Well played Your Highness." He complemented her.

"No need." Empress Li replied.

"At this point what more is there to bring?" Li San asked.

"Even I am forced to wonder but nonetheless this is the foundation that we need." Empress Li replied.

"Everything might have worked out for our good but what is the guarantee that the Retired Emperor shall not retaliate?" Li San asked.

"He has no reason to do so." Empress Li replied.

"How can that certainly be?" Li San asked.

"His Majesty has not accused his father so if he spoke up it would stir more suspicion towards him, on the other hand this is the beginning of what is bound to be the greatest rift between father and son." Empress Li replied.

"And the Empress Dowager?" Li San asked.

"Not someone for us to worry about, her life is dear for her to shoulder the blame it shall be a direct indicator to His Majesty that she is trying to protect his father." Empress Li replied.

"You mean to say that regardless of what we might say or others might do, His Majesty won't change his mind about his father?" Li San asked.

"It will be very hard for him to reconsider his enemy to hold him dear, further more above all others He seems to have learnt that he barely has any loyalty.

Our people will rise to the Inner Court and come closer to the throne as we are therefore the only people that my husband can lean on, after all without the people the Empress Dowager shall become another powerless foe and when the time is right we shall send His Retired Majesty to the ancestors with ease." Empress Li replied.

"Your Highness, we are beyond the point of turning back." Li San said.

"You think that I too don't know that?" Empress Li asked.

"Nonetheless, the Empress Dowager understanding their future position will retaliate and the Retired Emperor might seem calm but at this point more than ever he should have detected the threat that you pose to the Imperial house moreso to him." Li San replied.

"And let him retaliate." Empress Li said as she looked aside, "I shall use every one of his moves against me to my best advantage." She added as she smiled at herself ghastly with her brother looking on hardly understanding whatever it was that was going on through his elder sister's mind.

Emperor Xiaozong seated in his Chambers Eunuch Qin remained silent.

"How was the worship?" He asked but the latter still reserved his silence.

"Are you suggesting that I find the answer myself?" Emperor Xiaozong asked.

"Your Majesty, you aren't in the best condition to hear." Eunuch Gao replied.

"And that is up to me to decide." Emperor Xiaozong said.

"Your Majesty...." Eunuch Gao insisted.

"I won't be asking another time." Emperor Xiaozong replied and the other bowing his head he spoke up hesitantly.

"Very eventful Your Majesty, for His Majesty only humiliating." He said.

"How so?" Emperor Xiaozong asked.

"The offerings were filled with maggots and had gone bad and the lanterns fell all over the place into flames.

The people could tell that it was a bad omen and the drought and famine that is upon our land altogether with the floods in the South have become a point in reference to the heavens disregard, under Your Regime the nation fluorished but the same can not be said for Your Majesty's successor." Eunuch Gao replied.

"At this point he might take it as though I put him to it, he must hate me so much." Emperor Xiaozong said.

"I don't think so Your Majesty." Eunuch Gao consoled.

"I know better the son that was born to me, he takes too much after his mother and for that I can as well bear with his resentment, it is sad though that he can't even look at me." Emperor Xiaozong remarked.

"Don't be too sombre Your Majesty, you are still his father after all." Eunuch Gao said.

I wish he too could be like you think him to be." Emperor Xiaozong muttered.

"This is all the Empress' evil doing, Her Highness wishes to drive a wedge between Your Majesty and your son." Eunuch Gao remarked angrily.

"I am at fault that His Majesty trusts his wife more than his biological father." Emperor Xiaozong replied.

It was dark and the cool wind howling throughout the palace a number of assassins that were dressed in black ran along the rooftops as they approached the direction of the Emperor's Palace.

        The guards outside shot down dead with poisoning arrows the assassins sneaked up on the door and Eunuch Qin kneeling beside his bed on the inside he had dozed off as the shadows surrounded the whole chamber.

        One of the guards walking around he caught sight of the men dressed in black and at the time unsheathing his sword to charge in defense the sound moved inside and awakened the old Eunuch who was startled he fell down to the ground.

         One of the assassins rushing over annihilated the guardian but at the time the Eunuch awakened he rushed over to the bed while the assassins knocked down the Emperor's door and they moved inside.

         "Your Majesty." He called to the old man who quickly sat up and threw away his covers and before long the warning gong was sounded as Eunuch Qin leaped up towards the sword that was nearby and ceased it in his hands.

        "Get behind me Your Majesty." He shouted and the latter complying the rest of the Emperor's retinue on the inside moved ahead as well as the assassins charged towards the whole group the two parties were caught up in a bloody strife.

        The Ladies in waiting that had been installed by the Empress were butchered first and Eunuch Qin charged towards the tallest of the gang that appeared to be slightly more muscular than everyone else.

        The assassin guarded his attack with his sword and he threw a kick in retaliation which the old man dodged as he stumbled backwards still retaining his equilibrium on his two feet.

        The assassin charged a second time and descending upon the old man with his sword the latter moved aside as the blade landed on the floor and swinging around once again a golden token fell from his belt onto the ground that it wasn't long when the rest of the assassins near the doorway saw the torches of the Imperial guards appearing in a distance from all corners of the Courtyard.

        "We have to go." One of the assassins shouted and the latter still persistent he swung his sword and cut Eunuch Qin on his left hand before the guards closed in.

        The seven assassins at the point nearly surrounded they charged through the windows and while the Imperial guards continued in pursuit the Emperor who at the time had noticed the golden token he slowly approached it and then in the darkness he picked it up from the ground.

        "Turn on the lanterns." He shouted and the rest of the people in panic his guards that had secured the premises reacted immediately while Eunuch Qin holding onto his injury was carried away and the Emperor walked towards his table.

       Mounting the few stairs that led to it he studied the token in his possession and his eyes widening he was at a loss of strength he immediately fell down to the ground.

         "Are you alright Your Majesty?" General Wu asked as he fell down onto his knees.

         "Your men stand on guard day and night and you let assassins into the Emperor's personal Chambers with so much ease?" Emperor Guangzong asked.

        "Pardon me Your Majesty, my men are too lax." General Wu replied.

        "And why is that?" Emperor Guangzong asked.

        "Your Majesty...." General Wu about to speak in his defense he was interrupted.

        "The immediate strength of a Nation and it's peace comes in the safety of a monarch, if the subordinates fail then their is a problem with the leadership and a problem in the leadership is a threat to the peace of the people of the Great Song." Emperor Guangzong spoke heartlessly.

        "I admit that I am at fault Your Majesty." General Wu said as he quickly fell down to his knees and bowed his head.

        "And for the grave sin you have committed you shall be punished." Emperor Guangzong remarked that all the soldiers around seemed surprised.

        "Whoever speaks up in your defense is disobedient and doesn't recognize or Respect seniority they shall be stripped of their titles and from now on this is my Oral decree that because of negligence, you shall no more take charge of the three divisions of the Imperial guards." Emperor Guangzong said, "You are hereby banished from the Palace and created the Commander of the troops in Anzhou." He added.

        "Yes Your Majesty." Commander Wu replied as the Emperor still in shock he closed his eyes and shed a tear.

        "Pass on the news and let the Courtiers know, from this day on, Li San shall be the Commander of the three divisions of the Imperial Guard." Emperor Guangzong said.

         "Yes Your Majesty." Everyone said in unison as they withdrew from the hall and the Emperor still tightly held onto the golden token in his possession.

        "Alright father, if this is how you want it then you can not blame me." The Emperor whispered to himself so furiously.

        It was very early in the morning and Emperor Guangzong quietly seated in his room he'd barely slept the whole night as his mind had drifted far away.

        "Her Highness the Empress." Eunuch Gong announced but the Emperor keeping silent he turned around and curled himself in his seat.

        "Her Highness the Empress." The Eunuch announced once again and the Emperor reserving his silence the Empress threw the doors open as she quickly rushed in to his presence.

        "Greetings Your Majesty." She said while bowing her head to him.

        "I wish to be alone." Emperor Guangzong requested.

        "And do what Your Majesty?" Empress Li asked that the old man turned around to look at her.

       "Empress?" He scolded on top of his voice.

       "Go ahead and shout at me if you must Your Majesty but I won't submit to your will, only minutes ago I was informed that there was a threat on your life and the assassins fled the palace, the security was lax they could go as far as your bed chamber which wife in her right mind would prefer to not worry for her husband at a time like that?" Empress Li replied.

       "You know nothing." Emperor Guangzong remarked.

       "And I admit that my faculties are deficient in that knowledge and understanding, I admit that I am ignorant Your Majesty but all that being put aside, what matters is bringing the culprits to Justice." Empress Li replied.

        "And just who shall you reprimand, who is there for you to hold most responsible, who is powerful enough to subdue a Crown above mine, and all these years I thought I was too filial a son His Majesty had to be too faithful a father in the end he could never accept my capabilities and alas, my ill health for him is perhaps the greatest obstacle to my reign in his eyes I am still therefore that very young and ignorant monarch that still has so much more to learn." Emperor Guangzong muttered.

        "But He is your father Your Majesty." Empress Li spoke in the Retired Emperor's defense.

        "Which father would draw a sword to his son's neck, which father would bring shame and humiliation upon his own flesh and blood, what is it that he considers dear about me when he would dare to rise up against me, the child that was born from between his legs?" Emperor Guangzong asked.

        "I am sorry that I spoke out of turn Your Majesty." Empress Li said.

        "Naturally the Empress Dowager expresses no concerns, I have hardly received a word from the Palace of Virtue and Longevity inquiring about my health and how I am doing, when I think about it all, what is more painful and who is the more heartless between His Majesty and me?" Emperor Guangzong asked.

        "His Majesty is wrong Your Majesty, but it's not his fault after all, he is surrounded by traitors that are trying to convince him that you are not worthy, men and women that are poisoning his thoughts against you, naturally you would expect them to spare you nothing His Majesty has become too free and as a result he seems to have forgotten his responsibility." Empress Li muttered.

        "But what can I do?" Emperor Guangzong asked.

        "Protect the Retired Emperor from himself." Empress Li replied.

        "And would that old man of mine agree?" Emperor Guangzong asked.

        "Your Majesty is old enough to manage the state and terminate the Empress Dowager's regency, the latter should retire and enjoy her final years from the stress of the Court and His Majesty should seek Eternal comfort as well having been worn out by the throne." Empress Li replied with a smile on her face.

        "Do you understand what it takes?" Emperor Guangzong asked.

        "And why wouldn't I?" Empress Li asked, "you are the son of heaven and you hold the Imperial seal in your own hands, if you were to pass a decree banning all officials and Courtiers from troubling His Majesty and Her Highness without going through you who would dare raise their hand and rebel?" She added as her smile evolved into a ghastly one the very moment that the Emperor seemed to be taken by her words.

        "Yes." He muttered under his breath as though believing her advice the latter looking at her husband she felt content before she stood up and walked out of the room leaving the latter agitated.

Walking through the hallways of the Palace and the servants greeting her as she quickly returned to her Chambers, she personally threw her doors open and walking inside Han Touzhou and Li San along with her father waiting on her she sat in their midst.

"Your Highness." They greeted.

"Save it." Empress Li replied as they sat down as well.

"What's His Majesty's condition?" Minister Li asked.

"It couldn't get any better." Empress Li replied.

"Who would have thought that His Majesty would attempt to harm his son?" Li San asked.

"It isn't the Retired Emperor's doing either." Han Touzhou muttered.

"Quite right." Empress Li added, "a son may be unfilial but a parent remains above all most benevolent, it is easier to say that they'll never forget their own children." She added.

"So is Your Highness implying that there is someone else that isn't in favour of father and son being on the very best of terms?" Minister Li asked.

"Another ambiguous enemy, then yes, who or why it is hard for us to tell." Empress Li replied.

"Nonetheless they must be very good on their side, after all hearing what happened last night in the palace I must say that theirs was a job well done." Han Touzhou muttered.

"But now that they have added fuel to a fire that we started it is important that we fan it as well." Empress Li said.

"Is this not enough?" Li San asked.

"What good will it do when even after all this father and son reconcile, if you are to hunt down an animal then you mustn't leave room for it to attempt escape." Empress Li replied.

"I'm not sure I understand Your Highness." Minister Li said.

"Chancellor Han, are you not busy about now?" Empress Li asked joyously.

"Pardon me Your Highness for being a bit too lax." Han Touzhou said as he stood up.

"I was merely concerned that His Majesty isn't in the most stable faculties and any shortcomings in whatever it is that you Courtiers must do he might unnecessarily vent out his wrath on you." Empress Li remarked.

"I am grateful that Your Highness thinks about me, I shall take my leave." Han Touzhou said as he stood up and kowtowed before slowly withdrawing from the room and leaving the three alone on the inside.

"You chased him out on purpose." Minister Li Said.

"That isn't what matters the most here, we can know for certain though that he can't be trusted but that's not what I intend to discuss with all of you here." Empress Li replied.

"What is?" Li San asked.

"Two Kings can not rule one kingdom, two dragons can not reside in the same best, two lions can not head a pride, do you still not understand what I intend to say?" Empress Li asked.

"The only way for a reign to be absolute is when it rests at the hands of one ruler." Minister Li said.

"And for that to happen all contenders must be eliminated." Li San said realising it there and then.

"Yes." Empress Li agreed joyously.

"Your Highness....." Minister Li attempting to speak out of caution was interrupted.

"The Retired Emperor is a flaw that must be eliminated from the chain for the rule of my husband to become absolute and the purpose of all this is to reach to the point where my husband will be honourable towards that idea.

Suppose that is the case the world shall need to be convinced and in the political arena I have the perfect scapegoat for the world." Empress Li said as she smiled at herself ghastly while her father and younger brother looked at her puzzled but certain that she knew best what she was up to.

        The Crown Prince Zhao Kuo was accompanied by his retinue and negotiating the corners of the Southern palace he arrived at a very small courtyard that looked lavish nonetheless, it was filled with many flowers and cherry blossoms dominated the scene, it was the most natural view in the whole palace and the servants there carefree they lingered around dressed in yet the most expensive attires.

       "Your Majesty." They greeted the young man who smiled at them content as he continued further inside the abode where he was met by another young girl who appeared to be about eighteen years of age.

      She had a pair of small dark eyes and her face was round with a chiseled chin, her lips were small but bright red and her nose tiny and yet pointy, she had inherited the flawless and beautiful features of her scheming mother yet she possessed above all one more humane thing than the latter being a sincere and most innocent smile.

        "Brother." She greeted the Crown Prince.

        "Sister." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo replied while bowing his head to her as Lan He moved forward as well to offer his respects.

        "Princess Qi'an." He muttered with care the latter smiled at how elegant he seemed for her brother's retainer.

        "At ease." The Princess muttered while she led the two to a nearby table where her personal lady in waiting offered her a small white husky which she caressed.

        "You haven't been to the main Palace in a while." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo said while two more servants came in bearing with each other trays with snacks.

        "My palace is a little more peaceful, I have heard a great deal about r everything that is happening back there and mother cautioned me to confine myself this side, furthermore the Emperor was attacked last night so it couldn't make us feel at peace in the very least." Princess Qi'an replied.

       "I see." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo said as he looked at Lan He who kept on nodding his head.

        "Mother has surely been through a lot, the Empress Dowager seems to have become more reserved, the Retired Emperor hasn't been doing well and father is so lost in his own thoughts these days that we can hardly tell what he is thinking and when, it seems to me that you are much luckier this side away from all that bustle." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo remarked.

        "What about Your Highness?" Princess Qi'an asked.

        "Honestly, I don't know where to stand." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo replied, "it's so easy for me to have any woman in the world, but it is hard for me to get the woman that I cherish to love me wholeheartedly." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo replied in his most sombre tone that his sister taking to notice how sad he felt she tightened her grip on her husky.

        "How come?" Princess Qi'an asked.

        "You are only eighteen years, what more would you know about love?" Crown Prince Zhao Kuo asked, "for me a moment without a glimpse of her is hurting and another when she can't look into my eyes without showing resentment seems to be impossible it leaves me bleeding every time, but who am I to blame, the Crown Princess is yet another muddleheaded woman and I am reminded every now and then that her heart belongs to another." He added.

       "Which woman in her right mind would dare to say no to my brother, the best brother in the world." Princess Qi'an asked.

        "What can I tell you, she is no ordinary woman." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo muttered.

        "Is that so?" Princess Qi'an asked.

        "In her eyes I could never be as diligent, I could never be as smart, I could never be as handsome or mature or strong-willed as Shi Miyuan." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo replied and the Princess hearing that name she appeared to be taken aback while Lan He intervened.

        "I'm sorry about this Your Highness, it's just that your brother has no one to tell all this." He defended.

        "Shi Miyuan, the son of the Grand Chancellor who studied with you in the palace last time?" Princess Qi'an asked.

        "Yes." Lan He replied.

        "He is in deed a very refined young man and I do recall passing by that day and seeing him, quite a charming young man he was in deed." Princess Qi'an whispered under her breath yet Lan He nonetheless managed to hear.

        "Does Your Highness have a liking to him, after all the way that you say it to me it seems that you like him." Lan He said.

        "What are you saying?" Princess Qi'an shied a bit.

        "I mean it." Lan He replied.

        "Stop teasing me." Princess Qi'an insisted.

        "But honestly think about it." Lan He said, "Your Highness is a Royal Princess and the Emperor's blood surely any man would wish to marry you, on top of that you are young and beautiful and well educated so that's additionally another good thing, your mother is the Empress just about the most powerful woman in the world, which ever house would have her as an in law would be blest by becoming kinsmen of the Imperial clan which might help them rise in both wealth and in rank." Lan He muttered and the young Princess seemed to be buying his idea.

        "What are you saying to my sister?" Crown Prince Zhao Kuo asked.

        "No." Princess Qi'an muttered, "let him finish." She went ahead to say.

        "Mother has enemies in the Imperial Court but if she were to become an in law with the Grand Chancellor you can as well imagine how powerful and secure she would be, on top of that Shi Miyuan doesn't have the right to touch or harm you in any one way or another and he has you to thank in future if he is to succeed in his career and serve the Great Song very well." Lan He said.

        "But would mother agree?" Princess Qi'an asked.

         "You might refuse it to our faces but it is clear that deep down Your Highness has always had a liking to Shi Miyuan which mother would respect and if she were to give you up to be married she would want you to have a husband who is just as handsome and talented and young and not an old man." Lan He replied.

       "Your Highness, it isn't my position to comment but I think it is another sensible idea." Lanhui agreed.

        "But I wouldn't want him to force himself to marry me." Princess Qi'an said, "I understand naturally that the young girl will give up the moment she learns that Shi Miyuan is married but an Imperial Edict that doesn't consider his feelings is a bit too harsh he might resent me for the rest of his life." She added.

        "The Grand Chancellor would naturally have many enemies so your marriage to his son would protect the whole Shi household, I can on the other side convince mother and as his legal wife you can take charge of everything in his home, do you not notice still this is for the good of all sides?" Crown Prince Zhao Kuo asked.

        "But it would only be more effective if on the other side Shi Miyuan had a strong reason to not oppose this marriage." Princess Qi'an said, "it should be real without any fabricated evidence and he must be caught red handed." She added.

        "But you don't have to do this sister, may be I have imposed on you." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo said as though changing his mind.

        "It is too late for that brother and Lan He seems to understand the situation much better than you, if I remain silent on this then I'd feel guilty all my life.

        One day my brother will become Emperor and the son of heaven and there shall be other Imperial relatives scheming against him for the throne, if I am going to get married I should marry someone who is in the position to protect him and they must be as smart and as powerful as any politician there has ever been or even better." Princess Qi'an insisted.

        "But to trade Your happiness.....?" Crown Prince Zhao Kuo rebuked.

        "As a Princess it is my duty and I admit that even I would wish for Shi Miyuan as a husband and no other, now that heaven can give me this one thing with my position should I turn it down and give up my love which was long buried to be taken by another?" Princess Qi'an said as she stood up.

        "You are only reacting impulsively." Lan He muttered.

         "No." Princess Qi'an replied, "when I think about it I have never actually had the chance in life to stand up for what I want but himself, Shi Miyuan is something that I am not going to give up." Princess Qi'an said.

         "I'll do what I possibly can." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo asked.

        "I should be grateful that your visit today has enlightened me so please be still." Princess Qi'an muttered as she smiled sincerely and Lan He turning to his master they both stood up and bowed their heads to her while the Crown Prince smiled ghastly his face hidden from his sister's sight.

        "We'll take your leave." They spoke up in unison as they withdrew from the hall finally walking out of the palace gates as they were accompanied by their retinue.

        "That was very smooth Your Highness." Lan He remarked while the Crown Prince retained his smile as he reserved his silence.

        "How did you know though that Her Highness bore a liking to Shi Miyuan?" Lan He asked.

        "It wasn't that hard?" Crown Prince Zhao Kuo replied, "Peng Zishou told me that once he overheard the ladies in waiting of the Imperial Princess gossiping about her affection for his poems and songs and some claimed that she even had to hide and watch him every time he came into the Palace to study with us." He added.

       "I see." Lan He replied, "now with her approval all that is left is to convince Her Highness at the time." He remarked.

       "Rest assured, it won't be that hard on our side." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo assured.

        "But Your Highness, what will Head Lady Yang do if she finds out?" Lan He asked.

        "Whether in a hundred or in a thousand years, I wouldn't mind if I had to shoulder her wrath but I'll do whatever it takes to make her belong to me." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo replied.

        "Alright Your Highness." Lan He said.

        Yang Meizi stood in the Courtyard of the Martial Academy and darkness had fallen and there was fireworks in the night sky as the lanterns shone all around.

       It was the final day of the festival and she was lost in her own thoughts thinking about that words that Shi Miyuan had spoken to her a couple of days before, her heart feeling unsteady beat faster than usual while she tightly held onto her chest and shed a tear.

        "Mei'er?" She heard a familiar voice calling her name that she quickly wiped her tears and waited while the young man walked closer and stood right beside her.

        "What do you want?" She asked, "whatever it is make it brief because I shall be returning to the Palace tomorrow." She added.

        "I know." Shi Miyuan replied that she turned around and looked at him.

        "Then speak up." She demanded.

        "I don't know since when." Shi Miyuan replied, "but I have always wanted to give you this." He added pulling out a Phoenix Jade pendant from his sleeve and then placing it in the young lady's hands she took it up hesitantly and studied it while he turned around to walk away.

        "Is that all you have to say to me?" Yang Meizi asked before he'd go any further that he halted in his footsteps.

        "Why pretend that until now you do not know what my heart means to say, I understand that it is hard for you to believe or perhaps embrace but for me my heart is still the same." Shi Miyuan replied.

        "You know what I am after, I can not tell that my fight will end with my victory but at the very worst I can't guarantee that my life shall be spared." Yang Meizi said, "until now do you also not understand why I am taking my time?" She asked him while he turned around and looked at her.

       "None of that has ever mattered to me and I am not afraid to lose you, I am afraid to have a reason to love you because I fear that the one day that that reason will fade away you might think that even then my heart will cease to exist towards you." Shi Miyuan replied.

        "I am at fault." Yang Meizi said.

        "And I shall wait until you are ready to accept it." Shi Miyuan replied.

        "What if I don't!" Yang Meizi asked.

        "My heart will remain the same and that is my answer." Shi Miyuan replied as he turned around to walk away that Yang Meizi from where she was standing she quickly ran towards him and embraced him from behind he too seemed surprised he halted at once.

        "Why?" He asked.

        "All my life, I have been too good at scheming and planning the downfall of others." Yang Meizi replied, "for once, just once in my whole life I desire more than anything to be human, more than anything to be a woman." She added, "Tell me as you see, is it much too difficult?" She asked that Shi Miyuan holding her hands and trying to break free she held on tight.

       "What does the pendant represent if not love, what does it symbolize if not your heart which you are choosing to give me?" Yang Meizi asked.

        "Mei'er......?" Shi Miyuan called.

        "Yes once, just once I have someone to hold me, just once I want your body engraved into mine, just once I want you to become that most beautiful memory for me, on Earth and in heaven when I have had no one." Yang Meizi said and at a loss of words Shi Miyuan turned around and faced her while she seemingly loosened her grip on him.

        "But you always tell me, you are a Head Lady." Shi Miyuan muttered.

        "For once there isn't a Head Lady, for once I am that Yang Meizi you know, that Yang Meizi you saw in this Martial school, your most beautiful Mei'er." She replied and pulling her closer to his chest he embraced her tightly into a hug while tears rushed from his eyes.

        The dark sky above them lit with fireworks there was nothing more beautiful as they watched the stars glowing right above their heads.

         Emperor Guangzong and the Empress being offered a couple of drinks the Emperor took his while Liu Zhan and Chiyun Ling stood to watch at a distance with a very young girl in service.

        Resting the cup on the table the young woman smiled contently and a short while later he started feeling a headache that he held onto his forehead.

        "Are you alright Your Majesty?" Empress Li asked and the moment she'd spoken the Emperor opened his mouth and coughed out blood which spilled on the table right in front of him.

         "Your Majesty." The Empress cried out loud while the servant slowly withdrew and the Emperor fell onto the ground unconscious when the Empress turned around to look at the young woman.

         "What have you done?" She asked and the young girl out of fright let go of the jug that she was holding it shattered right beneath her feet and mixed with a silver spoon which instantly turned black in front of them.

         "Your Highness." The young girl said.

         "Cease this treacherous criminal." Empress Li ordered and Chiyun Ling and Liu Zhan quickly rushing over to her they held her hands and forced her down onto her knees in years.

         "No." She resisted as the Empress turned to her husband.

          "Someone call the doctor." She cried aloud and Eunuch Qin rushed in with more people while the young woman was dragged outside by the two furious ladies in waiting.

          Empress Dowager Wu asleep she opened her eyes and sat up in bed that very moment she noticed that the air inside her Chambers was turbulent and the curtains danced vigorously, in the darkness she was all alone.

          "Anyone?" She shouted and seeing a lantern that was supported by another female silhouette which got clearer when the distance between the both of them closed, the young woman raised his head and looked the Empress Dowager in the eye while she identified her as Wan Mei.

           "What's going on out there?" Empress Dowager Wu asked.

          "There seems to be a storm on the way Your Highness." Wan Mei replied and The Empress Dowager finding some degree of calmness she relaxed herself in her covers.

         "I had a very bad dream." Empress Dowager Wu muttered.

         "Since when was Your Highness afraid of dreams, what was the dream itself about?" Wan Mei asked.

         "I could see corpses all over the palace, the blood on its walls looked very fresh, lanterns, swords and spears were on the ground in the Court room and approaching the throne of the Emperor I realised that there on the stairs were two men the first being the Retired Emperor and the second his son." Empress Dowager Wu replied while Wan Mei lit some of the lamps that were close by.

         "That is in deed a very bad omen Your Highness." She remarked.

         "I was uneasy that I woke up to verify with my own eyes." Empress Dowager Wu muttered.

        "There's nothing from the main Palace as of yet, Your Highness can rest assured." Wan Mei said as she picked up a jug of water beside the bed and poured some inside as she handed it over to her mistress who took it and prepared to take a sip when the thunder roared throughout at the time that the main doors of the chamber were flung open and Wan'er rushed in intensely while crying as she fell right in front of her Mistress' bed.

        "Your Highness." She cried aloud that the Empress Dowager surprised she released the cup from her grip it fell on the floor beside and shattered into pieces.

        "What's the matter with you?" Wan Mei asked.

        "His Majesty the Emperor has been poisoned." Wan'er replied that the Empress Dowager widened her eyes with surprise.

        "Your Highness." Wan Mei called her she zoned out for a bit unable to deliver a reply while she quickly thought everything through.  

        "Who will she make responsible?" She whispered to herself as she looked at her two ladies in waiting that stood in front of her.

         "Search every nook and cranny for anything that is poisonous and gather it, and when you are done send it to the West Palace immediately and burn it." Empress Dowager Wu ordered that all the others immediately moved and started looking throughout her whole room.

         "I won't let you belittle me." Empress Dowager Wu said, "I won't let you lay a finger on me." She convinced herself her heart already beating fast she was frightened deep inside by everything that she'd heard from her attendant's mouth.

         Yang Meizi and Shi Miyuan in each other's embrace she woke up immediately in the dark to the wonderful singing of the birds that filled the sky as she looked across the room where she lay and noticed it to be very familiar.

         She was warm with an arm around her and resting her head on Shi Miyuan's chest she looked at him and noticed that he was deep asleep and could hardly move.

         "Shi'er?" She called him but he didn't budge and breaking free from his embrace she sat up in bed and looked through the window to notice that if was still fairly dark and a couple of more hours to Dawn.

          "I must head back to the Palace." She thought to herself and standing up she quickly rushed out of the room careful not to make a sound that could awaken Shi Miyuan from his slumber.

          Arriving into the Palace she found the Imperial guards shifting about the place so fast as the dark firmament above her slowly turned into a light shade of purple as she made her way into her Chambers.

          Her doors were opened and Nuwa and the rest of her fellow ladies in waiting quickly met up with her at the entrance and paid their respects.

         "What happened, it seems to me that the Palace is unsettled?" Yang Meizi asked.

         "A young girl attempted to assassinate the Emperor and the Empress by poison and she was a former servant under His Majesty the Retired Emperor." Nuwa replied.

         "Served under the Retired Emperor?" Yang Meizi asked.

         "Yes." Nuwa replied.

         "How old is she?" Yang Meizi asked.

         "Nineteen years old." Nuwa replied.

         "It is really that serious?" Yang Meizi said as she waved the other attendants away and walking up to her small living room she sat down in a chair as Nuwa looked at her.

          "It's now vivid before my eyes." Yang Meizi said.

         "What is Milady?" Nuwa asked.

         "The battle has never been more bloody alas the Emperor shall hold no position for the Retired Emperor in his heart." Yang Meizi replied, "the poor girl shall be as good as dead, after all if her living self won't be in the position to confess her corpse shall reliably do it." She added.

         "I never thought that the Empress would go this far to even harm her own husband." Nuwa remarked.

        "Even a beast would be gentle to its own but now even in the ill health of the other she'll exercise all the power in the kingdom and it's bound to be a blood bath for the Empress Dowager's followers." Yang Meizi said.

         "At this point the fight has gone out of our hands." Nuwa said.

         "Not so as of yet, it's about time that the Retired Emperor learnt of an enemy and he retaliated." Yang Meizi replied.

         "He's already at odds with his son, you convincing him to strike what's the possibility that he'll listen to your counsel and he'll see it through?" Nuwa asked.

         "Such might not be an assurance but regardless it's better for me to make a heartfelt attempt than run away, His Majesty loves his son so much and if he is to will it he'll certainly make sure that even if at the point of death he gets rid of the people around that are poisoning him." Yang Meizi replied.

        "And does His Majesty know these people?" Nuwa asked.

        "Leave it to me." Yang Meizi replied, "I have waited long enough that I have all the necessary proof that I need to turn the tides in our favour." She added contently that Nuwa seemed a bit surprised, "I shall return this game into our control and sooner or later, the whole Han Clan shall shoulder the wrath of the son of heaven." She swore to herself in that very place.

        Empress Li seated beside her husband's bed with the Crown Prince Zhao Kuo the old man opened his eyes and looked at the two in front of him.

       "Your Majesty." Empress Li called and the old man finally coming to his senses he quickly sat up in his bed while the two sighed with relief.

        "I feel so happy to see you again father." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo muttered, "I though that I was going to lose you." He went ahead to say.

        "What happened?" Emperor Guangzong asked.

        "I don't know how to say this Your Majesty." Empress Li replied her eyes teary that very moment she had never seemed more vulnerable in her whole life.

        "I don't understand." Emperor Guangzong said.

        "Your Majesty was poisoned." Empress Li replied and the moment that she had mentioned it, he seemed to remember everything that had happened the last couple of hours.

        "Poisoned?" He asked.

        "Yes." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo confirmed.

        "That girl?" Emperor Guangzong muttered.

        "We subjected her to punishment and asked her who put her to it....." Empress Li said as she halted halfway and looked down while the Emperor stared at her.

         "What's wrong?" He asked, "what happened?" He persisted but the Empress once in a while stealing a glimpse of her son he seemed to realise immediately the reason that she had gone silent.

         "Crown Prince?" He called.

         "Yes father?" Crown Prince Zhao Kuo replied.

         "Oversee the preparation of some Mengding tea for me." He muttered in a serious tone.

         "Yes father." The latter complied and standing up he slowly withdrew from the room leaving the two alone the very moment that Li San and Eunuch Qin walked in the former bearing in his hand a document which he presented to the bedridden Emperor.

        "The young lady was only nineteen years old and she couldn't withstand torture so she died a couple of minutes after she had submitted her confession to which she agreed that she had been forced by Eunuch Gao.

        I had many more people looking into his background that I eventually noticed above everything else she was transferred to the main Palace ambiguously about a month ago and prior to that she used to work in the Palace of Virtue and Longevity as a watermaid." Empress Li muttered while the Emperor looked through the concession and furiously he folded it and the shredded it to pieces the two hardly saying a word.

         "Why does father resent me this much?" Emperor Guangzong asked.

        "I don't know Your Majesty, but it's likely that the person that is fueling this rivalry is the Empress Dowager, you can consider it her way of getting back at you for terminating her regency." Empress Li replied.

        "Nonetheless he'd bend to her every word it makes me all the more ashamed, regardless of everything that I have against him what would those Courtiers and those people say in my defense, they might think that these are no different from made up tales to rid myself of my father and on top of that the generations to come would call me too unfilial a son and say my greed had the best of me." Emperor Guangzong muttered.

        "But you can not be blamed Your Majesty, you have been tolerant enough and have protected His Majesty with your life yet he seems to take your silence for granted and doesn't repent he continues to aggress you, when I think of it perhaps he is checking your nerves and trying to force you to take a misstep." Empress Li convinced her husband.

        "Your Majesty, yesterday you survived and the day before that it's hard to say that the heavens shall always be merciful." General Li San remarked.

         "How far with the Courtiers?" Emperor Guangzong asked.

         "We are ready Your Majesty." General Li San replied.

        "Draft my Edict and tell the whole world that our nation is fledgling and that it's high time our old ministers in favour of my father Retired, the youthful that are charged with faults and whose secrets have been revealed to the world shall be demoted while the whole central administration shall be shuffled promote efficient men under the Chancellor Shi Hao and above all Han Touzhou is to be lowered to the position of Imperial Censor." Emperor Guangzong ordered.

        "Yes Your Majesty." General Li San said.

        "I'll trust that the Empress shall help you draft the new Government well." Emperor Guangzong remarked.

        "Yes Your Majesty." General Li San replied.

        "What about His Majesty the Retired Emperor?" Empress Li asked.

         "Leave my father to me, I know exactly what it is that I shall do with him." Emperor Guangzong replied and looking at the fury on his face the Empress smiled at herself contented with everything that had happened.

        Yang Meizi walking across the Courtyard she crossed paths with Crown Princess Han and seeing her at a distance she bowed her head while the latter studied her from head to toe.

        "Anything wrong Your Highness?" Qing'er asked.

        "No." Crown Princess Han replied as she watched the Head Lady continue in the direction of the palace of Virtue and Longevity.

        "It doesn't seem to me that Your Highness is alright." Qing'er remarked.

         "You once said that the Crown Prince seemed to bear a liking to Head Lady of the Retired Emperor?" Crown Princess Han asked.

        "Yes Your Highness." Qing'er replied.

        "But what happened?" Crown Princess Han asked.

        "I haven't heard about them meeting so frequently or even talking and neither have I heard about them being close to one another it's likely that I over thought the whole situation." Qing'er replied.

         "His Highness has hardly been a father to his son, these days he rarely visits my palace and I heard that he isn't quite settled." Crown Princess Han said.

         "As the heir to the throne he couldn't possibly hold his own comfort above the welfare of the state and the relationship between His Majesty and the Retired Emperor has grown to be an uneasy one I heard that last night His Majesty was nearly assassinated with poison." Qing'er remarked.

        "Forget it, what about the other ladies?" Crown Princess asked.

        "The Crown Prince's concubines are in order and none appears to have seen him around as well." Qing'er replied.

        "I see." Crown Princess Han whispered under her breath still staring in the direction where Yang Meizi had vanished.

        Emperor Guangzong in his room Eunuch Qin quickly rushed in and then bowing his head to the Emperor he was pardoned.

        "What is it?" Emperor Guangzong asked.

        "Her Highness the Empress Dowager is here to see you." Eunuch Qin replied and the Emperor surprised to hear his words he quickly turned to the old man furiously.

        "The Empress Dowager?" He asked.

        "Yes." Eunuch Qin confirmed.