THINGS FALL APART

        "A doctor with your skills and prowess is the hardest to find in the land, you give life and you take it away pretty much the same, you have covered enough bodies in your life, why would another be so hard for you?" Empress Li asked.

       "I am grateful that Your Highness has faith in me but..." Yom Salhwa still speaking Chiyun Ling interfered.

       "Her Highness has a rather poor sight or perhaps she has been wrong." She Said.

        "No." Yom Salhwa replied.

        "Then kill the Retired Emperor." Empress Li said.

        "Your Highness, it's not that easy." Yom Salhwa replied and the Empress hearing his words she turned to Liu Zhan who immediately stopped fanning her and she picked up a cup of tea which she raised in his view still behind the curtain.

         "As a filial son you failed to protect your family so take this toast personally from me and face your ancestors and your family in the Netherworld." She spoke.

         "Forgive me Your Highness." Yom Salhwa said while bowing his head on the ground.

         "What was that?" Empress Li asked sarcastically, "I didn't hear it." She went ahead to say.

         "Pardon me Your Highness, your wish is my command." Yom Salhwa replied.

          "Great." Empress Li replied as she brought the cup closer to her lips while the latter watching her, she drank all it's contents and eventually turned the empty cup over for him to see before she returned it to the table.

         "Now tell me, what are you supposed to do again?" She asked.

         "Kill His Majesty the Retired Emperor and smear blood on the Empress Dowager's hands." Yom Salhwa replied.

         "Good." Empress Li muttered with a smile on her face, "I admire that you catch quite fast." She complimented him while the latter only bowed his head out of fright while the Mistress loudly chuckled her laughter reached the hallways of her palace.

         Nuwa who was seated on her bed in her room she removed her pillow and right underneath it there was a very small painting of the Crown Prince Zhao Kuo.

         She smiled at it with a lot of contentment before she picked it up in her hands and she remembered the words that Yang Meizi had spoken to her a sombre expression eventually settled on her.

         "She will abandon the Palace, in deed she must hate you." She whispered to herself as she caressed his cheek as though feeling him.

         "But who will be there for you, who will serve you much better than me Your Highness, ease your comfort from the Crown Prince and the pressure from the Courtiers, look after your daily meals and see to your welfare?" She asked herself as she pulled the picture closer to her chest.

        "I could resent the descendants of Li and the heirs of the house of Zhao, I could resent your mother for she is the reason that I became an orphan without a home, and even with the possibility of not being chosen as someone to be loved and cherished by you, you are still that very person that I like and cherish more than anything in the world and I can't bear to hurt you." She assured herself as she closed her eyes.

        It was very early in the morning and the streets of Lin'an bustling with so many people the Princess Qi'an seated in a carriage that was drawn by two red steads it halted outside Fanling Court.

        Maintaining her silence, Lanhui walked up to the window of the carriage and she bowed her head.

        "We're here Your Highness." She muttered as the Princess inside she slightly rearranged her hair and smiled before she stepped out and descending on the small stairs that they had arranged for her, she took Lanhui's hand and she stood right in front of the two storied building.

         There she smiled at it while she read the words that were written on the wooden plaque above her head.

         "Is this it?" Princess Qi'an asked.

         "Yes Your Highness." Lanhui replied and the latter smiling she set her first foot on the stairs and mounted them as she went on inside.

         "I always come here everyday." Shi Miyuan bargained with the receptionist.

         "Pardon me Sir but today someone booked the plum blossom's room in advance." The receptionist replied.

         "They are very many other rooms, why does it have to be the hall of the plum blossom?" Shi Miyuan asked.

         "What does the strange man think?" Princess Qi'an asked, "every flower is symbolic in it's own way." She added as she approached the reception.

        "Greetings madam." The reception greeted her and she returned his salutation while Shi Miyuan studied her expression.

         "What does Milady think?" He asked.

         "Roses narrate the tale of romance, cherry blossoms compassion of youth, orchids resilience and tolerance through the greatest of storms." Princess Qi'an said as she walked up to him, "the plum blossoms love which is eternal, strives longer against the world and a memory to painful, unforgettable and beautiful at the same time." She added.

        Intimidated he moved a couple of feet behind.

        Conincidentally as the two were in very close proximity in a compartment not so far from the reception sat Li San who monitoring his niece could hardly believe how she was acting up much stranger than usual and she seemed too attached to the young man in front of her.

        "Young Lady seems to read so much." Shi Miyuan said.

        "And you fair Sir are a scholar it seems." Princess Qi'an remarked.

        "It's rare to find such a girl on the streets of Lin'an but seeing that you are tended to by a personal handmaid you must be well off, your clothes are made from fine silk so you must be Noble, the hairpins are made of pure gold and inlaid with semi precious jewels you are wealthier than any average Noble family." Shi Miyuan said.

       "You can tell well enough by just looking at me then your sight is quite remarkable." Princess Qi'an muttered.

        "I am rather flattered." Shi Miyuan replied bowing his head as he slowly turned to depart from the Court.

         "May be you could offer some company." Princess Qi'an asked and he halted in his footsteps at the time noticing that a number of eyes were looking at him.

         He turned to look at the young woman who was graceful hardly realising that it was a Princess he walked up to her again.

         "Pardon me but I can find elsewhere." He muttered.

         "The Hall of the Plum Blossoms must be your favourite but it is my bad that you can't have it to yourself today, sadly as it is I would also abandon it seeing that you must be attached to it so much yet that would only put my money to waste and these people who have spent a fortune arranging it shall in the end lose out." Princess Qi'an muttered, "I can't be so inconsiderate and selfish to have it to myself, you can join me and let me treat you just this once." The Princess requested to humbly that Shi Miyuan retained his silence for a while before finding the urge to reply to her.

        "Seeing as Milady has asked quite calmly and you aren't as bad a person then I shall stay a while longer." Shi Miyuan said as the Princess smiled that very instant and struggled to control her excitement underneath.

        "Thank you." She said to him as the receptionist moved over right in front of the two and led them upstairs the General infuriated he smacked down his cup the very moment that they had left and one of the waiters quickly rushed to his side.

        "Come down Milord." He pleaded while the latter standing up he folded his arms behind his back.

        "You can give him my bill." Li San muttered as he walked ahead leaving his retainer behind with the waiter who seemed frightened of the too men.

        Emperor Xiaozong still seated in his room and the Eunuch standing at the doorway the Retired Empress returned with yet another lunchbox in her possession.

        "Her Highness the Retired Empress requesting to have an Audience with Your Majesty." The Eunuch announced.

        "I wish to be alone." Emperor Xiaozong replied from the inside the Empress hearing the Eunuch tried to find the courage to repeat those words to her but she raised her hand and halted him.

        "How long has it been?" Empress Xie asked.

        "Three days Your Highness." The Eunuch replied.

        "Eunuch Deng?" The Retired Empress called him.

        "Yes?" He replied.

        "Has he had any visitors?" She asked.

        "Apart from an Imperial physician, no." Eunuch Deng replied.

        "Alright." Empress Xie muttered as Daiyu took the lunch box and handed it over to the young man.

        "Be sure to hand him these snacks." Empress Xie muttered as the young man took it.

        "Yes Your Highness." He replied bowing his head with all the other Ladies in waiting present as the Retired Empress turned around and walked away and he carefully handed over the lunchbox to the lady in waiting standing right beside him.

        "What is it?" Empress Li asked the young woman who seemed hesitant to reply.

        "Are you confused?" Liu Zhan asked.

        "Not at all." The young woman replied.

        "Then what is His Majesty up to?" Empress Li asked.

        "He is locked up inside his Chambers and he doesn't see anyone these last couple of days, he has his meals though but even the Retired Empress with whom he had become close there's rarely any sight of the two together the past couple of days she has only been giving him snacks and going away because he declines to see her." The lady in waiting replied.

       "Are you sure that they are just snacks?" Empress Li asked.

        "Yes." The young woman replied, "the snacks are personally handed to me by Eunuch Deng right at the very moment they are given to him, I have looked through entirely and I have searched them over and over again, there's nothing more." The lady in waiting replied.

        "So His Majesty only meets with the Imperial physician?" Empress Li asked.

        "Yes." The young woman replied.

        "Alright." The Empress muttered and looking at Liu Zhan and nodding her head she signalled to her.

        "Just make sure that you keep a very close eye on His Majesty." Liu Zhan muttered.

        "Aye." The young woman replied as she withdrew from the room and the doors were shut behind her while Chiyun Ling and Liu Zhan hurried over to their mistress. 

        "His Majesty is acting quite strange." Chiyun Ling remarked.

        "That crafty old man, is it likely that he is aware?" Liu Zhan asked.

        "Aware?" Empress Li asked. 

        "The more that I think about it, it shall be harder for His Majesty to perish if the only person seeing him is the Imperial physician, furthermore it shall be difficult on Yom Salhwa's part, it is evident that should the Retired Emperor die then the first Prime suspect would be him and I fear that it shall be easier to trace the chain back to Your Highness." Chiyun Ling replied.

        "I don't think so." Empress Li replied.

        "Why Your Highness?" Liu Zhan asked.

        "The Retired Emperor isn't entirely secluded from the world, after all, as long as he still gets food and pastries from the Retired Empress, the contents themselves can do the trick." Empress Li replied as she smiled at herself ghastly.

        Shi Miyuan and Princess Qi'an sat right opposite each other and the two guarded by Dong Hua and Lanhui they were served some food as the Princess stared at the young man intensely he started to feel uncomfortable under her gaze.

        "Is there anything on my face?" He asked.

        "No." She replied as he picked up the cup of liquor and drank it entirely resting it onto the table empty.

         "Please be careful sir?" Princess Qi'an said but Shi Miyuan already feeling uneasy he noticed soon enough that there was something that was so wrong with him.

        Looking at his hands he could hardly see a thing that before long he placed his hand on his forehead and felt his head spinning.

         "Dong Hua?" He called and the latter bending over and holding his master he tried to stand up but without any strength he fell down.

         The Princess shot up immediately and pushing her table aside she rushed towards him and ceased him but the latter sweating profusely and shivering she placed his head on her thighs.

         "His body is burning up." She cried.

         "Your Excellency?" Dong Hua called as the Princess turned to Lanhui who was standing right by her side.

          "Lanhui, Dong Hua, you go down the street, there's a doctor their, I shall watch your Lord for you, hurry up." The Princess ordered and the two nodding their heads with approval they quickly rushed out of the room leaving the Princess and the scholar on the ground.

          Vanishing through the door she hit Shi Miyuan's cheeks and noticed that the latter had already lost consciousness and smiling at herself she brought her face closer to his and looked at his eyes.

          "Forgive me Shi Miyuan for what I am about to do, you can not blame me though because you are a very good man and on the other hand I can not suppress my longing for you." The Princess whispered to him and gently she caressed his forehead as she chuckled at herself.

          "His Majesty won't see anyone." Nuwa said and Yang Meizi who closing her eyes she opened them and stared at the ground in front of her.

         "How much more can we rely on His Majesty?" She asked.

         "I don't understand Milady." Nuwa remarked and the latter turning to her she looked her in the eye. 

        "Of course you wouldn't, unlike me you are still innocent despite everything that we have been through, I have become so desperate at this point to do anything." Yang Meizi replied as she looked back where she was staring again, "all that ever mattered is that in the last days of His life His Majesty would see all that evidence at least and I would have a chance to act up in case he failed me." She added.

        "What are you thinking Milady?" Nuwa asked.

        "I can hardly stay any longer in this Palace, I am suffocated, if I grow old in here outside there he won't wait any longer even if he willed because things might become very bad." Yang Meizi replied.

         "Milady, please stop speaking in riddles." Nuwa said.

         "Nuwa?" Yang Meizi said as she stared at her, "I might risk losing my head if I must." She added.

         "I hope you're not thinking what I am thinking." Nuwa muttered.

         "His Majesty has grown old and he doesn't have much time left, Han Touzhou on the other hand dared to forge the Imperial brush suppose he willed it and I gave the world a reason to believe it, would he return from the dead and declare it fake?" Yang Meizi asked and Nuwa immediately fell down onto her knees.

        "Please refrain from it Milady." Nuwa pleaded.

        "And who shall avenge our brethren, our mothers and our fathers?" Yang Meizi asked.

        "Milady." Nuwa cried.

        "Don't pray for me to stop." Yang Meizi replied, "pray that His Majesty the Retired Emperor doesn't let me down." She added frankly while the other looked at her and could hardly believe how much she had changed.

        Dong Hua and Lanhui returning from the pharmacy with a doctor halted when they saw a large number of Imperial guards surrounding the building.

         "What's happening?" Dong Hua asked as Lanhui looked at him speechless.

         "I don't know." She struggled to say while Dong Hua lost in his thoughts temporarily something occurred to him out of the blue.

        "His Excellency." He muttered gathering the courage to rush into their direction that very moment.

         An uproar followed right inside at the reception and the latter followed by Lanhui they entered and climbed right up onto their floor only to find it surrounded by Imperial guards who faced them and blocked their path.

         "No one is allowed inside." One of the guards said.

         "Who are you to stop me?" Lanhui asked as she moved right in front of Dong Hua, "I am the Princess' servant." She emphasized and the man looking at him he moved aside.

         "Princess?" Dong Hua asked.

         "I'll explain later." Lanhui replied and leading the way, they rushed to the doors which were flung open and the two moved backwards facing the wrath of Li San and his retainer.

         "Milord?" Lanhui called when she saw her mistress surrounded by the soldiers of her uncle.

          "A Princess of the Great Song in a Court House with a prominent scholar, is this how your mother raised you?" Li San asked.

          "He just passed out." Princess Qi'an replied.

          "So what?" Li San asked.

          "Uncle...?" Princess Qi'an replied.

          "You stealthily leave the Palace we which is now out of order the six palaces are uneasy searching everywhere yet they are still unable to find you, His Majesty the Emperor's health worsened as a result and suppose the commons actually recognized you both have you any idea what public scandal that would be?" Li San asked.

         "I was careless uncle." Princess Qi'an muttered.

         "Nothing happened between them both." Dong Hua assured.

         "And so says the man that's walking in just now." Li San remarked as he turned to him, "what do you know?" He asked while the latter remained silent that he smiled at himself.

          "Pardon me uncle, it won't happen again." Princess Qi'an said.

         "You can cry your eyes out but if this lands in the ears of the Courtiers what could possibly happen, can you shoulder that responsibility and in the very least since it's the Grand Chancellor's son you are well aware what poisonous rumours there could possibly be." Li San muttered.

        Crown Prince Zhao Kuo was seated in his room in silence when the doors opened Lan He rushed in and bowed his head to him.

       "How is everything?" He asked.

       "Quite a commotion." Lan He replied, "though it seems to me that we have aroused the public attention." Lan He replied as the Prince smiled.

        "Can we trust the public on this?" He asked.

        "Does the public have a choice?" Crown Prince Zhao Kuo asked, "to begin with an Imperial Princess, secondly outside the palace, and the worst thing being at a Court House, she is about to young but the other thing we know is that she met up with the son of a very influential Courtier, had you been in the people's shoes what would you think?" He said.

         "I see your point." Lan He replied.

         "In the eyes of the people any attempt to avert the attention of the masses is a move by the Imperial family to hide the relationship between the Princess and the Scholar." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo muttered.

        "Is this a sufficient condition?" Lan He asked.

        "Just a necessary one, now that the fire has been lit it should be fanned." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo replied.

        "How so Your Highness?" Lan He asked.

        "Spread tale bearing, I want it clearly resounding even in the ears of the Courtiers that there's a romantic relationship between Her Highness the Imperial Princess Qi'an and Chancellor Shi Hao's son." Crown Prince Zhao Kuo replied.

         "Yes Your Highness." Lan He replied as he bowed his head and he walked out of the room leaving his master rather excited.

         "Really?" Han Touzhou asked.

         "Yes Your Excellency." Lin Xue replied.

         "It must be a joke." Han Touzhou remarked.

         "I heard with my ears and our men have seen themselves, it is news in the whole capital that the Grand Chancellor's son and the Imperial Princess Qi'an are having an affair and the two were caught in a Court House not so far from the main Street." Lin Xue replied.

         "The Empress must certainly be up to something." Han Touzhou muttered.

         "Could it be that she is afraid of you?" Lin Xue asked.

         "The Emperor and the Retired Emperor haven't been on hold terms, the Emperor went further ahead to find reasonable evidence to impeach some of the old ministers and force others into retirement so the Empress Dowager's powerbase in the Court is rather weakening and the Retired Emperor is only remaining a nominal figure he is like the wind in the Palace I hear he doesn't have much time left and he doesn't see any one." Han Touzhou replied.

        "That puts two hostile camps under a phony alliance." Lin Xue said.

        "The Empress and me." Han Touzhou replied, "Shi Hao is a man that is respected by the public so if she can bring him to his side not only will she be able to contend with my might she'll also be able to centralize all the power and authority to herself in the end she'll be no different from the Emperor himself." He remarked.

         "How smart!" Lin Xue exclaimed.

         "She's rather worried that my niece would stand in the way." Han Touzhou said, "if I can hold the harem and the Imperial Court I shall be something else." He added.

         "She doesn't trust you entirely." Lin Xue muttered.

         "She never has." Han Touzhou replied.

         "Can we say that all is bad?" Lin Xue asked.

         "Sadly with due time she shall be disappointed." Han Touzhou replied.

         "How so Your Excellency?" Lin Xue asked.

         "It's a good thing to be powerful but it's another to be too powerful, if she gives so much power to the house of Shi, do you expect the Imperial relatives to be at ease?" Han Touzhou asked.

         Lin Xue kept quiet.

        "The world belongs to Zhao and anyone too powerful is just as much the greatest threat to the Zhao Dynasty, if we stirred up a very large storm, the one pillar on which the Empress might feel safe might be the same pillar to bring her down." Han Touzhou muttered as he clenched his fists and laughed evilly his laughter reechoed throughout the room.

         "Your Excellency?" Dong Hua called when Shi Miyuan slowly opened his eyes and he looked up at him.

         He quickly sat up in his bed trying to process everything that had happened he started off by touching all over his body until he sighed with relief.

         "What happened?" He asked.

         "Are you feeling alright Your Excellency?" Dong Hua asked.

         "You haven't answered my question yet." Shi Miyuan replied as he touched his forehead feeling a headache, "the last thing that I remember we were at Fanling Court." He reminded the latter whose mind and senses appeared to have drifted away already.

        "Dong Hua?" Shi Miyuan called him but he didn't respond that he snapped his fingers right in front of him.

        "What is wrong with you?" He asked.

        "Nothing." Dong Hua replied, "it's just that you passed out after drinking some tea." He added.

        "How come I barely remember a thing, my memory is quite faint?" Shi Miyuan muttered.

         "They said that you should have some more rest." Dong Hua lied and the latter slowly lying down on his bed Dong Hua covered him in the dark of night as he sighed.

        Li San and Empress Li along with their father sat down facing each other.

         "What am I hearing?" Empress Li asked, "Princess Qi'an and Shi Hao's son?" She said as she faced her brother.

         "Yes." He confirmed.

        "That child shall be the death of me." Empress Li muttered, "that is painting a very awkward image for us." She went ahead to say.

         "But there's pretty much nothing that we can do, what happened at Fanling Court was a public scene that can't go unnoticed, there are already a number of circulating and duplicated rumours and all of them are even alleging that the Imperial Princess is with Shi Miyuan's child, others are wild enough to say that she's long admired him and they courted during that time he consequently visited the palace." Minister Li said.

        "And this is going to push us a little bit." Empress Li replied.

        "Did you not want this Your Highness?" Li San asked his sister.

        "How could I possibly dislike it, it's just that it wasn't the right time yet, the Imperial Princess' engagement was supposed to help us avert a future storm, itself coming too soon could jeopardize everything that I have worked hard for so far." Empress Li replied.

         "Then it doesn't seem like we have much of a choice." Minister Li said.

         "It's a dual alliance and that means that if I am going to be more powerful than Han Touzhou even Chancellor Shi Hao shall depend on me and become strong as well." Empress Li remarked.

         "So what is it that we are going to do?" Li San asked.

         "Chancellor Shi Hao might not be willing to surrender his might as of yet, furthermore he'll find a reason to end this marriage alliance to the Imperial house." Minister Li added.

         "I know how to settle this once and for all." Empress Li replied.

      It was early in the morning and the sun rising in the Eastern Horizon it conquered the darkness that had rested over the land setting alight the roofs of the Imperial palace and further more awakening the new day.

        Shi Miyuan rose from his bed and looked around only to realise that he was all alone and there was too much silence all over the place.

        Faintly remembering the occurrences of the previous day he got out of his bed and approaching the doors to his room he slid them open and looked out for a while.

        The Courtyard in front of his room abandoned with hardly any servants moving by the least he could see in a distance through the narrow doorway to the side was a group of Eunuchs and Imperial guards stationed in his abode.

        "What are they doing here?" He inwardly asked himself as he slowly walked up and stepped right into the spotlight all the eyes that were present turned to him.

        Shifting his gaze he caught sight of Li San who was stationed outside his father's main building and shortly after that he realized that the servants within their household had bowed their heads on the ground and dared not to look up.

        "What's happening here?" He asked but the rest maintaining their silence he mounted the stairs and Li San stood ahead of him.

        "Step aside?" He furiously ordered but the latter taking his time he finally paved the way for him while he ceased the doors and flung them open to yet the most shocking sight.

        "His eyes widened nearly popping out and his heart beat became more uneasy, his strength slowly waning he stumbled but was held up by Li San taking to notice the same Empress that he so deeply resented sitting right in front of his father and two cups of tea between them still steaming.

         "Just in time." Empress Li muttered.

         "Your Highness." He greeted while the woman didn't break her gaze with his father.

         "What is it I am doing here?" Empress Li asked.

         "Yes." Shi Miyuan replied.

         "And suppose I told you?" Empress Li asked.

         "Your Highness isn't one to leave the palace, it could as well raise just enough uproar in the City yet at the same time to choose and visit a Court official in their residence accompanied by Eunuchs and Imperial guards, what is it in particular that you are going to accuse my father of?" Shi Miyuan said.

       "Nothing." Empress Li replied, "perhaps I should hold you my dear for being responsible but in due course we should get used to the fact that the both of us shall soon become family." She went ahead to say.

        Shi Miyuan smiled.

        "Family you say?" He asked.

        "Am I wrong?" Empress Li asked.

        "And why would I take delight in that, more so wish for it?" Shi Miyuan asked.

        "The City is already busy with rumours and on the other hand you can as well ignore the fact that I have come here in my name but rather His Majesty the Emperor to deliver his Edict." Empress Li replied.

        "His Majesty's Edict?" Shi Miyuan asked.

        "I chose to personally give your father the good news but now that you are here I don't see the point in hiding it from you any longer." Empress Li replied as Shi Miyuan turned to his father.

        "What is she saying father?" He asked.

        "Be a bit more respectful." Grand Chancellor Shi Hao replied.

        "I would father but there's something that is going on here and I dislike that I am being left out." Shi Miyuan muttered.

        "Liu Zhan?" Empress Li called and along with Eunuch Gong the two walked up to the three possessing with themselves the golden scroll with the two dragons and the sun.

        "His Majesty the Emperor decrees that you take the hand of Imperial Princess Qi'an in marriage." Empress Li said and Shi Miyuan so shocked to hear those words he fell down onto his feet and got lost in his thoughts hardly believing a thing that was said.

        "Impossible." He remarked.

        "I don't want to coerce you but I hope you can understand what it means to dishonor the Emperor's Edict and I only hope that you are in the position to shoulder the consequences, however on the bright side I was just talking through with your father the privileges that could come along with it." Empress Li assured the young man as she stretched her hand and tapped his two but the other realising the contact he quickly pushed himself away.

        "I won't marry the Princess." Shi Miyuan assured the Empress who stood up furiously but struggled hard and maintained her composure.

        "You have twenty four hours to think about it." Empress Li replied, "tomorrow at the same time with your approval the Edict shall be made public." She assured him before walking out of the room leaving the two together.

        Li San seeing his sister he bowed his head to her while all the other servants in the residence paved way for her and they bowed their heads as well.

        "Let's go." She ordered.

        "What about them?" Li San asked.

        "Let's give them some time to think the terms through." Empress Li replied.

        "It's an Imperial Edict, it isn't up to them to accept it." Li San muttered.

        "The terms are a bit too crucial on one hand and the world is also watching, we can't let them find fault in the Imperial clan, rather, it should be a move that every party will appreciate." Empress Li replied as she descended the stairs and the rest of her retinue followed her closely behind.

        "What?" Empress Dowager Wu asked.

        "Yes Your Highness." Wan Mei replied.

        "The Empress personally went to the Shi Manor to deliver an Imperial Edict and for the time being she seems to be up to something else." Wan'er supplemented.

        "Great." Empress Dowager Wu remarked.

        "How come?" Wan Mei asked.

        "Towards the end of 1192 to cement her regency she had enfeoffed three generations of her ancestors as Princes, I kept quiet, on the occasion of her visiting her family's elaborate ancestral shrine she extended special Imperial favours to twenty six of her relatives and I still kept quiet, she conferred official rank on another one hundred and seventy two I still kept quiet." Empress Dowager Wu replied, "why do you think I did so?" She asked.

        "Please enlighten us Your Highness." Wan'er replied.

        "Her extravagance of Imperial favour was bound to infuriate the bureaucracy and I wasn't wrong about that, Vice Minister of Rites Ni Su amongst the lowest of officials portrays her as a threat to the stability of the Great Song and comparable to Lü Zhi of the Han Dynasty and Wu Hou of Tang, what do you think it is that the people choose to see in her?" Empress Dowager Wu asked.

        "A usurper." Wan Mei replied.

        "She has had too much to centralize all power to herself and she has made a number of sufficient enemies, there's one more thing though that remains to be done now." Empress Dowager Wu remarked.

         "What should we do Your Highness?" Wan'er asked.

         "His Majesty still refuses to see the Retired Emperor?" Empress Dowager Wu asked.

         "Yes." The two replied in unison.

         "I heard Liu Cheng himself was displeased and now that a number of our people have been ousted there are still very high officials that wish for His Majesty to rescind." Empress Dowager Wu muttered, "ask them to assemble at the Palace and plead with His Majesty to see the Retired Emperor." She added.

         "But he won't give in and perhaps the worst possible scenario is that he shall aim all the spears at them as unfaithful." Wan'er replied.

         "I know that we'll enough." Empress Dowager Wu remarked, "in the very least more than a hundred of them might threaten him with their resignation." She added as she smiled at herself ghastly.

        "That would push His Majesty to the edge Your Highness." Wan Mei muttered.

        "Which has its own advantages." Empress Wu remarked, "you can think of it on these terms, the more the Empress isolates both father and son, she will additionally isolate herself and her allies." She assured.

          Emperor Xiaozong sat at his study table looking through all the scrolls that were being submitted to him.

         Furiously he kept on folding them and throwing them aside that Eunuch Qin very much surprised by his reaction he quickly rushed over to his side with a cup of tea.

         "So they are on my neck?" The Emperor asked.

         "Please calm down Your Majesty." Eunuch Qin said to him.

         "How could I possibly calm down?" Emperor Guangzong asked, "there are rumours that my brother is busy finding favour with our father and furthermore there are rumours that the choice of the Crown Prince was illegitimate considering the fact that the Retired Emperor didn't have a hand in it." He remarked.

        "Your Majesty, there's an easier way of resolving this." Eunuch Qin cautioned.

         "Then please enlighten me." Emperor Guangzong shouted, "ask me the Emperor to go and kneel down before my father in the Palace of Virtue and Longevity, confess and tell him that I am wrong and I haven't been too filial a son, in the eyes of the Courtiers I would be no different from a joke they would continue to call me very weak and hen pecked." He emphasized.

        "But pushing Royalty at odds isn't the best solution to the problem Your Majesty." Eunuch Qin pleaded.

         "You would vouch for diplomacy but that father of mine won't listen, first to kneel to the man that sent me assassins and nearly had me poisoned, I would as well be admitting defeat which is far out of the question." Emperor Guangzong replied.

         "Your Majesty." There was suddenly a loud cry that erupted from outside and it interrupted the conversation of the two.

         "What's it now?" Emperor Xiaozong asked when the doors of his hall being opened a younger Eunuch quickly rushed in and fell down to his knees offering his respects to the Emperor.

         "What's with all the commotion outside?" Eunuch Qin asked.

         "Liu Cheng Your Majesty is outside with a number of powerful officials." The Eunuch replied.

         "Please so His Majesty the Retired Emperor, Sure, if you're listening to your people, please grace is with your presence." Liu Cheng shouted while bowing his head on the ground with all the other ministers he started smacking his head on the ground.

         "Liu Cheng?" Eunuch Qin asked.

         "It must be the Empress Dowager." Emperor Guangzong remarked.

         "What are they saying?" Eunuch Qin asked the young man.

         "Your Majesty, they are willing to hand in their resignations if Your Majesty won't budge and listen to their plea." The Eunuch replied and the Emperor hearing those words he smiled before exploding into a very loud laughter.

         "Your Highness...?" Eunuch Qin spoke out of concern but the Emperor persisted until he was tired when he smacked his hand on the table and everyone that was present in the room and outside in the hallway bowed down and went onto their knees.

          "Please appease your anger Your Majesty." They cried in unison while the furious Emperor clenched his fists and looked at his personal Eunuch at the time less confident in himself he bowed down his head.

          "Have you not heard how brazen they could be?" He asked.

         "Your Majesty, just forget about it." Eunuch Qin replied.

         "It's alright." Emperor Xiaozong remarked and the two widened their eyes in disbelief, "if they most certainly wish to resign then I shall contain them no longer." He went ahead to say as he picked up the cup on his table and took a deep sip before lowering it down again.

         "Shut them outside the palace and let them grieve and weep their day and night until they get tired." He ordered and the latter standing he bowed his head as the two withdrew.

         "Alright father, if this is how you want it then I shall simply play along." Emperor Guangzong muttered to himself under his breath as he sighed with so much disbelief and disgust.

         Liu Cheng and the other Courtiers that were stationed outside still crying they saw a large retinue of attendants headed their way and as they moved into the main courtyard accompanied by a number of Imperial guards, they rounded the whole group as Eunuch Qin and Li San appeared in the lead.

         "Grab them and throw them out." Eunuch Qin muttered and very surprised by his expression Liu Cheng and his faction were overwhelmed with instant fear as the Imperial guards ceased them.

         "What are you doing, His Majesty the Retired Emperor isn't feeling well at all." Liu Cheng blabbered.

         "This is His Majesty the Emperor's order." Eunuch Qin replied, "if any of you wish to resign then His Majesty shall consider your personal interests at heart and grant you your liberties, if you are loyal citizens to the Great Song then none of you shall bother him about this again as this is a family matter and henceforth doesn't call for the intervention of the Imperial Court." Eunuch Qin informed them confidently before turning around to walk away while Liu Cheng and the others were dragged out with spears at their necks to the gates of the Palace where a large number of people had gathered to spectate what was going on.

        "Please rescind Your Majesty." Liu Cheng cried even after that and the people murmuring amongst themselves in the crowd Bao Langya and Bo An stood as they personally weighed the situation with the public.

         "It seems that His Majesty still refuses to yield." Bo An remarked.

         "Then it shall be very bad on his side." Bao Langya replied.

         "The rift between father and son is too wide and in deed as Yang Meizi had remarked their relationship is irreparable ." Bo An said.

        "Let us not be too hasty." Bao Langya muttered, "the Empress must have something cooking up her sleeve." He added.

        "You can pass on the message to the others, I shall stay here and watch everything." Bo An said and Bao Langya nodding his head in approval, he turned around and penetrated the crowd as he walked away while Liu Cheng and his company remained pleading their case in front of the tall large crimson palace gates

         "Your Majesty, the Imperial physician." Eunuch Deng announced and the doors themselves being opened Yom Salhwa walked in and bowed his head to the Retired Emperor who looked calmly at him.

"Greetings Your Majesty." He said.

"It's alright." Emperor Xiaozong replied as the latter moved over with Eunuch Deng beside him and he decided to take the old man's pulse.

In the mean time he could recall the words of the Empress lingering in his memory.

"...kill the Retired Emperor." She'd told him and the Emperor realising that the latter was absent minded he moved closer to him.

"What's the problem with you?" He asked.

"Nothing Your Majesty, it seems as though you might recover slightly." Yom Salhwa replied.

"But I haven't been feeling well the last couple of days." Emperor Xiaozong muttered.

"Your Majesty is too old and the dosage itself is too strong, meanwhile it's normal to have a couple of setbacks." Yom Salhwa replied with a smile on his face.

"Then I shall leave the rest to you." Emperor Xiaozong said.

"Rest assured Your Majesty, I shall do my very best to look after you well." Yom Salhwa replied as he bowed his head to the Emperor once again who smiled at him nonetheless.

Getting onto his feet with his kit he quickly withdrew from the latter's presence while Eunuch Deng looking at him and more suspicious he descended to the Emperor's side at once.

"Give me your hand Your Majesty." He requested and the Emperor reluctant he offered it while his Eunuch tightly held it in his hand and felt the pulse.

Craning his neck and certain that there was no one watching he leaned over to the Eunuch's side.

"What is wrong with me?" He asked but barely having the courage to speak up to him Eunuch Deng let go and he sighed as his eyes became teary.

"Tell me what is wrong with me?" He insisted.

"Pardon me Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng replied as he withdrew and positioned himself in front of his master where he bowed his head.

"I asked you what is it?" The Retired Emperor asked impatiently.

"I may not be the most skilled of physicians but even I was taught the basics upon entering the palace, your pulse is already weak and it is slowly starting to disappear, your meridians are shattering one by one and your vitals are badly damaged." Eunuch Deng replied.

"In your opinion, how much longer do I have to live?" Emperor Xiaozong asked.

"If Your Majesty is lucky..." Eunuch Deng replied but could hardly find the courage to complete his statement he had to look at the Retired Emperor who stared intensely at him.

"....Three days." He concluded and the Emperor closed his eyes and ceased his chest, taking in a very deep breath as tears flowed down his eyes.

"His Majesty still refuses to visit me?" Emperor Xiaozong asked.

"Yes." Eunuch Deng replied, "and for your sake the Main Palace is very far you are not conditioned for trouble at this rate any strain both physical and mental could leave you paralysed for your remaining few hours." He added.

"It's alright." Emperor Xiaozong muttered, "it is alright." He convinced himself over and over again as he smiled sombrely.

"Pardon me Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng cried.

"Send word to the Ciming Palace and tell her Highness the Retired Empress that I wish to have some of her pastries once again." Emperor Xiaozong ordered calmly.

"Yes Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng replied as he withdrew from the room at once.

Yom Salhwa knelt down in front of the Empress while she looked at him contently while reading a book.

"Your Highness." He spoke to her.

"Seeing that you are here there must be something very urgent for you to report to me." Empress Li remarked.

"His Majesty won't survive death in the next two days." Yom Salhwa replied.

"Really?" Empress Li asked.

"Yes." Yom Salhwa replied and the latter pleased she lowered the book onto her table and she faced him with her earnest smile.

"What did you tell His Majesty?" Empress Li asked.

"His health is stable and improving which he knows and the migraines and general body weakness is because of His Majesty's dosage, the Medical bureau has received a report of his health but consequently I have been applying very few amounts of poison to his body in the concoction whose traces shall later be found in one of the ingredients of his food." Yom Salhwa replied.

"I don't just want His Majesty to die of poison, I would prefer that as you are doing it one way or another the blood rests on the Empress Dowager's hands." Empress Li emphasized.

"And I understand that Your Highness." Yom Salhwa muttered, no worries, the Empress Dowager herself shall have a surprise awaiting her." Yom Salhwa assured the Empress as he smiled ghastly at her.

Empress Xie who was seated in the temple and praying to the Golden Buddha in front of her was interrupted when Daiyu quickly rushed in and bowed her head to her.

"Urgent News Your Highness." She claimed aloud.

"What's the matter?" Empress Xie asked.

"His Majesty the Retired Emperor requests you to send over some of the pastries you usually deliver." Daiyu replied and hearing this the Retired Empress stood up at once and faced her lady in waiting.

"Take me to the kitchen." She ordered.

"Your Highness?" Daiyu seemed surprised.

"Quit arguing and listen to my command." Empress Xie scolded her while she submitted instantly as the two got out of the temple.

Shi Miyuan lay in his bed overwhelmed by tears as he looked out of the window on his right, he noticed that the wind blowing carried with it some leaves and while a sombre note had been struck in his heart he quickly turned his face away as he recalled the words that Yang Meizi had said to him on the Night of the lantern festival.

"Mei'er, forgive me for I have failed you now." He remarked when Grand Chancellor Shi Hao stood there beside the doorway listening to the whispers of his son with Dong Hua he immediately closed his eyes and turned to the younger, placing his two hands on his shoulders and leaning on him.

"Your Excell...." Dong Hua whispering he signalled with his finger for him to keep quiet.

"Follow me." He muttered and the latter complied the two eventually walked up to the balcony that faced the backyard which in nature was isolated with nothing more than a small flower garden that possessed a single plum blossom tree.

"Did I ever tell you about it?" He asked.

"No Your Excellency." Dong Hua replied.

"The tree that you see before you regardless of how small it may seem is the biggest and most beautiful and most important thing for me in this house that is second to my son." Grand Chancellor Shi Hao spoke.

Dong Hua kept quiet.

      "Yuan'er was born in do much pain but it is sad that when he came into this world at the same time his mother traversed out of it." Shi Hao narrated.

"Your Excellency...?" Dong Hua opted to restrain him which he repelled.

"His mother cherished him so much more than anything I convinced myself that I would do the very same with him because in the whole world he was the last thing that I had that reminded me of her and he was the last thing that I had that could make me call her my own." Shi Hao said.

"I did not know." Dong Hua muttered.

"He was unlucky amongst all the other kids to never have the love of his mother and I tried so much to make him feel like he missed out on nothing yet for what, I still strives every now and then to make him understand that he was beloved yet deep down inside I am certain he longed for that chance, that day, that one opportunity even if it seemed non-existent to bow down at his feet and kowtow to his living mother instead of a memorial plaque." Shi Hao remarked in tears.

"He lacked nothing my Lord." Dong Hua convinced him.

"Yet day and night his heart ached and once he found someone to love I am to blame that they couldn't be together he now has a proposal from the Imperial family to marry a Princess he knows of too little or nothing about?" Shi Hao replied as he turned to Dong Hua and ceased his two hands placing them in his own.

"Just do me a favour." He requested.

"What is it Your Excellency?" Dong Hua asked.

"I can give you everything but just get him and the girl that he loves to flee this city tonight, then and then can I ensure your safety so that by tomorrow morning even if we must die for betraying the Emperor and rebelling whether it is the whole clan I can reunite in peace knowing that my son is happy wherever he is." Shi Hao replied.

"Your Excellency, please don't...." Dong Hua refused trying to pull his hands out of Shi Hao's grip while the latter refused to let go.

"Until now he has seen you as a brother it is the very least that you can do for him." Shi Hao muttered, "please speak to him, it is the only way that I can save him." He went ahead to plead endlessly that Dong Hua eventually breaking free he stood at a distance away from him.

"Your Excellency." He raised his voice.

"Do you not pity him?" Shi Hao asked.

"I do." Dong Hua replied reluctantly.

"The both of you are too young and you have an entire lifetime ahead of you, I am here and too old there isn't much more that I can do." Shi Hao whispered as he walked closer to Dong Hua and the other backing away he found himself against the pole, "it is your duty to protect him remember and I am sure that one day you shall come to realise that whatever I did and told you on this very day was for your own good." Shi Hao assured him as he withdrew and walked away leaving the latter breathing intensely with his back against the pole and his feet at a loss of strength he fell down onto the ground the words of his master still lingering at the back of his head while he started to shed tears as well.

Yang Meizi was surrounded by a number of ladies in waiting and she supervised them as they laid the dishes that were being transported to the Palace of Virtue and Longevity, one by one she looked through all the lunch boxes and smiling in contentment Eunuch Deng walked into the kitchen with the Retired Emperor's lady in waiting beside him.

"A word with Milady." He requested humbly.

"Yes." Yang Meizi replied and moving aside with him the two stepped into another compartment of the kitchen while Nuwa remained watching everything else.

Eunuch Deng bowed down to her while she smiled.

"Anything new?" She asked.

"His Majesty." Eunuch Deng replied.

"What's wrong with him?" Yang Meizi asked.

"He doesn't have much time left." Eunuch Deng replied, "the Imperial physician lied about his diagnosis the past couple of days and today I confirmed with His Majesty that they are all lies however healthy he may seem though there is still one thing that I didn't tell him." Eunuch Deng replied.

"And what is it?" Yang Meizi asked.

"Everyone could suppose that since we are servants none of us are as skilled and my subordinate is in the Empress' earnest service so they'd be more convinced that everything is under control since the Retired Emperor doesn't see any other physicians, I realized from how badly damaged his vitals are and it seems to me that over time, it is very likely that His Majesty has been ingesting poison yet all his herbal concoctions have been done in front of me." Eunuch Deng replied.

"Poison you say?" Yang Meizi asked.

"I am sure and I could tell from the symptoms." Eunuch Deng replied, "it's very likely that the Empress has a way she is manipulating everything but you and I can't seem to get a hold of it." He added.

"Great." Yang Meizi remarked as she smiled at herself.

"How could you be happy?" Eunuch Deng asked.

"His Majesty is terribly ill and he is bedridden, the Courtiers pleaded with His Majesty the Emperor to go once and see his father but they were ousted like criminals from the main Palace and the gates were shut in front of them." Yang Meizi replied.

"Then it would profit us if His Majesty died?" Eunuch Deng asked.

"In particular if His Majesty knows he'll understand that he is very close and the fate of his country is in his hands which if he forsakes on the other side I can also use to my advantage to topple Han Touzhou and his kind." Yang Meizi replied, "and if His Majesty perished without the reigning Emperor doing a thing that will yet be another trouble for the Empress." She remarked as she smiled at herself ghastly.