SINISTER INFLUENCE

          Emperor Ningzong seated in his study Eunuch Deng walked in.

          "Your Majesty." He greeted him.

          "It's almost time for the Daily assembly isn't it?" He asked.

          "It's been months Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng replied.

           "What about Yang Jieyu?" He asked.

           "She is doing better Your Majesty and she spends time praying for the Grand Empress Dowager to rest in peace, the harem lacks a leader yet at times like this she is exemplary in leading the other Palace ladies to offer their greetings to the Empress Dowager Xie." He replied.

          "I heard that she's been to the temple and she prayed for the welfare of her child." He muttered.

          "Yes." Eunuch Deng replied.

          "Keep me updated on anything else." He said as he got up from where he was seated and preparing to go out the latter spoke up.

          "If I may Your Majesty." He said.

          "What is it?" He asked.

          "I have heard that she's been searching for her family the past couple of months." He said.

           "Isn't she the daughter of Yang Cairen?" He inquired.

           "As you recall she was adopted Sire." He replied, "initially some assert that the Court Musician Zhang Shansheng had an affair with an official and she concieved it's very much unlikely that they were made aware." He added.

           "I see." The Emperor said as he fell silent.

           "I am very sorry if I bothered Your Majesty." He said.

           "Not at all." He replied, "inform Yang Jieyu's residence that I shall spend the night there today." He ordered.

            "Yes Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng replied as he bowed his head while the latter continued his way.

            Yang Jieyu praying in the nearby temple she faced the tall golden Buddha that was towering above her and nearly touched the ceiling.

            On a simple cushion she was seated with her eyes closed when close to her another emerged and sat right behind on her right.

            "It's unbelievable that someone like you prays." He remarked.

            "You never know." Yang Jieyu said as she bowed her head and raising her eyes she looked at him,

            "It's been a long while my General." She remarked.

            "Why must you keep chasing me around every now and then?" He inquired.

             "Why do you think?" Yang Jieyu inquired.

            "I already told you..." He was still saying when she interfered.

             "That you do not wish to have me for an ally?" She asked.

             "I trust that you understand my motives." He said.

            "Since the founding of the Dynasty Emperors have long taken their Empress' from military families and our Dynasty has a number of them yet I still insist that I want you you must have reliably heard rumours that I am seeking out my roots." She said.

           "How can you seek out roots you don't have?" He asked.

            "Because the world doesn't know which roots I have and don't have, what matters is what they see, I always tell myself that a word of my mouth shall be believed by all men, they call me a hussy, a witch, a monstress, but you could guess what?" She asked.

           "What?" He responded.

           "This hussy, this witch, the monstress that they fear with their lives is the same woman that shall rule the world." She assured him.

           "Good luck with that." Yang Cishan muttered.

           "You see tonight will be one of those nights that His Majesty won't be able to sleep he'll either seek me out or come to my Chambers and sleep there like he has always done the past couple of days, the Empress that is fallen is surviving on my mercy that is and strangely enough the harem shall need a ruler sooner or later as the Empress Dowager has left quite a number of affairs to me." She said while she humbled herself and continued to caress her rosary.

           "And what's the use of you telling me this?" He asked.

           "I once told the Empress that even if she gathered the voices of all the men in the world their plea would never eclipse my whisper against her that came to pass, I am the power of the harem and the heart of this Palace at this time the people no how to love and to fear me I offer you a one way ticket out of poverty and a road to get justice for your father you still refuse to embrace it?" Yang Jieyu mentioned.

           "And what do you hope from gaining from a powerless official like me?" He asked.

            "There's no blood stain that can not be washed and neither can there be a sin that can not be forgiven, what I mean to say is that you can make this Rebel's daughter an Empress who will turn you and your kinsmen from traitors to heroes." She said as she bent her head and kowtowed before the Buddha again before standing up and turning away to go.

           "Suppose I still say no?" He asked.

           "You have twenty four hours Your Excellency to think more about it, in the end know that depending on the resolve that you show me, I shall equally show you mine without sparing anything." She responded as she got out of the temple.

             The Courtiers waiting in the Grand Hall Eunuch Deng announcing the Emperor he made his way in and mounting the stairs that led to his throne he gracefully sat down.

            "Long Live Your Majesty." They said in unison as they stood upright.

            "You are all most welcome to today's daily Assembly." He said.

            "Thank you." They replied.

            "Present your concerns." The Emperor said and a couple of scholars in the back looking at one another, one moved forward while everyone was watching.

             "If I may Your Majesty." He brazenly spoke.

             "Proceed." The young man replied.

             "This is in regards to the Inner Court." The man said and each of the Courtiers surprised they whispered to one another.

             "What about it?" The Emperor asked.

             "It's been a while since the Empress was banished from the Palace but since she still holds her Empress title another can not yet be enthroned in her position I believe that it's high time a new ruler of the harem was installed and I seem to know a probable candidate." He said.

            The Emperor quiet for a while and Han Touzhou silently watching everything he seemed hesitant to allow the man to complete his request.

            "How so?" He asked.

           "In the absence of the Empress Your Majesty the harem needs to run and the top most senior positions for Secondary wives remain vacant Your Majesty I find it right to summon the Empress Mother back to the Palace." He said.

            Hearing this the rest of the Court was in upheaval while the young man seemed rather contended in his efforts.

            "If I may Your Majesty?" Minister Xia muttered.

            "What is it?" The Emperor asked.

            "The Empress Mother was a rebel." He said.

            "And she has served her sentence in the Cold Palace long enough." The young official said, "it could be unpardonable had it been just anyone but if it's His Majesty's mother if you do not spare her then I fear that the people might call Your Majesty unfilial." He pleaded.

           "Is this your resolution?" Emperor Ningzong asked.

           "Please reconsider Your Majesty." The young man said backed up by a couple of other officials for a while Han Touzhou was silent with his counterpart Zhao Zizhi.

           Hardly had the Assembly been dismissed when Han Touzhou and Minister Xia sat together at his study while he seemed lost in his own thoughts.

           "Your Excellency, how could you not react to that preposterous request." He inquired.

          "We couldn't just overlook that." Han Touzhou responded.

         "What do you mean?" Minister Xia asked.

          "With the Empress out of the palace there's hardly anyone to contain Yang Jieyu or her ambitions her influence might as well grow and a number of Courtiers learning that she's the Emperor's favourite could curry favour with her which to us is sufficient enough a most deadly institution." He replied.

           "So in your perception the Empress Mother remains the last resort we have?" Minister Xia asked.

           "Those two women are equally ambitious they share the same goals, a similar aura it makes them hardly possible allies which means that there's shall be another fierce battle within the palace." He responded.

           "I didn't think it through." Minister Xia muttered.

           "But because it's an assumption that's far from guaranteed it makes it yet another big gamble because yourself and I both know what would become of the Empress Mother if she sets foot into the harem and the Palace once again." He mentioned.

            "We are at a very big disadvantage." The latter seemed to realise.

            "Which makes it very hard to choose which of the two evils shall be lighter for us to bear." Han Touzhou remarked.

            "Then we need to buy time." Minister Xia said.

            "And how do you suggest we do that?" Han Touzhou asked.

            "The Empress Mother was once strong but the one returning to the harem is weak and if she'll need to contend with Yang Jieyu then she'll need to replenish her strength more than anything else and while that happens we can secure the position of the Crown Prince." He replied.

           "It's possible and I wish it was that easy but we should equally be cautious of the Empress Mother as it is." He mentioned.

           "There's only one person that I can think of that can help us with that." Minister Xia said.

           "Who could that be?" Han Touzhou inquired.

           "It is vain for us to empower the Empress Dowager then perhaps we should consider another person from the harem that we could mould into an Empress ourselves." Minister Xia replied.

           "And who would that be?" Han Touzhou inquired.

           "Yang Jieyu is confident because she has His Majesty's heart however we could turn everything around and cause her to lose His Majesty's trust." Minister Xia replied.

          "His Majesty won't fall for just any girl my dear and even if he did what happens if she gives birth to a son?" Han Touzhou asked while the latter remained silent, "whatever we do we can not compromise the life of the Imperial Prince Zhao Jun the way that I see it we can only do one thing to gain two things at once." He added.

           "What is it Your Excellency?" Minister Xia asked.

           "I'll need to have a word with the Empress mother." Han Touzhou replied.

           "What?" Yang Jieyu asked.

           "Yes Ma'am." Manyin replied, "I heard that one of the officials appealed to His Majesty saying that someone should manage the harem and that it's best if the Empress mother returned." She added.

            "And why would we let that happen?" Yang Jieyu asked, "have we forgotten everything that she did in the past just like that?" She inquired.

            "No." They replied in unison.

            "But His Majesty seems to have taken it into consideration, it is as they say that blood is thicker than water." Xiaoyang muttered.

            "Perhaps it is but it doesn't have to be that way." Yang Jieyu remarked.

            "Yes!" Manyin exclaimed.

            "All it takes is some water to make blood dilute if they are bent on returning the Empress Mother to the Palace then we won't stop them." She responded.

            "What do you intend on doing Ma'am?" Xiaoyang inquired.

            "Those who don't learn from history shall end up repeating it and that's why we shall teach His Majesty the consequences of his actions sooner or later." She responded as she smiled at herself ghastly.

            "But what if Her Highness has in deed changed?" Manyin Said.

            "She refused to attend the vigil for the Grand Empress Dowager and even her funeral and you say that she's reformed, no, all that hatred has been piling up over the months that have turned into years and I trust that by now I understand Her Highness well enough, it's only fools that think people will change that easily." She responded.

           Empress Li was inside the Cold Palace's Grand Hall and a brazier burning next to her, she had lived there for much of her past three years and she'd succeeded in personally renovating part of that one room in which she stayed, with a cheap wooden table and stool, there was a very thin and narrow bed along with it's mattress, but the plants having crept over it's walls it was somewhat beautiful and the floor weak Liu Zhan had gone to great efforts to keep it tidy with their shoes light, they'd only travel about with grace keeping their feet flat but even then one would have the feeling that their feet were bound to chains.

           At the moment there was a lady in waiting that moved up to the two.

          "Your Highness, someone is here to see you." She informed the fairly old woman.

          "And who could that possibly be at this moment?" She inquired.

          "He claims to be the Left Chancellor, Han Touzhou." The young girl replied.

          "Let him in." The Empress said and the latter withdrawing from the room a short while later the old man made his way in and offered her his respects.

           "Your Highness." He said.

           "It is very rare for us to receive guests in the Cold Palace but seeing that you are here then I am in deed very pleased as always you haven't been the type of person to disappoint me." She remarked.

          "I am merely here with an offer for Your Highness." He said.

          "Then have a seat." Empress Li said and the latter looking at Liu Zhan the Empress raised her head to her that it was clear they indirectly demanded a privacy which forced her to excuse herself.

          Once she was through the doors the two were left all alone and the Empress quietly looking at her hand on the table Han Touzhou broke the silence.

          "Seeing that you were expecting me Your Highness, you must have reliably been told by now that there are people that proposed that you return to the Palace." He said.

           "Isn't it surprising?" She inquired casually.

           "But Your Highness doesn't seem surprised." Han Touzhou pointed out.

           "The Grand Empress Dowager Wu was the most powerful woman in the world but she could never silence you, if there is a hypocrite then it certainly is that old sly fox for trying so hard to contain you yet she showed the world openly that her resistance was an open one but what to say, she couldn't kill her nephew with her own hands." She mentioned.

            "Your Highness must have noticed by now the type of person that I am." He pointed out.

            "You therefore approach me and wish me to be no different from the Late Grand Empress Dowager then you are so mistaken." She said.

            "Really?" Han Touzhou inquired.

            "The Empress Han has collapsed and by now even with a Crown she is very useless in your political game, the very moment that a Crown Prince is designated I assure you that the palace shall reek of blood again and the Imperial Concubines and Consorts shall be in arms to secure the position of their sons as well, yet heed this I tell you today, you wouldn't expect Empress Han to keep her life." She replied.

           "That's why I am here to turn to you." Han Touzhou said.

           "As I had hoped." She said.

           "You aren't those women therefore the Imperial Prince Zhao Jun is your grandson, furthermore on the footing that it couldn't be possible to bear your own other son I seem to understand much better that there isn't a more reliable person that I can trust to protect the young Prince apart from Your Highness." He said.

            "And why is that?" The Empress Li asked.

            "By now Your Highness should be aware that the reason that you failed before was neither the Grand Empress Dowager or myself by that Yang Jieyu whom by now you should have had a lot about at this rate as we speak she could soon become the most powerful woman in the Empire." Han Touzhou said, "if it's to need a child to get onto your feet you'll need a Prince that shall treat you almost like his mother and seeing that he is distraught from everything that transpired wouldn't your Highness be the best alternative around?" He asked.

            "And what do I get from agreeing to this offer?" She asked.

           "You can have the harem it shall be all yours, if you even live long enough that is you shall become the Grand Empress Dowager, just think about all the power that you have lost you can regain all that in a single go Your Highness, we all know that for this nation to thrive there must be a Balance of Power between the Inner Court and the Imperial Court which won't be in our favour if Yang Jieyu dominates the harem." Han Touzhou replied.

            "As always, you have never lost your most remarkable tongue for convincing others." She said.

            "For our best interests Your Highness, it's only right that this alliance of ours is concluded." He said.

            "I had already thought about it and the terms themselves are very favourable, it's not like I can disagree to this offer even if I wanted but the one thing we both know at this moment is that we need each other that is to say you need me as much as I need you." She said.

            "Rest assured Your Highness our devotion shall remain undivided that is if you keep yours undivided as well and trusting that you have heard us out yourself I shall personally see to it that we hasten your return to the Palace before it is too late." Han Touzhou pointed out as he smiled at her before standing up and bowing his head to get out of the room.

             Liu Zhan walked in a short while later.

            "The Princess was right." Empress Li muttered.

            "Your Highness can't possibly forget how it is that we ended up here." Liu Zhan muttered.

            "I couldn't be foolish enough." Empress Han said, "but don't worry though, I promised myself that there would be a day I would set them on their knees begging me for their own deaths." She added as she smiled at herself ghastly.

           Yang Jieyu in her personal quarters Xiaoyang and Manyin walked in.

           "Ma'am." She said.

           "Tell me." She demanded.

           "As you had expected, someone sought out the Empress Mother in the Cold Palace." She replied.

           "Who?" Yang Jieyu inquired.

           "Han Touzhou." She replied while Yang Jieyu taken aback she thought about it a bit more.

           "They are that desperate." She muttered.

           "So it seems." Manyin replied.

           "His Majesty said that he would visit me tonight?" She inquired.

           "Yes." Xiaoyang replied.

           "Very well then, we'll give him the good news." Yang Jieyu muttered as she smiled at herself.

           Emperor Ningzong mounting the bridge that led to hef compound he found the latter standing outside and waiting for him earnestly.

           Looking around when she caught sight of him she immediately rushed over to his side.

           "Your Majesty." She greeted.

           "You shouldn't have waited for me outside like that it's very cold tonight." he said to her.

           "I hadn't seen your Majesty in a while since the whole day began you wouldn't possibly expect me to idly ease my heart." She said.

           "There there, I am right here in front of you so perhaps you should feel a bit calm." He said.

           "Let's get inside." She said and leading the way the young man sat behind a table that had been arranged while Yang Jieyu put the dishes that had been prepared onto it.

           "Your Majesty must have had a very busy day that I thought it best to personally prepare you some of these dishes, there's lotus root and mung bean soup to replenish your body and there's also rice cakes and prawn." She muttered while she personally served him everything.

           "This is too much for me to take in." The Emperor muttered.

           "Your Majesty I prepared it with all my heart as I was worried for your health, it breaks me Sire when you are tiring and shouting with those officials and there's those very long memorials for you to review I can't help but wish to assist you on these matters but as a wife the best that I can do is give you comfort." She said to him.

             "Those Courtiers are in deed so annoying." The Emperor remarked and watching him he slowly started eating while she smiled.

             "I happened to hear from Eunuch Deng though that you have been very busy these days trying to find out your family's whereabouts." He mentioned.

             "Your Majesty is well aware that my mother was a Court musician and that Yang Cairen raised me with her own hands she was no less a mother to me, but I remember I used to ask my mother about my father and she'd consequently told me that he was somewhere with my brother." She replied.

             "It must have been hard for you." The Emperor said.

            "If I seek him out I merely wish to know why it is so that he disowned me or why he never really sought out my mother that at times I can't help but grieve." She spoke sadly.

             "You should have asked me for help, I can have the best Investigators in the whole kingdom find that out for you." He assured her.

             "As it is Your Majesty is bring bothered already with the affairs of state why would I let you concern yourself with such a trivial issue I would instead be too selfish." She pointed out.

             "But it hurts me to know that you are hurting." He said.

             "You worry for nothing Your Majesty and besides I already found out my family." She replied.

             "Really?" He asked.

             "Yes." She replied.

             "Who is it?" He inquired.

             "You might be acquainted with the family of General Yang who served the Gaozong Emperor and consequently in the Jin Song wars especially the naval battles of Caishi." She replied.

             "The late father of Yang Cishan?" He inquired.

             "Yes." She replied feeling rather uneasy she let him see the disappointment in her eyes and he seemed to hint on why it was so that she reserved her silence.

              "The Rebel Yang?" He muttered.

              "I was afraid to disclose any of this to Your Majesty but I can't possibly remain silent about it, I am a Rebel's daughter and it would reflect badly on your reputation but even if he wronged the nation, my mother and me Your Majesty I can not be unfilial which is why I am willing to forget about it all and I shall not pursue it any further." She said.

             "Is this how you feel?" He inquired from her.

             "My heart and mind is all yours Your Majesty, if there's something that I can't bear then it's the world coming between us for your sake I can cast aside all family affections and ties." She said to him in tears.

             "Very well." He said to her, "come here." He called her and she rushed to his side while he embraced her, where he could not see her face but he out it close to his chest and his heart, amidst the fake tears she was smiling was a smile that promised nothing more but evil.

          It was very early in the morning when he returned to his Chambers and was being prepared for the Daily Assembly when Lan He walked in.

           "Your Majesty, the Grand Secretary is here to see you." He announced and the latter set foot inside.

           "Your Majesty." He saluted him.

           "I was up thinking all night that I managed to come up with a resolution." He said.

           "How may I be of service Your Majesty?" He asked.

           "There's two Edicts that you are going to draft for me." He said.

            "Yes Your Majesty." He replied while bowing his head.

            Yang Jieyu walking through the Palace Courtyard she came face to face with the Imperial Princess Qi'an.

            "Your Highness." She greeted her.

            "Ma'am." She responded.

            "You look rather lively today." She remarked.

            "It must be because yours is going to be an unfortunate end, only a couple of months and you wouldn't rule the harem I can't help but wonder, you spend every night with my brother but up until now there's no good news." She said.

             "If I was to tell Your Highness all the things that we were doing in my Chambers every night which part of the conversation would you like?" Yang Jieyu asked and she fell silent.

            "Don't get so high, who knows, good news might grace His Majesty from heaven." She said.

            "Since you seem so concerned I can't help but wonder as well why Your Highness isn't taking proper care of yourself, as it is you have also been in marriage for a while now but there's no good news of a nephew?" She teased.

             "It's good to see that you pay me just as much attention but you should remember that the Palace needs an Empress Mother and soon enough, you will belong to the Cold Palace." She said as she bowed her head and walking away Yang Jieyu forcefully ceased her hand.

              "Your Highness, you shall not test my patience because if you didn't know well enough I don't have any." She coarsely spoke to her in a whisper as she let go and smiled more freely before she went her own way and left the latter furiously clenching her fists.

             "Your Highness?" Lanhui called.

             "We'll see about that Jieyu." She muttered, "we'll see who will be bowing to the other soon enough." She concluded as she went her way as well.

             The Courtiers gathered in the Grand Hall the Emperor settled on his throne before them.

             "Greetings Your Majesty." They said to him while he seemed calm.

            "I heard you all out yesterday." He said, "after so much deliberation I have come to make up my mind on what is to be done." He added.

            "Yes Your Majesty." Everyone replied in unison.

            "As you are all very much aware there's no Empress in the palace and the Empress Dowager laments that her ill health doesn't permit her to handle most of the affairs of the harem it is thereby essential that the Empress Mother returns to the Palace." Emperor Ningzong said.

            "Your Majesty is Sage." Minister Xia and the rest of Han Touzhou's faction said in unison while Yang Jieyu's supporters agreed unwillingly.

            "But that's not all." Emperor Ningzong said and everyone had their attention put onto him.

            "Is there anything else Your Majesty." Grand Chancellor Zhao Zizhi inquired.

            "My reign is rebirth and thinking back to all the victims of the Jin Song wars and those unfortunate citizens from the reigns of the Gaozong, Xiaozong and Guangzong Emperor's I have decided that those that were charged with crimes which were merely implications of their ancestors shall be pardoned and allowed to return into government positions and participate in it's affairs that's if they prove more than worthy of my grace." Emperor Ningzong said.

            "Yes Your Majesty." Yang Jieyu's followers spoke with vigour that Han Touzhou and his clique couldn't help but wonder what was going on they retained their silence.

            The Court dismissed the Emperor returning to his Chambers was pleased and sitting down he looked at Eunuch Deng and handed him the Edict.

            "Deliver it to the Empress Mother at once." He ordered.

            "Yes Your Majesty." He responded and the Emperor turning to the memorials that were close to him he noticed that the latter had still failed to withdraw from his presence.

            "What is it?" He asked.

            "I was merely wondering Your Majesty, why would you pardon the descendants of traitors?" He inquired.

            "The State itself needs very capable and competent men to serve it and until now I haven't done so much as an Emperor I believe that the children shouldn't bear the sins of their forefathers." He replied.

            "It seemed to me that the rest of the Courtiers didn't catch the whole gist of the situation or perhaps they didn't see any need for it." He muttered.

             "At this rate they won't see why." The Emperor replied as he smiled at himself, "by the time that they shall realise it in the near future it shall be too late." He added.

             Yang Jieyu arriving in her Chambers she sat down at her table while Manyin and Xiaoyang along with Beiyuan settled close to her.

            "Ma'am....." Beiyuan was about to report when she interfered.

            "The Eldest Princess." She said.

            "What about her?" Manyin asked.

            "Han Touzhou went and saw the Empress Mother in the Cold Palace it is remarkably strange however seeing that the Princess spoke that way to me she must have somewhat been involved in seeing to it that the Empress Mother returns to the harem." She said.

           "His Majesty already issued an Imperial Decree that recalls Her Highness back to the harem and straight away she'll move to the Palace of the Empress Mother which is being specifically decorated." Beiyuan said.

           "And the Imperial concubines?" She asked.

           "They are busy preparing themselves as well Ma'am to receive the Empress Mother later in the day." Beiyuan replied.

            "Then we shall give Her Highness a warm welcome." Yang Jieyu responded as she turned to Manyin, "where's the fine silk and jewelry that I asked you to prepare in advance?" She inquired.

             "Rest assured Ma'am, all of it is ready." She replied.

             "And what about Yang Cishan?" She inquired.

             "There's still no reply from him Ma'am but I heard that His Majesty said that he'd forgive the descendants of the sinners from the past regime and the Courtiers agreed themselves unilaterally." She said.

             "His Majesty has in deed been a very great help to us but shockingly they must have been rather distracted concerning the Empress they won't realise how hard this will hit them until it's very late." Yang Jieyu muttered.

             Empress Li in the confines of the cold Palace Liu Zhan rushed in.

            "Congratulations Your Highness." She said.

            "Alas, we shall return where we belong." She muttered and at that moment the doors of the room being opened a couple of Ladies in waiting walked in with a number of clothes.

            "This is?" She inquired.

            "Yang Jieyu spoke to His Majesty and the Empress Dowager, for your Highness to return to the Palace the Officials shall first receive you but above all else that his Majesty might not lose face, you should return dressed as an Empress Mother." Liu Zhan replied when Xiaoyang walked in as well bearing a small trunk in her hands which she opened in front of the Empress.

            "A gift from Yang Jieyu." She said when she revealed the large diamond ring and the Empress Li could ultimately understand what it meant she walked up close and picked it up first wearing it on her finger.

             "Tell her that I appreciate her kind offer." She muttered while Xiaoyang smiling she bowed her head and got out of the room.

            The Gates of the Main Palace being flung open the trumpets were sounded and a Palanquin bearing the Empress Mother was carried through while the Ministers and the officials received her while bowing their heads wherever she passed.

            Being veiled by a crimson silk curtain, the Palanquin halted at the stairs that led to the Grand Palace and while the curtains were drawn open, Liu Zhan and Xiaoyang offering the Empress Mother their hands she took them as they helped her out into the open where the Emperor stood at the top of the staircase.

            Letting go of her she ceased her garments and slowly and gently she mounted the stairs one by one while her retinue of attendants followed her and reaching up to her son, she halted in tears as she bowed her head.

            "Your Majesty." She said.

            "Mother." He replied as he held her hand.

            "How wonderful it is that I now see you." She muttered.

            "How have you been?" The Emperor asked.

            "As you see Your Majesty I have survived long enough to come back to you." Empress Li said and holding her hand he showed her to the world.

            "If I could make up for those years of loneliness I surely will but as it is my harem can not do without an Empress Mother it's high time you took your rightful place." He said.

            "I'll do whatever I can to serve Your Majesty." The Empress Li muttered and the Courtiers beholding the two they went onto their knees.

            "Long Live Her Highness the Empress mother." They sang in unison, "Long Live His Majesty the Emperor." They went ahead to say.

             A short while later the gates to the Empress Mother's Cifu Palace were opened and the Empress marched in as the Imperial Concubines and Consorts, Eunuchs and attendants, ladies in waiting and Lady Investigators present they each bowed their heads and up ahead and nearby on a seat of her own was the Empress Dowager Xie who was watching everything quietly.

             Her eyes slowly perusing through the young ladies she could tell at the forefront of the line that the most remarkable and most familiar of faces was the Yang Jieyu she had heard a lot about, only slightly different from what she recalled her to be and her eyes though silent burnt with a great fire.

             "Greetings Your Highness." She said to her while the latter halting in her footsteps she studied her beautiful scarlet dress along with her remarkable headdress.

             "Yang Jieyu." She muttered.

             "Yes." The latter responded while she smiled at her.

             "You must have put in a lot of effort to arrange for my return." She remarked.

             "The Empress Mother is returning to the harem then we are blessed, how could such an auspicious occasion be handled lightly for one of the heads of the harem and the Inner Court?" Yang Jieyu inquired.

            "You are right." The Empress muttered, "how could such an occasion be held lightly for one of the heads of the harem and the Inner Court?" She reechoed her opinion.

            The latter's eyes falling onto her hand she noticed the diamond ring.

            "I see Your Highness liked my gift." She mentioned as the Empress studied her own hand as well.

            "Why wouldn't I cherish this most Noble heritage?" She asked.

            "Your Highness must be tired." She muttered, "if you don't mind I shall help you up to your seat." She added and gently holding the Empress Mother's hand herself not declining they mounted the stairs together until they reached her seat that was slightly close the the Empress Dowager's and the rest of the harem bowing their heads the Empress Mother settled while Yang Jieyu did the same.

             "Remarkable." Empress Han said and a small chest being born in by some Eunuchs and placed in the middle, it was opened.

              "You have all served His Majesty well and with your cooperation I hope that we'd see this Inner Court thrive yet again." Empress Li said.

             "Yes Your Highness." Everyone replied in unison and with her own signal, the Eunuchs started to serve out the money and the treasures while Yang Jieyu watching from the side smiled at her every once in a while.

            Once the welcome ceremony was concluded, the Empress Mother was led into her Chambers by Liu Zhan.

            "It's good to see you back in the Palace Your Highness." She remarked.

            "I wish to have a word with Yang Jieyu in private." She said.

            "What?" Liu Zhan inquired.

            "You heard me well enough." Empress Li muttered and the latter unwilling she immediately exited the room.

             Yang Jieyu in her own Chambers Manyin rushed in.

           "Ma'am, Her Highness the Empress mother summons you to her Palace." She said.

           "What could it be now?" Xiaoyang inquired.

           "She wants to probably talk things through and just what I was waiting for." Yang Jieyu replied as she turned to Manyin.

           "I shall be there in a while." She said.

           "Yes Ma'am." Manyin replied as she got out.

           The Empress Han looking through a couple of books Liu Zhan returned.

            "Yang Jieyu is here Your Highness." She said.

            "Let her in." Empress Li said and at that very moment, the young lady walked in           

          "Your Highness?" She said.

          "Yang Jieyu at last we meet again." The Empress Li said.

          "As always Your Highness was never a fan of people like me." She pointed out.

          "Strangely enough a Court Lady becomes a Concubine that sets the palace in arms I have heard a lot about you and on top of that so it may seem I have come to realize that you to are indeed someone to be dreaded." She said.

          "I didn't do anything Your Highness as I merely tried so hard to survive." Yang Jieyu defended herself.

          "Really?" The Empress asked.

          "It was my enemies that chose the wrong person to contend with and because of that they had to pay a very heavy price that is much worse than death." She replied.

          "If you say so." The Empress said, "I heard that there's hardly been any peace in the harem." She remarked.

          "But thanks be to God the days of darkness are past and we can sleep in peace with the Empress and her Cohorts far away we can breathe for the time being." Yang Jieyu muttered.

          "Seeing that you are an outgoing person I am pleased and whether true or false women that could shake the world such as yourself should be respected however now that the Empress Mother is back in the harem I find it only fair to enlighten you." She said.

           "I am all ears Your Highness." Yang Jieyu replied as she picked up her cup of tea and slowly blowing at it, she took a sip before she rested it back gracefully on the table while the Empress watched.

           "You are merely a Concubine that's trying to grow wings but contain your ambitions in my presence my dear, you have yet to learn a lot from this old woman before you." She said.

           "Only twenty years between us you must in deed be too old to have learnt nothing and forgotten nothing from the Cold Palace it's best to know that the only difference this time round is that if you're not careful no one will tell when you'll have to leave this Palace when you're not breathing." Yang Jieyu spoke.

           "Should I take it that you are threatening the Empress mother?" She asked.

           "Your Highness seems to make us believe that you are here to challenge is." Yang Jieyu replied.

            "And to think that the Poor Grand Empress Dowager was my real enemy who would have known that there was someone with my poise?" The Empress Li inquired.

            "Perhaps Your Highness is right I shall save you the bewilderment this time and let you understand that you have Empress Han and Consort Han as vivid examples of what happens to all those that stand in my way." She said.

            "Don't be too excited my dear, the Grand Empress Dowager would cast us out but we wouldn't fall we have existed in this Palace long enough to give the Crown a reason a tree that has just sprouted from the soil in months can not compete with one that has been deep rooted for years." The Empress said.

            "If Your Highness believes that I am a simple tree that has just sprouted then you are wrong, a mild wind that will calm it's grave enough that you think so, I am a storm and a flood, one that shall wipe out not only that deep rooted tree but it's whole world with it." Yang Jieyu responded as she stood up and bowing her head to her she withdrew from the room at once.

            "How dare she.....?" Liu Zhan said furiously but the Empress raising her hand she restrained herself.

           "Patience." She said.

           "Your Highness...?" She asked.

           "Time will tell how wild this little storm will become." She replied as she smiled at herself confidently.

           "Ma'am?" Xiaoyang said the moment Yang Jieyu got out of the room.

          "What did she say to you?" Manyin inquired.

          "It is as we had expected, first it was the Empress Han and now that Empress Mother." She replied.

           "That can only mean that...." Manyin was still saying when she interrupted.

           "Yes, this is war." Yang Jieyu confirmed as she continued her way while the two followed her.

           "How could she be so disrespectful to Your Highness?" Liu Zhan inquired.

           "Let her be." Empress Li replied, "we are back in the Palace we can't swell turbulence as of yet and even if we chose to she shouldn't be our greatest concern." She added.

            "If you say so Your Highness." She replied.

            "Her Highness the Imperial Princess informed me that Lady Cao who is bearing the Emperor's seed is still at Xuanmiao temple." The Empress muttered.

             "Yes." Liu Zhan replied.

             "Now that she's carrying his Majesty's child she belongs to the harem she doesn't need to be kept there any longer, have the arrangements made for her return to the Palace." Empress Li muttered.

             "Yes Your Highness." Liu Zhan replied.

             "In the mean time I shall talk to His Majesty about it." The Empress said, "This time I shall see for myself the expression on Yang Jieyu's face when she finds out." She muttered.

             "Yes." Liu Zhan replied as she withdrew from the room at once.

             Arriving inside her room Yang Jieyu sat down.

             "Don't let the Empress Mother bother you." Xiaoyang said.

             "She's already strange as it is." Yang Jieyu responded, "I could tell from her eyes there's just so much going on." She added.

             "We'd be worried Ma'am, our eyes and ears around the harem are the first of the few things she'll certainly eliminate." Xiaoyang said.

            "Then we won't let her know so much." Yang Jieyu responded, "hasten my meeting with the others." She said.

            "Yes Ma'am." Xiaoyang replied as she headed out.

           "Your Majesty?" Eunuch Deng said as he rushed into the Emperor's study and bowed his head.

           "What's the matter?" The Emperor asked.

           "Her Highness the Empress Mother is here requesting to have an audience with Your Majesty." He replied.

           "It's alright." The Emperor replied and while he got out of sight a short while later the Empress Li walked in.

           "Your Majesty." She greeted.

           "What is it mother?" He inquired.

           "There's a very urgent message that I was hoping to deliver to you." The Empress replied and the latter putting down his memorials he turned to her.

            "Could it be that Your Highness feels uncomfortable in the harem?" He inquired.

           "No." Empress Li replied, "it's in regards to Lady Cao." She said.

           "The one that was banished to Xuanmiao temple?" He inquired.

           "I was curious that there was a letter that she had delivered to the capital and she claims that she is pregnant with Your Majesty's child." The Empress replied and the young man surprised he stood up from where he was seated.

           "Pregnant?" He muttered with disbelief.

           "Yes Your Majesty." The Empress Li replied and himself recalling that he'd been there a couple of months ago he smiled.

           "I see." He said.

           "I have had arrangements made to have her returned to the palace as it is that she is bearing in her womb an Imperial child and we can say that her transgressions are forgiven for she has your grace I think it fair that Your Majesty raises her rank." The Empress Li said.

           "Yes." Emperor Ningzong said.

           "If that's all then allow me to take my leave Your Majesty." The Empress said as she bowed her head to him and she withdrew from the room.

            Eunuch Deng returning a short while later he found His Emperor rather excited that he couldn't help it but inquire the reason that he was amused.

            "Your Majesty......" He was still saying when the latter interfered.

            "Inform the Grand Secretariat to draft an Edict and have it sent to Xuanmiao temple, Lady Cao has been faithful to the dynasty and to the throne she shall return to the Palace as Jieyu." He said.

            "Yes Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng replied as he immediately strode out of the room while the Emperor feeling uneasy was bound to explode with excitement.

            Yang Jieyu still talking to Xiaoyang Manyin running across the Courtyard of her residence she mounted the stairs that led to her room and barging through the doors she halted in front of her mistress sweating profusely.

            "Ma'am." She cried aloud hardly breathing as she struggled to gasp for air having greatly exhausted much of her efforts.

            "What is it?" Yang Jieyu inquired.

            "Her Highness the Empress Mother saw the Emperor." She said.

            "What about it?" Xiaoyang inquired.

            "Lady Cao is returning to the Imperial Palace by Imperial decree as a Jieyu as well." Manyin replied.

            "How is that even possible?" Manyin inquired.

            "I heard that she's pregnant with His Majesty's child and comparing the time that she was away, it's very much unlikely unless......." She was hesitant to conclude when Yang Jieyu did her the favour.

           "His Majesty must have once been to Xuanmiao Temple to see her." She asserted.

            "It's the only explanation to all this." Manyin said.

            "First the Imperial Princess and then the Empress Mother and now it's Lady Cao?" She muttered under her breath.

            "This is no coincidence Ma'am, it's certainly their coalition." Xiaoyang said.

            "We were so focused on the Empress that we for a moment ignored them all and if Lady Cao returns to the Palace we can in the very least expect that nothing will be as easy." Yang Jieyu confessed.

            "Based on what I know Lady Cao will be arriving in the capital tomorrow at sundown as the journey will be quite long." Manyin said.

            "We can not let the Empress get to us emotionally and there's nothing that can be done about this anymore." Yang Jieyu said.

            "You can't just sit by and watch them do whatever they like Ma'am?" Xiaoyang remarked.

            "If I was that lenient I wouldn't be where I am today." Yang Jieyu muttered as she stood up from where she was seated and she walked out of the room.

           Lady Cao still fetching water and crossing over from the Courtyard of the temple to the well she was intercepted by Linxiang who seemed rather excited.

           "Congratulations Ma'am." She said and behind her a couple of Eunuchs and Imperial guards turned up that she could hardly believe her eyes.

           "You're..........." She was saying when they interrupted.

           "Ma'am shall return to the Palace with us." One of the Eunuchs said.

            By sundown of the next day the Imperial Concubines and Consorts dressed to their best were gathered in the Courtyard of the Empress Mother's Palace when a beautiful Palanquin was led in amidst a couple of attendants while the guards ahead bearing torches with themselves it was immediately lowered in front of everyone.

            The curtains being flung open and Linxiang offering her hand to her mistress Cao Jieyu took it and stepped out dressed in a beautiful Crimson silk dress that was adorned with numerous floral designs and with a simple train and jacket hovering on top, her headdress made in the shape of beautiful coloured orchids she was another dazzling spectacle beneath the staircase on which the Empress Mother and Yang Jieyu were standing.

            "Greetings Your Highness." She offered her respects to the old woman who smiled heartily at her while her eyes travelled to her side where she saw Yang Jieyu uneasily looking down on her.

            "You are most welcome to the Palace Jieyu." She muttered.

            "And I trust that you shall look after me well enough." She said.

            "No worries my dear, you are in perfect hands." Yang Jieyu assured her.