PRELUDE TO WAR
It was dark at night and Bao Langya, Bo An, Master Bao, Jinglan, Yang Cishan and Shi Miyuan gathered at the Lanling Court Yang Jieyu walked in accompanied by Manyin and Xiaoyang who stood behind her.
"Ma'am." They stood up and greeted her as they bowed their heads while she sat down.
"At ease." She replied and they each settled after her as she smiled at them.
"You called for this meeting Ma'am." Master Bao said.
"It's been a couple of weeks since the passing of the Empress Mother and the harem is still in mourning Han Touzhou and his supporters along with the Cao Clan and the Late Empress Mother's men have rallied behind Cao Zhaoyi." She mentioned.
"It bothers you Ma'am?" Bao Langya inquired.
"No worries, we have our eyes on them all." Bo An assured.
"That I trust." Yang Jieyu muttered, "but it's not what bothers me." She said.
"What is it Ma'am?" They asked her.
"The Empress Mother has passed and it is our very good fortune, however the harem needs a leader and using the mourning as an excuse they won't raise the idea as of yet they are stalling time." Yang Jieyu replied, "my worry is that Han Touzhou doesn't trust the Crown Prince shall be safe even with the guardianship of Cao Zhaoyi, it's inevitable that like it was for the Empress Mother they shall appeal that the Empress be reinstated and be restored the powers that she was stripped of." She asserted.
"It won't be as easy Ma'am, His Majesty couldn't have forgotten her nature well enough and her malice." Master Bao said.
"As long as he is benevolent close to every sin for His Majesty can be forgiven and even if he's unwilling he has the pressure of the people to push him either a new Empress will come in from outside or using His power Han Touzhou shall have his niece returned into Imperial precincts." Yang Jieyu remarked.
"What do you want us to do Ma'am?" Bo An inquired.
"I need you to help me by grace and favour from the people." Yang Jieyu replied, "in the mean time I must reconcile myself with His Majesty." She replied.
"Do you have an idea Ma'am?" Master Bao asked.
"Use the wealth that we have and the titles and guarantees in our possession, by the slaves that are being sent to Jin and settle them as farmers onto the land." Yang Jieyu replied.
"Yes Ma'am." Master Bao replied as she turned to Bo An.
"There's something that I need you to do for me." She muttered, "gain control of all those that were part of the Empress Mother's private army and have them register to take the exam to become Imperial troops and guards." She ordered.
"Yes Ma'am." Bo An replied as he bowed his head.
"A house won't last long without a woman therefore, you can leave the Empress to me." Yang Jieyu said as she smiled at them ghastly.
"Yes Ma'am." They all said in unison as they withdrew from the room.
It was very early in the morning when the Imperial Princess Qi'an walked up to Cao Zhaoyi's quarters and she stood outside.
"Your Highness." Linxiang greeted her.
"Is Cao Zhaoyi inside?" She asked.
"Yes Your Highness." Linxiang replied.
"I was requesting to have an audience with her." She muttered.
"I'll inform her Your Highness." Linxiang said as she rushed inside and found Cao Zhaoyi seated and looking through a couple of books before her.
"Ma'am." She Said.
"What is it?" Cao Zhaoyi asked.
"Her Highness the Eldest Princess is here to see you." She replied.
"Is that so?" She inquired.
"Yes." Linxiang confirmed.
"That was a little bit quick." She mentioned.
"What could she be up to Ma'am?" She muttered.
"What everyone of Yang Jieyu's enemies is doing these days." She replied as she smiled at herself ghastly.
"Should I let her in?" She inquired.
"Yes." Cao Zhaoyi replied and the young woman withdrawing from her presence, the Imperial Princess Qi'an made her way in shortly after.
"You Highness." She said.
"Ma'am." Princess Qi'an muttered.
"It's very surprising that you'd seek me out at this time." She pointed out.
"You know why I am here." The Princess muttered.
"If it's about the Crown Prince you can rest assured that as I promised Han Touzhou, I shall certainly protect him and it doesn't seem like I would so anything to jeopardize my current position though for you Your Highness I can't help but wonder." Cao Zhaoyi muttered.
"What?" She inquired.
"You brought me into the palace and just like that you abandoned and betrayed our alliance, why is it that you turn to me today?" She asked.
"I shall be frank in my response to you and I won't lie about anything." Princess Qi'an muttered, "Yang Jieyu has only amassed enough power with the absence of an Empress in the Palace you are therefore the only one that I know could possibly contend with her might." She said.
"You think highly of me." She remarked.
"And seeing that you could get Han Touzhou and the Cao family on your side I trust therefore that I am not mistaken." Princess Qi'an replied.
"If that's all Your Highness, you don't have to bother so much, but you see there's something that you must certainly do if you wish to get rid of Yang Jieyu." She said.
"What is it?" She asked.
"I was wondering how much it is that you trust your husband?" She replied.
"My husband?" The Princess asked.
"Seeing that he once loved Yang Jieyu Your Highness with all his heart there's certainly nothing he won't do if he still treasures those affections." She replied.
"What do you mean to say?" The Princess Qi'an asked.
"Your Highness shall pardon me but if you really want to know each and everyone of the things that Yang Jieyu is doing then don't bother looking so far, instead, turn your eyes to your dearest husband whom you love very much." Cao Zhaoyi said.
The young woman kept quiet for a moment and she looked at her.
"This way I tell you, you shall be the biggest help to us." She said.
"I'll keep my end of the deal Ma'am, I was hoping that you would keep yours to." The Princess said as she stood up and turning around she departed from the room and left the young woman smiling at herself.
Getting outside, the Imperial Princess turned around and she looked back at the building.
"What is it Your Highness?" Lanhui asked her while she seemingly recalled the words that Yang Jieyu had mentioned to her before.
"Your Highness, if you were to endure to be through what I have been through, you wouldn't have lived long enough to become as strong as I have become." She'd told her.
"We aren't strong." She replied, "we won't survive should there be a day that the Crown Prince's life is threatened and we can't trust Cao Zhaoyi." Princess Qi'an replied.
"What are you going to do Your Highness?" Lanhui asked her.
"We shall build our own power." The Imperial Princess Qi'an replied.
Yang Jieyu seated in her room Manyin walked in.
"Ma'am." She said.
"What is it?" She asked, "Has His Majesty agreed to receive me?" She inquired.
"No Ma'am." Manyin replied as she bowed her head in disappointment.
"I see." Yang Jieyu replied.
"I don't understand Ma'am, it has already been months and this is the third time since this morning." Manyin mentioned.
"It's His Majesty's way of saying he has refused." She muttered, "fine, then I'll go out myself." She said confidently.
"Ma'am?" Manyin halted her, "there's guards there that he has given the order not to let you even in the Courtyard." She said.
"Very well, then let them try and stop me." Yang Jieyu mentioned instead and still having her way she walked past the young woman while she was joined by her Retinue, moving across the compound and in the gardens, she walked towards the Grand Palace swiftly and arrived at the entrance of the Emperor's Palace.
As she launched towards the doors, the Imperial guards stationed there only crossed their spears before her.
"I am here to see His Majesty." She said.
"Forgive us Ma'am but we have our orders not to let you in." One of the guards replied.
"Listen to me." Yang Jieyu said.
"We can not." They replied in unison and seeing that they wouldn't let her through she knelt down at that very spot.
"Then I won't leave here." She said and the guards surprised they only looked at her.
"Ma'am, this isn't the time." They sympathised her.
"Your Majesty, please allow me to see you." She raised her voice and shouted desperately but there was no response as her eyes could only gaze at the distant doors outside which the Eunuchs and the ladies in waiting were situated.
"Is she outside?" The Emperor Ningzong asked Eunuch Deng.
"Yes Your Majesty." He replied and the Emperor immediately fell strangely silent.
"Your Majesty won't, you grant her an audience?" He asked.
"No." Emperor Ningzong replied.
"I'll send her away." Eunuch Deng said.
"No." He replied.
"Your Majesty, suppose she kneels outside there, the sun will be too much for her." He mentioned.
"Let her kneel." Emperor Ningzong said, "she'll go later if she pleases." He said.
"Yes Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng replied.
"Yang Jieyu kneeling onto the ground she didn't budge and the ladies in waiting and Eunuchs walking past the place all stared at her and backbit her while she turned a deaf ear with her hands on the ground.
"Ma'am?" Linxiang said as she rushed into Cao Zhaoyi's Chambers.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Yang Jieyu." She replied.
"What about her?" She asked.
"I have heard that she is kneeling in front of the Grand Palace demanding to see the Emperor." She replied.
"Really?" She inquired.
"His Majesty insists that he won't see her." Linxiang replied.
"She is this desperate?" Cao Zhaoyi asked herself.
"So it seems." She replied.
"Make arrangements." Cao Zhaoyi muttered.
"What for Ma'am?" Linxiang asked.
"I need to go to the Grand Palace." She said.
"Ma'am.....?" Linxiang protested.
"His Majesty trusts so much that Yang Jieyu is my friend and such is the only opportunity that we have to get very close to him." Cao Zhaoyi replied, "if I don't plead for her then he'd become suspicious perhaps it's better that we seek good graces when his temperament towards her has turned bitter." She said.
"Yes Ma'am." Linxiang replied.
"Your Majesty, please allow me to see you." Yang Jieyu cried, "Your Majesty there's something that I wish to tell you." She said her voice already starting to croak she was losing energy and above her clouds had started to gather until eventually, lightening streaking across the sky and thunder roaring it started to mildly drizzle while the drizzle evolved into a much heavier downpour.
"Your Majesty, it is raining outside." Eunuch Deng said.
"Let her be." Emperor Ningzong replied his heart still unchanged that Eunuch Deng looking away for a moment Beiyuan was feeling rather uneasy in the corridor that was nearby.
"Your Majesty." Yang Jieyu cried and at that moment still kneeling outside, Cao Zhaoyi arrived with her retinue she stopped at a distance with Linxiang.
"She was once the woman with His Majesty's affections and he loved her so much more than anything." She said.
"On the contrary, she'd sacrifice herself for the sake of His Majesty's good relationship with His Late mother." Linxiang muttered.
"Who would have thought that someone as heartless as herself she'd be considerate?" Cao Zhaoyi asked, "it's a pity that it has turned the once strong self she used to be into a rather weak woman." She added as she continued on into the palace.
She arrived outside while Emperor Ningzong was still inside and quietly seated alone himself thinking about the words that she had once told him.
"If for one reason or another Your Majesty feels that you have fallen short of that affection, it is because if she hoped to become strong enough, she in the end wanted the best for you." She'd asserted and at that moment Eunuch Deng returned inside.
"Your Majesty?" He called.
"I haven't changed my mind." He replied.
"I'm not here concerning Yang Jieyu." He replied.
"Then what brings you here?" He asked.
"Cao Zhaoyi is requesting to have an audience with you." He replied.
"Cao Zhaoyi?" He inquired.
"Yes Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng replied.
"Let her in." He said.
"Yes." He replied as he withdrew from the room and a short while later, Cao Zhaoyi walked in with a rather sombre expression on her face, she was as graceful as ever and innocent.
"Your Majesty." She said as she bowed her head to him.
"I have heard that you are here to see me?" He asked.
"No doubt Your Majesty." She replied as she looked at Eunuch Deng.
"You may leave us." Emperor Ningzong said to him and the latter withdrawing the young woman sat down before him.
"Your Majesty knows what I am here to talk about and I can't guarantee that you won't be furious." She said.
"About Yang Jieyu?" He inquired.
"I have heard rumours and I have been quiet for nearly months Your Majesty, I thought that you must have your own personal reasons but it has come to my attention Your Majesty hasn't sought her out and I understand that you love her deeply that it leaves me confused." Cao Zhaoyi mentioned.
"I understand that being close to her like a sister you are concerned." He said.
"Your Majesty, I am merely wondering what she did so wrong and what her fault was, which one of her transgressions if there are any was so huge that it became unforgivable?" She inquired.
"Do you really wish to know?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"It hurts me seeing that she is in such a state, but what hurts me more is that both Your Majesty and herself are suffering and I can't just idly sit by and do nothing, understand Sire that my desperation isn't because I am curious but because I am worried." She said.
"It's your good nature Zhaoyi." Emperor Ningzong said, "your heart is pure and you show concern for your sister and for me for that I am grateful I can't help it but wish that I could tell you but I can't." He asserted.
"Really Your Majesty?" She inquired.
"I am hurt that Yang Jieyu is out there in the rain and in the sun, it breaks me more that she insists on keeping things from me." He said.
"I see Your Majesty." Cao Zhaoyi said.
"I want to save her more than anything else, but that can only happen if she allows me to know everything and clear her of the suspicion and judgement of the world all I ask is that for this decision you don't resent me." Emperor Ningzong said.
At that moment the heavy downpour ceased and Yang Jieyu shivering the sun slowly emerging again it had been hours and Emperor Ningzong still quiet in his Chambers, Beiyuan and Eunuch Deng watched her from a distance beyond the gates.
"Your Majesty..." She pleaded, "please....." She said again but the guards changing the shift only watched her.
"Allow me to see you Your Majesty." She said weakly, "just once" she continued to mutter while Manyin and Xiaoyang stood behind her.
"Maha, I hope you are hearing me." She thought to herself, "I have gotten so far in life and I shall do everything I can to get further." She said to herself, "even if I am to die at this point and meet you in the Netherworld, I don't regret anything." She convinced herself running out of energy and strength.
"Your Maje............." She was saying when suddenly she collapsed onto the ground.
"Ma'am?" Manyin and Xiaoyang cried as they tried to hold her and Beiyuan rushing over to the place, Eunuch Deng rushed inside where the Emperor was still seated.
"Someone call the physician?" Beiyuan shouted and the ladies in waiting nearby scattered while the Emperor Ningzong still lost in his thoughts while looking at some of the memorials Eunuch Deng appeared before him.
"Your Majesty, something bad has happened." He cried.
"What is it?" He asked.
"Yang Jieyu." he replied.
"What about her?" He asked.
"She has passed out." He said and hearing this the Emperor stood up.
"Take me to her Chambers." He ordered.
"Yes." Eunuch Deng replied as he led him outside.
Cao Zhaoyi standing on the balcony that overlooked her gardens, she stared at the dark clouds that had gathered scattering and she smiled at herself.
"Jieyu, oh how far you have fallen to the ground." She thought to herself when Linxiang rushed towards her.
"Ma'am?" She said bowing her head.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Yang Jieyu has passed out." She said.
"She wasn't strong enough after all, I expected that at the very least." She muttered with a smile on her face still sincere.
"What are your thoughts Ma'am?" She asked.
"It shall still pass and when she recovers His Majesty shall return to his old self." Cao Zhaoyi replied.
"Yes Ma'am." Linxiang replied.
Emperor Ningzong arriving inside her quarters he was intercepted by Manyin and Xiaoyang who greeted him.
"Your Majesty." They said bowing their heads in tears.
"How is Yang Jieyu?" He asked but they were in tears.
"Forgive us Your Majesty but we tried to stop her from coming to seek you out." Manyin replied and the man ignoring them he rushed inside while Eunuch Deng and the rest of his retinue remained behind.
Appearing before the Imperial physicians who were tending to her he caught sight of Her still shivering and continuously crying and calling to him with her eyes closed.
"Yyooourr Mmmajjessty." She stuttered in her slip, her hair wet and her face entirely sweaty, she had turned pale and her lips were dry that he got closer to her and the Imperial physicians noticing his presence they moved away and bowed their heads to him.
"Your Majesty." They said.
"How is she doing?" He asked.
"Forgive us Your Majesty." The Imperial physician said.
"I have asked you how she is doing." He raised his voice.
"Ma'am was out in the sun for so long and even in the rain, I fear that her fever is to high and her breathing rather difficult your Majesty, her condition is very critical in the worst case she could even die." The Imperial physician said and the Emperor shocked he stumbled for a moment.
"Die?" He asked.
"She must have not known Your Majesty." The Imperial physician said, "I suppose it was the reason that pushed her to do something so extreme in her condition." He said.
"What do you mean her condition?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"Yang Jieyu Your Majesty, is at least three months pregnant." The Imperial physicians replied, "but we can't guarantee that we can protect both her life and the baby's Your Majesty, we shall do our best but her life hangs in the balance." They said and the Emperor getting close enough to her they moved slightly behind into the next room while he held her hand.
"Mei'er?" He said, "what do you want to do to me?" He asked as he raised his right hand and touched her forehead.
"I have already lost my grandfathers and my grandmother, my mother I can not bear to lose you too." He said in tears as he placed his forehead on hers and he sobbed bitterly.
"Ma'am, she's pregnant?" Eunuch Deng asked.
"We also just learnt from the physicians." Manyin replied.
"What, Yang Jieyu is with child?" Eunuch Deng asked.
"Yes." Manyin replied.
"Ma'am us quite lucky." Xiaoyang remarked.
"But Her condition is critical we can hope it settles tonight, if it doesn't then that will probably be very bad for His Majesty." Manyin said.
"She's been through so much of late yet I still don't understand why she tries so hard to defend the Empress Mother?" Eunuch Deng asked.
"She's always been like that." Beiyuan muttered, "to understand her isn't something we could all do at the end I realised, it's why she triumphs over her enemies every time." He added.
"You seem to understand her." Manyin pointed out.
"It could have been that she knew the Empress Mother's suicide note would make the Emperor more suspicious or perhaps because even in the note we were too foolish to do something that the Empress Mother would have never done." Beiyuan muttered while they turned and they looked at the doors of the building.
Emperor Ningzong waited by her bed side and as time flew dusk fell while he was still watching her having rested a wet fabric on her forehead it wasn't long until he slept and rested his head beside her until the next day dawned.
The sun rising, the young woman opened her eyes taking in the first beams of the sun her eyes first travelled to the ceiling and while she processed everything that had happened she noticed that there was someone beside her she turned and looked to her side where she noticed the Emperor lying and sleeping peacefully he'd passed out a fatigued young man and she guessed it was because he had been looking after her.
"Your Majesty?" Yang Jieyu said so weakly that the young man who had rested his head on her abdomen raised it and stared at her.
"Mei'er?" He called as she sat and helped her up in the bed.
"Be careful." He muttered.
"It's alright Your Majesty." She said
"No." Emperor Ningzong replied.
"I am alright Your Majesty." She Said.
"So you tell me when you have lost so much weight, so you tell me when you are this pale, when your eyes are dark and you are cold, shivering with your lips dry and cracked." Emperor Ningzong muttered.
"Your Majesty......." She was saying when he halted her.
"Since when?" He asked, "you would rather kneel in the rain and in the sun, you would rather stake your life, does my absence hurt you that much?" He questioned.
"Your Majesty is my freedom, you are my everything, you are the sun that shines in my sky and the moon at night, you are my every breath without you I am a sky with no moon or sun and I am a body with no breath." She replied, "you may hate me Sire but don't deprive me of that one thing." She said.
"And who told you that I hated you?" He asked.
"Pardon me Your Majesty." Yang Jieyu mentioned.
"You must be strong, you must survive, you must look after yourself well." Emperor Ningzong said, "that way you shall look well after our child in your womb." He muttered.
"Child?" Yang Jieyu asked.
"Yes." Emperor Ningzong replied while she smiled at him and touched her abdomen.
"Who would have thought that even would be so kind to bestow upon me the gift of being a mother again, oh what good fortune of mine, I have been blest amongst all women and so is the fruit of my womb." Yang Jieyu remarked.
"I am surely the luckiest of men." Emperor Ningzong said as he looked her in the eye and ceasing that opportunity she hugged him tightly as she rested her head on her chest.
"I want to make Your Majesty forget every moment of affliction, I want you to forget every moments it was that you wept and wailed, every bit of heartache and loneliness, that you may embrace these tender and loving arms of mine and that I may hold you like this forever." She said to him.
His eyes teary at the moment he couldn't break free from the charm that he found himself embracing her as well for a while in silence.
The time flying by it eventually became dark and the Emperor Ningzong stepped out of the building where Eunuch Deng was waiting he slowly descended the stairs one by one and it seemed that his was a rather aimless trek.
"Your Majesty?" Eunuch Deng said to him while he stumbled a bit but the latter supported him.
"She is safe." He said, "I nearly killed her along with our child." He muttered.
"She survived death yet again Your Majesty it can only mean that heaven has seen your good will and forgiven your haste, surely who are to not say that the gods have blest you this very day and saved you from falling into a very dark and unwise world?" He asked.
"You are right." Emperor Ningzong muttered as he took a deep breath and sighed as he raised his eyes up to the moon and stars.
"When She is recovered have her moved to another Palace, by my oral decree, Yang Jieyu has received my grace and she has brought happiness to the Imperial house she shall therefore be promoted to the rank of Wanyi (Lady of Graceful Deportment)." Emperor Ningzong said.
"Yes Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng said as he bowed his head and Manyin and Xiaoyang hearing, they waited for his departure and they mounted the stairs that led them inside the room where they found Yang Jieyu seated.
"Ma'am?" They said.
"Has His Majesty left?" She inquired.
"Yes Ma'am." They replied in unison.
"Alas." She sighed in relief as well.
"Ma'am, don't do such a thing." They said to her, "we were so worried about you." Manyin added.
"We have died too many times and in each of these we have risen from the grave, surely, I am favoured by heaven that death no longer has any power over me and at last, this child has done me good." She said as she caressed her abdomen.
"Ma'am, His Majesty has seen you and on top of that he has elevated you to the position of Wanyi which is an Imperial Consort of the Second rank." Xiaoyang pointed out, "definitely, now that he is excited he'll turn up from time to time." She muttered.
"And what will happen once this child is born?" She asked while they fell silent.
"We don't know Ma'am." Manyin replied.
"We shall be as good as forgotten and our enemies are eagerly waiting to exploit this opportunity and make their move, additionally I know that we won't stop the news from spreading regardless of how hard we try and Han Touzhou and the supporters of the Crown Prince shall be at our necks." Yang Jieyu replied.
"What are we going to do Ma'am?" Xiaoyang inquired.
"I had foreseen this day and now that it has come to pass everything that we have prepared shall now be put to work." Yang Jieyu replied.
"Yes Ma'am." They muttered altogether.
"What?" Cao Zhaoyi asked as Linxiang before her didn't dare to look her in the eye.
"Apparently Yang Jieyu's condition was critical she has recovered and the worst part of it all is that she is now with child His Majesty was pleased that he further elevated her to the rank of Wanyi she's back to the same level with you." Linxiang replied and the latter furious she smacked the table in front of her.
"We can't let this happen, if she delivers a son she'll become more powerful." Cao Zhaoyi muttered.
"She knows that she won't be safe either Ma'am." Linxiang replied, "knowing that she is a rather cautious person Ma'am, she'll try so hard to protect that child with her life and her supporters in the Imperial Court shall be more than ready to back her up." She remarked.
"Certainly." Cao Zhaoyi said, "if that's the case then the very least that we can do is to cause His Majesty to hate her, revive his resentment towards her, if their relationship is uneasy then we shall use it to drive them apart." She asserted.
"What if it fails?" Linxiang asked.
"Then we'd have only one last option, and that's to kill them both." Cao Zhaoyi muttered.
"Yes Ma'am." Linxiang agreed with her.
Han Touzhou seated with his wife the Lady Han, Lin Xue walked into the room.
"Your Excellency, Milady?" He said as he bowed his head to them.
"Any news from the Palace?" Han Touzhou asked.
"Forgive me Your Excellency, I hate to disappoint you." He replied.
"What happened?" Lady Han asked.
"Yang Jieyu......" He replied hesitantly.
"What about her?" Han Touzhou inquired.
"After she passed out seeking the Emperor's audience in the morning of yesterday, her condition was critical and she was near death, surprisingly she recovered very early in the morning today and it turns out that she is with child in perfect condition." He replied.
"With child, again?" Han Touzhou asked.
"Yes." Lin Xue confirmed, "what's worse is that His Majesty was allegedly pleased and felt guilty, he has elevated her to the rank of Wanyi therefore Cao Zhaoyi shall no longer be her Senior." She added.
"Who would have thought?" Han Touzhou muttered.
"What happens if she gives birth to a Prince?" lady Han asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" Lin Xue asked, "she'll have the support of the Courtiers and before long he shall be the Emperor's favourite it will jeopardize and distabilize the position of the Crown Prince." He added.
"I'll never let that happen." Han Touzhou said, "we must hasten the Empress' return to the Palace." He mentioned.
"Except that the mourning period of the Empress Mother isn't over and the Empress committed an awful and nearly unforgivable sin against the Dynasty even in the eyes of the people absolution is far from reach besides I heard from Shaanxi that Her Highness health isn't so good in Suzhou." Lin Xue said.
"Your Excellency if I may?" Lady Han asked.
"What is it?" He turned to her.
"His Majesty is excited over the young woman's conception couldn't we turn that joy into agony?" She replied.
"How so Milady?" Lin Xue asked.
"There's two women in the Palace and it isn't every time that a lady who conceives gives birth to a healthy child it's natural at that stage of delicacy to miscarry." Lady Han replied.
"Can you do that?" Han Touzhou asked.
"We don't have to do anything, Cao Jieyu has to do it all for us." Lady Han replied as she smiled at him ghastly.
"And how do you suggest that we do that, she is herself another sly fox and besides she understands that it could jeopardize her position in the harem and His Majesty's feelings towards her." Han Touzhou pointed out.
"But one can't always be too careful and who would suspect her at all?" Lady Han asked, "even if they tried so hard to find the cause of Yang Jieyu's miscarriage I assure you Milord, they certainly wouldn't." She asserted.
"I'll leave this to you." Han Touzhou pointed out, "remember the future of our clan depends on you." She muttered.
"Don't worry Milord, I certainly won't disappoint you." She assured him.
It was nearing midnight and Yang Jieyu in her Chambers she was dressed up by Manyin and Xiaoyang.
Secretly, they moved out of her residence and out of the Palace as they secretly made their way down the darkened streets.
As she was passing by one of the beggars, she halted when she saw a fairly old man amongst them with a very long and thick unkempt beard.
"Ma'am?" Manyin called to her.
"Wait." She said to the two of them as she got closer to him.
"Anything you can give." The man said and she reached out her hand and put a golden tael in the small broken calabash that was right in front of him.
The man ceasing it while she watched tried biting it and he seemed to realise after that it was real he returned it to the very place that Yang Jieyu turning around to walk away he forcefully ceased her hand.
"Ma'am?" Xiaoyang and Manyin called.
"Your future is remarkable." He mentioned all of a sudden.
"You must certainly be a very good shaman." Yang Wanyi said.
"Have you not the answers you are looking for?" He asked, "you keep searching and your heart is not content, your eyes are dark like a bottomless pit, there's around you way too many things that you desire." He added.
"What do you mean to say Sir?" She asked.
"There's none but you Ma'am in the whole world, and neither shall there be a ruler as great as you for as long as the twelve stars of the zodiac are akin the North star Ma'am, you shall reign over all creation for generations to come." He said.
"Such a remarkable fate Milord, do you mean to say that I shall rule forever?" She asked.
"No." The Man replied.
"I have everything, soon the world will fall into my hands, tell me Sir, who could destroy me?" She asked.
"On the day those stars shall shift from their course Ma'am, someone able to contend with your might shall grace you." He said as she withdrew her hand from his palm while the latter merely smiled at her.
"No." She muttered, "Never." She rebuked.
"This is the fate, like yourself there were others before you, Liu, Cao Gao, Xiang, Meng, Wu and Li preceded you and in the same Spirit like yourself there is someone to be beckoned with and as someone else was your shadow, you shall be another's shadow, and as those seven Empress' reigned and they came to an end so shall you meet yours." He muttered.
"Myself who has everything in the world and I would lose to someone who has nothing?" She inquired.
"So it must be as you once were with nothing and got everything another with nothing shall take everything from you, and on that day Ma'am, little will remember, as it is in the nature of that which is mortal, that which is not eternal." He mentioned.
"I won't lie and say that I didn't expect to here this from you, but life like fire starts in smoke and ends in ashes." Yang Wanyi muttered.
"And like fire fights fire Ma'am, you shall burn in the very fire you started and it shall consume you with your foes." He replied.
"I consider myself blessed, but if there must be such a fate written for me in the stars, such a remarkably tragic end, I'd prefer to meet it at the battlefield and not a single person in this world will beat me in life, only in death." Yang Wanyi said as she stood up and looked at the old man.
"You shall be the greatest woman this Dynasty has ever seen though." He mentioned, "that alone I can promise that none shall come after you as great as you are." He added.
"I'll keep your kind words at heart." Yang Jieyu said and turning around with Manyin and Xiaoyang she walked away while the old beggar stood up from where he was seated and handed over the broken calabash back to one of the nearby beggars he removed the thick dirty cloth on himself and returned it to its owner as well.
"It looks like my work is done here though." He said.
"But who are you Sir?" He asked.
"Nobody." The man replied as he walked away slowly into his own direction.
Yang Jieyu arriving outside the Lanling Court she halted in her footsteps when she suddenly seemed to recall the words that the old man had said to her.
"There's none but you Ma'am in the whole world, and neither shall there be a ruler as great as you for as long as the twelve stars of the zodiac are akin the North star Ma'am, you shall reign over all creation for generations to come." He'd assured her.
"Ma'am, are you alright?" Manyin inquired.
"Yes." She replied.
"Is it about the words that the old man has said to you?" Xiaoyang inquired, "if yes don't take it to heart." She muttered.
"He was right." She muttered.
"About what Ma'am?" Manyin asked.
"I shall reign over all creation for generations to come." She replied as she stepped over the threshold and got in where she found the others waiting for her they stood up after she appeared in the room.
"Ma'am." They greeted her as they bowed their heads to her while she sat down and they followed.
"Are you well Ma'am?" Yang Cishan asked.
"As you can see I am fine." She replied with a smile on her face.
"That is a relief." Jinglan mentioned.
"It certainly is." She replied as she turned towards Shi Miyuan who was rather silent.
"You called for this thing Ma'am, there must certainly be something urgent." Grand Chancellor Zhao Zizhi muttered.
"Some of you might be aware and others might not be, I don't know if you heard or not but I shall first and foremost confirm that I am bearing in my womb His Majesty's seed." She said.
"Congratulations Ma'am." Yang Cishan said.
"Thank you." She replied, "but it's necessary that we take precautions until the child is born and I had left Bo An and Bao Langya to make arrangements I asked you to have people participate in the Imperial army exams and the Imperial guards' test examinations as well." She said.
"Why Ma'am?" Jinglan asked.
"To gain control of the world, it's important that we gain control of the Palace and the army as well has constantly been manipulated by Han Touzhou and used for his own exploits it has therefore become a weak institution that's incapable of promoting law and order in the nation we must first win it to our side." Yang Jieyu replied.
"You are right Ma'am." Zhao Zizhi remarked.
"Anything can happen between now and my delivery so you shall therefore be keen from now on and in the very least you could be being watched and monitored closely I kindly ask that you are careful from now on." She said.
"Yes Ma'am." They replied in unison.
The man that had been disguised as the beggar arrived at the entrance of the Han Manor and standing in front of it, he knocked on the doors which were opened.
"Who are you?" The guard asked.
"I am here to see Milady." He muttered and lifting a wooden badge that was in his hand, the guard moved aside as the young man walked into the courtyard where he walked up to the Inner most Courtyard and stood in front of Han Touzhou's main building.
He stared at it for a moment and he sighed when the doors of the Eastern compartment were slid open and Lady Han walked out.
"Brother?" She called when she recognized him instantly and the young man moving up towards her with a smile she descended the stairs and hugged him tightly.
"It's me sister." He said as they pulled apart.
"How come you are late?" She asked.
"You'll forgive me, something urgent came up and it has been long since I was in the capital I got lost for a moment trying to recall this place." The old man replied.
"You have changed so much Su'er and so has the capital as well." She said.
"I can clearly see that." He said.
"Come in." Lady Han said as he held her hand and dragged her into the room they moved in and he caught sight of a young baby that was seated on the floor and playing with his toys.
"Is this my nephew?" Su Yitian asked.
"Yes." She replied while he got closer to the young boy and then started playing with his cheeks.
"What's his name?" He asked.
"Tawan." The old woman replied.
"Such a wonderful name." He muttered.
"Surely." Lady Han replied.
"I haven't seen my brother in law." He suddenly brought it up.
"He is in his study, he is quite stressed out these days." She replied in a rather sombre tone.
"I heard that he became the Left Chancellor some time back so I wouldn't expect too much from him at this stage let alone himself being a good father." Su Yitian muttered.
"He's slowly adjusting." Lady Han defended.
"You don't need to lie to me sister I have always known you better than anyone since we were kids and because of your affections and the fact that he is your husband I understand that you are protecting him and for your sake in deed, I shall hear, I won't create any trouble." He said.
"It's good to hear that." Lady Han replied.
"But now that I am here, I shall have to offer him my respects as well, don't you think?" Su Yitian replied.
"Yes." Lady Han replied and smiling at the young boy the young man stood up and walked out of the room.
Han Touzhou in his study looking through some books Lin Xue approached him.
"Your Excellency Su Yitian is here to see you." He alerted him.
"My brother in law?" He inquired.
"Yes." Lin Xue replied.
"Let him in." He said and opening the doors the latter made his way through into the centre of the room where he was seated.
"Your Excellency." He greeted him.
"I see you have returned to visit us after a very long time." Han Touzhou said.
"It's been twenty years and I was concerned for my sister she had even written to me about my nephew Tawan I thought that I would come and visit you three today you'll have to pardon me for being a bit late." Su Yitian said bowing his head.
"We are a family, there's no need for the formalities so have a seat." Han Touzhou said and the young man relaxing in front of him he smiled back at him.
"I heard that you became the Left Chancellor and now that I see you really act like one." Su Yitian remarked.
"It hasn't been easy I tell you." Han Touzhou said.
"I can tell it hasn't been, I ran after my master who taught me how to read gates I have cultivated my mind for a while and looking at Tawan his eyes reminded me of an interesting woman that I met on my way here." Su Yitian muttered.
"You and your divinations." Han Touzhou remarked.
"Surely you might not believe in such things." He said.
"If the stars would really reveal all secrets, if dreams and visions were for every man, even death would not hold us and neither would defeat embrace us." Han Touzhou muttered.
"Here's an interesting vision." Su Yitian said.
"I'm listening." Han Touzhou said.
"What do I see You ask?" He inquired.
"Yes." Han Touzhou replied.
"Behold, before my eyes are but two suns and two dragons in the same sky, there are two thrones and two kingdoms in the same land, and ultimately, there are two Emperors in the same kingdom." He said.
"Impossible." Han Touzhou muttered.
"You feared one time that your fate shall be sealed but Your Excellency has raised a storm you shall never calm, your Excellency has raised an enemy you shall never defeat, your Excellency has raised a female Emperor that shall eventually annihilate you." Su Yitian said.
"Is it so?" Han Touzhou asked.
"I have seen many great Men Your Excellency, they all died and left their power to their successors this is the inevitable rule of life that preys on us all it's your last days too." Su Yitian said.
"Our last days you say?" He muttered, "so we shall never perish in comfort and in glory?" He demanded.
"Thanks be to God the Court life isn't mine to have enemies that can defeat me but the same can not be said for you Your Excellency." Su Yitian replied and the latter sighing he smirked at him.
"Really?" He asked.
"Yang Jieyu as she is a woman that is praised by the people she's called wise and diligent, she's prudent amongst the commons and strong amongst mobs, courageous amongst people as I have heard she's risen so high Your Excellency she's been chosen to seal your bane." Su Yitian said.
"You came here to tell me this?" Han Touzhou demanded.
"Please don't take it to heart Your Excellency and if you don't believe in these words then don't, hear me though when I tell you this, your fate rests in the hands of the house of Yang and sooner or later, you shall come to learn of that soon." Su Yitian said as he stood up and smiling at him, he bowed his head and withdrew from the room while Han Touzhou clenching his right fist he smirked the table.
Very early in the morning Yang Wanyi and her retinue moving out of her old residence they were led by Eunuch Deng to SHOUZHONG PALACE which had been designated for her.
On her arrival inside she stared at the decorations and she admired them.
"It's quite spacious, well ventilated, calm and brilliant." She said.
"Do you like it Ma'am?" Eunuch Deng asked.
"It's more than I could ask." Yang Wanyi. replied and at that very moment, she smiled at Manyin and Xiaoyang.
"I'll return to His Majesty." Eunuch Deng said and Yang Jieyu nodding her head in approval he withdrew from the room while she moved to the seat that was up ahead and calmly she sat down in it.
"Congratulations Ma'am." Her attendants said to her.
"Thank you." She replied as she smiled gently back at them while the two carried over a series of trunks which were from the harem and they laid them right in front of the young woman they finally opened them each revealing some of the most expensive treasures that they had ever seen.
"These are from who?" Yang Wanyi asked.
"The harem Ma'am." Xiaoyang replied, "other Imperial Concubines and Consorts have never had His Majesty's favour they are surely currying their favour with you Ma'am including Zhong Furen." She replied.
"Do they belong to any of our people?" She asked.
"No Ma'am." Xiaoyang replied.
"Sell them all and gather the money altogether." Yang Jieyu replied.
"Yes Ma'am." Xiaoyang replied and looking at Beiyuan who commanded a couple of other Eunuchs to hurry over and carry them away she waited for a while until Manyin moved over with a small cage in which there was a black cat.
"Whose is this?" She asked.
"A gift from Cao Zhaoyi." She replied.
"Give it to me?" She asked.
"Ma'am, a black cat is quite unlucky...." She protested.
"Have I ever been afraid of superstitions?" She asked as she ceased it and she caressed it's fur while it settled on her laps and everyone watched in amazement.
"An animal like this is fine, a gift is a sign of affection, beasts are meant to be tamed, when I see that it's young and I fear something this small shall I whimper when I see something much greater?" She asked.
"No Ma'am." Manyin replied.
"Very soon we shall have the a hundred days banquet and seeing that there is brilliance in the Palace, I was hoping to share some of the happiness with the people." Yang Wanyi claimed.
"Yes Ma'am." They all replied in unison.
Cao Zhaoyi seated in her Chambers Lady quietly Linxiang walked into her presence.
"Ma'am." She said.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Lady Han is here requesting to have an audience with you." She replied.
"Let her in." Cao Zhaoyi said and the young lady withdrawing, Lady Han walked in bearing in her hands a lunch box.
"Ma'am." She greeted her.
"You wished to see me?" Cao Zhaoyi inquired.
"I heard about Yang Wanyi." She replied.
"What about her?" Cao Zhaoyi asked.
"Seeing that she is a big trouble to the both of us, with Milord's permission I am here to present you with a gift Ma'am." Lady Han replied as she placed the lunch box onto the table.