Chapter 1: Night Of Assassination

It was towards the end of the cold chilly winter night in Gu kingdom, two guards dressed up in cinnamon color long gowns that has a round neckline with collar that has buttons on the neck side, with basket hats and leather boots, are stationed at the main entrance gate to the palace and were trying unsuccessfully to keep themselves warm by rubbing their hands vigorously when one of them heard the sound of horses galloping towards the gate in a hurry, the sound slowed down when they got closer the gate.

"Who are they?" One of the guards called Deng asked his colleagues

"How am I supposed to know? Chengue and the others stationed at the tower have not returned since they rushed off to the toilet" He replied to Deng while looking at the tower for any signs of his colleagues, only for the both of them to turn toward the gate when a loud knock sounded on the gate.

"Who is there? Open the gate at once" A male voice could be heard outside the gate.

"Who could that be? Let me check through the loop at the gate" Deng said before moving closer to the gate.

He looked through the loop and saw general DongHai and some soldiers numbering up to thirty waiting impatiently at the gate.

"It's the general! It is general DongHai, open the gate at once!" Deng immediately beckoned to Chengue for assistance only for one of the soldiers with DongHai to shoot Deng down with an arrow.

"It's a coup! Argh!!!" Chengue tried to raise the alarm before he was shot down by one of the soldiers as they rushed into the palace.

"Song, take them with you and take care of Yu'an quarter, remember, spares no one alive" General DongHai instructed him.

"Yes, general" With that, Song rushed off with his assigned squad of soldiers towards Yu'an quarter.

"Feng, you go to prince Yi mansion with this one". DongHai said to him

"Yes, general" Feng kneels down as a form of salute before him.

"Tao takes this squad and go to the southern palace. Meet me at the eastern palace when you are through, remember to spare no one" DongHai told him.

"I understand your instructions," Tao said before kneeling down to salute him.

"Congratulations on the success of getting the throne, my lord". Tao pays his respects to DongHai

DongHai nods his head as a response to his greetings. "Thank you Tao, men, let go now" DongHai commanded the rest of his soldiers while his burgundy colored cloak flows behind him.

At the eastern palace, the quarter of emperor Zu Xing, the tension due to the commotion caused by the sudden attack is increasing greatly. Suddenly the personal eunuch to emperor Zu Xing rushed into his chamber breathing heavily.

"What is the uproar all about, Yi Fei ?" Emperor Zu Xing asked him, with the look of anxiety in his eyes.

"Your majesty, there is a coup!. We need to leave the palace right now" Yi Fie told him with urgently in his tone.

Emperor Zu Xing sprang up immediately from his seat, his denim colored robe shakes as he did so. "What, a coup? Who is leading them?" asked Yi Fei.

" Your majesty, it is General DongHai and thousands of his troops. They are already in the inner court, your majesty. We need to leave now, before they get here".

Emperor Zu Xing sits back on his seat, apparently weak from the information but then, he suddenly sprang up from his seat with a boldness that he never knew he had inside of him.

"No!!! I can't run away from the kingdom leaving my family and country in the hands of those monsters. I will stay to defend my family and my country".

"Your majesty!!!" Yi Fei, quickly knees before Zu Xing, already sobs.

"Your majesty, please your majesty, you are more important than the nation itself. That wicked DongHai will not spare you if he finds you here, your majesty, please reconsider your decision" Yi Fei said with a sorrow laden voice.

Emperor Zu Xing, walked closer to Yi Fei and tried to raise him up, but the latter refused to stand up from his knees, instead, he sobs harder. Emperor Zu Xing had to pat his back, gently before straightening up.

"I have made up my mind Yi Fei you can go now for your own safety".

"Your majesty!!!" Yi Fie lays down completely on the ground before him, crying out loudly this time around.

"My life is yours, your majesty. I will stay back to protect you at any cost" Immediately the door bursts open and general DongHai walks in with his sword dripping blood.

"His majesty is surely brave. I thought you would have escaped through the royal secret passage door long ago" DongHai said to Zu Xing in a mockery tone while the few soldiers that walked in with him laughed at his words.

"Looking surprised?" DongHai asked Zu when he saw the surprised look on his face, immediately he mentioned the secret passage door.

Emperor Zu smiles sarcastically, before speaking up. "I was never afraid of death DongHai. And why should I be surprised that you know of the secret door when you are in charge of the palace's safety? Of course it is your duty to know the detailed structures of the palace. Besides, a person with a pure heart never has anything to be afraid of".

"What did you say? Pure heart? Did you all hear him say pure heart?" DongHai turns to ask his soldiers with a mischievous smile before they all laugh out at him in scorn.

"But I have just one question for you DongHai" Zu told him.

"You are free to ask me anything before your death, and do not think help is coming your way because my men have surrounded the palace, your majesty with a pure heart!" DongHai replied with scornful look that made the soldiers laugh at him again.

Emperor Zu smiles sadly at DongHai' scornful words. "Why did you choose to be greedy, Donghai?"

"How am I greedy, Zu Xing? I am only doing this for the good of the kingdom. The same kingdom you abandoned to that lousy old prime minister" Donghai said.

"Oh, he is also your target? I regret making you the general over my army".

"Your army? Your army? Hahaha!, Zu Xing! When are you going to wake up from your slumber? This is the army that I built up myself and their pledge of loyalty is to me and not you".

"Your army? Hahaha! I wished I listened to the advice of my court officials years ago".

"Court officials? They are all old feeble fools, not fit to be serving in the king's court. Zu Xing, you are not fit to rule this great kingdom. The earlier you accept, the better for you".

"Donghai !!! Who are you to speak to your emperor in such a manner?" Yi Fei glares at him.

"My emperor? I will tell you who I am now, stupid eunuch" With one strike of his sword, Yi Fei slumbs slowly to the ground with his eyes wide open in shock while blood gushes out of his neck.

"Yi Fei !!!" Emperor Zu screams and rushes towards him on the ground, trying to prevent more blood from coming out from his neck with his bare hands.

"Your… your … majesty… I… I…" suddenly Yi Fei hands drop to the ground, besides him.

"Yi fei… Yi fei..!!!" Emperor Zu wails loudly before closing his eyes, still looking at him. Standing up slowly, Zu Xing glares at DongHai with unspeakable hatred.

"How does it feels to lose someone close to you, Zu Xing?"

"Donghai !!! You greedy bastard! You are going to pay for this" Zu Xing yells at him but was suddenly interrupted by Tao.

"Your majesty, the rest of the royal family are here" Tao informed Donghai who turned to smirk at Zu Xing, who staggered backwards at Tao's information.

"Bring them in immediately. Zu Xing, what were you saying before?".