Chapter 3: Conspiracy In Flower City

Xing Qian fell down in pain but stood up quickly and continued limping towards the fairly thick forest.

"Yes !!! Li, you are really an amateur in shooting arrows. I hope to learn from you in your spare time" FengHai the other soldier praised Li when he came down from the tree.

"Please! I am still learning the basics! But we can all practice together whenever you are free too" Li replied to them with a smile.

"Shouldn't we run after her? I mean the injured princess!" Liang Su asked them.

"No need, she wouldn't be able to survive from my poisonous arrow. She is as good as dead, Liang Su" Li replied him.

"I trust brother Li. The little princess is as good as dead. Besides, the forest is full of many dangerous animals who might be hungry! FengHai said the last word with an evil grin"

"Yeah, you are right! But what are we going to tell the commander?" Liang Su asked them.

"Leave that to me, I will tell him myself" Li said to them.

"Wow!!! Thank you, brother Li," FengHai, and Liang Su thanked him happily.

"Alright, let's go and Join the others" Li said to them as they all passed through the passway again..

*****

Flower City

Ten Court officials dressed in their official orchid colored uniforms of Flower City, were standing facing someone sitting on his throne inside the courtroom when a eunuch made his presence known before walking in a hurry towards the throne.

"Your lordship, an important message just came in from the border!" The eunuch named Hai Tang handed over the seal letter to the personal eunuch named De Fei, serving their lord who in turn gave it to Lord Heng Jamming, the ruler of Flower City.

"DongHai!!! I have always known DongHai to be very ambitious!" Heng Jamming said loudly to the hearing of his officials while hitting his fist on the throne seat.

"My Lord, what is going on?" Some of the officials asked him, politely.

"Hmm! General DongHai has taken over the kingdom of Gu. The royal family is no more!" Heng Jamming announced to them.

"What!!!"

"This is serious!"

"General DongHai has always been a greedy bastard, I sometimes wonder why emperor Zu Xing made him a general with over forty thousand troops, then?" The officials spoke their minds.

"Yeah, you are right minister Ye" Another official replied.

"Your lordship, what is the situation at the border now?" One of the officials asked.

"It's calm for now, no signs of strange activities. But we need to come up with something if we want to maintain the existing peace with the Gu kingdom" Heng Jamming told them.

"Yes, his lordship is surely wise!" Some of the officials praise him.

"What do you think, Minister Ye?" Heng Jamming asked him.

"Permit me to speak, your lordship" Minister Ye went out of his line. Heng Jamming signals his permission with the raise of his right hand.

"Thank you, your lordship. We all know the kind of person general DongHai is, and the issue of war will definitely affect the peace and prosperity our lord has been able to achieve with the Gu kingdom. Now that a new regime has appeared,it will be beneficial to us, if we extend our support to him in return for favors" Minister Ye said, while the other officials nodded their heads in agreement to his words.

"You have spoken well Ye" Heng Jamming praised him.

"Thank you my lordship" Minister Ye replied.

"Where is the minister of finance?" Heng Jamming asked.

"Your lordship!" Jiangsu Quickly went out of his line too .

"Appoint some others to go with you with some worthy gifts when DongHai coronation ceremony is fixed. And let him know of our intention to support his reign as emperor of Gu kingdom" Heng Jamming instructed him.

"Yes, your lordship. It shall be done according to your instructions" Jiangsu replied with a bow while Heng Jamming dismissed him with the raise of his right hand again.

"Any more issues to talk about?" Heng Jamming asked them, but they all kept quiet.

"Alright, you are all dismissed" Heng Jamming said and walked out of the courtroom.

"Court dismissed!" Dei Fei, the personal eunuch to Heng Jamming said with a high pitched tone before hurrying after his lord.

"Long live your lordship!" the officials said before walking out of the courtroom, murmuring among themselves.

"Minister Ye, I thought our lord was going to appoint you as the entourage to Gu kingdom?" One of the officials named Bai Jiang asked.

"Hmph! What does Jiangsu know? He is going to disgrace himself there, I am sure of that" Another official named Guan Shan, walking among them, said.

"It does not matter who our lord sent there as long as the job is done" minister Ye replied to them with a gentle smile.

"Hmph! You can go on being gentle with him, until he takes over your duty in court" Guan Shan said with a frown.

"It is okay, his lordship is wise, let Jiangsu do his work" Ye replied.

"Do his work, my foot!, Hmph!" Guan Shan scoffs, frowns his face before walking away from them.

"This Guan Shan is surely a jealous fellow. I wonder why he hates Jiangsu so much? Anyway, till we meet again minister Ye '' Bai Jiang said before parting ways.

"To kill a rat is very much easy. Why do I have to trouble myself when someone else can do the job and take the fall for me?" Minister Ye said to himself with a mischievous smile, before entering his carriage.

*****

Gu Kingdom

Zhong Palace (The King's Court)

In the inner courtroom, all the ministers and newly appointed Lord's dressed up in Fuchsia colored uniforms, black belt around the waistline, curled up cloth shoes, and a black hat that has pointed sides, were all present .

General Donghai who has already proclaimed himself emperor of Gu kingdom, is sitted majestically on the throne with his royal robes of crimson color and gold embroidered Dragon.

"Read the edict" Donghai said while looking briefly at the direction of his personal eunuch named Jeng Fung.

"Following the fall of the royal family, emperor Zu Xing is no more. With heaven's approval, his majesty DongHai is now the emperor of Gu kingdom, and the following officials have been promoted.

Commander Tao has been promoted to the rank of general, Chao Liang is now the commander over left-wing army, Li Cang Xuan as Lord Li Cang Xuan over Eastern border, Hao Tang as the prime minister, Pei Zhi as the minister of justice over Fang Huang jurisdiction while Fang Huang as the minister of finance. Respect this!!!" Eunuch Jeng Fung said before folding back the scroll.

"Long live the emperor, may the kingdom prosper forever!" All the officials kneel down with their two hands towards the throne.

"You may all rise up" Donghai said, raising his left hand a little bit.

"Thank you, your majesty" They all replied in unison.

Stepping forward from his line, minister Hao Tang joined his two hands before saying something.

"Your majesty, the envoys from the Northern kingdom are here to present their congratulatory gifts to you".

"Really?" Donghai asked with a smile.

"Yes, your majesty," Hao Tang replied with a bow.

"Then, send them in immediately".