Chapter 4: Envoys Or Spies

"Then, send them in immediately" Donghai instructed.

"Let the envoys from the Northern kingdom come in now!!!" Eunuch Jeng Fung proclaimed in a loud voice.

Soon a middle aged man with three young men dressed up in straight lapelled full body clothes that looked like tiger's fur, with leather boots and no hats, walked in accompanied by two more young men carrying a wooden box covered with golden ribbons. The young men dressed up the same way as the others.

"Long live your majesty, may your reign be forever" The five men kneel down with one leg and place their right hands on their chest as is their custom.

"You may rise" Donghai said with a smile.

"Your majesty, our ruler asked us to bring this to you as a token of showing our support to your reign '' One of the men who seems to be their spokesman said before opening the box slightly for only Donghai to see its contents.

On seeing the shining gold tablet, Donghai smiled at them and asked Jeng Fung to take it away.

"Your ruler is surely wise! I accept his heartfelt gifts" Donghai said to the envoys who looked happy at his words.

"For coming early, minister Hao Tang will personally see to your welfare before the coronation ceremony tomorrow. Donghai dismissed them with a wave of his hands.

"Thank you, your majesty for your kind generosity!" The envoys said before walking out of the courtroom in the company of Hao.

"This is an insult to me! How come I am the one attending to these barbarians? Hmph!" Hao grumbles in his mind.

"Prime minister, I hope the place is not that far?" One of the envoys asked him.

Grunting inwardly, Hao turn to reply to him with a smile. "Of course not, it's just that the palace is such a big place that one can get lost if not careful".

"This man is indirectly insulting us, who does he think he is? Hmph! Get lost? Does he think we are still babies? Stupid old minister!" One of the young envoys named Fuyuo, a handsome young man with thin lips and thick eyebrows, said in his mind with a frown.

"Fuyuo, control yourself and remember why we are here in the first place, don't stir up anger in the minds of others" The spokesman cautioned Fuyuo through their tribe mindlink ability.

Only the tribe of JiaJiamia from the Northern kingdom can read people's minds. It is something one of their ancestors who is a Daiost got as heaven's blessings.

Entering Eastern palace quarter, Hao called some of the servants walking around, being directed by various eunuchs preparing for the coronation ceremony taking place tomorrow.

"Hey, you, come here" Hao called two eunuchs.

"My lord, you called us" One of the enuches said to him.

"Yes, these are some of our important guests from the Northern kingdom. Take them to their apartments and assign maids to help them stay comfortable. My lord, I hope you will all enjoy your visit here in Gu kingdom?" With that, Hao walked away from them without waiting for their reply.

"So full of himself! I feels like punching him in the face!" Fuyuo said in his mind, forgetting the mind link connection. He realizes the impact of his words when the others turn to look at him. This weird act of theirs, confused the enuches as they wondered what was going on among them.

"We are starting the search tonight, get prepared, Fuyuo!" The spokesman Fang Zhuo said.

"Yes, clan leader" The all replied.

"Please lead us to the apartments, sirs" The envoys spokesman said to the eunuchs.

"Oh, alright! This way my lord's'' One of the enuches leads the way to the apartments prepared for them.

By the time Hao Tang walked back to Zhong quarter, more envoys from different places had arrived and the court session had been dismissed. Walking out of the palace, he entered his carriage and went back home in anger.

*****

The compound where the Northern Kingdom envoys stays is quiet with no servants in sight, while the apartment is lit up with candles since it is already dusk.

"Clan leader, I am ready" Fuyuo, dressed up in black clothes informed their spokesman who seems to be studying drawings on a map.

"Good, Fuyuo! Take this, it contains a detailed outline of the different quarters. I was able to get it from one of our trusted men here" Fang Zhuo said, handing over an orange colored map with architecture drawings to him.

"Thank you clan leader!" Fuyuo greets him and walks to the window.

Looking at the young figure about to jump through the window, Fang Zhou wished Fuyuo was his real son. "Fuyuo!" He called his attention.

Fuyuo turns to look at him "Clan leader?"

"Please be careful!" Fang Zhuo said with a smile.

"Yes, Clan leader" With that he put on a black mask and jumped through the window. Since the compound was void of servants, it was easy for him to sneak out without anyone taking notice of him.

Not wanting to take the risk of being caught through the gate, he decided to make use of the fence. Quickly he scales the fence and run straight for the abandoned teahouse of the deceased concubine Xingu.

Soon he arrives at the maidens' bathing quarter and mistakenly kicks a tin bucket which makes a loud noise.

"Who is there?" A short maid wearing a fairy skirt and curled up shoes, and who heard the sound asked.

"Who are you talking to meihui?" Another maid asked the former.

"I thought I heard the sound of something being kicked!" Meihui replied.

"Meihui, have you been thinking about little Aang again? Look! I know you miss him, but it's been three days now since he went missing" The maid named FenFen, with pretty eyes, said, rubbing her shoulders.

"But FenFen, little Aang, has never walked away since I bought him from the fair market. I believe someone stole my rabbit" While they were still talking, Fuyuo quietly slipped through the back of the bathing room unnoticed. Most of the maids have already retired to bed.

Since the first place for him to check out is the royal library, but actually different from the emperor's personal library, Fuyuo headed straight for it.

Arriving at the southern quarter, he scales the fence again and then passes through the back of a leafless shrubbery tree. Only one guard was at the library door.

"Only one guard is at the door, clan leader" Fuyuo informed Fang Zhuo through their mindlink.

"Okay, one of our men will take care of it now. Don't come out yet".

"Okay, clan leader," Fuyuo replied.

Immediately a guard walks to the one at the door and tells him something, then both of them rush off to heaven's knows where.

Taking that as his signal, he rushes forward and enters the library.

"Wow!!!" Fuyuo was struck by the width of the library. It seems the past emperor has a great deal of letters, scrolls, and books to tackle as tons of dust free books pile up the shelves.

"We're do I start from now?" He asked himself before moving to the first shelf. Going through the first, third and fifth shelves, it seems what he is actually looking for is not in here.

"Clan leader, there is nothing here except piles of old scrolls and books!" He paused when he heard a male voice outside the door.