STARFALL

          The water having carried the masked woman along with her brother cast the two along a rock shore, the young man having gained consciousness before his younger sister tightly held onto her despite skipping a couple of breaths and crying in pain.

           The water splashing against them made him cough somewhat loud, his sound inducing the latter to gain consciousness and then open her eyes.

           She could see blood, slowly disappearing in the water as if continued downwards, for a moment she stopped to recollect her thoughts until she finally recalled everything that had happened before.

           He coughed the second time which made her sit upright to analyse his condition.

          "Brother?" She called.

          "I don't have that much time left." He confessed.

          "Don't say such words." She said as she seized his left arm and then held it closer to her face, shedding tears endlessly, he strained himself to lift his right arm and then wipe them away.

          "Do not cry my dear," he insisted, "don't let tears fall from your eyes once again." He muttered.

          "Please stay with me brother." She pleaded still hoping blindly that he would get better.

          "You tried your very best but I am so sorry that in the end I still failed to become the Emperor of this Country." He apologized.

          "And you can survive this so please hold on for my sake, we only need to gather our strength so that you can take your rightful place on that throne as the Emperor......." She was saying when he held her lips.

           "Enough." He said to her, "I don't want to hear you say anything more again.

           "Brother?" She cried.

           "The Empress Dowager's men will not stop searching until they find us, even if they find my dead body I don't care but whatever happens ensure that you survive and live on." He said.

          "How can I live without you?" She asked.

          "You must." Her brother responded as he held her right arm in both his two.

          "Brother?" She called on louder.

          "Survive this for my sake, this fight will not end so easily, as I can no longer become the Emperor of this country then for my sake please become the Empress." He said to her as she fell silent.

           "You have what it takes my dear, there has never been a trait you did lack, but as it pains my heart that I can't achieve my lifelong dream, please promise me that you'll do whatever it takes to become the Empress of this country." He whispered.

           "I promise." She said.

           "I can't hear you." He muttered.

           "I promise that for your sake, I shall become the Empress of this country." She swore.

            Hearing this, the young man finally breathed with ease, a radiant smile returning to his face he beautifully mused at her.

           "Finally my sister has grown into a beautiful woman." He said.

           "I am here brother." She assured him.

           "How I so fervently wished to be there to give your hand away in marriage." He said and staring at her just like that, he let go of his last breath.

             For a moment his body turned instantly pale and waiting for a reaction but gaining none the only thing she could see was the tear that finally ran out of his right eye.

           "Brother?" She desperately called but to no avail, earning only silence, she exploded into tears ceaselessly as she caressed his corpse a destitute young sister.

          The soldiers paraded the prisoners of war through the Capital gates while the masses gathered around to see for themselves.

          The heads of the Governors were mounted on pikes and the Deposed Crown Prince was dragged as though he was a slave in a couple of rugs covered in mud and blood.

           The rain had long seized and the people while covering themselves in thick fur coats took pity on the young man.

         "How cold it must be!" A few exclaimed out of concern.

          "His own greed and ambition ruined him." Others greatly condemned.

          "I can't imagine how Her Highness must feel disappointed after she went to great lengths to protect him only to be betrayed by his actual involvement in the coup." More muttered.

          "It is as they say, you can never expect a child you didn't give birth to to love you so much." The mothers sympathised.

          "He will be tried by the Imperial State Tribunal." Someone reported.

          "Do you think that they intend to keep him alive?" One asked.

          "Her Highness could barely sleep worried for His sick Majesty who was attacked by those assassins caring for him as though he were her own so what do you think?" The other responded.

          "Even then the Empress Dowager is known for her benevolence and tender motherly heart which is why the Grand Chancellor and the others petitioned to Her as the Imperial Regent to grant an Imperial sanction for the case to be forwarded to the Imperial State Tribunal out of fear that she might act otherwise." One reported.

          "Then the outcome will depend on the official's final decision." One said.

          "Ever since the end of Han Touzhou's days, the Imperial Court has truly belonged to the people of this country therefore I am confident that their decision will be in our favour." They muttered.

          The Deposed Crown Prince hearing this lowered his head.

          "Do you see Your Highness?" Shi Yuzhi asked as he responded with silence, "those are the people you so much wanted to rule that one would question what it is that you thought made you more special than Her Highness." He said.

          "Does this country even belong to the Zhao Clan anymore?" He asked.

          "No." Shi Yuzhi responded, "since the dateless time the common people have resented tyrannical regimes but it is strange how many of those survived, for some reason perhaps it could be attributed to the personal strength of their rulers which could very much explain why most of them fell at the hands of the well-meaning ones." He said.

          "Was I well-meaning to you too?" Zhao Hong inquired.

          "The only crime you ever committed was trying to restore the very instruments of power that the common people resented and none of them was ever sympathetic to a rebel's son like they were to the woman who shed her blood for this country's people," Shi Yuzhi said, "how could you dream of ruling this our Greater Heavenly Empire Your Highness, when you couldn't even try and win the hearts of your citizens?" He asked.

          "I see." Zhao Hong said.

          "Just hold on a bit longer and hold your head up high, as you are well aware that you must go then please do so as a valiant Rebel you so wished to become." Shi Yuzhi said as they entered the gates of the Imperial State Tribunal.

           Emperor Lizong seated in his seat the Empress Dowager walked into the room.

          "Your Highness." She greeted him bowing her head while he on the other hand looked away even as she seemed to care less.

          She nonetheless invited herself to sit down in front of him.

          "I heard that Your Highness is quite disheartened." She said.

          "How can I not be?" He asked.

          "The Rebel that threatened your Crown has been suppressed Your Majesty, this country will finally belong to you again." She said.

         "Are you even sure of that Your Highness," the young man asked as he looked her in the eye, "I can not act on my own accord or give orders as much as I want and you tell me that this country will belong to me." He said.

          "Your Majesty is still young and inexperienced and what's more you still need the confidence of the Imperial Court." Empress Dowager Yang pointed out.

          "And since you have all these is it not safe to say that the world belongs to you?" He asked.

         "Your Majesty, as this country belongs to neither me nor you it is for our people," Empress Dowager Yang said, "we were lenient with His former Highness but he cared less about staying true to the very instruments that defined our alliance in exchange for his security which left us without a choice." She muttered.

          "Then perhaps can I guarantee the security of his life?" Emperor Lizong asked.

          "I can't promise you that." She responded.

          "Why?" He insisted on knowing.

          "That much will be decided by the Imperial State Tribunal." Empress Dowager Yang replied.

          "Are you not the Imperial State Tribunal Your Highness?" He asked, "aren't you the final Court of Appeal?" He said.

          "That much can not be said." She remarked and the young man falling silent for a moment he changed his position and knelt on his bed.

           "I'll do anything you ask me Your Highness but please spare him," Emperor Lizong pleaded, "if not for his sake then at least let it be for me." He said.

          "The mere fact that His knell of doom has been sounded it has all been done for your sake Your Majesty, this my dear is his unfortunate fate as doing nothing about it is yours." Empress Dowager Yang muttered as she stood up.

         "How could you be this heartless Your Highness, remember, you promised His Majesty that you would protect his life." He reminded her.

          "And I also promised both him and myself that I would protect his country until my last breath." She muttered.

          "Your Highness......." Emperor Lizong insisted.

          "I too for once wished I could turn away from the bloodshed, I too for once hoped that I wouldn't have to kill another man to have my way." She said.

          "Have you no mercy to spare a young man that has already lost so much so far including his own family?" Zhao Yun asked.

          "The only way to honour the promise that I made to your father is by breaking the vow that I made to myself." She said, "I'll keep fighting to honour that until I let go of my last breath." She swore as she turned around and walked out of the room.

          The Officials from the Imperial State Tribunal gathered in the torture Square that had been cleaned to perfection while facing the traitors' Gate.

           It was opened a short while later and immediately, the Deposed Crown Prince who was covered in chains was paraded through with a couple of armed soldiers until he approached the centre.

          "The Trial will now begin." One of the officers present announced and once the drums were sounded for the first time with the General Public watching, Shi Miyuan among the lead presiders of the case stood up and walked to the forefront standing at the edge of the staircase facing the masses.

          "The Imperial State Tribunal is gathered here today to try the case of His former Highness the Deposed Crown Prince Zhao Hong." He said as an intense silence settled, "as the world is entirely aware, His Former Highness was captured leading the Rebel forces that were planning to overrun the government threatening the stability of our Greater Heavenly Empire and distorting the balance of our world and I would like to present other additional crimes that have been brought forward by the Investigation team of the State Tribunal." He said as he kowtowed to the people and finally stepped aside while Wu Suliang, one of the officers in charge stepped forward.

          "Thank you Your Excellency," he said, "I Wu Suliang bring forward a list of crimes which His Former Highness has been charged with." He announced and everyone bracing themselves as Shi Miyuan returned to his seat, a wooden board was brought forward and placed where everyone would see while a couple of papers with big bold characters were pinned.

          "After carrying out a thorough investigation, the Imperial State Tribunal brings forward the charges of the Deposed Crown Prince Zhao Hong, he is found to have conspired with the loyal governors and instigated a coup against the administration of His Majesty, he went ahead to threaten His Majesty's life by sending assassins after him and during his time as the Crown Prince, he embezzled a series of funds which he used to acquire weaponry, he is guilty of crimes against humanity and by disregarding His Late Majesty the Deposed Emperor's will that the Imperial Dragon throne goes to his brother upon his death, he is guilty of filial impiety which is the worst sin." He reported and the people immediately burst into murmurs.

          "Before we can give our verdict there is one question that I would like to personally ask His Former Highness." Shi Miyuan spoke up as he looked at the young man.

          "What is it?" He said.

          "What have you to say about all these charges put forward against you?"

          "I admit my guilt." He muttered so brazenly as he raised his head and looked Shu Miyuan in the eye before he looked around.

          "You all think you are worthy but none of you deserve my blood, you are yourselves too quick to judge yet not one of you is perfect." He said as the silence became more and more intense.

          "I am only guilty for having selfishly held onto my dream, I am only guilty that my love for this country drove me beyond my breaking point that I hoped to snatch it and make it mine." He professed.

          "Treason is treason Your Highness," Shi Miyuan said.

          "And I am not the last traitor there will ever be." Zhao Hong said.

          "You weren't the first either." Shi Miyuan said as he stood up.

          "You all heard for yourself and we as the Imperial State can do nothing more at this point than pass our verdict," he said, "just as he has agreed to his crimes he is hereby found guilty and in accordance with the laws that govern our Greater Heavenly Empire we sentence him to death by strangulation." He announced and the people bursting into murmurs a series of infuriated ones moved to the forefront.

          "Kill the Deposed Crown Prince." They cheered suddenly and amassing a great deal of supporters their roar grew louder and louder.

           Empress Dowager Yang seated in Her audience Chamber Xiaoyang walked in and bowed her head.

          "Your Highness?" She said.

          "How did the Trial go?" She inquired.

          "The Deposed Crown Prince admitted." She reported.

          "Which makes things much easier for us." She said disheartened.

          "He probably realises that he doesn't have that much time left." Xiaoyang said.

          "Even so, I am certain that the Grand Secretary will soon arrive at my doorstep demanding that I officiate the sentence with the Imperial Seal." Empress Dowager Yang muttered.

         "Should I show him in?" She asked.

         "We can't make our excitement transparent, so you'll ask him to wait for about an hour." She replied.

         "Are you hesitant Your Highness?" She inquired.

          "I must be." She replied.

          "I understand." Xiaoyang remarked.

          "Arrange for me to see the Deposed Crown Prince though." She ordered.

          "Yes, Your Highness." Xiaoyang replied.

          "The officials will certainly line up and ask me to grant my sanction so I'll need this perhaps to find my peace of mind." Empress Dowager Yang professed.

           "Alright, Your Highness." Xiaoyang muttered as she withdrew from the room leaving her immersed in her thoughts.

           Peng Zishou in the presence of all the other High officials dropped his last mark on the piece of paper attached to the golden scroll before he withdrew and stood at a distance to admire his own handiwork.

          "Is it done?" Shi Miyuan inquired.

          "Yes." He responded as he handed it over to the latter who immediately perused through its contents.

           He mused at the handwriting, the bold characters as though indirectly spelling his achievement for a moment he took a deep breath and then smiled.

          "What is it Your Excellency?" Yu Tianxi inquired.

          "His Former Highness can not die as the son of His Late Majesty and our August Sire's brother." He remarked.

          "Is it not automatic that by the mere fact that he rebelled he already lost that right?" Yu Tianxi inquired.

          "Even the most automatic things these days require clear articulation it seems otherwise we wouldn't have ended up like this if the same had applied with the Provincial Governors." Shi Miyuan said.

           "But they are our people right now." Yu Tianxi remarked.

           "Their predecessors were also once loyal subjects as well." Shi Miyuan muttered as he looked at him, "you can never trust people or what they are capable of doing and besides, I don't want to put Her Highness in an even worse position in case I am no longer there to protect her one day." He said.

           "If you say so." Yu Tianxi asserted.

           "We need to keep all officials in check from now on." Shi Miyuan suddenly suggested.

           "What!" Yu Tianxi exclaimed.

           "As it is that I can only trust you amongst the many I want you to do something for me." He said.

           "I might as well gladly stake my life to its fulfilment," Yu Tianxi said, "what is it that you require of me Your Excellency?" He asked.

           "Investigate in secret every official there is that you know, dig up their filthy past even if it means you have to trace the crimes of their ancestors, it is high time we compiled a suicide file." He said.

            "But Your Excellency, what if it lands in the wrong hands?" Yu Tianxi asked.

            "Rest assured that there will be no such thing." Shi Miyuan whispered to him as he finally held the Draft and put it onto the tray where one of the officers walked in and took it back to the Grand Secretary who was standing a couple of feet away.

            Peng Zishou leading a couple of other officials from the Office of the Imperial Grand Secretary marched through the gates of the Ciming Palace, holding up in his hands the draft of the Edict as he approached the staircase that led to the Empress Dowager's audience Hall.

            Manyin recognizing him from a distance closed the gap between the both of them as she descended the stairs, finally halting in front of the old man, she kowtowed to pay her respects.

            "It's a pleasure to receive you Your Excellency." She gently muttered.

            "As you see I come on official business trusting that the Empress Dowager's residence was well informed about the delivery of the Imperial Draft." He mentioned while she only smiled calmly.

           "Forgive me but Her Highness left the Palace a while ago and asked me to request you to kindly wait for her to return that is if you don't mind." She notified him.

           "Sure thing." He replied hesitantly.

           Zhao Hong stood in his cell facing the small narrow window from which a thin beam of light shone. His eyes momentarily closed as he recalled vividly the tragic scenes of the battlefield, he was startled when he heard the door of the cell being opened.

           He didn't barge a second time as someone slowly approached his cell and halted outside.

          "It's about time you showed yourself to me." He muttered.

          "I suppose you too were eagerly waiting for me." A soft familiar voice spoke up that he turned around.

          "Yes Your Highness." He said finally facing the Empress Dowager who was standing behind the bars.

          "I gave you a chance to live, you would have lived, why did you return Your Highness?" She asked.

          "Do you really not know Your Imperial Highness?" Zhao Hong inquired.

          "Perhaps I hoped there would be something more, perhaps it must be that you hated me for the death of the Grand Prince, after all was it not his earnest wish that you ascend the Imperial Dragon throne, was it not his earnest wish that you wreak his vengeance upon the world?" She asked.

          "Even if it was Your Highness," Zhao Hong responded, "deep down I too cherished this country, deep down I too wanted the throne for the sake of the hopes I had for it." He muttered.

           "Then it must be that your will was perhaps too weak, or it's merely the fact that you weren't strong enough to claim it for yourself." Empress Dowager Yang remarked.

           "I admit my defeat in the end," Zhao Hong professed.

           "You couldn't beat me like the rest of those who preceeded you." She said.

           "None of us were as cunning or even better than you were." Zhao Hong clarified.

           "Who cares what the difference is?" She asked, "we both lost good men in the strife, we have both sacrificed so much to get where we are." She said.

          "But my sacrifice was meaningless." He insisted.

          "Perhaps you needed to understand that you couldn't defeat me, perhaps you needed to understand that survival was much more important than your greed which was itself born from your coarse hauteur." Empress Dowager Yang said.

          "And now I can't survive." Zhao Hong said.

          "I am out of the patience I solicited." Empress Yang confessed.

          "It must have been hard." He said.

          "For some reason it wasn't." She muttered.

          "Your Highness has changed." He eventually asserted.

          "Yes." She agreed, "I lost my children, I lost my husband so what more is there for me to lose if I go all the way?" She asked.

           "This isn't all the way you have come." He said.

           "That much can't be said," Empress Dowager Yang remarked, "I own the Court, His Majesty is mine to move as I please, I own the army and this country, its wealth and its citizens so what more is there that I do not have?" She asked.

           "His Majesty will grow, in two, in three or five years, he will become a man who will desire to uphold his own will and not that of an old woman, even if you are still reigning, you'll remain a shadow, a dying old woman, one who sits behind the silk screen, one who will remain there until you die and are forgotten." Zhao Hong said.

            "Does saying those words comfort you?" She asked.

            "I should be the one asking if you find comfort in professing that everything you do is for the welfare of our Greater Heavenly Empire?" He insisted and silently she stood up.

           "I'll take my leave." She said as she turned around to walk away.

           "There is something that you are afraid of Your Highness," Zhao Hong said before she took a step further, "you are a survivor Your Highness but you're not immortal." He claimed.

          "It's good enough." She muttered.

          "Once I must admit you were youthful but the years have passed, as you are senile time is no longer in your favour but in favour of those younger." He said.

          "You are younger than me Your Highness." She said.

          "There is someone perhaps just as smart and intelligent, there is someone with a poise that is just as remarkable as yours or even better, every star has a time it is born and it dies, just like the owner of the Palace changes so  will the one that holds the reins of this country." Zhao Hong muttered and the old woman barely saying a word she continued and walked away.

         A couple of moments later, the guard watching the young man walked in, he held in his hands a small piece of cloth that was drenched in blood and slowly he rested it beside him.

          "What is this?" He asked.

          "It belonged to Eunuch Ling." He responded that the young Prince was taken aback.

          "Is that so?" He asked.

          "It was the only thing I could find before he was decapitated and is probably lying on that field as a nameless corpse, it is being said that the crows of the heavens descended upon the traitors' bodies and consumed them to nothingness as heaven's punishment for rebelling against the Empress Dowager and His Majesty." The young man replied.

          "What is your name?" The Deposed Crown Prince asked.

          "Deng Daqian." He replied.

          "Do you resent the smell of blood?" He asked.

          "Yes," he replied, "but my father taught me that I must smell it often to get over it." He professed.

          "Why would you bring this cloth to me?" He asked.

          "Perhaps because I thought that even in death he wanted you to know that everything he did was for you." Deng Daqian replied.

          "How could you still be generous to traitors?" Zhao Hong inquired.

          "He was still a citizen of this country." Deng Daqian replied and hearing this the young man smiled.

           "Perhaps you are better off a soldier, however with your naive nature I fear you will not go far," he said, "I only wish that you understand that this is the true nature of politics and that of power, the higher you go, people will envy you for your power and will never rest until they have brought you down." He cautioned.

          "Thank you, I'll keep your words at heart." Deng Daqian professed and withdrawing from the cell.

         Alone Zhao Hong clenched the fabric and stared at it dearly, for a moment so distraught, he sobbed bitterly.

         Empress Dowager Yang sashayed through the gates of her residence and approached her audience Chamber amidst the pestering stare of the Grand Secretary and his colleagues.

         The doors being opened to her, she walked through towards her seat being accompanied by both Manyin and Xiaoyang and gracefully, she sat down.

         "What happened Your Highness?" Xiaoyang more curious about her wellbeing inquired.

         "Is the Grand Secretary here?" She asked.

         "You just walked past him and the other officials." She replied.

         "I didn't seem to notice their presence as my mind was elsewhere." She asserted diving into a series of thoughts.

          "It has already been an hour since they presented themselves before your seat." Manyin said.

          "Have them wait until sundown as I am not feeling very well." Empress Dowager Yang muttered.

          "Your Highness, I fear that this might be misinterpreted by the loyal subjects." Xiaoyang said.

          "Why waste time sympathising with the Deposed Crown Prince when you now have the power to end it here and now?" Manyin asked.

          "It is because I have that power that I can not act recklessly with it." Empress Dowager Yang muttered.

          "I don't seem to understand Your Highness." Manyin pointed out.

          "I may be unable to exercise my sympathies as a monarch but at the very least, I should do so as a mother." She replied and the two staring intensely at her seemingly understanding her position, she stared at the Imperial Seal that was stationed on the table in front of her.

          Emperor Lizong seated in his bed was immersed in his thoughts when the doors of his room were opened and Eunuch Deng walked through them.

         "Your Majesty." He greeted him.

         "What happened?" The young man anxiously asked, "how did the Trial go?" He insisted on knowing but judging from the old man's sombre expression, he instantly fell short of all the slim hope he had.

         "The Deposed Crown Prince willingly accepted all the charges that were placed upon him." He reported.

         "Is that so?" The young man asked unable to believe it.

         "Yes Your Highness." Eunuch Deng confirmed.

         "How hard it must have been on him!" He exclaimed.

         "The Imperial Grand Secretariat has submitted a rescript to Her Highness and they are waiting for her to officiate the document, I must say that meanwhile it seems that the Ciming Palace has fallen quiet and isn't responding as earnestly as I had hoped." He pointed out.

         "It is reasonable," Emperor Lizong said, "it is very much like the Empress Dowager." He remarked.

         "Perhaps incomprehensible to me." Eunuch Deng muttered.

          "She might be eager as a politician but she shouldn't be as a mother at least, after all a part of herself put him in line for the throne once it is all but an illusion to avail the people with a testament of remorse and generosity on her part that is insufficient for the position she is in to set him free." He remarked.

         "An illusion to make her appear helpless." Eunuch Deng muttered.

         "Is there no way to avert this crisis and prevent the bloodshed?" Emperor Lizong diligently asked.

         "I fear that there is none save for a miracle which itself too seems impossible as even the mere intervention of Your Majesty might only make you an enemy of the common people which of course you can not risk." Eunuch Deng said.

         "There has to be something that I can do." Emperor Lizong insisted painfully but Eunuch Deng not in the position to give advice preferred to remain silent.

         Darkness descended over the kingdom and as the moon rose within the starry sky, lanterns went up all over.

         The officials from the office of the Grand Secretary were still gathered with the draft waiting the Empress Dowager's approval while she on the other hand was quietly locked within.

         Save for the wan moonlight that shone through the window on her right, she was engulfed in total darkness while still keeping her sight fixed on the Imperial Seal in front of her.

         Manyin and Xiaoyang standing outside the doors looked at the officials ahead of them.

         "It has already been long." Xiaoyang pointed out.

         "Perhaps Her Highness needs more time." Manyin concluded when suddenly they heard her voice emerging from within.

         "Anyone?" She called when the two Senior Court Ladies rushed in before her.

         "Your Highness." They said bowing their heads for the first time in fear, seemingly surprised that her silence was intimidating.

         "Is it already dark?" She asked.

         "Yes, Your Highness." Xiaoyang replied.

         "Light up the room and invite in the officials." She suddenly ordered.

         "Yes Your Highness." The two responded in unison as they instantly stood up and started putting on the lights throughout the Palace.

         Emperor Lizong seated quietly in his room Eunuch Deng suddenly made his entrance.

         "Your Majesty, " he said.

         "What's the matter?" He asked.

         "Her Highness has asked the officials into her audience Chamber." He reported.

        "It is without a doubt, at last she intends to break the silence." Zhao Yun muttered.

        "Her Highness has no doubt made her mind." Eunuch Deng remarked while the young man furiously clenched his fists.

         The officials being ushered into the Empress Dowager's Chambers they sat down on the stools that had been arranged for them as Manyin advanced with the draft in her hands and rested it on the table in front of her mistress.

         "You all have done a great job suppressing the rebels." She remarked.

         "Our contributions can not be measured to Your Highness' who was the mastermind having used the governor of Guangzhou." Peng Zishou muttered.

         "I feel indebted to you all for suddenly having made you wait outside for so long," she said, "as you are well aware, at this point in history it means I become the mother who sends his son to his death." She spoke in a sombre tone.

         "I understand Your Highness." Peng Zishou muttered, "however you'll forgive me for asking but who exactly is your son?" He confidently questioned.

         "What!" She exclaimed.

         "Filial piety is a child's greatest duty to their parents and it seems to me that the Deposed Crown Prince didn't quite get that." He remarked.

        "It was three years ago that I moved you all and took him in, he was no different from my child regardless of the fact that he still resented me." She seemed sincere.

         "His Former Highness disregarded your undying motherly affection and rebelled against the will of his Late father which had itself too become the will of this country's loyal subjects, until now Your Highness has been loyal to the Crown and has served only it so how is it that we couldn't possibly understand that even the slightest hint of reserve would make you a disloyal subject to future generations?" He said.

         "As it so seems that I failed to discipline him I too deserve to be punished, don't you think?" She asked.

          "What are you saying Your Highness?" Peng Zishou inquired.

          "I'll grant my Imperial sanction on behalf of His Majesty for the Deposed Crown Prince to fulfil his sentence of committing suicide by poisoning but along with it I too intend to step down from my regency." She said.

         "What are you saying Your Highness?" Peng Zishou asked, "is it not enough for a mother to lose their one and only son?" He insisted.

          "As I have loved and served this country diligently with all its people as my children, I too have erred as a mother and my child has lost his way to come to this point, I understand that His Majesty may not be well versed with handling the affairs of State but he has you loyal ministers therefore only by seeking the people's absolution will I serve this country as though my life depends on it." She swore.

          "Your Highness....." Peng Zishou still pleading the stubborn old woman opened the draft on her table, reluctantly she held the Imperial Jade Seal and without warning slammed it on the white sheet of paper finally officiating it.

         "His Highness will serve his sentence at day break." She insisted, "the hour that he breathes his last I will end my regency too." She muttered confidently as the officials immediately burst into an uproar while she watched them seriously though she could barely contain the excitement deep within her heart.

          The officials withdrawing from her Chambers with the Imperial Edict at hand, Peng Zishou halted in his footsteps when he saw Yu Tianxi standing in front of him.

         "Your Excellency." He greeted and the old man quietly he looked somewhat frustrated which induced the latter to come closer to him.

         "What was the fuss all about?" He asked.

         "Her Highness finally agreed to grant the sanction after its delay was undoubtedly planned but along with it she's going to end her regency unless empowered by the Imperial Court and the General Public." He reported.

          "How brilliant!" Yu Tianxi exclaimed, "using the world to finally fight the very law that could politically estrange her." He muttered.

         "Who wouldn't be lenient with a woman who has to be the mother of the nation aside from a sinner prince's, in any case only by justifying her reaction through the support of the world could she probably best consolidate her position by being torn apart by likely enemies now or in the future." Peng Zishou said.

         "So what will you do Your Excellency?" Yu Tianxi asked.

         "I must ensure that we all remain the loyal subjects of this country even if it is at the expense of our humanity so the Edict will be carried out as planned." He responded.

         "I'll prepare the others then." Yu Tianxi said.

         "It would be the best thing to do." Peng Zishou remarked before he continued his way.

        "What!" Emperor Lizong exclaimed as he shot up from his seat.

        "Her Highness has finally consented to the Imperial Rescript and His Former Highness is expected to commit suicide by strangulation at daybreak." Eunuch Deng reported and the young man startled fell back into his chair.

        "Her Highness has also announced that she'll step down from her regency once the Deposed Crown Prince dies as a punishment for having brought about his ill fortune unless empowered by the General Public and the Imperial Court." He notified the latter.

          "Is she not lenient even in the slightest way?" The young man asked.

          "The best I can advise Your Majesty is that by all means necessary you must join the officials in fighting this." Eunuch Deng muttered, "you must individually stop Her Highness from stepping down from her Regency because like it or not, she'll stay up by all means necessary." He asserted.

         "Do I have a choice?" He asked.

         "Where you are the Deposed Crown Prince could have been and where he is right now you could be too and understanding Her Highness' nature what would be much better than survival especially right now?" Eunuch Deng remarked.

         "And should I care?" He asked.

         "Your Highness should very much and at least if not for yourself then maybe for your younger brother." Eunuch Deng said while the young man dismayed at the moment he took a deep breath and sighed.

          "Very well then," he muttered unwillingly, "I understand." He painfully professed.

          "There will be much harder days to come Your Majesty." The old man said.

          "Of course there must be." Emperor Lizong agreed.

         The Deposed Crown Prince Zhao Hong seated within the confines of his cell, Deng Daqian walked up to him with a small tray in his hands bearing a small cup of water and some dumplings.

          He slid them through the space that divided the bars.

         "You have returned?" the young man mentioned.

         "Yes." he replied.

         "What business have you with this traitor?" Zhao Hong inquired.

        "You barely ate anything since you were brought here." Deng Daqian responded, "I happened to hear that you loved these dumplings very much." he said.

         "There was a time that they once were my favourite." Zhao Hong muttered.

         "Then what happened?" He asked.

         "They reminded me of someone I failed to protect." he responded.

         "The Late Grand Internal Prince?" he asked.

         "A Prince belonged to the people, because of this alone he should never lose his common touch." He muttered.

         "I see." Deng Daqian said.

         "Feeling your kindness I am now certain that the Imperial Edict has been issued." Zhao Hong remarked.

         "After hours of what appeared to be the Empress Dowager's self-restraint and restlessness from internal guilt she finally acquiesced to the officials' request." He reported.

         "How saintly she must be!" Zhao Hong exclaimed.

         "Was she not your mother after all?" Deng Daqian asked.

         "And what mother would fight her son and wish death for him?" He asked, "Perhaps it must be that just as I could not have her blood flow through my veins she resented me instead." He muttered.

         "Yet thinking of herself to be sinful once you breathe your last she has promised to step down from her regency." Deng Daqian said.

          "Probably for the world to own up to her mistake amidst inevitable feelings of guilt." Zhao Hong remarked.

         "Enough." Deng Daqian said.

         "I still have but one favour to ask." Zhao Hong insisted.

         "What is it?" The young man inquired.

         "Would you help me with a piece of paper and a brush?" He asked calmly.

         "Alright." Deng Daqian said as he pulled a piece of paper from his sleeve and moving closer handed it to the latter.

         "I'll get you a brush and ink right away." He said as he turned around and left the area, shortly returning with the equipment as he had promised.

          Taking it in his hands, Zhao Hong sat down and wrote a letter while he watched, for about thirty minutes and once he had concluded it, he handed it over to him.

          "What should I do with this?" Deng Daqian asked.

          "Can you give it to His Majesty for me?" He requested calmly.

         "Yes." He responded hesitantly as he took it up in his hands.

          "Thank you," the Deposed Crown Prince muttered, "if there is another life I don't want to forget this favour of yours to a dying man." He muttered.

         "It is alright." Deng Daqian said as the man turned around and moved towards the moonlight in his cell.

         "This is the last night of my life yet not even once did I imagine that it would ever be like this." He whispered while Deng Daqian silent and unable to utter another word, he slowly withdrew from the scene at once leaving him alone as he on the other hand took a deep breath and sighed.

        "This is beautiful father," he whispered to himself, "it certainly is." He convinced himself.

         The sun slowly made its ascent into the sky, scattering the darkness and spreading a saffron sheet to all its dark corners.

         It eventually met the azure rooftops of the Imperial Palace and stretching deep within the Empress Dowager's room, it found her seated all alone as her room was mildly lit up.

         Her doors were flung open and Manyin walked in.

         It is almost that hour Your Highness." She notified the old woman who appeared to be lost in her thoughts.

         "I could barely sleep." She said.

         "May I inquire why?" She asked.

         "I could see His Late Majesty standing in that very spot within this room along with his father and grandfather." She replied.

         "Could it be that they are furious for His Former Highness?" She asked.

         "I can't tell." She responded.

         "But it has already been decided Your Highness and what has already been done can not be undone at this point." Manyin remarked.

          "You are right," she muttered, "prepare my Red kaftan." She suddenly ordered.

          "But Your Highness, you haven't worn it since Han Touzhou......." She hesitated when her gaze met her mistress' cold glare.

           "Won't you do as I have asked?" She questioned.

           "If you will it Your Highness." Manyin replied reluctantly as she immediately hurried off to do as she had been asked.

           The Palace guards watching the entrance, a small and simple palanquin appeared at a distance slowly approaching the Imperial City.

           "Halt." The guard in charge of the South Gate ordered and with barely any resistance, the carriers instantly lowered the small vehicle to the ground as Linxiang stepped forward.

            Two guards bearing spears blocked her path instantly and staring at the serious expression on her face it was shortly after that the gates were eventually opened.

           A tall and muscular silhouette darkened the path before it slowly advanced to the one place where the sunlight appeared to be very prominent at the hour.

          Closing the distance as the other soldiers bowed their heads to pay their respect, despite the emerging strands of grey hair emerging from his head, Linxiang could instantly recognize the old master despite having a faint memory of the twilight years of his youth.

          It was the Imperial Guard Commander Xie, the butcher of Han Touzhou and the Imperial City's mightiest defender.

         "Your Excellency." Linxiang greeted him bowing her head.

         "It has been a very long time hasn't it?" he inquired smiling heartily at the young woman without any restraint as she raised her head.

         "Didn't imagine you would still hold on to this seat." She remarked.

          "I had retired well thanks to Her Highness but after the Deposed Crown Prince rebelled it appeared that my presence in the Palace was necessary which induced me to return." He professed.

          "No wonder, you still look radiant as well." Linxiang remarked.

         "The Rebel will face judgement today and I won't stay around any longer, however, as I haven't been expecting you I can't help but wonder what is it that you're doing here now." Commander Xie pointed out.

          Responding with silence temporarily she smiled before she turned around.

          "You may come out Your Highness." She said and the fold of the palanquin being lifted, the Deposed Consort Cao stepped out in her ceremonial attire.

          Everyone gasped with surprise as the old woman slowly approached the latter.

          "Imperial Guard Commander?" She honoured him bowing her head.

          "Forgive my impertinence but Your Former Highness as far as I recall lost the right to belong to the Inner Court." Commander Xie mentioned.

         "I understand that well enough." She confessed.

         "Yet you don't seem to understand that your return to the Palace was banned and killing you here and now would be a fulfilment of His Late Majesty's will." The old man muttered.

         "You'd be quite surprised that Her Highness would wish to see me too." She said.

          "And how can I possibly guarantee that?" He asked.

          "If you let me in then it would only be a matter of time before we found that out." The old woman spoke confidently with a ghastly smile.

         "Let her in." Commander Xie ordered and the guards stepping aside she gracefully walked past.

         "You won't make it Your Highness." The old man cautioned her.

         "As it would concern you Your Excellency?" She challenged him.

         "As an elder to another I tell you this." He muttered, "time isn't on your side anymore." He pointed out.

         "I won't see the sunset today." She spoke calmly in her softest tone as she looked at him. "I only hope Her Highness would realise that too soon enough." She confidently remarked before she continued further.

          The Empress Dowager was gracefully clad in her crimson kaftan and her hair bejewelled, she smiled at her reflection in the mirror as she finalised with thick red lipstick.

          "You're all ready Your Highness." Manyin said.

          "Let's go to the Imperial State Tribunal." She ordered as she stood up from her seat and turned around, slowly, she advanced towards the doors that showed her out of her Chambers in the company of her retinue.

           Emperor Lizong seated in his study it was a matter of time before the doors were opened, seeing an unfamiliar silhouette he seemed a bit calm in the company of Eunuch Deng as the young man Deng Daqian stepped into his sight.

          "Your Majesty." He greeted him confidently.

          "What are you doing here?" Eunuch Deng instantly scolded him when the latter without wasting any more time he fell onto his knees raising the piece of paper to the man seated on the throne.

           "Please forgive me Your Majesty but I have been requested to deliver this to you our August Sire." He reported.

           "By whom do you seek out His Majesty uninvited?" Eunuch Deng asked.

           "His Former Highness, the Deposed Crown Prince." Deng Daqian responded and hearing this the Emperor instantly fixed his attention to him.

           "What is that?" He asked looking at the piece of paper he was holding.

           "A letter, the words of a dying man Your Majesty." Deng Daqian replied and Lizong without wasting any time rushed from behind the table and snatched the piece of paper from his grip, unfolding it to read its contents he allowed his eyes to peruse through what was the most remarkably written letter that he had ever seen.

          "MU LANG, OR SHOULD I CALL YOU YOUR MAJESTY, THIS MIGHT BE THE FIRST LETTER YOU'LL RECEIVE FROM ME, IT IS ALSO MOST LIKELY THE LAST, AFTER SO LONG, MY DAYS HAVE FINALLY COME TO AN END, I CAN ONLY SEE DARKNESS CONSUMING ME, I DOZED OFF BRIEFLY AND SAW MY OLD MAN WAITING FOR ME AT THE OTHER SIDE THAT I CAN NOW CONFIDENTLY DEDUCE THAT THERE IS NO HOPE IN LIVING ANYMORE. LIFE HAS BEEN ODIOUS FOR ME, THERE ISN'T MUCH TO MY CHILDHOOD THAT I REMEMBER, THE DEPOSED CROWN PRINCESS WU MUST PROBABLY FEEL DISTRAUGHT, DIVORCING HER WAS THE ONLY WAY I SAW IT BEST TO PROTECT HER AT LEAST ALONG WITH MY CHILD THAT SHE CARRIES IN HER WOMB, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS SHOULD CONCERN YOU, HONESTLY, FOR A WHILE I RECALLED WITH LOVE THE DAYS WE WALKED TOGETHER, THE DAYS YOU SHIELDED ME AS MU LANG, EMBRACED DEATH ON MY BEHALF, ONE COULD SAY THEY WERE THE MOST RADIANT MEMORIES OF MY IMPERIAL LIFE. I WRITE TO YOU NOW, UNABLE TO RECOVER THAT LOVE, I KEEP HATING ON YOU, ALSO HATING THE HEAVENS, THERE IS SO MUCH WE COULD HAVE ACHIEVED TOGETHER SO WHY DID WE HAVE TO BECOME CONTENDERS IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHY DID WE HAVE TO FIGHT EACH OTHER. I CAN'T STOP TO THINK THAT IT WAS MY FAULT FOR HAVING MET YOU, THAT IT WAS MY FAULT FOR HAVING LOVED YOU DEEPLY LIKE MY OWN BROTHER, LIKE A REFLECTION OF MYSELF. BY THE TIME YOU ARE READING THIS, I MUST BE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE LINEN FABRIC OR EVEN BETTER, CHOKING TO DEATH, DESPITE ALL THIS, ALL I HAVE TO ASK IS FOR YOU TO BECOME A PRUDENT RULER OF THIS NATION AND THE EMPEROR OF THIS COUNTRY, HOLD ONTO ITS REINS AS TIGHTLY AS I WOULD HAVE AND GIVE IT THE BRIGHT FUTURE THAT I COULDN'T, DO THIS FOR ME FOR IT IS THAT WHICH I CONSIDER MY SINCEREST ATONEMENT FOR HAVING BROUGHT YOU INTO THIS PAIN, FORGIVE ONCE THIS MAN THAT TRULY CARED FOR YOU ENOUGH TO HOLD YOU BLAMELESS EVEN AT HIS FINAL HOUR WHEN YOU COULDN'T PROTECT HIM." He'd written the words wholeheartedly that after the young man had read it eventually he shed a tear.

         "Your Majesty........" Eunuch Deng spoke up as he got closer only to be retrained from advancing further.

         "Prepare my sedan." He said.

         "But Sire?" The latter insisting he held up the jade kettle that was on his table and threw it onto the ground.

         "How dare you not heed the command of Your Majesty?" He asked aloud.

          "Forgive me Your Majesty, I'll prepare it at once." Eunuch Deng mentioned as he immediately rushed out of the room with Deng Daqian leaving the young man alone while staring at the nearly crumpled old sheet.

          The Empress Dowager approaching her palanquin, she was suddenly intercepted by a group of Court Ladies who were coming from the Central Palace.

          "What is this?" Xiaoyang scolded.

          "Forgive me but something urgent has happened." One of the ladies reported.

          "What could be urgent enough to cause you to block Her Highness' path?" Manyin asked.

          "The Deposed Consort Cao." The young woman replied and hearing this from where she stood, the Empress Dowager drew closer to the young women all who bowed their heads in fear. 

         "What did you say?" She asked.

         "It's the Deposed Consort Cao Your Highness." The young girl replied, "she's returned to the Imperial City." She reported.

         "Where is She?" Empress Dowager Yang inquired.

         "She has gone to the Central Palace." They notified her.

        "We need to hurry Your Highness, the Deposed Crown Prince's execution will commence very soon." Xiaoyang reminded her.

         "Forget about it." The old woman mentioned, "let's go to the Central Palace." She ordered.

         "Yes, Your Highness." They replied in unison as she changed her course instantly, abandoning the Palanquin that had been arranged for her, she now set off for the Central Palace a little bit infuriated.

          Stepping through the gates of the magnificent structure, the Deposed Consort Cao mused at it from a distance, it had been long since she'd set foot in the vicinity and there was a bit of an unfamiliar aura that was attached to it.

          Perhaps because it had no longer been busy, perhaps because there was hardly any servant, the Inner Court itself was vacant since most of the Late Emperor's wives had been sent off into the nunnery and yet for some reason it still looked beautiful.

         "Your Highness?" Linxiang called out to her.

         "I'll need to get in alone." The old woman calmly mentioned as she progressed further, treading the Empress' path.

          Momentarily she could picture the Late Emperor Ninzong standing at the top of the main hall's entrance and stretching out his hand towards him, this had always been her most sincere dream, it had always been her heart's deepest longing.

          Eventually, she mounted the stairs and walked in, gazing at the empty hallways as she arrived inside the Innermost chamber where the Empress' seat still stood vacant at the hour.

         She moved around the table and then she caressed the chair's arms, it wasn't long after, she eventually sat down in it comfortably and quietly waited.