POLITICS OF PERSUASION

             "A suicide note was left by the Empress I heard, the Ladies' Investigations Bureau of the Palace was involved in the matter under the Emperor's consent of course which I find to be strange I so wish that should there reside a hint of contentment in your heart then tell me what it is you're hiding." Yang Jieyu demanded as she tried to keep a calm demeanor.

             "You shall forgive me Ma'am but as you suspect, we were responsible for this." Manyin said, "we arranged Her Highness' suicide note." She asserted.

              "What do you mean by you arranged Her Highness' suicide note?" Yang Jieyu inquired.

            "Neither of us were happy about His Majesty's ill treatment towards you Ma'am we decided that we'd resolve the conflict for you sooner or later and clear you of all the false charges and since there was no proof of your Innocence we decided to forcefully create it." Manyin replied.

           "What did you do?" Yang Jieyu asked the two.

           "Forgive us Ma'am." Manyin said while Xiaoyang surprised reserved her silence the situation between the two having become tense.

           "Do you realise how big an issue this is?" Yang Jieyu inquired and going silent for a moment the doors of her Chambers were flung open and Beiyuan walked in.

            "There's no need to get angry at them Ma'am because I was behind everything." He confessed.

             "What?" Yang Jieyu asked.

             "I was the one who suggested this and even forged a letter in the Empress Mother's own hand that she intended to take her own life on her own free will." Beiyuan replied.

             "Where did you get the nerve?" She inquired.

             "What has the world been to you Ma'am apart from being cruel?" He asked her as well, "how many more tears shall you shed and suppose the Emperor really loved you, why must you be hated for the crimes of His mother?" He said.

             "You did this all for me?" Yang Jieyu asked.

             "In your episode Ma'am Cao Zhaoyi has spread rumours about everything that has been happening and the people hold you to blame, she met with the Empress Mother's supporters that attempted the rebellion and what's surprising is that she sought out Han Touzhou." Beiyuan replied.

            "Do you realise what would possibly happen if the Empress were to gain consciousness?" She asked.

            Her Highness would know better than anyone else the crimes she's committed are rather too big, if there's a moment that she loved His Majesty as her own son and not for power then she wouldn't have done this because blaming you for His Majesty is much unbearable countless nights he won't sleep thinking about it and neither does he eat as much as he used to I see him everyday Ma'am, he's breaking and he's starting to fall apart." Beiyuan mentioned.

             "Ma'am?" Manyin called to her.

             "This is therefore your resolve?" She asked.

             "Ma'am, I swore with my whole life that I would protect you and it is therefore my duty to do just that, my hands are already prepared to anything that you won't do Ma'am, even if I have to slay thousands." Beiyuan replied as he bowed his head to her.

            "Since when do you think for me?" Yang Jieyu asked as she turned around and looked at him fiercely.

             "Ma'am, what's wrong?" Xiaoyang inquired.

             "What do you think I want?" Yang Jieyu asked Beiyuan.

             "Ma'am.......?" He replied but hesitated unable to find an answer.

             "Regardless of how much that man claims to love me, should there be even a room for doubt I can not give my heart to someone so undeserving." She remarked.

            "Pardon me Ma'am, I don't understand." Beiyuan replied.

            "Ever since all this happened His Majesty has hard a hard time trusting me, perhaps ever since I returned to the palace he divides his affections with caution which for him is as fatal as it could by far be of use." Yang Jieyu muttered as she stood up from where she was seated, "I have been through every storm and I have always become much more different from every time I walked in do you still not know?" She said while Beiyuan kept his head down.

            "Love is useless but what's more useful is power and trust, I shall make His Majesty trust me so you should therefore confess your transgressions and allow me to handle things my own way the next time, understood?" She muttered while he remained silent.

            "I said have you understood?" She demanded.

            "Yes Ma'am." Beiyuan replied as she walked past them and got out of the room leaving the two siblings quite relieved.

             Han Touzhou in his room Lin Xue walked in.

             "Your Excellency, it's a letter from the Palace." He said as he handed it over to him and Han Touzhou taking it up immediately he opened it to read it's contents.

              For a moment his eyes became bloodshot and he only seemed furious that he crampled it in his fists.

              "Your Excellency.......?" Lin Xue called.

              "Apparently the Empress Mother attempted to commit suicide because she had intended to launch a coup de tat on the day of the Crown Prince's investiture." Han Touzhou replied.

              "A coup?" Lin Xue asked as he sought clarity.

              "Yes." Han Touzhou replied.

              "That's something big." Lin Xue muttered, "and had something that extreme in deed transpired then we would have in the very least heard about it." He said.

             The Empress attempted to turn against us in the end as she always is." Han Touzhou muttered, "she wanted to turn our grandchild into the Emperor and force her son to abdicate the throne to him, naturally she'd become the Grand Empress Dowager and Regent." He asserted.

             "What is His Majesty's reaction?" Lin Xue inquired.

             "He doesn't seem to know because Yang Jieyu intends to protect the Empress Mother." Han Touzhou replied.

             "That old sly vixen." Lin Xue remarked.

             "How tragic!" Han Touzhou replied.

             "But who sent the letter?" Lin Xue asked.

             "They didn't let me know, however they are asking to have a word with us immediately." Han Touzhou muttered.

              "What if it's a trap Your Excellency?" Lin Xue inquired.

             "The power at Court hangs in the balance and for the Empress Mother to have attempted a coup she must have had loyalists amongst us which means that not everyone can be trusted." Han Touzhou replied, "what's more it is important therefore that we meet this person and know why as well." He remarked.

            "Yes Your Excellency." Lin Xue replied.

            Emperor Ningzong in his room was still looking at the letter in his hands, his eyes exhausted and red, with bags under them he had himself turned pale in the night.

             Eunuch Deng walked in on him at the moment and noticed his rather lowly state.

             "Your Majesty?" He called.

             "What does she hate from life so much?" He asked, "she'd rather take her own life?" He said.

             "Your Majesty...." He was saying.

             "It won't be alright." He said to him, "I have been searching my memories over the past couple of hours and I noticed that there wasn't even one vivid moment of both my childhood and my youth that I ever felt she loves me so much or that I longer for her attention, I realised there was hardly a moment that she smiled heartily at me." He remarked.

            "I understand that Your Majesty is in pain, I understand that you are in anguish." Eunuch Deng said.

            "Was it this that Yang Jieyu couldn't tell me?" He asked himself, "perhaps she said nothing at all, perhaps she learnt something as wanted to protect her, this isn't good enough a reason for the Empress Mother to take her own life, there's something more to it." He said.

             "Yang Jieyu, she came from her residence early in the morning and she's been standing outside for close to an hour Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng said, "should I let her in?" He inquired.

             "Yes." He replied as he folded the letter and put it away while Eunuch Deng bowing his head he got outside and Yang Jieyu walking into the room she greeted the Emperor.

             "Your Majesty?" She said.

             "You've been standing outside for an hour, isn't it?" He asked.

             "Yes." She replied.

             "Why didn't you announce your presence to me?" He inquired.

             "I was uncertain if Your Majesty wished to see me, nonetheless I was worried that there was so much on your mind, worried that you didn't sleep or it, worried about so many things." She replied.

             "You worry so much about me?" He rhetorically asked.

             "As if I don't Your Majesty?" She asked.

             "What happened between you and the Empress Mother that you can not tell me about?" He asked.

             "Pardon me Your Majesty, I am sure she must have said everything that she wanted in that suicide note I asked about but don't let it bother you." Yang Jieyu replied.

             "Mind to tell me what is written in it?" He asked.

             "I can not lie to Your Majesty that I was even present at that hour she wrote it, and neither shall I lie to you by saying that I understood her intentions and her words, but she carried you in her womb for nine months for both yourself and her there has never been a greater blessing, for both you and her, there was never a more beautiful memory." Yang Jieyu said.

            "How do you know?" He asked.

            "At the every woman conceives she's thankful to heaven, when she carries a child in her arms she's strong against the world, and there's never a day she won't stop to think or to do whatever she can to protect him." Yang Jieyu replied, "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 muttered as she bowed her head to him and then immediately she withdrew from the room and left him alone inside.

           Han Touzhou secretly made his way into an inn and there he caught sight of Cao Zhaoyi who was seated in front of him.

           "Greetings Your Excellency." She said.

           "You?" He muttered.

           "Yes." She replied as she smiled at him,  "Seeing that you are here you must have received my letter." She muttered.

           "Now that I see you it couldn't be so." He muttered.

           "And you trust the Empress Mother so much I wish you sat down for a moment and heard me out, don't be too proud because I am sure that you understand as well as I do the price of being proud enough." She said to him and the latter hesitantly he moved to the seat that was in front of her.

           "Your Excellency." Cao Zhaoyi said.

           "I won't hear what you have to say." Han Touzhou insisted.

          "But you must." She replied.

          "Then help clarify this to me, Yang Jieyu had a golden opportunity to get rid of the Empress Mother in fact she still has it but remains silent even to His Majesty, why?" Han Touzhou asked.

           "She might be as cruel and heartless, malicious and cold but she'll still feel guilty at least for His Majesty, this alone could ruin him more than anything and especially the people themselves, His Majesty would be required to deal with the Empress which curse His Majesty will always suffer having the blood of his mother on his hands." Cao Zhaoyi replied.

          "One moment I was behind the Empress and that had me compromise the heads of my colleagues, had Yang Jieyu not stopped the revolt even before it occurred then the heads of those that follow me including the Crown Prince's, would be hanging on spikes." Han Touzhou muttered.

           "It isn't my fault that you trusted the wrong person." Cao Zhaoyi muttered.

            "Then I shall avoid it, I lack a guarantee that you shall be just as treacherous as the Empress Mother, you should understand my stand much better." He said.

            "You think that it shall come to end with the Empress Mother?" She asked while he remained silent, "that bitch was cowardly but even then she remained unwilling to bow her head to Yang Jieyu and now that she has fallen out of Grace in this harem there's one virtual ruler and that is Her." She said.

            "I shall run this country the way that I want and I decided after much deliberation that is without the harem." Han Touzhou muttered.

            "And sooner or later you mean to abandon the Crown Prince of course perhaps you could for the time being but who will protect him within the cruel walls of this Palace that tower so high and are hiding blades and Spears within them along with poisonous arrows and the most venomous snakes and scorpions?" She asked.

           He once more responded with silence.

           "You can walk out of that door right now but without my help which you need in the harem at that very doorstep you are leaving the head of your grandnephew and as it is that Yang Jieyu already adopted an Imperial child that's just as much another of His Majesty's sons your Excellency, who knows what would happen the very moment that she decides to push her son towards the throne?" She asked.

           "What are your terms?" He asked.

           "Minister Cao won't be implicated for the Empress Mother's mistakes and Yang Jieyu is understanding that for the sake of His Majesty she wouldn't want to create a big issue about it, now that there's not a single person in the harem that is powerful enough to contend with her might all I ask is your allegiance and support to give me that strength and might to compete with her in exchange for the safety of the Crown Prince, as you see I am the mother of the Eldest Princess and it doesn't seem like His Majesty will make me bear his seed again I was hoping that we'd reach an understanding." Cao Zhaoyi replied.

            "I need to discuss it with the others." He said.

            "But make sure that you do not take too long after all no one knows how long the Crown Prince will live without someone to protect him." She muttered and Han Touzhou standing up and bowing his head he withdrew from the room immediately while Linxiang walked in.

             "Ma'am." She said.

             "You look worried." She pointed out.

             "I told you about Han Touzhou Ma'am, he shall surely be a very hard nut to crack moreso to agree to this alliance." She replied.

             "I am sure that everything considered for the safety of the Crown Prince and his faction he'll have no other alternative but to come around sooner or later to embrace my offer." She said.

            "What if he doesn't?" Linxiang inquired.

            "Then we shall force him to move his hand." She replied as she smiled at herself ghastly.

             Minister Cao still thinking about Cao Zhaoyi's proposal his concubine Lady Yin walked in before him holding a tray in her hands on which she had rested a small pot of tea.

             "Your Excellency." She greeted him bowing her head as she placed everything on the table.

             "I'm sorry, I have a lot on my mind right now." He muttered.

             "I see, you haven't eaten anything since noon I have specially prepared this biluochun tea and some snacks for you." She said to him.

             "Thank you." He replied in a lowly manner.

             "Something's bothering you still?" She asked.

             "Cao Zhaoyi won over all Her Highness' other supporters at the moment and I stand alone, she offered to save me and the others at the expense of our allegiance to Her Highness." Minister Cao replied.

             "Why won't you hear out Cao Zhaoyi Your Excellency?" Lady Yin inquired.

            "Do you really trust that woman?" He responded with a question.

            "Not if Your Excellency doesn't trust her but I wish if you could let me be in the know, give me a good reason." She requested.

             "All she wants is power and what shall happen to us when she gets power, she's not our flesh or blood we can not be guaranteed that she'll remain loyal or filial and what's worse is if she delivers a Prince." Minister Cao replied, "that way the Crown Prince shall be endangered and our Cao Clan shall have to face the wrath of the Wu, Yang and Han Clans before long those men shall be demanding for our heads." Minister Cao replied.

            "I see." She said.

            "Besides Her Highness is still alive and I know that she is strong, I can not betray my loyalty to her even if there's a one percent chance that she shall gain consciousness I shall still tightly hold onto it.

             Master Bao and a couple of the others were seated in Lanling Court.

             "The Empress Mother sinned against the Dynasty but until now Yang Jieyu hasn't reported it to His Majesty yet I hear that herself having confronted the Empress Mother last puts her life in danger as she is suspected for having been the one who compelled her to attempt committing suicide." One said.

             "The best that we can do is to protect her." Master Bao said.

             "But we can not protect her when she's not willing to be protected, if she insists in protecting the Empress Mother to the bitter end I assure you that she's instead preparing to hang herself soon enough." Minister Liu said.

             "I understand what your concern is but you know Ma'am very well, she doesn't come up to a decision foolishly without first thinking about it." Bao Langya said.

             "Then we all hope that Her plans are in perfect order." One cautiously remarked.

             Liu Zhan seated next to the Empress at that moment while the Crown Prince Zhao Jun picked up the wet piece of cloth and placed it on her forehead.

            Her eyes twitching all of a sudden the old woman opened them again.

            "Your Highness?" Liu Zhan said when she noticed while the Crown Prince only brought his face closer and looked at her.

            "Forgive me My Prince." She said.

            "Grand Mother, I am still with you." He said.

            "You have a dark road ahead of you and all I see is death." Empress Li muttered weakly.

             "Someone call the Imperial physician." Liu Zhan demanded and the Empress mother holding her hand she looked at her.

             "All those years you served me diligently even when Chiyun Ling abandoned us, hear me now I say and watch His Highness ascend the dragon throne to get justice for me." Empress Li said.

             "Grand Mother?" The Crown Prince was still sobbing tirelessly as he held her already cold hand.

             "Peace will never reign for us Empresses until in death, you will never ascend the throne as long as that woman lives." Empress Li said and slowly she closed her eyes and started breathing fast while she sweated profusely.

             The Imperial physician opening the doors of the room he rushed in with his box and hurried over to the latter who was lying on the bed nearly lifeless he took her hand and detected her pulse.

             "Is Her Highness alive?" Liu Zhan inquired.

             "Yes." He replied, "but her health is falling intensely." He added.

              "There must be something you can do." Liu Zhan said.

              "I can but there's no guarantee Her Highness in a critical condition, we should prepare for the worst because beyond this point of she even recovers I tell you, never will she regain consciousness." The Imperial physician replied and Liu Zhan at a total loss of words she stumbled.

             "Your Highness, please." She spoke to the latter, "you must endure." She said, "please don't let go." She cried her eyes out.

              Cao Jieyu hardly settled in her Chambers Linxiang walked in.

              "Ma'am, Her Highness' health is intensely falling and her condition has become more critical." She reported.

              "We only have one more shot to go." Cao Zhaoyi said.

             "What are you going to do Ma'am?" Linxiang asked.

             "At dusk you shall deliver the last dosage." Cao Zhaoyi replied, "afterwards then, we shall surely triunph as it won't take so long with the support of Han Touzhou and my father we shall come to rule the harem." Cao Zhaoyi replied as she smiled at herself ghastly.

             "Yes." Linxiang replied as she left the room.

             Emperor Ningzong in his study he was still lost thinking about the words that Yang Jieyu had mentioned to 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 told him and at that moment the doors were flung open instantly as Lan He walked in.

             "Your Majesty?" He called aloud as he went onto his knees while the latter turned to him.

             "What is it?" He asked.

             "Her Highness the Empress Mother." He replied while the young man stood up immediately.

              "What about my mother?" He asked.

              "She's in a more critical condition." Lan He replied and hearing this the Emperor didn't waste time he barged out through the doors and across the Courtyard.

               Yang Jieyu in her residence and seated quietly she was herself lost in too many thoughts when Manyin rushed in before her.

               "Ma'am." She said bowing her head to her.

               "What's the matter?" She asked.

               "Her Highness the Empress Mother's condition has become more critical." She replied.

               "That fast?" Yang Jieyu inquired.

               "It must be that the poison had already gone deep but now her systems are starting to collapse." Manyin replied and the latter getting up from where she was seated as well she dashed out of her Chambers.

               "What?" Princess Qi'an said as she stood up from where she was seated.

               "Forgive me Your Highness but it seems that Her Highness the Empress had passed out a couple of days ago attempting to commit suicide they tried so hard to contain the truth and now the news of her situation is spreading about the capital and everyone holds Yang Jieyu responsible." Lanhui said.

               "Make preparations." Princess Qi'an ordered, "I need to see my mother." She remarked.

               "Right away Your Highness." Lanhui replied as she made her way out of the room at once.

               Shi Miyuan walking around the capital with Dong Hua accompanying him he was dressed as a common man when he stopped by one of the shops where sachets were being sold he looked through all of them.

              "Have you heard the News that Her Highness the Empress Mother was forced to commit suicide in the palace by Yang Jieyu?" One asked.

             "That's impossible." Another replied, "Yang Jieyu is benevolent and everyone knows it." He defended.

             "You never know people well enough I suppose, everyone is aware that she was the last person that was spotted with the Empress Mother before she took the poison, who else could have forced the poor old woman to do it apart from her." The other said.

             "If it was so what could have been the reason?" One inquired.

             "I heard that perhaps the Empress Mother was jealous that Yang Jieyu has been given more attention than herself as the Emperor's mother and even once the Emperor lashed out at his mother at the time that poor woman felt useless and Yang Jieyu only added to the insult and pain she was feeling." The other replied.

             "What's going on?" Shi Miyuan asked the vendor.

            "The Empress Mother attempted to commit suicide in the Palace every one claims and for the past couple of days ministers that aren't close relatives of the Imperial family have been barred from the Imperial Palace even the Emperor's engagements have been suspended along with the Daily Assembly and all that transpiring it couldn't be something good." The vendor replied.

            "I'll take this one." Shi Miyuan said as he pointed at the crimson one that was embroidered from wonderful silk thread and possessed the floral designs that imitated the plum blossoms.

           "That will be one silver tael." The man said and the young man putting the money into her hand he moved away from the stall slowly.

             "The Empress Mother's ill health is rapidly worsening the Palace remained silent the issue must be big." He muttered to Dong Hua.

              "But that isn't our affair." The latter replied.

              "It must now be." Shi Miyuan replied.

              "How so?" Dong Hua asked.

              "Without the Empress in the Palace, the Empress Mother was the last great hamper in Yang Jieyu's path soon enough she shall dominate the harem and the Crown Prince in place leaves the Empress Consort with no use in the Palace she's bound to lose her life sooner or later." Shi Miyuan replied.

              "Your Excellency, you have avoided this strife for so long." Dong Hua mentioned.

              "The Empress can not return to the palace it means that the Crown Prince Zhao Jun is defenseless as we speak, Han Touzhou will therefore concentrate every bit of power that he has left and channel it to himself, he will dominate the Court which domination can only come with our demise." He replied.

             "He'll be worse than a mad dog at any rate if you say it like that." Dong Hua remarked.

             "Now we must show Yang Jieyu our resolve." He said.

             "Yang Jieyu?" Dong Hua inquired.

             "In politics and in war, you should always stick to the winning side in order to survive." Shi Miyuan replied.

             Emperor Ningzong walking into the courtyard of the South Palace he looked around and noticed the Imperial physicians travelling back and fourth and panicking to boil medicinal concoctions.

             Walking through to the doors that led to the Empress Mother's Chambers, he was greeted by a couple of ladies in waiting to which he paid very little attention as he made his way through.

            The room was dark and the physicians themselves in intense worry he walked up to the bed and stopped right next to the Crown Prince and Liu Zhan.

            "Your Majesty?" They all said to him in unison.

            "How is she?" He asked.

            "The poison has already gone deeper Your Majesty and her organs are shutting down Side, she won't make it through the night and if she does it would be a miracle for this is the last radiance of the setting sun." The Imperial physician muttered.

            "You are the best in the land." Emperor Ningzong said.

             "Your Majesty, there isn't a man in this world Your Majesty that is qualified and neither is there a god I tell you, for all we can do is to prepare for the worst." The Imperial physician muttered.

            "Alright." Emperor Ningzong said as he fell silent, "I'll stay with Her Highness tonight." He said.

            "Yes Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng responded.                  Emperor Ningzong waiting closely by the bed of the Empress Mother, the sun had fallen and Yang Jieyu was pacing about outside the South Palace, the full moon high in the sky was veiled by the clouds and for a moment while others were starting to dose, the Empress started breathing heavily that she awakened everyone.

             "Your Highness?" Liu Zhan shouted while the Emperor leaped onto her.

              "Mother?" He cried when she tightly held onto his hand and blood was flowing from her mouth at the time, her veins had appeared darker on her whole skin and her eyes had bags underneath them they twitched for a moment while tears flowed.

              At that very moment the clouds hovering over the palace darkened and the lightening streaked across while it was followed by thunder, the wind at it's worst blew hard against the flames of the torches that they burned much brighter and violently.

              "Crown Prince....?" The Empress Mother muttered and for the last time taking in a deep breath she let go that silence settling one and for all the violent wind ceased and the candles in the room were extinguished at once while her hand fell down.

              Much of the blood having spilled on her sheets her body entirely cold, the Emperor frozen stared at her when for a moment he realised there and then that his mother had breathed her last.

              "Mother?" He cried aloud as he took her up in his hands and tightened them around her corpse, he shook it waiting for a movement but with none the Crown Prince himself was taken aback as Liu Zhan fell onto her knees before the bed.

             "Ma'am?" She wailed and Yang Jieyu outside the building she heard the cries coming up to her ears at that very moment even the moon was out of sight.

            "Your Highness?" She thought to herself while the drum was sounded aloud and at that very moment Cao Zhaoyi waiting inside her Chambers she heard it and she smiled at herself.

            "Farewell Your Highness, it has been rather long, how sadly you have passed having barely enjoyed our Empire!" She muttered to herself.

            "Ma'am?" Linxiang said as she charged into the room herself smiling confidently.

             "The Empress Mother's reign is over," Cao Zhaoyi muttered, "now begins mine." She assured herself.

             "Please don't leave me mother." The Emperor Ningzong said, please don't leave me." He cried but to know avail.

             "Your Highness." Everyone outside the building went onto their knees and they grieved bitterly while Yang Jieyu was still puzzled and trying to process everything that had happened a part of her was rather excited and another only sorry for the young Emperor.

             Princess Qi'an at that moment and Lanhui had only made their entrance into the courtyard when the young woman halted and at that moment seeing everything that was happening, she broke down and stumbled while Lanhui held her up.

            "Your Highness?" She said and Yang Jieyu hearing this she turned around with a rather fierce expression the lightning streaked again illuminating her hateful expression which the Princess saw in her she returned an equally ferocious gaze.

             For a moment it was as though all the Princess could see was the young woman laughing at her she clenched her fists and got closer while the latter only responded by bowing her head to her.

             "Your Highn......." she was still saying when the Princess Qi'an slapped her across her cheek that Xiaoyang and Manyin were themselves very surprised.

             Yang Jieyu holding in her wrath she stared at the Princess yet again.

              "You must be very happy." She said.

              "I don't know what you're talking about Your Highness." Yang Jieyu muttered.

              "You did this." She remarked.

              "It was Her Highness' choice tragically and not mine." Yang Jieyu responded.

               "You told me not to be tempted to test your patience because you don't have any, Ma'am I shall also tell you that I am out of my patience as well." The Imperial Princess muttered as she walked past her and mounted the stairs that led to the room Yang Jieyu sighed instead as she looked back at the building while the lightening streaking across the dark sky the clouds were only becoming thicker and thicker which indicated the coming of a storm.

              At the moment the Imperial Princess had made her way inside, the doors of the room were flung open and Yang Jieyu seeing the Emperor walking through them while being supported by Eunuch Deng, she stopped right in front of the stairs and waited for him to come down to her while recognizing her, the young man in tears descended the stairs and halted in front of her while she bowed her head.

              "Your Majes....." She muttered but he raised his hand to her.

              "Even now you won't tell me?" He asked.

              "Pardon me, Sir......" She said bowing her head when he halted her again.

              "How could you be so cruel?" He asked, "is it that you really don't care for me like you said or perhaps every one of my efforts to make you love me so much was just another vain effort?" He inquired.

              "No." Yang Jieyu replied.

              "I won't see you." He muttered, "don't seek me out regardless of whatever it is that you do or try to look at me, for a moment I ask that you don't think or breath." He said to her.

              "Your Majesty, for me death is even too little to compare to that how is it that I could live without your presence?" She asked.

              "Then go and kill yourself." Emperor Ningzong said, "I don't want to see you." he muttered and confidently without hesitating in the slightest bit, he marched past her while Yang Jieyu at that moment she fell down onto her knees demoralized she was smiling ghastly at herself and at the same time she was in tears.

            "Ma'am?" Xiaoyang and Manyin called to her as they rushed their hands and tried to pick her up from where she was fallen.

             "Thank you Your Highness." She said to herself, "thank you so much." She said yet again the others still weeping paid little attention to her.

              Minister Cao in his Chambers his wife the Lady Cao rushed in demoralized herself.

              "Milord." She said as she fell before him in the dead of night.

              "What is it?" Minister Cao inquired.

              "The funeral drum in the palace has been sounded Your Excellency, it could only mean....." She hesitated.

              "No." He muttered.

              "Her Highness the Empress Mother has ceased to exist." Lady Cao said and Lady Yin standing outside the door and eavesdropping their conversation she touched her lips so surprised.

              "Your Highness." Minister Cao said as he cried and grieved along with his wife and Lady Yin who happened to be around immediately left the vicinity.

              Everyone in the city had flocked the streets at night and they raised their cries up to heaven while Han Touzhou who was standing at the balcony could hear them all he stared at the sky that was already darkened.

              Lin Xue walked up beside him.

             "Your Excellency, Her Highness the Empress has passed." He mentioned.

              "A woman with nothing has toppled two Empresses she sure is remarkably ferocious never have I seen a person as frightening as she is." Han Touzhou replied.

              "The harem is vacant and lacks an Empress, we should process the return of the Empress into the Palace while the mourning is still going on at least for the safety of the Crown Prince." Lin Xue said.

              "That will take long and by that time Yang Jieyu will have earned a footing in the palace and in the harem besides, it's unlikely if ever the Emperor shall forgive his wife." Han Touzhou muttered.

              "But we can't stay silent over this issue." Lin Xue said.

              "I won't." Han Touzhou replied.

              "Then what are we to do Your Excellency?" Lin Xue inquired.

              "For the time being there's only one person in the harem that we could possibly rely on for both support and the safety of the Crown Prince and as much as it hurts me and I am afraid, the last resort for us is to take a gamble and support Cao Zhaoyi." He responded.

              "You can't be serious Your Excellency." Lin Xue pointed out.

              "I wish I wasn't but as it is the rule of the jungle it remains the rule of the Imperial Court as well that survival is for the fittest and as Yang Jieyu's supporters may cease this opportunity to become firm, we can't allow ourselves to be weakened by lacking a pillar in the harem." Han Touzhou responded.

              "Yes Your Excellency." Lin Xue agreed with him hesitantly.

              Yang Jieyu returning to her Chambers she found Beiyuan and Yang Cishan already seated and waiting for her.

             "Ma'am?" They greeted her as they bowed their heads and the latter silent at the moment she was helped by Manyin and Xiaoyang to her seat where she settled before them.

             "Ma'am, the Empress Mother has passed." Yang Cishan muttered.

             "Sadly." Yang Jieyu replied.

             "I feel sorry for His Majesty." Beiyuan said.

             "I gave her a chance at life and an arm, for the first time in my life I chose to bury the hatchet concerning the death of my mother and our brothers of the Silver fraternity, I turned a blind eye to her crimes, for the first time ever since I lost Maha I was sincere." Yang Jieyu said, "but as always Her Highness was proud and to the bitter end she regretted nothing, such must be the gruesome fate of all my enemies." She remarked.

            "At this rate His Majesty is furious Ma'am." Manyin pointed out.

            "Let him be." Yang Jieyu replied.

            "But Ma'am, that could besmirch you of everything that you have worked hard for so far." Manyin pointed out.

            "I understand that you are worried but I won't let that happen and also, this shall not weaken us even if we wish that the Empress Mother had not done it she did it in the end there's nothing we can change." Yang Jieyu became more resolute.

             "His Majesty won't see you Ma'am, you heard him." Xiaoyang pointed out.

             "He thinks so but we shall make him come to us now that he is broken, we should give him joy, he shall seek comfort in us sooner or later." Yang Jieyu assured them as she smiled at herself ghastly while Beiyuan and Yang Cishan looked at her awkwardly.

              The sun rising the night itself having been long the palace was preparing for a funeral and Yang Jieyu in her Chambers dressed in her mourning attire Manyin walked in.

              "Ma'am, Her Highness the Imperial Princess seeks your audience." She said.

              "Let her in." Yang Jieyu muttered and the doors being opened the Imperial Princess Qi'an walked into the room while she stood up and bowed her head to her.

             "Your Highness." She greeted.

             "There's no need to smile at me." She replied, "I understand how you must be feeling excited." She remarked.

             "Perhaps Your Highness understands me too well in deed." Yang Jieyu said as she sat across the table, "you requested to have an audience." She said.

             "First the Empress and now the Empress Mother, what did they ever do to you?" She asked.

             "What did they ever do to me?" Yang Jieyu said.

             "I heard that Her Highness committed suicide after she had an unpleasant conversation with her, on top of that I don't recall that my mother treated you badly in her life, besides His Majesty suspects you and confidently you insist on not telling him." Princess Qi'an asked.

             "You were but a pampered little Princess that's only good at lashing out, ultimate you supported Cao Zhaoyi to return to the palace you must have trusted her so much but what if I told you that regardless of how you try you'll never understand the politics of the palace, please live your tragic married life." Yang Jieyu responded.

             "I didn't expect so much from you Ma'am coming here, but Her Highness before breathing her last willed that she should be avenged and that you must die in the mean time this victory of yours must have you on top of the world I came to tell you that I won't let you become more powerful." She said.

             "And how does Your Highness hope to achieve that?" Yang Jieyu inquired.

             She kept quiet.

             "Your Highness wished a while ago to know what I have against the Empress allow me to let you in on a tiny little secret." Yang Jieyu said as she leaned against the table, "Her Highness attempted a coup de tat." She said.

              "No." Princess Qi'an outrightly refused.

              "Of course seeing that you think I am your mother's murderer you might not trust a word I shall tell you but if you ask Liu Zhan and she's shameless she'll tell you the truth because who better than herself to have known and understood your mother's thoughts and intentions to enthrone the Crown Prince?" Yang Jieyu whispered to her.

             "To kill her isn't enough and now you choose to slander her?" Princess Qi'an asked.

             "I have given you a much easier way to prove it but at the end of it all it depends on what I tell His Majesty and since he's desperate to know I even have the evidence it rests with me alone if your mother is to be buried as an Empress or a rebel." Yang Jieyu said and those words sent shivers down the young woman's spine.

              "What do you want from this family?" The Princess inquired.

              "What is it that Your Highness thinks I want?" Yang Jieyu asked, "wealth, power, the Empress title, all these things are merely ounces of the dreams that I have, they aren't even close to my heart's deepest desire and had it been that I was cruel and heartless for His Majesty's sake and Her Late Highness I wouldn't have remained silent." Yang Jieyu replied and the Princess Qi'an still having a hard time believing what she said the young woman placed her hands on the table.

             "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." Yang Jieyu whispered to her.

             "It doesn't matter, now this conflict is personal." Princess Qi'an Said.

              "The Empress Mother tried her luck to get rid of me and so did the Empress and look where that got them, Your Highness can do the same I shall be waiting to see the worst all of you could do to me." Yang Jieyu remarked.

              "Don't worry." Princess Qi'an said as she stood up and got out of the room while Manyin returned.

              "Ma'am, are you alright?" She asked.

              "Where's His Majesty?" Yang Jieyu asked.

              "Preparing to attend Her Highness' funeral Ma'am, at the South Palace." Manyin replied.

              "After the mourning is over make preparations." Yang Jieyu muttered.

              "What for?" Manyin inquired.

              "His Majesty will see me." She replied.

              "Yes Ma'am." Manyin replied as she exited the room.

              Princess Qi'an having gotten outside Lanhui rushed towards her.

             "Are you alright Your Highness?" She asked.

             "I need to speak to Liu Zhan." The Princess replied as she strode across the Courtyard into the direction of the South Palace.

             Emperor Ningzong was seated in front of the Coffin of his mother and right next to him was the Crown Prince who was cleaning the memorial tablet with his own clothes.

             Once he was done he put it back up onto the small altar and Eunuch Deng burning the incense sticks he handed them over to the Emperor in front of all the other Courtiers that were present and he kowtowed thrice before he put them in the small pot ahead.

            The Crown Prince in the hall did the same while the ministers offered their respects from outside the Princess Qi'an turning up she caught sight of Liu Zhan and sent someone towards her.

            The ladies of the harem at the time being led by Cao Zhaoyi and the Imperial Princess Qi'an offered their respects in the hall right behind the coffin where they were hidden from the men as well and Yang Jieyu happening to be absent minded they didn't think about her so much.

             The Imperial Princess Qi'an waiting for Liu Zhan she was brought to her.

             "You called me Your Highness?" She said and the Princess tightly ceasing her by the hand she dragged her away into one of the secret corners.

             "What's wrong with Your Highness?" She asked in protest.

             "I heard from Yang Jieyu that mother was plotting to force my brother to abdicate the throne to the Crown Prince is this true?" She asked.

             "No." Liu Zhan replied.

             "She has the evidence to bring Her Highness to justice so don't lie to me." The Princess demanded.

             "You would trust that wench's words........?" Liu Zhan asked when the Princess interrupted.

             "What if she really has the evidence?" She inquired.

             "For all we know Your Majesty it could have been fabricated and I am not one to believe that Yang Jieyu considering everything that has transpired she would be that sympathetic to protect the Empress Your Highness, she's joking and fooling you don't fall for her ruse, you know better than anyone else that she fears the Crown Prince more than anything in this world she would do whatever she can to make him lose his position." Liu Zhan replied and the Princess sighed in relief.

             "Your right." The Princess Qi'an remarked.

             "I was more than willing to take my life and serve her Highness in the afterlife but she asked me to protect the Crown Prince with my life I shall stake my life to fulfill it and I shall make sure that I honour Her Highness' altar with the blood from her head." Liu Zhan muttered, "if Your Highness wishes to get justice for your mother and protect this Dynasty, you shall do the same." Liu Zhan said as she walked away from her.

              Cao Zhaoyi walking out of the hall she was travelling towards her residence when she caught sight of two men that were waiting outside for her she immediately recognized them as Minister Cao and Han Touzhou, she got closer.

             "Your Excellencies." She greeted them.

             "Ma'am." They replied as they bowed their heads to her as well.

              "Seeing that you are here I suppose it's because you seek an audience with me." She muttered.

              "Yes." They replied in unison.

              "Come in." She muttered and the two complying they moved into her Chambers and they each sat down at the table in front of her. Linxiang poured them some tea and on her mistress' signal she withdrew at once and granted them some privacy while the young woman picked up her cup and she took a sip before she placed it down.

             "There's no need to feel awkward you are all here for the same thing, I shall hear you out." She muttered.

              "I thought about it Ma'am." Minister Cao replied, "you are my daughter after all as it was Her Late Highness' blessing, I shall give you my allegiance and help you fight Yang Jieyu." He added.

              "And you Your Excellency?" She asked Han Touzhou.

              "If you can guarantee us the safety of the Crown Prince in this Palace Ma'am, you shall have the loyalties of not only me but also my people." He replied.

             "Then I don't have a choice." Cao Zhaoyi remarked, "we can take it that this is a formal resolution amongst us you can rest assured all of you, I shall prove worthy of your devotion and allegiance." She added as she smiled at them heartily.

              Yang Jieyu in her Chambers as well Xiaoyang walked in.

              "Ma'am, Minister Shi Miyuan is here to see you." She announced.

              "Let him in." Yang Jieyu replied and the latter withdrawing, the door being opened the young man walked in before her and he bowed his head.

              "Your Excellency wishes to see me?" She asked.

               "It has been a very long time Ma'am." He said.

               "It certainly has been." Yang Jieyu muttered.

               "But I didn't come here to tell you this." He said.

               "I am listening.x Yang Jieyu muttered.

               "I thought about it Ma'am for quite some time and you are right, Han Touzhou's foundations in the palace have weakened and are on the verge of collapse and to protect the Crown Prince he will go out of his way to do whatever he possibly can I was hoping that it isn't too late Ma'am for me to swear my allegiance." Shi Miyuan said as he bowed his head to her.

            "You, swear your allegiance?" She asked.

            "Everyone in the Imperial Court is taking sides Ma'am and whether I like it or not, avoid it or not as long as I am an official who is part of the Dynasty and poses a threat to Han Touzhou I shall be caught in the crossfire I therefore have no option but to give you my life and take this bold gamble to side with the winning side.

            "I have the Grand Chancellor, the Wu and Yang Clans, the Scholars and some of the Seigniours I can't help but wonder what you yourself can do for me." Yang Jieyu inquired.

             "I can help you get as high as you can Ma'am, as all those could offer allegiance but above them I offer undivided devotion." Shi Miyuan replied.

             "And how high do you think I can go?" Yang Jieyu asked him.

             "To the highest point a woman like yourself could get Ma'am, to becoming the Empress of the Great Song, the mother of this country." Shi Miyuan replied and hearing this Yang Jieyu smiled at herself ghastly.

             "Very well, "she said, "very well." She added herself confidently.