FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY

            "Forgive me Your Grand Highness, I can tell the paper by looking at it, this material isn't used in every hall of the Palace, it's from the East Palace." Madam Mo responded.

             "The East Palace!" The Grand Empress Dowager exclaimed.

             "What about the Chambers from which it was acquired?" She asked.

             "It was one of the Crown Prince's Senior Court Ladies." Madam Mo responded hesitantly as murmurs exploded among all the people that had gathered there in the Grand Square while Consort Han smiled at herself inwardly.

             The Imperial physician who was present moving closer to the bottle that had been found in the small trunk, he tested its contents.

             "Forgive me Your Grand Highness, but this is a very lethal poison." He reported, "it is a mixture of bitter salty water and a cuckoo pint, as such it is very dangerous, especially to a young child." He remarked.

             "So you are suggesting that the Crown Prince murdered the young Prince and His Mother?" Grand Empress Dowager Xie lashed out at them.

             "No, Your Grand Highness." Madam Mo responded.

             "Then what is it that you are implying?" She asked and every one of the Concubines and Consorts falling silent Madam Mo was speechless.

             "An apple never falls so far from a tree, perhaps Your Grand Highness is asking the wrong question." Consort Han spoke up while the latter turned to her.

              "In Your Grace's opinion, what question should I be asking?" She kindly inquired.

              "How did a paper from the East Palace end up in a Court Lady's Chambers, whose handwriting is it, who gave the Court Lady the order?" She responded.

              "You seem very knowledgeable." Grand Empress Dowager Xie remarked when all of a sudden another of the Crown Prince's Court Ladies rushed forward into the square.

              "Your Grand Highness." She cried gathering the attention of everyone as she fell onto her knees in front of them.

              "How dare you?" Daiyu scolded.

              "Forgive me Your Grand Highness but the Crown Prince has been poisoned." She reported while bowing her head that the Grand Empress Dowager along with Consort Han and the other Consorts and Concubines stood up from where they were seated.

             "What!" The Grand Empress Dowager exclaimed.

             "Yes Your Grand Highness." The Court Lady confirmed as the Old woman accompanied by her retinue along with the Imperial Physician rushed off in the direction of the East Palace.

             Consort Han startled looked at all the people present while Eunuch Deng caught sight of her even from a distance.

             The Grand Empress Dowager exploding through the gates of the East Palace she mounted the stairs that led to the Crown Prince's Chambers, throwing the doors open she walked in on another Imperial physician that was already tending to him.

             Recognizing her presence, he stood up and offered his salutations.

             "How is the Crown Prince?" She inquired.

             "His condition is not so critical as you can see Your Grand Highness." The physician responded, "the poison was already lethal but he was lucky that he didn't take in too much of it." He asserted while the Grand Empress Dowager sighed in relief.

              "Do you happen to know what kind of poison His Highness consumed?" The Head Physician inquired from his junior.

             "Bitter water and salt, mixed with a cuckoo pint." He responded.

             "The same poison that killed the Imperial Prince and his mother." The Grand Empress Dowager remarked.

             "Yes." The Head Physician confirmed.

             "I should have known better, the Court Lady got close enough to the Crown Prince to attempt to kill him and his brother." Daiyu remarked.

             "How malicious!" The Grand Empress Dowager remarked as she looked at the unconscious young man that was lying nearly pale on his bed.

            "I shall decide on the punishment of the Court Lady, as for now as it is an attack on the Crown Prince it threatened not only the stability of the Monarchy at this trying time but also the Government henceforth I shall forward this case to the Imperial State Tribunal for investigation." The Grand Empress Dowager made up her mind.

            "Yes Your Grand Highness." The Head Physician along with the rest of the people that were present agreed in unison.

            Consort Han arriving in her Chambers she sat down furiously behind her table while Court Lady Liu bowed her head before her.

             "Your Gra..." She wished to speak up when her mistress raising her hand signalled for her to halt immediately.

             "The Crown Prince had one knee deep in the grave and somehow we lost." Consort Han remarked.

             "I also don't get it Your Grace, since it so happens that the Crown Prince was poisoned then the same Court Lady will be held accountable, at that rate we won't be in the position to accuse him for having schemed to kill his step brother along with his mother, nor would we possibly blame his supporters within the Imperial Court." Court Lady Liu devastated she stated.

            "But perhaps we haven't lost everything yet." Consort Han suddenly remarked.

             "Your Grace, if the Court Lady opens up her mouth we shall be doomed, now if she accuses the Crown Prince no one will believe her." Court Lady Liu seemed to remind her.

             "Think about it, if it can not be us or the Crown Prince then it has to be someone else that is close enough to the Crown Prince to have orchestrated such a fatal scheme." Consort Han remarked.

             "I see." Court Lady Liu mentioned

              "All the Grand Empress Dowager has done until now is watch while the stability of the nation was jeopardized, she too couldn't maintain order in the harem and the Inner Court, if the General public is reliably informed, how do you think that they shall react to it?" She asked.

              "She won't survive the hit as the situation has become direr for her." Court Lady Liu responded.

              "And who is to say she'll take the fall alone?" Consort Han muttered.

              "Who else Your Grace?" Court Lady Liu inquired from her.

             "The most powerful person supporting him at the very moment." Consort Han responded as she smiled at herself ghastly.

             Eunuch Deng secretly made his departure from the Palace, he found Shi Miyuan waiting in a fairly dark alley close to the Palace where he greeted him.

            Shi Miyuan invited the fairly old fella into a close inn and in a hidden and isolated room, the two sat down to a cup of tea.

          "Tell me what happened?" He inquired.

          "Consort Han seemed devastated when she heard that the Crown Prince was poisoned." Eunuch Deng replied.

           "Is that so?" Shi Miyuan inquired.

           "If you ask me, I can tell that it wasn't from concern." Eunuch Deng confirmed.

           "As I had hoped, the Chameleon has finally revealed its true colours." Shi Miyuan remarked.

            "But how is it that you knew Your Excellency?" Eunuch Deng inquired.

            "Perhaps it so happens that I had taken a gamble myself, if you ask me perhaps I was already informed." Shi Miyuan responded, "Knowing that Consort Han would return to the Palace it was necessary that I put someone who would be my eyes and ears, when I happened to learn that the Imperial Prince and his mother were poisoned by the same Court Lady of the Crown Prince that was spotted entering her residence, I had my suspicions confirmed that the result one way or another was bound to bring harm to the Crown Prince." He reported.

            "Then the Crown Prince......." Eunuch Deng seemed hesitant to claim.

            "It's a small trick I learnt from the Empress and it was the best way to curb down the public opinion which would have compromised the position of the Crown Prince, in this society, as long as there is a culprit, no one bothers to ask the victim." Shi Miyuan responded.

            "No wonder, limited amounts of the poison were found in the Crown Prince's body." Eunuch Deng remarked.

             "But I am afraid that it won't end with the Crown Prince." Shi Miyuan confidently mentioned, "we only acted in our self-defense but that doesn't guarantee our security." He asserted.

              "What more could happen?" Eunuch Deng asked.

              "A lot more, now that we have the Court Lady who is the executioner, we have to get a hold of the orchestrator." Shi Miyuan mentioned.

               "It shall be very difficult Your Excellency." Eunuch Deng cautioned.

              "Then certainly someone will be more interested in the prisoner." Shi Miyuan remarked.

              "Her Grand Highness forwarded the case to be handed over to the Imperial State Tribunal, it only means that sooner they'll transport the Court Lady to their prisons." Eunuch Deng reported.

              "That's when we shall act up." Shi Miyuan mentioned, "after all, if they won't aim for the Court Lady then they shall aim for one of us." He suspected.

              Empress Yang in the General's office, Beiyuan walked in on her.

              "Your Highness." He greeted her while she still stared at the map in front of her along with General Wu Sanxiang.

              "Any news from our spies?" She inquired.

              "The Jurchen battalions are withdrawing from Xiangyang as expected," Beiyuan responded while the Empress stretching her hand into her sleeve she pulled out an envelope that she handed over to him.

              "Have this delivered to Xiangyang." She ordered.

              "Yes, Your Highness." Beiyuan responded as he withdrew from the room while the Empress turning to General Wu Sanxiang she smiled.

             "Our men are in their positions." He assured her.

             "I want you to dispatch another two thousand men as our main force west of Xiangyang and I shall personally take full command of it." She ordered.

             "But Your Highness, aren't the Jurchens going to retreat Northwards?" Wu Sanxiang inquired.

             "You have been a General yourself for a very long time Your Excellency and an experienced one at that." She remarked, "in your opinion what do you think this war is all about?" She inquired.

             "To defend our cities, to defend our borders." He responded.

             "This is a battle of wits and we called the first shot Your Excellency, if there is someone the Jurchens want more than anything else at this point then it is I." Empress Yang confidently stated.

              "Even so Your Highness, you shouldn't commit yourself as it's my responsibility to ensure your safety." Wu Sanxiang remarked.

              "And it is my duty to ensure the safety of our people, the safety of our Noble race and the safety of our Great Heavenly Empire." Empress Yang insisted, "You will personally give me command of two thousand soldiers, immediately." She demanded while Wu Sanxiang studied her.

             "Yes Your Highness." He responded unwillingly as she seemed contented in his response.

             Court Lady Liu sneaking her way around the Palace, she was followed by Shi Miyuan's spy and negotiating one of the corners that led to the Palace prisons, she met a guard that was standing by.

            "How may I be of help Milady?" He asked while she took out a small sachet which she handed over to the young man who opened it and stared inside.

            "It's thirty golden taels, my mistress shall certainly reward you more handsomely, our valiant Vice Minister of Rites paid one of the prisoners a visit, that is what you saw." She said.

            "Yes Milady." The young man replied and stepping aside, Court Lady Liu made her entrance.

            Once inside she approached the cell where the Court Lady imprisoned she faced the walls of the dark dungeon.

            "Milady." She called.

            "I am ashamed that I have failed you Your Grace." The prisoner remarked.

            "Perhaps." Court Lady Liu mentioned, "but Her Grace will give you one more chance to save your life and live happily." She reported.

            "Is that even possible?" The prisoner replied.

            "All you have to do is tell everyone that you moved according to the orders of the Vice Minister of Rites and we'll provide the power that is necessary to support your survival." Court Lady Liu responded.

           "Yes Milady." The Prisoner replied while Court Lady Liu suspicious she took a deep breath before she spoke up.

            "Look me in the eye and tell me to my face." She ordered and the prisoner standing up she was turning around to see her when the Imperial guard suddenly called to her.

             "You need to go Milady, someone is coming." She mentioned when Court Lady Liu immediately rushed out of the dungeons.

             Having disappeared from sight, the Imperial guard getting close enough to the cell he looked at her.

            "Are you alright Milady?" He inquired as she revealed her face to her and it turned out to be Daiyu.

            "Yes." She responded as she smiled at herself ghastly.

             Shi Miyuan returning to his residence he found a woman standing right outside his gates.

             Halting in his footsteps, he got very close to her.

            "How may I be of help to you Ma'am?" He inquired when she revealed her face to him.

            "Your Grand Highness!" He exclaimed.

            "There's something urgent that I wish to discuss with you in private." She responded.

            "It's very risky to have made it here in broad daylight, someone could have seen you." He remarked.

            "The dark is full of deceitful things, broad daylight is honourable as I am certain that my actions are right, besides, I may be too old but I'm not that easy to keep sight of." Grand Empress Dowager Xie boasted as Shi Miyuan showed her into his house.

           "Where is your wife?" He asked.

           "She wished to visit her parents with our child, I also supported it to ensure their safety as it is that the Empress is outside the Palace." He responded while they sat down at his study table.

           "Seeing that you are here in person I suppose it must be very vital." He remarked.

            "You might have heard everything that happened within the Palace today, it so happens that not many people are pleased with my informal regency." She responded.

            "You suspect someone?" He inquired.

            "Consort Han in particular." She responded, " after all as the saying goes you can't possibly trust a green snake in the grass." She remarked.

             "It's alright to be suspicious, all men are entitled to that right." Shi Miyuan muttered.

             "Suppose I have evidence?" The Grand Empress Dowager inquired.

             "Great evidence is useless at a very wrong time." Shi Miyuan remarked.

             "You are reasonable Your Excellency, but I am afraid that my Crown is at stake along with my life, you wouldn't simply embrace destruction and death with open arms if it is your will to succeed and survive." Grand Empress Dowager Xie asserted.

            "Suppose you succeed Your Grand Highness, is it not useless to break the shoots of a weed and let its roots survive?" He asked.

             "I'm listening." She seemed suddenly interested.

             "For every action, there is always an equal but opposite reaction, the murder of the Imperial Prince and His mother was a small part of a much more grandiose scheme, our immediate retaliation will certainly induce much greater resistance from our enemies." Shi Miyuan remarked, "if it's this game our enemies are playing, all we must do is play along with them." He suggested.

            "You can't guarantee that you won't get caught." The Grand Empress Dowager insisted.

             "The enemy already underestimates you Your Grand Highness, we can not simply take that for granted, all we have to do is to give them what they want, that way I tell you, we can not only use this weakness to our advantage but we shall also beat them at their game." He spoke convincingly.

             "And what about my position?" She asked.

             "Your silence Your Grand Highness having been useful to us will also be useful to our enemies, besides, even if they dared to take it, they are short of the manpower to do so." Shi Miyuan responded.

             Court Lady Liu returning into Consort Han's presence, she bowed her head to her.

             "Did you do it?" She inquired.

             "Rest assured Your Grace, she is reliable and shall stand by your order." She confidently responded.

             "And in case she doesn't?" Consort Han inquired.

             "I have already prepared the back up plan." Court Lady Liu responded.

             "The Imperial State Tribunal after all is filled with all the Empress' men," Consort Han remarked, "one thing I know, you can not expect a glutton to be generous." She asserted as she smiled at herself ghastly.

           The Empress adorned in her armor with the help of Xiaoyang she stared at her reflection in the mirror, it was gilded with a large dragon attached to her breastplate, while tiger plates were added on top of her shoulders, it brought out her feminine form well enough and hanging from her back there was a red cape that was adorned with dragon patterns all over.

             "You are all ready Your Highness." Xiaoyang remarked as she stared at her in admiration.

              "A lost Princess that became an Empress now stands in this room clad in armor and soon to ride too battle." She mentioned.

              "Magnificent." Xiaoyang muttered.

              "Not the look I have ever been eager to see, equally not one I ever dreamt of in a thousand years." She remarked.

             "How often did you dream of becoming the Empress of our Great Southern Song Dynasty?" She inquired.

             "I never dreamt about it." She responded as she turned and looked at him, "someone needed to take this Crown, for the sake of those Han people, our people that I have loved so much." She emphasized.

           "What did we do to deserve your love Your Highness, what did this country do?" Xiaoyang inquired.

           "What did I do to deserve you people?" She asked herself cheerfully.  

           The trumpets of the Fortress being sounded, its Grand gates were opened wide to the back where the Imperial troops had been assembled.

            Riding out on a white Stallion the Empress moved ahead of the battalions while they stared in awe, accompanied by the General and his Lieutenant Commandant while Beiyuan was beside his mistress.

             She halted and then turned to face her disheartened soldiers, clinging onto their spears, swords and sabres for recognition and procession with hardly any flame of courage.

             "These are your men Your Highness." The General Wu remarked.

             "Even the weakest of the Jurchens are a much better force." She remarked.

             "Can you redeem these souls as they have presented themselves before you, shall you stand by them in the gist of conflict and amidst the bloodshed, through the fire and the storms that might rage or the scorching sun?" He asked.

            "I shall make them formidable." She responded confidently as she moved a bit closer to the Frontline.

            "Children of the Southern Song Dynasty hear me Your Empress as I am before you all." She mentioned while they not the most interested gave her their divided attention, perhaps a little out of concern and a bit more from curiosity.

            "WE ARISE, CHILDREN OF THE GREATEST FATHERLAND, OUR GLORIOUS DAY HAS NOW ARRIVED AND THE HOUR OF STRIFE IS NIGH, AGAINST US TYRANNY AND THE INVADERS' BLOODY STANDARD IS RAISED, THE ROAR OF THOSE MOST FEROCIOUS SOLDIERS, INHUMANE BEASTS COMING RIGHT INTO YOUR ARMS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, THEY SLIT THE THROATS OF YOUR SONS AND RAPE YOUR WOMEN AND DAUGHTERS, ENSLAVE YOUR FATHERS AND LAY TO WASTE YOUR BELOVED HOMES.

            WE RESOLVE TO ARMS, MOST LOYAL CITIZENS OF THIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM, THIS HEAVENLY EMPIRE, FORM BATTALIONS OF OUR OWN TO VOICE OUT OUR RESISTANCE TO THEIR ENDLESS SUBJUGATION, WE MARCH OVER THEIR SKULLS AND SKELETONS AND LET THEIR IMPURE BLOOD WATER OUR FURROWS, THE SACRED FIELDS OF OUR PRECIOUS LAND.

             WHAT DOES THIS HORDE OF COWARDS, OF TRAITORS , AND INVENTED KINGS HIDING BEHIND THEIR IRON MASKS WANT? FOR WHOM HAVE THESE VILE BLADES, THESE Spears, AND AUGUST CANONS BEEN LONG PREPARED?

             MY FELLOW COUNTRYMEN, FOR US WHAT OUTRAGE, WHAT FURIOUS ACTION IT MUST AROUSE! IT IS FOR US THEY DARE PLAN A RETURN TO THEIR OLD SINFUL SLAVERY, RELINQUISH OUR SUZERAINTY AMONG NATIONS AND OUR PEACE AMONGST ALL PEOPLES OF THE WORLD.

             FOREIGN COHORTS THEY DARE TO MAKE THE LAW IN OUR HOUSEHOLDS, MERCENARY PHALANXES THAT HAVE DISEASED OUR ONCE FERTILE LAND AND DEFILED OUR BEAUTIFUL HILLS AND VALLEYS, THEY WOULD BRAZENLY STAND TO STRIKE DOWN OUR PROUD WARRIORS! GREAT GOD! BY THESE CHAINED BLOODIED AND SCARRED HANDS OUR BROWS WOULD YIELD UNDER THE YOKE OF VILE BARBARIANS WHO WOULD THEMSELVES BECOME THE MASTERS OF OUR DESTINIES THAT WHEN I THINK WHAT OUR FOREFATHERS AND HEROES OF SO LONG AGO WOULD SAY IN THE NETHERWORLD, MY HEART SPLITS INTO TWO AND CEASELESSLY BLEEDS FROM THAT AWFUL ACHING ULCER.

            TODAY, WE TREMBLE TYRANTS AND TRAITORS TO THE ORDER OF ALL NATIONS, TODAY THE WRATH OF OUR ARMIES AND ALL THEIR MIGHT WILL TREMBLE THE JURCHEN DRAGON, WE TREMBLE THEIR PARRICIDAL SCHEMES AGAINST MANKIND IN SEARCH FOR OUR MOST WANTED, OUR MOST REQUIRED AND MOST ANTICIPATED VICTORY AND WITH THE SOVEREIGN, THE SUPREME, THE MAGNIFICENT WILL OF HEAVEN, WE SHALL FINALLY RECEIVE IT, WE SHALL OVERCOME, FOR OUR FAMILIES, FOR OUR CHILDREN, FOR OUR LOVED ONES, OUR COUNTRY, ITS FUTURE GENERATIONS AND IN OUR LONG AND GLORIOUS HISTORY.

              EVERY ONE OF YOU IS A SOLDIER, IF YOU FALL AS OUR VALIANT HEROES, YOU SHALL BE BORN FROM THE GROUND CLEANSED AND READY TO FIGHT AGAIN, THE MOST MAGNANIMOUS WARRIORS, NEVER BEAR OR HOLD BACK YOUR THUNDEROUS FISTS, DO NOT SPARE THOSE VICTIMS NOT REGRETFULLY ARMING THEMSELVES AGAINST US AND CHARGE AHEAD WITH A HUMONGOUS CRY OF BATTLE, BRING WAR UNTO THEM, AND DRIVE THEM AWAY FROM OUR FRONTIERS, WE'LL MAKE THEM BREAK AND BURN AND UNTIL THEY ARE ON THEIR KNEES AND LEARN THEIR PLACE, ACCEPT THAT EVEN AS EQUALS IN NAME, WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN, WE ARE AND WE'LL ALWAYS BE A LEVEL IN OUR HOLY, OUR CLEMENT, OUR MOST PRECIOUS CROWN." The Empress said to them and the soldiers excited they hit the ground with their Spears and the rest their shields with their swords.

            "That was magnificent Your Highness," Beiyuan remarked, "what happens next?" He inquired.

            "Our Great, The Most supreme God of War will throw the dice that decides." She responded while looking at the Imperial Standard of the Empire flying above her.

             The Jurchen army marching Northwards was led across the Han River by Wanyan Guang, they seemed to be few in number and in the small hills that were close by and woods the Southern Song troops lay in wait for them.

            Wanyan Guang halting the soldiers with his right hand they ceased their advance at a distance, the Southern Song troops with their archers ready they took their aim and at the order of Bao Langya they fired their arrows at them.

            The first few being hit stirred enough commotion amongst the Jurchens and stepping from within the heart of the arm the soldiers and their generals shielded themselves against the attack.

             "Charge." Bao Langya ordered and his men, only five hundred in number moved forward and the Jurchens surrounded as it seemed they started throwing smoke bombs over their shield wall toward their enemies.

             "The first line of Song soldiers taken up by the smoke could hardly see and the Jurchens seizing that opportunity they aimed at them and started firing until a trumpet was sounded.

             Everyone where they were halting to listen to it Bao Langya seemed to interpret the signal immediately that he ordered a fall back in his troops.

            "They are not attacking." Wanyan Guang's subordinate claimed as they saw them vanishing back into the woods again he was suspicious.

            "Why are they retreating already?" He asked himself.

            "We should pursue them." His subordinate insisted.

            "No." Wanyan Guang responded, "it could be strap besides, the forest eases their camouflage." He remarked when something came to his mind.

            He could feel the ground shaking while the soldiers looked about the entire place and wondered what was going on.

             "Hills." Wanyan Guang mentioned when raising his head he looked at a very large mass of boulders descending upon them.

              "Disperse." He ordered as he picked up his bow and fire lance and aiming it at the sky he shot it so far above.

               It exploded and delivered a smoke signal in the sky and Southward across the Han river from the South end of Guanghua, the Imperial Princess Zhangguo commanding an army of twenty thousand soldiers saw it and smiled at herself ghastly.

              "The Southern Song troops have engaged in conflict." She said as she turned to her men Chuchu on her right and Pucha Fu on her left while the Jurchen standards were raised.

             Making their way through the near hills part of the ground was soggy and the horses seemed quite disorderly while the soldiers maintained their march with their spears raised forward.

             Moving through the narrow valley, the first half of the army inside, the Princess Imperial noticed a bothersome silence in the territory that she halted her army, looking at the really wet ground she seemed to smell an awkward stench in the air.

            "Something is wrong." Princess Zhangguo remarked.

           "What is it Your Highness?" Chuchu asked.

           "What's that awful stench?" She inquired while Chuchu sniffed around.

            "It smells like petroleum." He responded and the Empress Yang at a distance seated on her horse, she stared at the Jurchen army in a valley.

             The trumpet being sounded along with the War drums, Princess Zhangguo in a distance she turned her attention Northwards towards the hilltops where it appeared to emerge.

             "Archers ready." Empress Yang mentioned and lighting their arrows with fire they aimed at a distance it seemed to the Jurchens that the entire mountain was filled with their adversaries.

             "It can't be." She remarked when the Empress lowering her arm the arrows were released and raining down with flames she noticed that the water they felt beneath their feet was not the water itself but petroleum along with gunpowder.

             With the arrows firmly landing onto the ground there was a massive set of explosions that followed one of which sent the Princess Imperial flying off her horse.

              The Jurchen armies in chaos they started to panic while they were thrown into utter confusion they broke their formation and the Jurchen banners started falling apart and collapsing onto the ground in flames.

              "The Song Dynasty soldiers were safe from attack while horror befell their enemies and Chuchu helping his mistress onto her feet he supported her with his right hand.

              "We must retreat Your Highness." He mentioned when another messenger arrived from the back of his horse trying to dodge the explosions as he rushed towards the Princess Imperial.

              "Your Highness, I have bad news." He announced while the young woman turned to him.

              "We are completely surrounded and their is a battalion of Southern Song Dynasty troops engaging us from behind." He mentioned.

               The Southern Song Dynasty soldiers charged towards the last half of the Jurchen troops that were making their way out of the valley and those holding most of the supplies they had them burnt and destroyed while the carts were overturned.

              The Heart of the Jurchen army already infuriated they charged towards them and the Han troops in their defense they disbanded and scattered in different directions.

              General Wanyan Guang arriving at the scene on his stead couldn't help but stare in disappointment as the Jurchen Soldiers lay on the ground dead and the Princess Imperial herself was seated on a nearby rock.

             He got off his horse and hurried over to his cousin who was herself dismayed, she was bleeding both physically and emotionally, in tears, in utmost grief her soul seemed lost.

            "What happened Your Highness?" He asked her.

            "The Han army." She responded, "they did all this." She confirmed.

            "It's only been two battles, we have lost this much!" Wanyan Guang exclaimed.

             "It leaves us with no option, we couldn't take Guanghua to trap them, we can not retreat to besiege Xiangyang because we are weak with half of us dead and half of our survivors wounded.

             "How tragic!" Wanyan Guang said, "what is the guarantee that we shall succeed?" He asked.

             "How is it that I could possibly lie, our people dead on this foreign soil, we have tried to conquer but even our initial successes have consequently been lost, what our enemies had lost they have regained and their morale much greater than ours we shouldn't talk about winning the war before getting rid of the Southern Song Dynasty's Empress." Princess Zhangguo replied.

            "What more shall you do Your Highness?" Wanyan Guang asked and the young woman sighing she stood up from where she was seated.

             "We should combine our strength, gather all our occupational troops from Hanyang, Te-An, Zaoyang and Zhingmen." She responded.

             "Your Highness, that's seventy thousand soldiers numbered in total altogether, if we take them out of those cities then we shall lose our hold on them." Wanyan Guang remarked.

             "The Southern Song troops in the West have rebelled and Wu Xi is an unpopular figure, the troops at Xiangyang and Guanghua can not hold out for so long their armies in Jiangling, Zhengdu, Kui, Xinyang and Guang will reinforce them to protect their hold of Teng, in such a manner our Western forces will be cut off and we won't be in time to save them and deliver them from the hands of our enemies, we either win over the Northern Frontier or we lose this war because if we don't, they will reclaim Bianjing and if they do our Great Empire will lose its foothold in the South." Princess Zhangguo insisted.

             "Then that means every gain in this battle Your Highness would have been for nothing." Wanyan Guang mentioned.

             "I tell you this, we can not make the same mistake the Khitans did, if we do not subdue the Southern troops then they shall be the end of us." Princess Zhangguo made up her mind.

             The gates of Guanghua being flung open, the Empress rode into the cheers of the soldiers and some of the common people, the Southern Song troops a majority unharmed and healthy as they had left, News of everything that had transpired had already circulated.

             Approaching the heart of the City, she got off her horse and the people moving aside as she approached a rock nearly three hundred years old that was thought to be sacred, she knelt down while the people spectated and kissed the soil beneath her feet.

            "OH PRECIOUS LAND OF MY PEOPLE, OUR SACRED SOIL HAS BEEN CLEANSED, THE BLOOD OF OUR TYRANTS THOUGH IMPURE HAS WATERED THE FURROWS OF OUR PRECIOUS FIELDS." She remarked before she stood up and looked at the stone so speechless before them.

            "All hail our Empress." One of the commons shouted.

            "All Hail Our Empress." The people joined him in unison and the soldiers following with their weapons they made a noise that was so loud it resounded across the surrounding territories.

             "This Day today we shall celebrate our very own Empress, our most supreme Goddess of War, the Commandress of Heavenly armies and Queen of the battlefield, for our generations to come." He remarked and the cheers of the people and soldiers combined altogether, for a moment it so happened that she was prouder than she'd ever been.

             Grand Empress Dowager Xie returning to her Chambers she was welcomed by Daiyu as she sat down.

             "Court Lady Liu professed that Consort Han was behind the murder of the Imperial Prince and his mother." She reported, " you were right Your Grand Highness, it seems that she is to be watched carefully." She mentioned.

             "How remarkable it would be to bring her down when she has got this high!" The Grand Empress Dowager remarked.

             "We have our chance now Your Grand Highness." Daiyu mentioned.

              "We won't expose the truth." Grand Empress Dowager Xie responded and Daiyu surprised she was utterly confused.

              "I don't understand, we have a way of uprooting Consort Han now so why should we hesitate Your Grand Highness?" She inquired.

              "I talked with Shi Miyuan and I came to realise what's best for us, there are very many people that aren't happy with the Crown Prince, even if we got rid of Consort Han as long as others are still there this fight won't end." Grand Empress Dowager Xie responded.

             "But Your Grand Highness, keeping Consort Han close is very dangerous, giving her more time to grow out her influence, I fear there'll be a time when she can no longer be controlled." Daiyu pointed out.

             "In every conflict even patience is necessary, you do not save a garden by killing a single weed." She insisted.

             "Perhaps I am lacking in my insight Your Grand Highness, but if we don't act up, Consort Han will act up along with our enemies." Daiyu cautioned.

             "I am taking a gamble." Grand Empress Dowager Xie mentioned, "I am buying time." She added.

              Han Touzhou in his own study, the doors being opened Lin Xue walked in while being accompanied by Consort Han.

              "Your Grace." He greeted his niece bowing his head.

              "Uncle." She humbly responded before she sat down in front of him.

              "I heard that the Crown Prince was poisoned." He mentioned.

              "Yes." Consort Han confirmed, "at first I intended to make him bear the weight and blame for the murder of the Imperial Prince and his mother but now it won't be possible because the people won't believe it." Consort Han responded.

               "What are you going to do now Your Grace, or perhaps, is there something that I can do for you?" He inquired.

               "There's still a Court Lady that is being held at the Imperial State Tribunal as she was the perpetrator, seeing that she couldn't have acted on her own accord they shall be curious to find out the orchestrator of this incident." She responded.

               "Did you forget that the Imperial State Tribunal is filled with the Empress' people, the mere fact that this incident has occurred and the Crown Prince was nearly framed they won't sit tight, they shall manipulate this case and they will try to use it against us, against our people." Han Touzhou mentioned.

             "Perhaps." Consort Han mentioned, "but if we have proof then we can make the people to stand with us." She remarked.

             "What proof have we Your Grace?" Han Touzhou desperately asked.

              "The War Cabinet eclispses the influence of the Ministry of war, you must ensure the security of the capital that means that you can access any residence belonging to any official if you so wish." She responded while Han Touzhou seemed to hint on what she was thinking.

             "One of the Empress' people." He claimed.

             "An attempt made on the life of the Crown Prince is treason to this state and even if the Imperial State Tribunal can manipulate evidence they can't manipulate the people." Consort Han responded as she smiled at herself ghastly.

              General Wu Sanxiang along with the other commanders of Guanghua Fortress seated in his office the Empress made her entrance and sat down before them as they bowed their heads to her.

              "Greetings Your Highness." They said in unison while she accepted profoundly their salutation.

             "It has been a good day, we haven't lost many soldiers and we have won the battle." She remarked.

              "Your Highness said that it would decide the fate of our Northern Frontier." Bao Langya mentioned.

              "We are still holding Teng so our enemies aren't settled, Tang is besieged by our troops which formerly occupied Tsaoyang the last of the Jurchens occupying our surrounding territories in the North are certain that we are buying time to get more reinforcements." She mentioned.

             "Until now Your Highness we haven't had an open war." Wu Sanxiang pointed out.

             "But Xiangyang is no longer besieged our soldiers have gained morale,  further Jurchen advances towards the Capital shall have to be halted because never before has their Southern Capital been more vulnerable to invasion than it is now." She responded.

            "They tried to take Guanghua to isolate the troops in Teng but now that it won't happen if their advances towards the capital are halted then that means that their attention will turn to us." Wei Yuanzhang pointed out.

             "That's good enough." Empress Yang replied, "we can only mobilize twenty thousand soldiers at most, against 70000 Jurchen troops." She mentioned.

             "A difference of 50000 soldiers Your Highness." Wu Sanxiang mentioned, "this is mass suicide." He remarked in disbelief.

             "What is it we are fighting for again, to raise the morale of the army it is my regret to inform you all within this room that the main reason I have held out, the main reason I orchestrated all these schemes and ploys was to draw away the Jurchens from the heart of our country, to drive them away from the capital." She mentioned.

             "What happens if we lose Your Highness?" Wei Yuanzhang inquired.

             "I have a husband, I have a son and brothers far away from me, if we lose I lose them, if I die I die for them that is why even in choosing this conflict I shall fight for them." Empress Yang responded, "only if we weaken the heart of the Jurchen army shall we end their conquest of our Southern territory." She assured them.

             "I came to ensure your safety Your Highness, that means that I equally came prepared to die, where you lead me I shall follow, and where you call me I shall answer." Bao Langya mentioned.

              "What a noble thing to die in battle Your Highness, sixty years you can imagine, I shall stand with you on this." Wu Sanxiang pointed out while Wei Yuanzhang looked at her.

              "I also have a family to protect, if we die then I won't regret it." He remarked.

              "For what it's worth to acquire the peace of my people, FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY." Empress Yang mentioned as they looked at the map.

              "What's your strategy this time Your Highness?" Wu Sanxiang asked as she studied the map very keenly.

               Yang Cishan in his residence, Master Bao approached him with a letter which he sat down to read in silence.

              "The tide of war seems to be changing drastically." He remarked.

              "The Empress has succeeded where very many have failed." Master Bao mentioned, "but in the event of this conflict more than ever nearly all the Jurchen battalions commanding the Northern territories shall confront her." He reported.

             "We also have the Crown Prince to protect." Yang Cishan mentioned, "the Empress asks us to accord her our support." He said as he folded the piece of paper and placed it down onto the table.

              "You have more power, I can influence the masses." Master Bao professed, "you can convince the troops close to the North to provide reinforcements, I'll provide propaganda to encourage them." Master Bao responded.

             "Alright." Yang Cishan muttered as he nodded his head in approval.

              People started posting writings across the Capital and the Empire reporting the Empress' recent military victories.

             The Courtiers gathering in the Grand Hall during the morning Assembly, the Grand Empress Dowager seated behind the Silk Screen she watched the officials offered their greetings as Yang Cishan moved forward.

             "Deliver the Military report." She ordered and the latter opening the scroll in his hands, Han Touzhou and the War Cabinet on one end they listened.

            "THE BATTLE IS ODIOUS BUT THANKS TO THE EMPRESS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS WE HAVE MANAGED TO CAPTURE THE JURCHEN FORTRESS OF TENG, THE SIEGE PF XIANGYANG HAS ENDED AND JURCHEN TROOPS HAVE RETREATED FROM ZHINGMEN, TSAOYANG, HANYANG, GUANGHUA AND TE-AN AND THESE HAVE BEEN REOCCUPIED BY OUR FORCES, IN THE MEANTIME, GUANGHUA, TENG AND XIAOYANG HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE PRONE TO INVASION THAN THEY ARE NOW AND A JURCHEN FORCE PF ROUGHLY SEVENTY THOUSAND SOLDIERS IS SET TO ATTACK THEM SOON, SO FAR, ONLY TWENTY THOUSAND TROOPS REMAIN RELIABLE." He read.

             "Will this war end?" The Courtiers asked themselves.

             "The Empress doesn't have the reserves to win the war." Yang Cishan mentioned, "but she has made a great effort at least to save us immense loss and embarrassment." He remarked.

             "Morale is high among our troops which makes the tide favourable." Shi Miyuan supplemented.

             "Twenty thousand soldiers aren't enough for the Empress to put up a fight, Her Highness needs reinforcements." The Grand Empress Dowager mentioned.   

            "They are being prepared, but the West has been chaotic for a while since the defection of Wu Xi, we are equally vulnerable if we do not restore peace to that territory first." Han Touzhou mentioned.

            "So Your Excellency suggests that we abandon the Empress?" Shi Miyuan lashed out.

             "The war isn't something that the Empress can not manage, losing only six men among two thousand and five hundred soldiers she arranged against twenty thousand Jurchen troops." Han Touzhou responded.

              "This war was your idea, your revanchism was based on the fact that you were confident in our success and more than once Your Excellency you shall agree with me, you underestimated the Jurchens." Shi Miyuan mentioned. 

              "That is why we can not underestimate them this time." Yang Cishan insisted along with him.

              "You therefore mean to underestimate the Empress?" Han Touzhou inquired.

             "Her Highness might be diligent and capable but she is not Superhuman." Shi Miyuan aggressively emphasized.

             "So you suggest the West is abandoned?" Han Touzhou asked, "they are also our people, the place is itself strategic, if we lose our North Western territory we shall be left without a Western frontier." Han Touzhou insisted.

              "You still intend to drag the war." Yang Cishan accused him.

              "Does it so happen that I am unreasonable Your Grand Highness, as it so happens I intend to win the war." Han Touzhou professed to everyone in the open, "with His Majesty's confidence I established the War Cabinet to guide the Ministry of War when making vital decisions and as Manager of National Security I suppose it is my responsibility to safeguard the Monarchy." Han Touzhou said.

             "Enough." Grand Empress Dowager Xie mentioned, "Our Empress' security is also to be ensured and our Northern Frontier is more delicate at this time than the West." She said.

              "Your Grand High......." Han Touzhou about to speak in protest she was halted.

              "Your Excellency might be the Head of Government but the state is nominally entrusted to my care and so is this house, we can't abandon the Western Frontier and neither can we refuse to aid our Empress which is why after much deliberation I have come to a conclusion." She said as she looked at the Imperial Scribe.

             "Halve in size the number of reinforcements and resources, we shall simultaneously handle the question of Sichuan in the West and the North." She announced before them.

            "Yes Your Grand Highness." The Courtiers all mentioned in unison and Shi Miyuan looking at Han Touzhou they both seemed infuriated with one another.

            "Another issue if I may Your Grand Highness?" Han Touzhou asked.

            "What is it?" She inquired.

            "There is a rumour going around that someone threatened the life of the Crown Prince and the people seem tense." He reported while Shi Miyuan smirked at himself.

           "The perpetrator is in our custody and is being held in the Imperial State Tribunal while Investigations are still ongoing, as it is a very crucial thing I shall see to it that this case is well handled." The Grand Empress Dowager assured them.

           "Then with Your Grand Highness' permission to quell public dissatisfaction, I wish to present my counsel." Han Touzhou remarked.

             "Go ahead Your Excellency."

             "Please allow the Court to be present at the Interrogation." Han Touzhou requested, "it so happens that we boast the confidence of the people and whatever we shall say they shall believe, if we stand witness together therefore, our say would be more reliable." He added.

             "If you insist, the interrogation shall be held today at noon." The Grand Empress Dowager responded.

            "Thank you Your Grand Highness." Han Touzhou confidently thanked her and smiling at himself ghastly, he tried to contain his excitement.

            "What!" Consort Han exclaimed.

            "The Grand Empress Dowager agreed to have all the officials present at the Imperial State Tribunal at noon during the interrogation of the Court Lady." Court Lady Liu reported while her mistress smiled at herself ghastly.

            "Things shall get more interesting." Consort Han remarked.

            "The Grand Empress Dowager also used her position to exercise her power as the nominal regent, she ordered resources and reinforcements to be halved to fortify both Sichuan and also support the Empress, she's only grown popular with the war because of her small recent but significant victories against the Jurchens." Court Lady Liu asserted.

             "It's no use, there are nearly seventy thousand Jurchen soldiers and she's been surrounded, achieving victory will be very difficult and even close to impossible." Consort Han mentioned.

              "We can not underestimate the Empress Your Grace." Court Lady Liu mentioned.

              "Perhaps," she replied, "but there's going to be a big blow, such small victories make the people a bit more hopeful and the higher Her Highness will go the harder she'll fall." Consort Han confidently remarked.

             "At the hour of Noon, the officials gathering in the Torture square of the Imperial State Tribunal lined the East side of the pavilion where they were each quietly seated behind a window and their presence could thus hardly be noticed.

              The culprit brought forward into the centre, she was forced on her knees in front of the Silk Screen and the Grand Empress Dowager's presence being announced, she appeared and took her seat right behind it.

             "Commence the interrogation." She ordered as she Imperial guards bowing their heads in approval they  dragged her towards a nearby chair and tied her to it.

              Another group of guards of the Tribunal bearing in their hands a thick and heavy milestone they lifted it and rested it on her thighs while she cried out loud while the Empress nodded at Daiyu who raised her hand and the guards removed the milestone.

           "The Imperial Prince, the Crown Prince and an Imperial Prince's mother were poisoned, the order and the poison for this was found in your possession so we shall ask only once, who gave you the order?" Daiyu mentioned.

            "I acted on my own." She pointed out.

            "Two milestones now." Daiyu ordered and the guards mounting them onto her thighs she, yelled in absolute agony for three minutes until with Daiyu's order the milestones were lifted again.

             "There's no use remaining silent right now, an attempt on the lives of the Princes is considered treason and punishable by death, no one can protect you even if you wished which makes things more interesting for us to kill you slowly and painfully." She asserted.

            "I have already told you Milady, I acted on my own accord." The Court Lady claimed.

             "How long will she hold back?" Shi Miyuan asked Han Touzhou whom he was seated next to.

            "Everyone has a breaking point Your Excellency." He responded.

             "And which one is yours dearest friend?" Shi Miyuan asked, "you seem strangely calm yet I am worried, her whimpers may cease and for all we know, the name that might fly out of her mouth might be yours." he muttered.

            "As you suggested wisely, it might be my name, who knows?" Han Touzhou asked as he turned around and looked at him.

            "What is it?" Shi Miyuan asked.

            "I am lucky as it seems, I have a very long life to live you see, enemies my friend are all around us as long as someone makes us realize their presence, who knows, they could even be under the same roof, seated next to us or even breathing the same air we're breathing." Han Touzhou responded as he turned back and looked at the Court Lady and Shi Miyuan smiling at himself he did the same as well.

            The three milestones were put down and the young woman was pale and her feet were shaky.

            "Have you made up your mind now?" Daiyu inquired.

            "You are right Milady, someone gave me the order to poison the Princes and the woman." She professed.

             "Who was it?" Daiyu asked.

             "It was the Vice Minister of Rites, he was behind everything." She suddenly mentioned and Han Touzhou looking at Shi Miyuan who was holding in his hands the Jade ceremonial tablet, he let go of it as it fell onto the ground.

             Everyone of the Ministers close by stood up from their seats while Shi Miyuan looked at Han Touzhou.

             "Instead of worrying for others," he said turning his head and looked at him, "don't you think that you should now worry about yourself?" He asked mockingly.

             "I have been framed." Shi Miyuan insisted.

             "The Vice Minister of Rites gave me the order because the Imperial Prince would threaten the position of the Crown Prince, he was supposed to die with his brother but somehow the Crown Prince ended up taking the poison." The Court Lady professed herself heavily gasping for breath.

             "They are all lies." Shi Miyuan tried to convince them whole building.

             "Your ambition drove you to kill an Imperial Prince, in the process the Crown Prince was harmed you nearly brought calamity and instability to our Great Heavenly Empire." Han Touzhou raised his voice as he stood up and looked at Shi Miyuan in the eye.

             "You can not rely on a Court Lady's words alone." Shi Miyuan protested.

             "What evidence have you to prove Your Innocence?" Han Touzhou asked while Shi Miyuan remained silent.

              "Very well then, as it so happens we can not rely on the words of a mere Court Lady." He remarked as he moved away from his seat and walking outside into the presence of the Grand Empress Dowager, he bowed his head.

              "Pardon me Your Grand Highness, if the Vice Minister requires more evidence then grant me the permission to dispatch the Capital patrol guards to his residence to search it." He requested while the Grand Empress Dowager looking at him she turned to Daiyu.

             "Yes." She replied and Han Touzhou bowing his head, he turned around and looked at Shi Miyuan who stared at him through the window.