CLOAKS AND DAGGERS

            The procession leading the Empress slowly made its way through the city of Guanghua and while she opened the window of her carriage and stared outside, she could see the soldiers carrying one another.

             Women, men, and children grieving on top of the corpses while Physicians and nurses tended to the ailing that had filled the place.

              Xiaoyang keeping close couldn't help but be moved by the rather awful sight, none of them had expected that the situation would be that terrible.

              Moving further the Empress noticed the people gathering as they looked at her carriage, in a distance seeing bodies that had been piled under papyrus reeds she could tell that they had to be dead already.

             The battalion halted along with her and Beiyuan moving towards the doors he had them opened as Manyin offered her her hand.

              She stepped out gently and inspected the place, the people quiet and perhaps wondering who she was she didn't mind them not offering their salutations.

              Gracefully she walked while being accompanied by Xiaoyang, Beiyuan, and a couple of skilled Imperial soldiers, traversing through what seemed to be the remnants of arrows and explosives as she approached the General who was in charge of the Fortress.

              "Greetings Your Highness." He said bowing his head to her.

              "All I heard was that the situation was dire, never had I hoped that my people were suffering this much." She remarked.

              "The last attack from the Jurchens was a day ago, of the twenty thousand soldiers Guanghua had last year only fifteen thousand with heavy resistance still stand to man the city while of these only ten thousand can ably fight." He reported.

              "What is your name, General?" She asked.

               "Wu Sanxiang, Your Highness." He replied.

               "You have put up a good fight." The Empress remarked.

                "It is my honour to fight Your Highness." He responded while she smiled at him when one of the officers immediately rushed to him while interrupting their conversation.

               "Your Excellency, there is a bit of bad news." He reported.

               "What is it?" Wu Sanxiang asked.

               "It's the Jurchens." He reported.

               "Forgive me, Your Highness, if I may take my leave." He remarked and at that moment immediately rushing and mounting the stairs that led to the fortress wall, the Empress uninvited followed him.

               Standing behind the battlements they had the archers already prepared and in a distance, they could see Jurchen banners flying high with their soldiers lining up across the field.

                The Empress approaching Wu Sanxiang seemed surprised.

               "You can't be here Your Highness." He insisted.

               "You would be surprised if I told you I must." She replied.

               "I can't jeopardize your health, you'll be much safer in Xiangyang given that it has more troops." General Wu remarked.

                "The city is under siege, you aren't going to risk your men trying to guarantee my safety." The Empress said to him as she looked ahead.

                "What are they even doing?" She asked.

                "They come and strike the fortress and then retreat, but every time we face casualties which are heavy, it is either they are provoking an attack or they intend to weaken us." Wu Sanxiang replied.

                "Can't we risk attacking?" The Empress asked.

                "We are merely holding up because we are on the defensive Your Highness, we don't have that many horses in good condition to charge as they do and besides after the previous accident they attempted to ambush us at night but things didn't go as planned on their side." Wu Sanxiang responded.

                 "Have you discovered their camp?" She asked.

                 "We send out scouts every day but hardly any of them return with reliable information." Wu Sanxiang replied while the Empress sighing in relief she seemed to think about through.

                "Do you have a map of the territory?" She asked.

                "Yes, Your Highness." Wu Sanxiang replied.

                "Take me to it." She ordered and the latter staring at her hesitantly, led her to his office where a miniature had been moddled on the table while she studied it for a moment.

               "There's a lake in the North West and Teng is just the other side across the border, we can't take it as it would cost us a large number of soldiers the best option we have is to lure them to ourselves." The Empress remarked.

               "But that's what they are trying to do." Wu Sanxiang asserted.

               "The strategy may be the same but the goals are different, the Jurchens are a long way from the river and we are much closer to it, it would be difficult for them to cross but we could take our chance and set a camp by the lake." The Empress muttered.

               "Why Your Highness?" Wu Sanxiang inquired.

               "It's very much unlike the Jurchens to act in such a manner, I am merely speculating that is why I need to first do this to confirm." The Empress replied.

               "Yes, Your Highness." Wu Sanxiang responded and bowing his head he immediately left the room while the Empress still studying the map remained thinking deeply about it.

               Consort Han inside her Chambers Court Lady Liu walked in with the Palace maid that had slept with the Emperor while carrying her sons and they bowed their heads to her.

              "Greetings Your Grace." They offered their salutations while Consort Cao smiled at her.

              "How are the Princes?" She asked.

              "They are fine." She responded.

              "Of course, I can't help but be happy seeing that they have grown." Consort Han mentioned.

              "You called for me Your Grace." The young woman mentioned.

               "The Empress left the Palace yesterday and I am now in charge of His Majesty's harem, I had sent over someone to tell you to prepare for your return to the Palace." She responded.

              "But Your Grace, the boys have just been weaned." Their mother insisted.

               "But they are His Majesty's children after all so they are by Imperial law bound live in the Palace, during the Empress' presence you might have been frightened and she didn't seem so cautious as well she ignored you, we must make it right for the sake of the stability of the harem and the Inner Court." Consort Han responded when another of her ladies in waiting walked in.

               "Her Grand Highness is waiting for Your Grace in the Cifu Palace." She responded.

               "We are just in time." Consort Han mentioned, "follow me." She ordered and at that moment leading the way out of the hall, Court Lady Liu and the babies' mother followed her.

                Princess Zhangguo in her office Chuchu appeared before her while she was looking through one of her books on war strategies.

               "There's something urgent Your Highness." He reported while bowing his head to her.

               "What could be the problem?" She asked Chuchu.

               "I have received word from our spies that the Southern Song Dynasty's Empress Consort has arrived in Guanghua." He reported while the latter immediately closed her book surprised.

               "Did you say the Southern Song Dynasty's Empress Consort has arrived in Guanghua?" She inquired.

                "Yes, Your Highness," Chuchu confirmed as she smiled at herself. 

                "Isn't she supposed to be somewhere in the Palace enjoying life?" She asked, "what about their Emperor?" She inquired.

               "His Majesty the Southern Song Emperor fell sick last year but maintained some audiences at least with the Officials, she was designated as the Empress Regent and she exhibited some remarkable governance skills the people in the South praise her sagacity and intelligence." Chuchu replied.

              "A woman that certainly leaves the comfort of her home and chooses to stand on the battlefield isn't an average one, I happen to find her quite intriguing." Princess Zhangguo remarked.

              "She was a woman who entered the Palace as a lowly concubine and within seven years she managed to climb her way to the top and become the Empress she was involved in numerous scandals with the Emperor's mother and his first Empress." Chuchu mentioned.

              "You speak like you know her very well." Princess Zhangguo suddenly pointed out.

              "She is famous and in the past couple of years our envoys used to carry back material that was written about her, she's an accomplished calligrapher and artist as well." Chuchu replied.

              "So much for an Empress, all the Jurchen Empresses I have known my life have done nothing more than sit and command the Imperial Palace." Princess Zhangguo mentioned, "but now that you have brought her up it bothers me." She remarked.

              "Why Your Highness?" Chuchu asked.

               "Women of extraordinary brilliance like stars are bound to burn to light their century." Princess Zhangguo responded as she smiled at herself.

               The Grand Empress Dowager Xie in the Grand Hall of the Cifu Palace, Daiyu led Consort Han along with her Court Lady Liu and another fair woman while bearing the two babies.

               Offering their salutations to the Empress she seemed most interested in the quietly dressed woman.

               "I beg to know, you requested for my audience so what could be the matter?" She asked.

               "Forgive me if I have inconvenienced Your Grand Highness but there is a matter that I need to report to you." Consort Han gracefully responded.

               "What is it?" Grand Empress Dowager Xie asked.

               "It hasn't been long since Her Highness the Empress left the Palace and I happened to be approached by this young woman, in the past year and six months she briefly served as a lady in waiting in His Majesty's retinue but left the Palace shortly after that, nine months later she went into labour and delivered twin boys, being the sons of His Majesty, she approached me today and begged me to take them into the Palace." Consort Han responded.

             "Is that so?" Grand Empress Dowager Xie inquired.

              "Yes Your Grand Highness." Consort Han conformed. 

              "And are you certain that these boys are His Majesty's children?" She asked.

              "I couldn't be rash in making my decision and passing judgement on both the young boys and their mother, I was presented with a record of the month and the day she claimed she slept with His Majesty and it confirmed that she happened to have told me the Truth." Consort Han responded.

               "But anything could have happened in one year and six months so who is to guarantee that the two Imperial Princes are the Emperor's children?" Grand Empress Dowager Xie asked.

               "I am deficient in the power to claim otherwise as it would be blasphemous to the Imperial Princes if they happen to be so, however since they are this old I was hoping that with Your Grand Highness' permission, you would oversee that paternity tests of three degrees are conducted to prove that the children belong to the Imperial family." Consort Han mentioned.

              "Very well then, if you insist then I shall oversee it." Grand Empress Dowager Xie mentioned and Consort Han bowing her head to her she smiled sincerely.

               Han Touzhou in his own Chambers Lin Xue made an unexpected entry and halting before him he bowed his head while sweating profusely.

              "Your Excellency, there happens to be an issue." he reported.

               "What is it now?" He asked.

               "Her Grace has presented a woman before the Grand Empress Dowager claiming to have mothered the Emperor's children." He responded.

               "Who is she?" Han Touzhou asked.

               "She served as a lady in waiting temporarily roughly a year and six months ago in the Grand Palace after which she entered sexual relations with His Majesty, being of low birth and also not a part of his harem the Grand Empress Dowager is least interested in her presence damaging the reputation of the harem and the Inner Court that is why she decided that she will carry out paternity tests of three degrees to confirm their legitimacy as children of His Majesty." Lin Xue reported.

              "I find it rather strange that she would show up now with the Emperor's children when the Empress happens to have just left the Palace." Han Touzhou remarked.

              "But since Her Grace brought it to the attention of the Grand Empress Dowager then perhaps she is responsible." Lin Xue asserted.

               "It is possible but if the children don't turn out to be His Majesty's then it'll hit her hard and it could jeopardize her position in the harem and the Inner Court." Han Touzhou mentioned as he stood up.

                "I must have a word with her." He mentioned.

                "I'll prepare your carriage Your Excellency." Lin Xue said as he exited the room immediately.

               "What?" Shi Miyuan muttered in disbelief.

               "His Majesty sired two Princes from a lowly palace maid." Dong Hua reported, "Consort Han presented them to the Grand Empress Dowager and she's going to arrange a three-degree paternity test to prove their legitimacy." He asserted.

               "It hasn't even been a week since Her Highness left for the North, Consort Han bringing these Prince forward could be because she has an ulterior motive." Shi Miyuan remarked.

             "But what could it be?" Dong Hua asked.

             "Three degrees Paternity tests means that she's certain what she's saying, besides, even if one of the tests was tampered with, the other two could be more reliable in confirming the Princes' paternity." Shi Miyuan responded.

             "But how would that help Consort Han?" Dong Hua asked.

              "The Imperial Prince of Su Zhao Ji was banished from the Palace and lowered to the position of Commoner, it eliminated him from the line of succession and on the other hand it enabled us to cement the position of the Imperial Prince Zhao Xun as the heir apparent to the Imperial Dragon throne," Shi Miyuan responded, "if the two boys are styled as Imperial Princes then they would become pretenders to the Imperial Dragon throne." He remarked.

            "Wouldn't it be very difficult given their mother's lowly background?" Dong Hua asked.

             "The same could have been said for the Imperial Prince Zhao Xun, it depends on how powerful the ones backing them are." Shi Miyuan responded as he seemed to have understood what was going on.

              Han Touzhou seated in front of his niece, she gracefully poured him a cup of tea with a smile on her face.

             "Seeing that you are here, you must have heard." She remarked.

             "It's risky Your Grace, that is why it demands my concern." Han Touzhou pointed out.

             "Don't worry Uncle, I understand how tough the situation is and how fatal it could be." She responded.

             "Then assure me in detail." Han Touzhou demanded as she picked her own cup before him and took a sip before she lowered it back onto the table.

              "The Empress' position is strengthened by the presence of the Crown Prince even with her absence in the Palace, the loyalties of her supporters won't shift unnecessarily because after all they would be guaranteed protection in exchange for protecting their future Emperor." Consort Han responded.

             "So you intend to use the Imperial Princes to supplant the Crown Prince?" Han Touzhou inquired.

             "It favours you as well Uncle, the unspoken but bitter truth that leaves the Crown Prince flawed is the fact that he isn't the Emperor's biological son, only a legitimate member of this Dynasty." Consort Han mentioned to him.

             "Suppose you are right, the children are of low birth." Han Touzhou mentioned. 

              "If they have a powerful mother then none of that matters." Consort Han replied as she looked at him, "the Empress' followers are very certain that they have a Prince who will do their bidding, I also told you before I returned to the Palace that for us to succeed in this contest of wills it is necessary to have Princes of our own." She asserted.

             "You aren't thinking what I'm thinking." Han Touzhou seemed hesitant to believe.

              "I am going to adopt the Imperial Princes, I realised that if I must weaken the position of the Crown Prince Zhao Xun all I have to first do is create pretenders to the Imperial Dragon throne." She assured him as she smiled at herself ghastly.

              The soldiers assembled outside, the Empress along with General Wu Sanxiang inspected them as she made her way to the forefront.

              "How many of these a thousand are first runners?" She asked.

              "All of them are the fastest that we have here right now." General Wu Sanxiang responded.

              "They are going to run a very long distance and they won't be so close to the fortress either, they must be quick-witted and very stealthy in their movements and equally hard to trace." She said.

               "They can certainly do that Your Highness." General Wu assured her.

              "Very well then." Empress Yang muttered, "give each four a tent and they shall station it in front of the lake across the river, there at night they shall light up fires and watch the place." She ordered.

              "Why if I may ask Your Highness?" Wu Sanxiang inquired.

              "War isn't just a contest of fists and glories, it is a strife for the control of resources." Empress Yang replied as she smiled at herself ghastly.

              "Yes Your Highness." Wu Sanxiang responded reluctantly and opening the gates of the Fortress, the soldiers were led out by Bao Langya riding a couple of horses while the Empress and General Wu standing at the top of the battlements, they watched contentedly as the soldiers vanished from sight.

              At a distance the Jurchen spies watching the soldiers they immediately dispersed and one of them arriving at a certain point where some four soldiers were stationed blocking the area he handed over an envelope to one of the horsemen.

              "Deliver it to Her Highness." He ordered and the young man swiftly riding towards the gates of Teng, he raised it up with a blue flag and was let into Chuchu who ceased the envelope and opening it he read through its contents.

              "Is this true?" He asked.

              "Yes." The messenger confirmed as he immediately rushed to Princess Zhangguo's office and handed over the letter to her while she opened it and perused through.

              "A Song battalion has left the Fortress and they have crossed the Han River." Chuchu reported, " they couldn't possibly be heading here?" He inquired while the Princess folding the paper she held it over the candle and watched it burn before she threw it onto the ash tray.

             "No." She responded.

             "It can't be." Chuchu mentioned.

             "Perhaps the Empress' idea, it surely is remarkable, it might seem as though we have underestimated them but if the soldiers travel so far from the fortress then it is one two things, the first being that they aim to lure us to pursue them and the second that they intend to take our fortress." Princess Zhangguo muttered.

             "And as you have disposed of the latter then you are certain it's to lure us Your Highness." Chuchu remarked.

             "But what would it gain the Southern Song Dynasty?" She asked herself when at that moment the doors of her office being flung open another soldier made his way in.

             "Your Highness, there's some bad news." He reported while she turned to him.

             "What is it?" Chuchu asked.

             "The Southern Song troops have set up an encampment right in front of the Han River and next to the lake." He reported.

             "What!" Princess Zhangguo exclaimed.

             "Yes Your Highness." The informer confirmed while the Princess Imperial was immediately frustrated.

             "You may leave." Chuchu ordered the informer who immediately withdrew from the hall.

             "Your Highness....." He was still saying while the Princess interrupted him.

             "You don't think the Empress of the Southern Song Dynasty is aware?" She asked.

             "We acted discreetly, not even our own people would have known, if she figured it out, the tide of war might soon change out of our favour and become even worse." Chuchu said.

             "Muster the men." Princess Zhangguo ordered, "we'll make our move tonight at midnight." She said.

              "Yes Your Highness." Chuchu responded as he left the room at once while the Princess Imperial stared at the map in front of her.

              The Empress seated in the General's office with him, he noticed how she was smiling at the miniature setup of the territory.

             Beiyuan walking in he bowed his head.

             "The sun is down Your Highness." He reported.

             "Has the camp been set up?" She asked.

              "Yes Your Highness, everything is ready and so is the mobile force." Beiyuan responded.

              "Keep watch and survey the sky for smoke." She ordered and Beiyuan nodding his head in approval he left the room.

             "Your Highness, what are you thinking?" Wu Sanxiang inquired desperately.

             "It requires only a little bit of patience, then you shall know." She responded, "you see an animal that has been cornered will have no choice, it shall get up and fight because its life depends on it." She remarked as she smiled at herself.

             "If you sat so Your Highness." General Wu Sanxiang muttered discontented.

              The Empress' supporters gathered in the Capital, Shi Miyuan appeared before them and took the seat that she usually took.

             "You called us here." Yang Cishan muttered.

             "You must have been informed that Consort Han has brought to the Palace children she claims to be the Emperor's own." Shi Miyuan mentioned as they immediately fell silent.

            "Yes Your Excellency." They responded.

             "It doesn't matter whether they are the Emperor's children or not but their mere presence in the Palace will challenge the Crown Prince's position as they are legitimately pretenders to the Imperial Dragon throne, that's why I have decided to summon each one of you here." He informed them.

             "The Grand Empress Dowager has arranged for the three degrees Paternity tests, that means that even if one was tampered with as long as the other two are in harmony with one another, those boys shall be elevated to the rank of Imperial Princes." Peng Zishou mentioned.

             "As it is an issue of the harem and the Inner Court the Empress' absence hinders our involvement whatsoever." Yang Cishan supplemented.

             "Certainly." Shi Miyuan agreed, "but if we could protect the Crown Prince before any of that happens then an attempt by Consort Han to threaten the Crown Prince's position will be foiled." He remarked.

             "The Grand Chancellor has her back as it would benefit him so to contend with him won't be an easy task for us." Peng Zishou pointed out.

             "The Grand Empress Dowager being the highest is our trump card, beside when we unite then Han Touzhou's opposition would be useless." Shi Miyuan mentioned as he picked up a blank memorial and he placed it on top of the table in front of them.

             "We'll handle the Imperial Princes later, join me and we shall petition to the Grand Empress Dowager, the world shall wake up tomorrow to a more remarkable position for us all." Shi Miyuan mentioned while they each seemed hesitant.

               The Jurchens creeping from the shadows surveyed the Camp in front of the Han River and watched the Southern Song Dynasty troops marching back and fourth while patrolling the territory.

               They split up first and slowly approached the camp in the dead of night.

               Halting outside for a moment, the archers fired their arrows first and charged entirely to annihilate their enemies, penetrating the small bamboo gates and approaching the tents, the Southern Song men were rounded in the centre entirely.

               The Princess Imperial Zhangguo approaching them with her sword seemed to notice that there were roughly a hundred men.

               "Something is wrong." She remarked when at that moment a couple of arrows flew in from outside the camp and some of the tents being set on fire started to emit a thick cloud of smoke which Beiyuan standing at the top of the watch tower noticed from a distance.

              The Jurchen soldiers standing and watching from the Fortress at Teng were further surprised when in the East a similar smoke signal sufficed the dark sky and temporarily distracted at the moment, a small mobile force bearing the Jurchen banner in their hands was approaching the walls.

              "Open the gates." A man charging ahead of them shouted at the top of his voice and the soldiers recognizing the banner immediately drew the gates open for their fleeing colleagues who made an entrance into the Fortress.

              The Princess Imperial realised that they had been surrounded and Bao Langya moving in started slaughtering the Jurchens one by one.

              "It was a trap." Chuchu asserted as he unsheathed his sword next to his master before they joined in the conflict.

               Bao Langya charging toward Princess Zhangguo he swang his slew and pierced six Jurchen soldiers in his path before he launched himself in between. They closed in on him in a circle and one leaping forward with his spear he struck him with his fist and ceased it into his own arms.

                He shook it like a spring and he severed their necks from their bodies and rolling down in front of him , the Princess Imperial launching herself in mid air descended upon him with her blade he swiftly moved to the side and dodged the attack nearly cut.

               He persistently catapulted himself into mid air as well and dashing on the heads of most the soldiers between he gracefully landed on his feet swinging the spear vigorously and killing the rest

             A large group of Southern Song Dynasty soldiers armed with spears pointed them towards the Princess Imperial Zhangguo that she leaped into the air and swinging her sword she shattered their spearheads before she slit their throats having left them defenseless.

            Bao Langya all the more confident in his skills clashed with her while she guarded his attack with her own sword and stared into her dark eyes, he could tell from the breath and how clear her skin looked, she was a woman.

             "You are quite strong for a woman." He pointed out.

             "Your Empress isn't the only one that is superhuman enough to not be an ordinary woman." Princess Zhangguo replied.

             "Even if you crawled out of here alive, with Teng taken, I don't think you'd have somewhere safe to run to." He muttered and at that moment Princess Zhangguo seemed to think about it while Bao Langya laughed.

               "Yes Milady, with you and your men here, who is going to warn your fellow countrymen that they have welcomed their most fatal enemy within their precincts?" He asked and kicking him, he staggered.

              "Retreat." She ordered her men as they slowly started to fall back while the Commander in Charge of Teng descending the stairs to meet his Jurchen colleagues that they had led into the Fortress immediately headed to one of the horsemen that had charged ahead while bearing the Jurchen banner.

              "Where is the Princess Imperial?" He asked looking at him when one of the soldiers putting an arrow in his bow took an aim and fired at him in his chest.

              The rest of the Jurchen soldiers panicking they watched while their Commanding Officer died coughing blood through his mouth.

             "They are imposters." Another of his men shouted and the rest of the Southern Song soldiers unsheathing their swords they charged at the soldiers manning the Fortress while the flag bearer letting go of it ceased a fire lance from his quiver and aiming at the dark sky he fired.

               Exploding in the sky like fireworks it sent a signal to the Princess Imperial along with her retreating colleagues while Beiyuan standing at the top of Guanghua's tower he spotted it.

               Another section of the Southern Song troops advanced from the woods and charged towards the Fortress of Teng and with the doors being opened to them they took possession of the area while the Princess Imperial was held back in her advance seeing the land having fallen to their traditional enemies.

              "We can't go any further Your Highness, compromising your security would jeopardize the stability of the Imperial Court." Chuchu said.

               "I can't believe she outsmarted me." The Princess Imperial mentioned.

               "One victory for our enemies isn't our end, besides the Southern Song troops don't have the numbers to hold Teng for a very long time, we should retreat and join our force outside Xiangyang if we wish to take Teng back." Chuchu said while the Princess Imperial clenched her fists.

             Empress Yang, General Wu Sanxiang and the commanders of Guanghua fortress gathered in the General's office, Bao Langya made his entrance.

             "How did it go?" Wu Sanxiang inquired.

             "We were victorious." He reported with a smile on her face while the Empress smiled at herself.

             "Is that so?" She asked.

             "With Your Highness' remarkable strategy, the Jurchens lost a chance." Bao Langya remarked.

             "But I can't help but wonder, how is it that Your Highness came up with such an idea?" Wu Sanxiang asked.

             "Teng is quite isolated from other Jurchen fortress and besides the Jurchens you reported frequently appeared but never charged towards Guanghua, it may have seemed like a siege but it wasn't, it was a distraction." She responded.

              "How could you be so sure Your Highness?" Wu Sanxiang asked.

              "Prior to the War with the Jurchens, the people of Guanghua and those of Teng relied on the water from the Han River for their sustenance but the former were at an advantage because of the closer proximity the latter were weary of losing their control of such a major resource, the encampment we set up in front of the Han River and the Lake made it seem that we were threatening to establish a base to launch our attack on Teng but the worse part for the Jurchens was that they knew our presence would curtail their accessibility to the waters of the lake. " She responded.

            "They had to force us to evacuate the territory and the best effective way was to take us by surprise. " Wu Sanxiang concluded.

              "We needed to lure them out to forge a way in, we disguised ourselves in what seemed to have been a dire situation for the Jurchen force, we ably got them to open their gates for us." Bao Langya reported.

               "And that's how we took the city with barely three thousand men." Empress Yang remarked.

               "Your Highness is truly sagacious." Wu Sanxiang replied.

               "But we can't hold Teng for long, not even two days." The Empress muttered.

               "Why do you think so Your Highness?" Beiyuan asked.

               "Teng exists between the Fortress of Tang and Guanghua and from the West it leaves the Southern Capital of the Jin Dynasty Bianjing vulnerable to attack, by default the closest supply of military assistance will not be the Capital as it might compromise their security which means the closest and most reliable force for the Jurchens for reconquest by default would be the soldiers that have besieged Xiangyang." Empress Yang replied.

             "So Teng is yet another decoy to lure the Jurchens back North across the Han River." Wu Sanxiang mentioned as he looked at the map in front of them while the Empress replied.

           "This is the overall deciding battle for the safety of our Northern Frontier." She concluded confidently.

           Han Touzhou still asleep in the morning Lin Xue barged through his bedroom doors and stood behind the curtain of his bed.

            "Your Excellency, please here me out." He said and the latter opening his eyes he looked up at the ceiling.

           "I just had a very bad dream." He remarked, "the Palace was covered in the blood of my family." He mentioned as he sat up and removing his feet, he turned around and faced Lin Xue.

            "The Empress captured the Jurchen Fortress of Teng, but more surprisingly the Ministry of Rites petitioned to the Grand Empress Dowager about a revision to the law of Succession, a new clause was added and it appears that the most outstanding Prince amongst the Emperor's Princes who is legitimate from the Empress and the Emperor will be considered and not only direct heirs." He mentioned.

             "How is it that I am only just hearing about it now?" Han Touzhou asked.

             "The Government passed the legislation by Majority of the Imperial Court, the Grand Empress Dowager allegedly found it right to ensure the stability of the Dynasty and its order, she sealed it with the Imperial Jade Seal and officiated it immediately." Lin Xue reported.

             "Make preparations for me to see Her Grace." Han Touzhou ordered.

            "Yes Your Excellency." Lin Xue responded as he withdrew from the room.

            The Jurchen General Wanyan Guang was seated in his tent when one of his guards Pucha Fu suddenly made his entrance.

            "Your Excellency." He greeted him while bowing his head and worry all over his face the former couldn't help but think something was wrong.

            He was led out to another tent within the camp and entering it he found the Princess Imperial Zhangguo seated with her right hand man Chuchu.

            "What is the problem Your Highness, what are you doing here?" He inquired.

            "It's Teng." Princess Zhangguo replied.

            "What happened at the Fortress?" Wanyan Guang inquired.

             "We were outsmarted by the Southern Song troops, their Empress orchestrated a dangerous scheme against us and overnight, Teng fell to the Southern Song troops." She responded and Wanyan Guang disappointed he fell into his seat.

             "If the security of Teng is compromised, the Han Chinese will have faced their cannons towards our Southern Capital of Bianjing." He remarked.

             "Which is why we must stop a further advance by the Southern Song troops to the North." Princess Zhangguo replied.

            "They are short of men and even if they captured Teng that only means that Guanghua is itself barely defended." Wanyan Guang pointed out.

            "They might not have the numbers but our scouts had reported that there were certain military movements from Hanyang and Chiangling, at first I wondered why the Empress would make such a suicidal move but thinking about it I realised that if they draw us away from Xiangyang they would not only be buying time to gather reinforcements to man Teng but they would have also trapped our forces between the Western front across the Huai River and the Northern Front across the Han river." Princess Zhangguo reported.

            "So it's either we face the wrath of the Southern Song forces from Chiangling and Hanyang joining hands with Xiangyang or we take back Teng and ensure the security of the Southern Capital." Wanyan Guang mentioned.

            "And our decision of course is obvious, we either lose the war or make it a stalemate I am certain that everyone is aware that the latter is more desirable." Princess Zhangguo asserted.

            "What about you Your Highness, you must be considering a third alternative judging from your tone." Wanyan Guang muttered as he studied her expression.

            "I can't allow to be beaten this easily that is why we shall give the Empress what she wants." Princess Zhangguo mentioned, "she isn't the only one that is good at playing tricks." She remarked as she clenched her fists and smiled at herself ghastly.

            "Uncle?" Consort Han muttered.

            "You must have already had the News." Han Touzhou responded.

            "About the revision of the law concerning the code of succession, yes." She said.

            "Our enemies are more desperate, they were working while we were asleep." Han Touzhou remarked.

             "It's nothing much to worry about Your Excellency." Consort Han mentioned.

             "How can you say that when it's clear that they are keenly watching us, every step on our side is timely, it's fatal, besides it shall now be more difficult for the the boys to become effective pretenders for the Imperial Dragon throne even if they are styled as Imperial Princes." Han Touzhou muttered.

             "Then even if it requires all it takes is to make the East Palace empty." Consort Han remarked as she placed her right hand on the table in front of her and she tapped it, "all that matters for the time being is to make the boys part of the Dynasty so that they can become part of the line of succession, once we have achieved that who is to guarantee that we can not consequently supplant the Crown Prince?" She confidently mentioned as she smiled at herself ghastly.

             The Grand Empress Dowager, Consort Han and the ladies of the harem and the Inner Court gathered in the Grand Hall of the Cifu Palace, the two boys were brought in with their wet nurses and mother and they were presented to everyone.

             "Greetings Your Grand Highness." They offered their salutations while the two boys in the arms of their wet nurses were taken by the Imperial physicians.

             The Head Physician moving forward he offered his greetings while the Grand Empress Dowager nodded her head in approval.

             "Right behind me are the three tests that we are going to take to confirm the paternity of these boys and first, we shall take blood samples from each of the babies and a blood sample from the Emperor and have them put in a bowl of water, if the blood mixes then it shall indicate that they are His Majesty's biological children and if there is no affinity then it shall indicate that there is no relationship, secondly we shall carry out an allergy test, naturally His Majesty is allergic to chrysanthemum tea and when he takes it, his face swells and it turns pink so if the same applies for the boys then they can be considered his biological children, lastly, the boys shall be investigated for a prominent bump like bone behind their ears, His Majesty has a prominent bump like bone behind his ear and this characteristic has been inherited by most of his children from the Late Crown Prince Zhao Jun to the Imperial Princess Typing therefore if the infants have it or not then their paternity shall be proven." The Imperial Physician claimed.

           "Very well then." Grand Empress Dowager Xie remarked, "but before we proceed, all tests will be reliably considered and at least two must be concurring before we reach a verdict, however if there is still speculation that the Children are His Majesty's then further Investigations shall be carried out then." She informed them all.

            "Yes Your Grand Highness." The physicians replied in unison.

            "You may begin the tests." She ordered and the children were carried closer to two bowls by their wet nurses and their hands stretched out over them.

            Their index fingers were pierced that they cried mildly as the blood was dropped into the bowls first while the Emperor's blood was added next.

            The Physicians mildly stirred the blood samples in the water and waited for them to settle while everyone keenly watched as they waited for the result with Consort Han confident herself.

             The blood blended in the bowl and the Imperial Physicians carrying the samples and taking them over to the Grand Empress Dowager, she looked at them carefully before she nodded her head in approval.

             "The blood shows affinity." The Head Physician announced and the babies still being carried were taken over to the Chrysanthemum tea where a pair of court ladies dipping two spoonfuls they offered some to them.

               Waiting for about five minutes their faces started to react as they cried aloud and turning puffy and pink, the Head Physician announced that the test was a success.

              At last the babies being silenced, the Head Physician looked for the bump-like bone behind their ears and having felt it he carried them over to the Grand Empress Dowager who equally examined them and came to concur that they had it.

              The Grand Empress Dowager turning to Daiyu, she faced the Hall while a Scribe was present before them.

              "This day of the Kaixi Era, I the Great Empress Dowager as the Head of the harem and the Inner Court officiates a testament confirming the legitimacy of the two boys as children of His Majesty, the Emperor Zhao Kuo and with the power vested in me as the matriarch I pronounce the two Princes Zhao Qi, the Prince of Shun and Zhao Zhi, the Prince of Shen." She mentioned.

             The Edict carried over in front of her she sealed it with the Imperial Jade seal and one of the nurses bearing the Imperial Prince Zhao Zhi noticed that the baby started to convulse.

             "What's wrong with His Highness?" She asked as foam started coming out of his mouth and the Head Physician immediately rushing over to the young boy he held his hand and inspected his body.

             "It's poison." He reported.

             "What?" The Grand Empress Dowager muttered angrily as she smacked the arm of her seat.

             "Please forgive us Your Highness." The Head physician said as he fell onto his knees with the rest of his department while the Consorts and concubines started murmuring amongst themselves as the Imperial Prince Zhao Zhi eventually became pale and blood flowing from his nose and mouth, the Court Lady's hands shaking she could tell even by just watching.

             "His Highness is dead." She reported that everyone at that very moment surprised the mother of the two boys who was present in the room started feeling dizzy.

             "You?" Consort Han pointed at her and everyone turning their attention to the young woman, they noticed that she was heavily bleeding from her nose and ears that they screamed in fear.

              She coughed out blood as well before her eyes released more of it and gasping for air she fell onto the floor when everyone was watching that the Grand Empress Dowager stood up immediately.

              "What is happening?" She asked herself but without anyone delivering an answer to her one of the Imperial physicians rushed over to the young woman to examine her and as he got close enough judging from the black coloured blood around her he turned to the Grand Empress Dowager.

             "She has exhibited the same signs as the Imperial Prince, she was poisoned." He concurred that the old woman unable to believe what had happened she nearly collapsed back into her seat while the rest of the Concubines and Consorts were panicking along with the Palace staff including Consort Han.

             "Someone deliberately poisoned the Imperial Prince and his mother." Consort Han certainly spoke up as she stood up and faced the Grand Empress Dowager.

             "Someone wishes to bring disorder in the harem and the Inner Court Your Grand Highness, please, have this matter investigated thoroughly and seek justice for the Imperial Prince and His mother." She pleaded.

              "Summon the Ladies' Investigations Bureau of the Palace." The Grand Empress Dowager ordered, "none of the Concubines is to live their residence and they shall each be investigated along with their whole staff before they leave these precincts, I don't care if they have to turn everything upside down but the culprit must be delivered to me personally." She insisted.

              Shi Miyuan in his office Dong Hua made a rather rough entry which startled him only to notice him standing in front of him.

             "What's wrong with you, you can't just barge in here." He reprimanded.

             "Forgive me Your Excellency but a very big problem has befallen us at the Imperial Palace." Dong Hua claimed sweating profusely that it was clear it was something serious that worried him.

             "Does it involve the Crown Prince?" Shi Miyuan desperately inquired.

             "No." Dong Hua responded, "the three degrees Paternity tests." He reported hesitantly.

             "What happened?" Shi Miyuan asked.

             "One of the Imperial Princes perished before the ceremony was concluded with his mother, it turns out that the two were poisoned." Dong Hua responded and Shi Miyuan curious he took a deep breath.

             "No." He rebuked.

             "What is it Your Excellency?" Dong Hua asked.

             "An Imperial Prince and his mother was murdered in front of the world I would like to believe that Consort Han along with Han Touzhou are responsible but that poses the biggest question which worries us all." Shi Miyuan responded.

             "Could it be......?" Dong Hua hesitated.

             "Who did they intend would take the fall?" Shi Miyuan responded.

             "It could be any one of us." Dong Hua replied.

             "Particularly someone vital in the Palace." Shi Miyuan concluded as he seemed to be narrowing down his scope.

             Consort Han arriving in her Chambers, she sat down behind her table and taking a deep breath she sighed with relief.

            "I don't understand Your Grace, you needed the mother and the Imperial Princes, why did you have to get rid of her and one of them?" Court Lady Liu inquired.

             "Why do you think Liu'er?" Consort Han posed her another question.

             "I am not as perceptive as Your Grace, you getting rid of them means one of two things, either they hampered you or initially it was the purpose that you had prepared for them to serve." Court Lady Liu responded. 

             "You aren't too foolish at least, I'll save you the worry, it shall be hard for the Princes or one of them to supplant the Crown Prince if their brother and mother were alive, besides if she had given birth to one child then I would have killed her and saved it from near death." Consort Han remarked.

            "It wouldn't have changed the fact that someone attempted to harm the Emperor's son." Court Lady Liu supplemented.

            "All in all very many people are interestingly vying for power and Supremacy, there are institutions that were automatically threatened by the presence of the Imperial Princes, on the other hand their low born mother was a hamper to our ambitions, however when word escapes the Palace walls, the Grand Empress Dowager who was supposed to manage the harem and the Inner Court has proven incompetent in fulfilling her duties." Consort Han said as she smirked at herself ghastly.

            "It will hit Her Grand Highness and the Empress' supporters hard." Court Lady Liu realized.

            "Everything is falling into a wholesome state." Consort Han confidently remarked.

             The Lady Investigators looking through the Imperial residences and the quarters of the ladies in waiting and other Palace staff, they entered a couple of rooms that were on a detached block.

             Going through the ladies' belongings, one of the young lady investigators stretching her hand under a bed she felt a small wooden depression.

             "There's something here." She informed her colleagues who got closer and pushing aside the bed she studied the floor until she saw a small piece of paper that was protruding through its hole from beneath.

             She and her friends lifted the wooden floor tile that was covering the space and stretching their hand inside they found a smaller trunk.

             Carrying it outside they looked at it and studied the padlock before they carried it to the Grand Empress Dowager's presence.

             "What is this?" She inquired and Madam Mo stepped forward and bowed her head.

             "Reporting to Your Highness, we unravelled this in one of the quarters belonging to a Junior Court Lady." She responded, "seeing that it was well hidden from sight and we didn't want to tamper with the lock ourselves in fear of false allegations against concerning its contents therefore we present it before Your Grand Highness." The ladies said.

             "This concerns the safety of everyone in the Palace and the reputation of the harem and the Inner Court, the general public may claim me to be partial but I wish for no such ideal tainting the hearts of the people against my name." Grand Empress Dowager Xie remarked.

             "What are we going to do Your Grand Highness?" Madam Mo inquired.

             "Summon all the ladies of the harem and the Inner Court, we shall unravel the contents of this chest in the Grand Square." Grand Empress Dowager Xie responded.

             "Yes Your Grand Highness." Madam Mo and the rest of the Lady Investigators agreed.

             Consort Han in her Chambers Court Lady Liu barged in excited as she bowed her head to her.

             "Your Grace, a trunk was discovered in one of the rooms of a Junior Court Lady, Her Grand Highness has ordered all the ladies of the harem and the Inner Court to convene in the Grand Square." She reported.

             "Is that so?" Consort Han asked.

             "Yes Your Grace." Court Lady Liu clarified.

             "Things have gotten more interesting." She said as she stood up from where she was seated.

             "I suppose we shouldn't keep everyone waiting." Consort Han muttered as she walked out of the room while Court Lady Liu joined her.

              All the ladies of the Palace gathered in the Grand Square, the Grand Empress Dowager's presence was announced by Eunuch Deng and the latter accompanied by Daiyu and her retinue she appeared while everyone bowed their heads.

            "Greetings Your Grand Highness." They said in unison while she mounted the stairs that led to her throne and she sat down on it.

            "Bring in the trunk." She ordered and the lady Investigators led by Madam Mo bore it in their hands and presented it before everyone.

            "Break the lock." The Grand Empress Dowager ordered and one of the Eunuchs moving forward he shattered the small padlock and slowly, he opened the box to reveal a small piece of paper inside with a very small bottle.

            Madam Mo bearing the sheet in her hands she read through its contents and seemed startled by what was written.

           "What's the matter Madam Mo?" Daiyu inquired.

           "Forgive me Your Grand Highness." She responded as she offered it to Daiyu who approached the Grand Empress Dowager and handed over the small parchment.

             There was a small pair of drawings with the words kill at all costs.

             "This, who is the owner of this?" The Grand Empress Dowager inquired.

             "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.