EMPRESSES IN WAITING

          "Push Ma'am." Xiaoyang and the midwives that were tending to Yang Guifei said to her while she tightly bit the cloth that had been put in her mouth.

             They had already suspended the thick cotton fabric from the ceiling and She had been holding onto it for the last couple of minutes while they were wiping off the sweat around her face, her labour pains had struck and reached their maximum while outside, a couple of Imperial physicians and midwives were loitering and moving back and forth while boiling some medicine and concoctions for her.

             The Head midwife in her inner abode making her deliver at that time while the latter still feeling uneasy had been ailing for hours, her muscles contracting to expel the baby from the body while she was in intense pain she'd tightly held onto the silk sheets yet again biting her teeth together harder and harder.

            "It is time " One of the midwives said as she turned to Xiaoyang and Manyin.

            "Ma'am, I am going to ask you to take a deep breath and then push." She said to her.

             "Push." Manyin said and Yang Guifei complied investing every single bit of her entire might that was left while in Silence Beiyuan who was waiting outside and Cao Zhaoyi seated in her Chambers.

             The gates of Yuxiangling Palace were flung open and Emperor Ningzong with his Retinue rushed in almost immediately to be intercepted by Beiyuan and the rest of the team.

            "Your Majesty." He Greeted bowing his head.

            "How is she?" He asked.

            "Her Grace has been in pain for hours Your Majesty, there isn't any news so far." Beiyuan mentioned as the young man got close enough to the door and raising his hand he touched it lightly while everyone watched.

            "You are doing it Ma'am, please keep going." Xiaoyang remarked as the other midwives wiped away her sweat and others stabilised the cotton fabric in her mouth.

            She ceased the sheets with all her might and then she pushed again that the Emperor Ningzong waiting outside he heard Yang Guifei's screams escaping the room for a moment he froze with fright and Eunuch Deng seemed to notice almost immediately that his expression had instantly turned lifeless and cold.

             "Your Majesty?" He called to him.

             "What?" He asked.

             "Are you feeling well?" He inquired.

             "Surely." He responded.    

             "Don't give up Ma'am, push , I can feel the shoulders." The Head Midwife said and Yang Guifei nodding in approval she persisted.

              Han Touzhou in the comfort of his study the doors were slid open and Lin Xue walked in and bowed his head to him.

              "Your Excellency." He said in a rather sombre note.

             "No news is good news?" He inquired.

             "It's been an hour, Yang Guifei has already gone into labour." He responded.

             "Such is tragic, I wish for that child to be stillborn more than anything." He mentioned.

             Lin Xue kept quiet.

             "What's with the silence?" Han Touzhou asked.

             "Suppose it wasn't, what if she gave birth to a Prince?" Lin Xue asked.

              "Convene the others." Han Touzhou mentioned.

              "Which ones?" He asked.

              "The last of us." Han Touzhou mentioned.

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

             Yang Guifei pushed with all her might and screaming her loudest but trying to contain it, her teeth gritting against each other at last the baby was expelled from her womb.

           Everyone outside her chambers anxiously waiting and as the latter relaxed, the baby's cries escaped the walls that its advent was remarkably announced throughout the Palace it was as though Cao Zhaoyi could already hear it screaming all the way from where she was seated.

             "Ma'am?" Manyin called her as the Head Midwife lifted the child from between her legs to her eyes the latter looking at the baby she smiled at it heartily.

             "Congratulations Ma'am, another Prince." She said joyously as she carried the little one over to the side of His mother who took it into her tender and compassionate hands and held it up tightly.

             "My child." She said with tears in her eyes, "my beautiful little one." She whispered at it having gone silent for a moment.

             The Emperor Ningzong outside for a moment uneasy, the room having been cleaned the doors were opened and Manyin appeared before him.

             "Your Majesty." She said.

             "How is she?" He asked immediately.

             "Heaven has been merciful, congratulations Sire." She responded while Beiyuan and Eunuch Deng glanced at each other for a moment.

             "Her Grace has given birth to another young and healthy Prince." She mentioned and bowing her head she moved aside and let the latter walk through the doors while one of the nearby Ladies in waiting hearing this, she slowly slipped through the gates and rushed into the direction of Cao Zhaoyi's residence.

              The latter unsettled in her abode its doors being flung open Linxiang walked in.

               "Ma'am?" She said as she bowed her head to her.

               "Tell me what happened?" Cao Zhaoyi asked.

               "It's very bad news Ma'am, Yang Guifei........" She hesitated.

               "What about her?" She asked.

               "She's given birth." Linxiang replied, "she's delivered a Prince." She added.

               "What?" Cao Zhaoyi asked.

               "Forgive me Ma'am." Linxiang said but the latter furious she smacked her table.

               "She'll only become more powerful, we can not risk that." Cao Zhaoyi mentioned.

               "What are we goiny to do Ma'am?" Linxiang asked.

               "Prepare to leave the Palace." Cao Zhaoyi responded.

               "Yes Ma'am." Linxiang replied as she immediately withdrew from the room leaving the latter quietly infuriated.

               Yang Guifei lying in bed, she watched as her husband whispered to the little boy calmly.

              "Your name is Zhao Jiong." He said as he turned to his wife and smiled at him.

              "Thank you Your Majesty, he will be great." She mentioned.

              "I should be the one to thank you." Emperor Ningzong mentioned, "as always even in my darkest days, it is you that feels me with hope." He muttered.

              "I am glad to hear so Sire." She mentioned while he studied the little one again.

              "He has your eyes." He said to her.

              "And your heart." She added.  

              "Surely." The Emperor agreed while Yang Guifei contented she smiled at him sincerely a number of thoughts going through her head.

              Han Touzhou making his entrance into the room where his followers were they each bowed their heads to him while he took the seat that was right in front of him.

             "Your Excellency?" They said in unison as they bowed their heads to him.

             "You could perhaps be in the know of the issue for which we have converged, the matter that needs to be addressed." He mentioned.

             "Yang Guifei might have Sired a child for His Majesty......" One was saying.

             "An Imperial Prince at that." Han Touzhou clarified.

             "Nonetheless the Crown Prince is dead and our Great Nation is in mourning, even if his desire to designate Yang Guifei as the Empress is validated, we have every excuse to vote against that." Minister Xie asserted.

             "You shall do no such thing." Han Touzhou suddenly mentioned and happened to surprise them all.

             "What?" Lin Xue asked himself very much shocked by His master's reaction as well. 

             "We are all so cowardly it may seem, we keep running from a mere woman how can we even call ourselves men?" Han Touzhou asked.

             "Your Excellency......" Lin Xue still speaking he was silenced.

             "Yang Guifei has become more powerful every day and even in the Imperial Court our influence has greatly diminished, in the harem she's certainly without limits His Majesty has her will as his own to rid ourselves of that might be close to impossible." Han Touzhou mentioned, "the Question of an Empress isn't merely the stability of the nation but also the stability of the Inner Court and it's useless to delay if anymore I therefore thought it wise that we end that we sever this problem from the root." He asserted vigorously.

             "What do you suggest we do Your Excellency?" Minister Xie asked.

             "If we don't petition for the Creation of an Empress our enemies will, our delay is only making them arm themselves much quicker than we are we own not the Imperial State Tribunal, we own not the Grand Secretariat, own not the Chancellory or the harem a little longer will be too late." Han Touzhou mentioned.  

            "What does Your Excellency have in mind?" Lin Xue asked.  

            "There's too little we own in this country, if we can't stop Yang Guifei from competing for the Empress' title then we might as well give it to someone who will be more useful to us." Han Touzhou replied.

              Cao Zhaoyi's sedan arriving outside the Cao Manor it was lowered and while the lid covering it was lifted Linxiang offered her her hand which she took without any hesitation and set foot outside, she mounted the small stairs that led to the entrance of the room where she was received through the Courtyard.

               Minister Cao in his study the doors being slid open she walked in on him while himself startled he stood up.

              "Ma'am, what are you doing here at this hour?" He asked.

              "Is it not right that I visit you my dear father?" She responded with a smile on her face and the latter only intimidated he sat down while she did the same in the seat that was right in front of him.

             She took the small kettle that was in front of her and poured herself a cup of tea while the other watched her intensely.

             "Time isn't on our side." He mentioned.

             "I understand that much better than anyone else father, you'll forgive me but I must act hasty as of now." Cao Zhaoyi responded.

             "I don't get you." The old man said.

             "Lady Cao has been unheard of in the circles of the Outer Court, rumour suggests that you killed her and others say you divorced and sent her to her parent's house." Cao Zhaoyi mentioned.

            "Our enemies hope for our destruction, these rumours must also be their handiwork." Minister Cao remarked.

             "It isn't my position to care what there handiwork is and isn't, what's worse is that our blood alliance has been a long one yet you have seemed to refrain yourself in your response, I am worried as you see me here, but not for my enemies, only my allies as of now." Cao Zhaoyi said as she took up her cup and had a sip.

              "Then what is it that you want from me?" Minister Cao asked, "I have given you my name, I am with you, what more can a powerless official like me grant an Imperial Consort like yourself?" He inquired.

             "Your blood, your lineage, I want your legitimacy." She responded while he went silent.

             "Ma'am......?" He hesitated while she silenced him.

             "Lady Cao lost her mind father, you can't hide it from me, I have patiently waited for you to open up to me but it seems that I have never been so close to you." She said to him.

             He cleared his throat.

             "My patience was enough for Yang Guifei to get a child, enough for her to amass more and more power while my position is a constant, it's been already two years since the Empress Gongshu passed, the mourning period for the Guangzong Emperor is yet to be concluded, sooner or later the harem and the Inner Court without a Crown Princess will need an Empress, it has to be me." Cao Zhaoyi assured him.

             "Ma'am, you're ambitions are above me." Minister Cao asserted and the latter furious she smacked the table in front of her.

             "Above you?" She asked.

             "Yes." He responded firmly.

             "I know where Lady Cao is and of course if you doubt it your men will inform you shortly anytime from now, seeing that she's no longer sane who knows what would happen, she might fall off a cliff or drown in a well, she might walk into fire or slip and break her neck at worst even drink poison......." She was speaking when the doors of the room being flung open one of his retainers rushed in.

             "Your Excellency........." He was crying, "Milady....." He nearly confessed but halted when he saw the fierce looking woman in the room.

             "What is this?" He asked her.

             "If you want your insane wife alive Your Excellency then you must hear out what I have to say." She muttered to him as she smiled at herself ghastly.

              "What do you want, I can make you a legitimate issue of mine..........." he fidgeted with words to say.

              "You shall marry my mother Lady Yin tomorrow at dawn and she'll become your most legal wife." Cao Zhaoyi responded to him and the latter shattered she stood up and bowed her head to him.

              "Milord?" His retainer called.

              "I want to receive the news tomorrow at dawn, I want the whole world to know, then and only then Your Excellency can I be true to my word and show you my kindest resolve." She said to him before turning around and departing from the room.

              The supporters of Yang Guifei gathered at the Lanling Court she walked through the doors which compelled them to stand up and bow their heads to her as a sign of their recognition of her presence.  

               "At ease." She said as she lowered herself in her usual seat and they did the same on either side of the long table.

               "We were told that it was urgent Ma'am, as soon as we heard that Your Grace had delivered we mobilised ourselves." Yang Cishan muttered.

               " Congratulations Ma'am." The others said to him.

              "You're welcome." She replied in a serious tone. 

              "Is there anything wrong Ma'am?" Master Bao inquired.

              "A Prince has been born, light will return to this darkened Palace, the Empress seat has been vacant and I have managed the harem singlehandedly for two years, the people love and cherish me that is undoubted, as an acting Empress is there anyone that can beat my claim to the phoenix throne?" She asked.

             "Ma'am, you said before that we were not ready." Jinglan said.

             "We are strong as it is, we can contend with Han Touzhou's might, I must marry the throne." She assured them.

              "Are you sure Ma'am, the Crown Prince died just months ago, Han Touzhou and the others have this excuse." The Grand Chancellor Zhao Zizhi muttered.

              "Heaven has granted me this opportunity and I have staked my life for the last ten years fighting everyone to reach where I am, I shall soon turn forty years, I am not growing any younger, my restraint is a chance for our enemies that we have already weakened to nourish themselves, rejuvenate their gusto and arm themselves more swiftly than we." Yang Guifei remarked while everyone kept quiet while she sighed and seemed to calm herself down.

              "Tomorrow will be the daily Assembly, people will petition to His Majesty as usual, the Inner Court has been vacant for a while, I move you that is if you are loyal, you will heed my command and you shall ask His Majesty to decide on a new choice of an Empress." She ordered.

             "But Ma'am, there's the people." Master Bao mentioned.

             "If even the slightest chance of their opposition surfaces, you can leave everything to me." Yang Guifei said as she smiled at herself ghastly while the rest of the men looked at each other.

             The sun rising over the country, Yang Guifei holding her son in her arms while she was seated in the Grand Hall of Yuxiangling Palace the ladies of the harem offered her their respects while she smiled at them.

             "Thank you." She said as she took their gifts while they withdrew from the room leaving her alone with Cao Zhaoyi who was quietly seated and sipping at her cup of tea.

             "Zhaoyi, don't you have anything to say to me?" She inquired.

              "Congratulations Ma'am." She replied.

             "It doesn't sound as sincere as I expected it to be." Yang Guifei mentioned.

             "If I disappointed you Ma'am, I'm sorry." She said raising her eyes and looking at her that the latter staring at Manyin and Xiaoyang, they withdrew from the room and left the two of them alone.

             "We haven't talked much since the passing of the Crown Prince." Yang Guifei mentioned.

             "Did you just notice that Ma'am?" Cao Zhaoyi inquired.

             "You know the answer." She replied.

             "Perhaps I do." Cao Zhaoyi said as she sipped her tea.

             "Zhaoyi?" Yang Guifei called to her.

             "Yes?" She responded.

             "What do you think defines and makes a man?" She asked.

             "Isn't the fact that they are men sufficient?" Cao Zhaoyi inquired.

             "However scaled a serpent may be it shall never be a dragon, similarly a chicken though feathered can never become a phoenix." Yang Guifei responded.

            "Hence Your Grace would understand?" Cao Zhaoyi asked.

             "Wouldn't I?" She responded.

             "Let's suppose you did so Ma'am." Cao Zhaoyi mentioned.

             "Your daughters have no right to become heiresses, it's natural that the will of men in this world must be Sovereign, it doesn't matter what it is that you can or can not do, do nothing, be silent as the law demands, be calm and be free, not even a single whisper, bend or break it must surely be without a whimper." Yang Guifei said, "that is the nature that you must embrace, that's the perfect order that nature suggests, your gender, your position, your everything." She remarked.

              "And why are you telling me this Ma'am?" Cao Zhaoyi asked.

              "Someone as undeniably dense as you are wouldn't possibly understand, but if I must articulate to you every one of my thoughts I am surely unlike any woman, I came back to this Palace and staked my whole life to become Empress butchering all those people just as you butchered the Princes may Heaven guard my vow one day I might become something much more than that." She responded.

               "And what could you be Ma'am, remind me how your actions and words are so different from mine?" She asked.

              The latter kept quiet while she picked a small stick and dipped it into the heart of the flame before she pulled it out and watched it burn.

              "Your wish to pacify me, you're welcome, you with child might be confident His Majesty's affections shall surmount you on the phoenix throne but one can't be too certain about the future as it has always been ambiguous." She mentioned.

              "Suppose it is?" Yang Guifei asked.

              "It wouldn't have been the late Princes as well." Cao Zhaoyi mentioned.

              "Perhaps but I must be grateful that you did what I couldn't do and your caution has saved me and my children by Imperial prerogative I wish to enlighten you on who is next in line to the Emperor's throne." Yang Guifei said with a smile on her face while she stood up before Cao Zhaoyi who was rather surprised.

              "I am going to rise to that Phoenix throne Ma'am, you just wait, and besides, the one person that shall deliver it to my hands shall be none other than yourself." Yang Guifei said as she turned around and walked out of the room to her Private Chambers while Manyin and Xiaoyang walked into Cao Zhaoyi's presence afterwards.

             Emperor Ningzong in the Grand Imperial Hall the Courtiers stationed ahead of him they bowed their heads and himself raising his hand at them they looked up to him.

             "You all must have heard the news, Yang Guifei delivered an Imperial Prince yesterday and thanks to her, the Imperial family is growing.

             "Congratulations Your Majesty." Everyone said in unison while the Grand Chancellor Zhao Zizhi was looking for a way of beginning the awkward conversation.

             "In deed, heaven has been kind and God has been faithful." Emperor Ningzong remarked.

             "If I may suggest something Your Majesty." Han Touzhou said as he stepped out in front of the crowd.

              "What is it Your Excellency?" Emperor Ningzong inquired.    

              "It's been two years since the passing of the Late Empress Gongshu, Your Majesty is still quite young and able as it is and without a Crown Princess in the Palace the Inner Court is weak if I must say." He responded that the Emperor Ningzong somewhat curious leaned his hand on the right arm of his throne.

              "Your Excellency seems to have something in mind." He said, "I am listening." He assured him as he studied the deceptive old man who bowed his head.

             "For continuity in the Inner Court, internal safety and stability within the palace, we were moved Your Majesty and personally, if the rest of the Court agrees with me, the nation needs a mother." He said.

              "Yes Your Majesty." The rest of his supporters said in unison.

              "I wish that you would articulate your thoughts to me a bit more vividly, there shouldn't be a misunderstanding about us." The Emperor Ningzong said a bit surprised.

              "Please Your Majesty, appoint an Empress for this our Country." Han Touzhou mentioned and the Emperor Ningzong along with all the other supporters of Yang Guifei's clique were rather surprised by his reaction that they broke into violent murmurs of their own.

            "What?" Beiyuan muttered, "Han Touzhou, he did what?" He asked so surprised.

           "You heard me well enough." Eunuch Deng mentioned, "who would have thought that he would petition to His Majesty about the appointment of an Empress?" He added.

           "It sounds a bit strange." Beiyuan mentioned.

           "Surely." Eunuch Deng replied.

           "Is Her Grace aware?" Beiyuan inquired.

           "I trust that at this point she should be so." He responded while Beiyuan was just as confused.

           "Ma'am?" Manyin said to Yang Guifei who was putting her baby to sleep.

           "Must you really panic?" She asked.

           "Han Touzhou appealed to His Majesty that he has someone designated as an Empress and trusting my instincts and given what we know, you don't think that he would possibly be more than willing to give you wings to fly much higher." Xiaoyang responded.

            "He's simply tired of running." Yang Guifei remarked as she lowered her child in it's crib and standing up, she walked from it's bed side and started lurking around the room.

            "Enlighten me Ma'am." Manyin mentioned.

            "You are right, by appealing to His Majesty to have someone designated as an Empress, Han Touzhou couldn't have possibly meant me." She responded, "it doesn't matter what he is up to in fact but what matters is that only one Empress can ascend to the phoenix throne and that Empress shall certainly be me." She assured them.

             "How are you going to do that Ma'am?" Xiaoyang inquired and the latter putting her arm into her sleeve, she pulled out an envelope which she handed over to her.

             "Deliver this to the Goldsmith of the Aizhou workshop, he'll understand better than anyone else to prepare the gift we have been keeping for so long." She replied.

             "Yes Ma'am." Xiaoyang replied as she withdrew from the room.

            "Keep a cool head Ma'am, His Excellency already married your mother formerly in the course of the night and there were witnesses to their matrimony." Linxiang said to her mistress Cao Zhaoyi walking into her Chambers furiously hoping to please her.

              Having made an entrance, she found Han Touzhou seated right in front of her seat while the latter sensing her presence he spoke up to her.

             "It took you so long Ma'am." He said.

             "Leave us." She said to Manyin and granting them a private space, she moved about and sat down in front of him.

             "Yuxiangling Palace is beaming with so much joy and liveliness especially with the birth of the Imperial Prince, we are the Inner Court, we have to offer our congratulations when the world is seeing." She responded.

              "It is high time that you stopped bowing your head to Yang Guifei." He mentioned.

              "When is it that I have ever succumbed to her?" She inquired.

             "You know as well as I know that we altogether have something to fear and you should have realised it last night that with the birth of the Imperial Prince we won't stop Yang Guifei from being elevated to the position of an Empress even if we staked our lives doing it." Han Touzhou mentioned.

             "You finally opened your eyes?" Cao Zhaoyi asked.

             "Perhaps." He replied.

             "She'll push to be an Empress, your other supporters might as well use the mourning for the Crown Prince's untimely passing as an excuse but I don't intend to play the same note with you." Cao Zhaoyi mentioned.

             "And what is your resolution?" Han Touzhou inquired.

             "I believe that the Inner Court has gone for so long without an Empress, this nation here needs a mother, I am not the only one that realises this necessity, our enemies regard this issue just as much, an Imperial Consort for the reputation of the Imperial house is insufficient." Cao Zhaoyi responded.

            "Hope you understand the consequences of your decisions?" Han Touzhou muttered.

            "I will contend with Yang Guifei for the Empress' title with or without you, it's just that I realised that since yesterday I could never beat her because as I was fighting to only curtail her power, she was fighting for her life." Cao Zhaoyi responded.

            "Then allow me Ma'am." Han Touzhou mentioned, "I trust you'll need my help." He said.

            "How so?" She asked.

            "You must have not heard, I petitioned to His Majesty that a new Empress be created, he was surprised by my resolve much as he tried hard not to show it." He responded.

            "And what are your plans for Yang Guifei, surely, she'd be excited that you have made things at the very least easy on her part." She mentioned to him.

             "The choice of an Empress is a matter of national concern, we can not bring in another stranger into the Palace and have her marry our Emperor because it's better to have a single foe in the very least, you Ma'am, have nothing to stop you from favourably contending with Yang Guifei for that privilege, me and the rest of our supporters, shall push that you too be considered." Han Touzhou mentioned that the latter surprised to hear this widened her eyes while he smiled at her ghastly.

              Yang Guifei returning to her Chambers she found another of her Ladies in waiting standing beside her seat and mounting the small set of stairs that led to it, she sat down and faced her.

             "Ma'am?" The young girl shyly said.

             "What is it?" She asked.

             "Cao Zhaoyi." She replied as the latter took a cup of tea from the table and brought it closer to her mouth to take a sip.

             "Speak up." Manyin said to her.

             "Madam Yin got married to Minister Cao yesterday in the dead of night, it was after he received a visit from Her Grace." The young girl mentioned and Yang Guifei instantly raising her eyes fiercely she bowed her head.

             "Marriage you say?" She asked.

             "Yes Ma'am." The young girl replied and smiling at herself, the latter lowered the cup in her hands.

            "Leave us." Yang Guifei ordered and the young lady withdrawing from their presence Manyin and Xiaoyang got closer.

            "Ma'am...." They were saying in unison when she interrupted.

            "It is strange." She remarked, "our enemies are acting up much faster than we expected." She added.

            "It's clear that as the child of a Principal Wife, Cao Zhaoyi hopes to legitimize her claim on the Phoenix throne." Xiaoyang asserted.

            "And me a Concubine's daughter will not be an Empress?" She asked.

            "Your Grace's service is meritorious and certainly above par when drawn into comparison with her, you have the hearts of the people and the harem in your hands for her, it was merely a move to set her on equal footing with yourself." Manyin remarked.

             "Tomorrow His Majesty shall have to seek out the General opinion of the Imperial Court on the candidacy for the position of Empress, Representatives shall be chosen to discuss the question of the Empress in private with him." Yang Guifei said.

              "Surely Ma'am, now it's confirmed that Cao Zhaoyi will be brought up." Xiaoyang said.

              "Then so be it." Yang Guifei said as she smiled at herself ghastly.

                The Courtiers gathered in the Emperor's study, he walked in on the six of them and they bowed their heads before him.

             Han Touzhou, Minister Xie, the Grand Chancellor Zhao Zizhi, Shi Miyuan and two other Imperial Censors before him he sat in their midst as they did the very same.

             "Greetings." He said to them

             "Thank you Your Majesty." They replied as they held their ceremonial tablets in their right hands and rested their left ones on them.

             "I thought about it." Emperor Ningzong mentioned, "I was just as moved by your understanding." He added.

             "It is our duty Your Majesty." They replied in unison.

             "The inner Court is the heart of the nation itself being the heart of Your Majesty's harem and the Imperial Palace, if the Imperial household is without a leader then we are sinners for having deprived our great Nation of it's mother." Han Touzhou asserted.

             "Surely." Emperor Ningzong agreed as though hesitantly.

             "And we are gathered here Your Majesty to voice out our opinions." Grand Chancellor Zhao Zizhi reminded the young man.

             "I heard." Emperor Ningzong said.

             "The choice of an Empress is heaven's blessing Your Majesty, and because it is only right that you our Sire choose a woman that you love, we can not forego the fact that she must be qualified." Han Touzhou mentioned.

             "Undoubtedly." Emperor Ningzong muttered with excitement.

             "It may seem quite obvious Your Majesty, who is there in the Imperial harem that can compare to Imperial Consort Yang?" Zhao Zizhi asked.

             "I suggest that we don't narrow our sights a bit too early." Han Touzhou suggested.

             "How so?" Shi Miyuan inquired.

             "Yang Guifei is much the best choice but for her best interests and the interests of the Imperial Court, ours is to be fair in our judgement which is why I push that another candidate be nominated to compete with her." Han Touzhou mentioned.

             "Surely Your Majesty." One of the Imperial Censors echoed him out.

             "Suppose it is so, are we to ignore everything that Yang Guifei has done for the Imperial family, she's Sired His Majesty two Princes and adopted a third to protect the succession, her rulership has made the harem peaceful over the past couple of years, it is worth noting that she's navigated the cruel machinations of the Crown Princess in the past, she's popular among the people and even idolized among them that a more personal but reasonable perspective of things with such evidences has compelled me to vouch for her." The Grand Chancellor said.

              "What more do we need?" Shi Miyuan asked, "she's proven herself worthy after all even without a crown and similarly, it's worth mentioning that herself descended from a family of warrior Generals like the Empresses past there would hardly be any resistance and the masses might think her counsel to Your Majesty as his Principal Wife relevant." He added.

             "I could certainly agree with you." Emperor Ningzong mentioned.

             "Our claim isn't that Yang Guifei is not qualified Your Majesty, we intend to minimize the possibility of poisonous rumours all of which could assert Your Majesty to be very partial and equally call us immoral advisors for not offering you our best counsel." Han Touzhou said as he bowed his head and for a moment, the Emperor leaning his hand on the arm of his seat he fell silent.

            "It's considerable." He muttered.

            "But Sire......." Shi Miyuan halfway he was silenced.

            "There's too many women in my harem, a majority have received my grace at least once, Yang Guifei is the most Senior, and if we must give her competition as you claim it must be at least reasonable." Emperor Ningzong said.

            "If I may Your Majesty." Han Touzhou said as he turned to Minister Xie who bowed his head.

            "Who have you in mind?" Emperor Ningzong asked the old man.

             "Reliably, talebearing has it that Yang Guifei and Cao Zhaoyi are close friends, because of this, a clear follow up has led us to agree that Cao Zhaoyi falls no short of those qualifications to contest for the position of Empress." He replied.

            "Cao Zhaoyi?" Emperor Ningzong asked.

            "Her father turned her mother into his Principal Wife just yesterday morning, the harem and the Inner Court knows her to keep a cool head about everything, she is virtuous and kind in all her conduct, youthful and beautiful without a doubt, a blessed servant of God that doesn't meddle in the affairs of state, involve herself in useless disputes within the harem, dignified and graceful, but above all, she understands the value of respect for her seniors and the customs and she bore Your Majesty the Eldest Princess." Minister Xie praised her.

           "She is in deed such a person." The Emperor agreed.

           Zhao Zizhi and Shi Miyuan looked at each other while the Emperor smiled at himself.

            "What do you think Your Majesty?" Han Touzhou asked.

            "Your perception is logical, we need the choice of the Empress to pass without question, the reputation of the Monarchy and the Imperial family must be maintained, I don't see any reason that should prohibit Cao Zhaoyi and Yang Guifei from contesting for the Empress' throne." Emperor Ningzong replied.

             "Thank You Your Majesty, Your Majesty is Sage." The other four said in unison and Shi Miyuan along with Grand Chancellor Zhao Zizhi ceasing protest they did the same.

           Yang Guifei seated in her Chambers, there was a knock on her door and almost immediately she turned her attention to it.

            "Come in." She demanded and at once being flung open, Manyin rushed into her presence.

            "Ma'am?" She said.

            "How's it going?" She inquired.

            "We have received word, Han Touzhou and the rest of His supporters pushed for Cao Zhaoyi to contest with Your Grace for the position of Empress." She responded.

             "Just as I had expected." Yang Guifei muttered.

             "Cao Zhaoyi's moves are already clear Ma'am." She remarked.

             "Not quite so." Yang Guifei informed her.

             "What is it that you don't see Ma'am?" Manyin asked.

             "We all have a common goal, our cause is merely the same much as our objectives could likely vary, we can not let our past triumph push us to underestimate our enemy." Yang Guifei replied.

             "So what are we going to do now Ma'am?" Manyin asked.

              "I'll need to have a word with His Majesty tonight." Yang Guifei replied.    

              "His Majesty?" She inquired.

              "We could as well start by offering them a fair hand of what they want." She muttered as she smiled at herself ghastly.

              The sun setting, Emperor Ningzong walking through the Palace gardens he seemed lost in his thoughts concerning the words that they had mentioned to him.

             He halted at the top of the bridge that overlooked the Pond and raising his head he looked up at the stars in the sky.

            Yang Guifei walking about as well she caught sight of him and smirking at herself she confidently made her way towards him while trying to keep a very graceful composure.

            "Your Majesty." She said bowing her head to him while himself just realising her presence he turned around and nodded his head in approval.

             She got much closer to him and stood by his side while the latter half marvelled could hardly say a word.

            "There's something that you wish to say to me, isn't it?" He muttered.

             "Your Majesty seems lost, I can't help but wonder why." She responded.

             "You must have heard that the Courtiers appealed to me to designate an Empress as soon as possible for the welfare of the Inner Court." Emperor Ningzong said.

             "In deed the harem is without a head, but this Imperial Noble Consort can as well manage, it should be the very least of Your Majesty's worries, but it isn't that I desire to take the place of The Late Empress." She responded.

             "But there isn't another that I find to be more capable, those that support me believe it too, you are graceful, you are beloved, you are humble and enduring, you are the one that I want beside me all the days of my life." Emperor Ningzong said.

             "But you have me as a Noble Consort, Your Noble Consort Your Majesty." Yang Guifei mentioned to him.

            "But it isn't enough Mei'er." The Emperor said and instantly turning to face her, he ceased her hand while she shyly looked down with him staring at her so heartily, "what those Courtiers want is an Empress that they can manipulate and an Empress that can do their bidding, what Han Touzhou wants is an Empress that he can move according to his will." Emperor Ningzong insisted.

            "So it was true about Cao Zhaoyi?" She inquired.  

             "Yes." Emperor Ningzong replied.

             "But she is graceful, there's nothing that I have that she doesn't, if one of us is to become the Empress of this nation and it's dearest mother, I can equally be at peace because I trust her talents, she's very much like me." Yang Guifei asserted.

            "Suppose she was, you are all that these eyes of mine can see, If I grant her that title willingly or unwillingly, I shall have cast her into a bottomless pit." The young man remarked but Yang Guifei the perfect liar she was wore a convincing expression of discontentment which the latter perceived as a request for further elaboration.

             "Cao Zhaoyi is soft spoken and reserved that she'd surely be the best person for them to turn to, perhaps they even hope to turn the both of you against each other.

              "Suppose it was, what do they know about us both?" Yang Guifei asked while the Emperor falling silent she smiled at him heartily.

              "Schemers is what those Courtiers are best at being, but who cares about that whole lot of serpents and scorpions Your Majesty?" Yang Guifei asked.

              "How is it that you are calm?" He asked.

              "I understand the names, the titles Your Majesty, neither one of these is my duty." She replied.  

              "Then what is?" Emperor Ningzong asked while she looked at him in the eye.

              "Loving Your Majesty, protecting Your Majesty, fighting for you to every last breath if I must, live or die silently." Yang Guifei replied while he fell silent.

              "I told Your Majesty that I would use only righteous means to get where I want, if I must become an Empress, I shall do merely the same." She assured him while he lowered his head.

              "It won't be easy." He said.

              "I have an idea Your Majesty but I don't know if it is welcome." Yang Guifei remarked.

            "Ma'am?" Linxiang cried as she made her way inside Cao Zhaoyi's room while the latter initially lost in her own thoughts raised her head and looked at her.

            "What's with that excitement?" Cao Zhaoyi inquired. 

            "Yang Guifei had a word with His Majesty last night." Linxiang replied.

            "What did she say?" Cao Zhaoyi asked.

            "She suggested that His Majesty be allowed to have a dinner with each one of you and based on how pleased he might be with the situation, he shall consider who to name Empress." She responded.

             "Of all things, a dinner?" Cao Zhaoyi asked.

             "Yes." Linxiang replied.

             "That's strange!" Cao Zhaoyi exclaimed.

             "I was rather shocked Ma'am, she insisted that you be the first one to host His Majesty." Linxiang said.

             "Why would she make such a blunder?" She inquired.

             "She's human Ma'am, it's likely that she lost it for a moment." Linxiang responded.

              "You have followed me around but you seem to have learnt and forgotten nothing as of yet." Cao Zhaoyi mentioned while Linxiang embarrassed she kept quiet.

              "It's very hard for someone like Yang Guifei to dig her own grave, this has been the undeniable fact ever since she was a very young girl, but if there's one thing that she is very good at then it is taking a gamble and suppose she did, she wouldn't foolishly walk into the fire unprepared." Cao Zhaoyi remarked.

              "Pardon me Ma'am." Linxiang mentioned.

              "This move surely is good for us I admit but it becomes very useless if we can't be in the position to comprehend what our enemies are thinking." Cao Zhaoyi muttered.

             "In deed." Linxiang agreed.

             "Summon Han Touzhou and tell him that I want to have an urgent meeting with him tomorrow before the Daily Assembly." Cao Zhaoyi said.

             "Yes Ma'am." Linxiang replied as she immediately withdrew from the room leaving her alone in the silence.

             "Tell me Yang Guifei," Cao Zhaoyi whispered to herself, what is it that nasty mind of yours is up to?" She asked herself in a lowly tone.

             "Yang Guifei really said that Your Majesty?" Eunuch Deng inquired from the Emperor who couldn't help but smile at himself.

           "I was just as surprised when she talked about a dinner." Emperor Ningzong replied, "it's a simple way in deed but what's most enchanting is that with all due respect she disregarded her seniority and granted Cao Zhaoyi the opportunity to host me first." He responded.

            "She truly is considerate Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng claimed, "Her Grace is truly sagacious." He asserted.

            "I wouldn't be worried about the Courtiers pulling their strings, besides, nothing will be a much better way for both the Imperial Noble Consort and Cao Zhaoyi to overcome this hurdle without resorting to conflict than this." Emperor Ningzong muttered.

            "I couldn't agree more Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng said.

             "The question of the Empress is urgent and I wouldn't want to stall the matter any further, three days as suggested by Yang Guifei is enough, three days will do." Emperor Ningzong said.

             "Yes Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng replied and bowing his head at the Emperor he smiled as well.

            Cao Zhaoyi pacing around her room, Han Touzhou walked in at the moment.

            "You summoned me Ma'am?" He asked.

            "Yes." She instantly confirmed.

            "What's the matter?" He asked.

            "It's an issue of great Importance." She replied.

            "What could it be at this time?" Han Touzhou asked and Cao Zhaoyi taking a seat in front of him he took the one that was right next to hers.

            "Judging by your expression Your Excellency might have not heard but just so you know, Yang Guifei had a word with His Majesty concerning the Empress selection." Cao Zhaoyi said.

            "You don't have to worry so much about it, if she intends to manipulate things in her favour we shall certainly not rest and we shall make known our immediate response will be to censure her." Han Touzhou mentioned.

            "Surely, but it's more complicated than it may seem." Cao Zhaoyi remarked.

            "Really!" Han Touzhou exclaimed.

            "Yang Guifei proposed that a dinner be arranged between each one of us and His Majesty on the same day and based on that, he would decide whom to make his Empress." She responded.

            "And you are worried about this Ma'am?" Han Touzhou asked.

            "It wouldn't have been the case knowing that Yang Guifei would do anything in her power to hamper us, but surprisingly in disregard of Seniority for certain reasons we can't seem to comprehend, she suggested that I have mine with His Majesty first." Cao Zhaoyi responded.

            "A dinner, and Yang Guifei insisted that you have yours first?" Han Touzhou inquired.

            "Yes." Cao Zhaoyi replied.

            "How awful!" He exclaimed.

            "It's very much like her, I couldn't have expected much more." She responded.

            "But what are we to do Ma'am?" Linxiang asked.

            "A dinner is a good suggestion and a fatal one as well, Yang Guifei is certain that His Majesty won't spend much time with you, in the worst case scenario, she's taken a gamble that he'll have to leave your Palace by all means necessary." Han Touzhou remarked.

            "It's unimaginable the damage that could befall us in the event of her spending the night with His Majesty." She mentioned.

            "It's undoubted." Han Touzhou agreed and a silence prevailed amongst the three for a while.

             "This might as well be the opportunity that we have been seeking." Cao Zhaoyi asserted.

             "Might Your Grace be thinking what I am thinking?" Han Touzhou inquired.

             "Her future rests with the possibility that His Majesty will certainly spend the night with her, if that doesn't happen then she is as good as doomed." Cao Zhaoyi mentioned.

              "I don't understand Ma'am." Linxiang mentioned.

              "His Majesty by all means necessary can not leave the room tonight and in addition to that, he must consent to making me the Empress." She responded.      

              "And how do you intend to do that Ma'am?" Han Touzhou asked.

              "A drunkard is much easier to embrace than one who is sober." She responded.

              "But we can not take Yang Guifei for granted, she couldn't have given you your way without anything in her mind," Han Touzhou mentioned, "before we act with caution it's best that we understand the intentions of our enemies." Han Touzhou mentioned.

              "And that's why I sought Your Excellency first to tell you beforehand," She asserted, "Don't let it bother you Your Excellency it is that I am not one to take this too easy myself, I assure you, at the end of it all, Yang Guifei will be the one regretting her decision." Cao Zhaoyi assured him as she smiled at herself ghastly while he seemed to have a very hard time believing what she had said to him.

    Yang Guifei in her quarters Manyin rushed in.

"Ma'am, Yang Cishan and the others are hear requesting to have an audience with you." She said, "surely by now they must have been made aware." She asserted.

"It took them long enough." She remarked.

"What should I do Ma'am?" She inquired.

"Let them in." Yang Guifei replied and the young woman bowing her head and walking away, her supporters made their way into her Chambers rather infuriated with Beiyuan chasing after them.

"What is this that we are hearing Ma'am?" Yang Cishan asked first before even sitting down.

"What's this dinner?" Peng Zishou inquired as well.

             "Ma'am, how could you make such a fatal mistake?" Beiyuan asked trying to get an explanation out of her to calm there situation.

             "Yes Ma'am, you might have as well not spared Cao Zhaoyi this opportunity Ma'am." Yang Cishan seemed too hostile to calm his temper.

            "What were you thinking Ma'am, knowing what those people are capable of?" Shi Miyuan questioned, "they understand better than anyone else that His Majesty won't be in the position to spend the night at Cao Zhaoyi's Palace willingly so they shall find all means of confining him there." He asserted.

            "Please say something Ma'am." Jinglan mentioned to her.

            "Your concerns are necessary, my response might as well be useless, caution in any battle is key, you have seen the battlefield so none better than yourselves understands that a general's haste in battle results into defeat." She mentioned and for a moment they were all silenced.

            "Ma'am......?" Master Bao was saying when she interrupted.

            "I understood before hand they would act, I understood before I took this gamble what dire consequences would happen suppose things didn't go our way.

            We are members of the Dynasty, we should not take for granted public scrutiny, we shouldn't give them room for an excuse, I trust that you would best understand that my stance is that I wish to be seen in a good light to be believed." Yang Guifei responded.

             "But this risk Ma'am is too great." Yang Cishan said.

             "We gained everything by fighting wholeheartedly, just as much as I understand that my failure might besmirch us of everything that we have worked hard for so far." She responded.

             Shi Miyuan made known from his expression that he was discontented.

             "His Majesty is moved by the people, by now I trust you must have realised, Cao Zhaoyi is graceful and doesn't involve herself in the strife of the Inner Court, at least this they proudly claimed, what we require is some silence from the people, after they shall embrace what we have to say to them, as such it'll be much easier to get them dancing to our tunes." She responded.

             "But what are you going to do Ma'am?" Beiyuan asked.

             "Cao Zhaoyi won't let the Emperor leave her Palace, so we shall make her leave him." Yang Guifei replied as she smiled at herself ghastly.