No Repeats

Shu Mei knows

"Shu Mei, my daughter, I apologise, this was just a minor slip of my hands, please go back to rest, I'll try to be quieter," said the Consort gently.

"Shu Mei greets the Emperor and the Prime Minister. Imperial Noble Consort, since I am awake now, is it alright with you if I stay here? Or are you discussing politics and would like some privacy?" asked Shu Mei after she looked around at the tense room and felt that her Consort mother needed some backing against these two men.

"The Prime Minister is my father, your grandfather, so we are all family here and there is nothing we should hide from family. Your Majesty, do you agree?" asked the Consort gently while taking Shu Mei's hands and led her to sit down on the wooden bench next to her, leaving the Emperor with no alternative but to nod his head.

There was an awkward and tense atmosphere in the room while the servants cleaned up the mess, but as soon as the doors were closed and unable to hold in her anger any longer, the Consort launched her attack.

"Your Majesty, father, I could not believe my ears when I heard the empire's two leaders say those words. Using my only daughter as the bargaining chip. My only daughter, the one I painstaking bore and risked my life to save, the one whom my heart has bled for everyday since we sent her away, the true bloodline heir of our prestigious clans, the same one who was imprisoned by that man and who suffered so much loss by his hands man. You want my daughter to marry that scum?" spat out the Consort, her letting her mother bear instinct run full force.

"Your Highness, I understand you want to protect your child. Why do you think I fought all these years? But my hair is white from the weight of the empire as well. Consort, the situation here is perilous, we have no military power and the Northwest army is currently on the march. They will arrive before the fortnight ends! The Grand General have sent instructions to the other armies under his command to also mobilise and march here, they will arrive here in three weeks and back up the Northwest army. We only over two thousand imperial guards remaining who are loyal to the Emperor and Zhou throne. Even the Grand General have more under his command in this city than we do! We only have a small window of time to negotiate with the General before the first arrow is shot and there is no turning back," pleaded the Prime Minister.

"The bloodline spell, she is our hope, that is why we are fighting to the end, it is not all lost!" protested the Consort.

"The legend has never been tested, do you want her to go out there and fight hundreds of thousands of troops with a magic that we have never seen? This is a losing battle, we need to test the General and secure him over to our side, otherwise the Zhou throne is lost!" said the Prime Minister.

"If the legend is not true then it is time that the Zhou clan let go of the throne. There is only two people with Zhou bloodline alive here today, the other princesses and princes have all been killed. If we cannot have faith on the one thing that sets the Zhou bloodline apart, then we should all perish together and let them have the empire!" retorted the Consort in fury.

"How dare you!" shouted the Prime Minister as he slammed the table.

"Your plan is short sighted and will subject my daughter to a lifetime of subordination to that possessive man. She would not be a ruler in her own right, no, she would be treated as his puppet and when he is sick of her, he could easily toss her aside into a golden cage. Is it not better to go out in a burst of glory, fighting to the very end and stick it to that man and the world, then to live an unrewarding life under his thumb? Oh, the shame!" said the Consort in fury.

"My wife, this is the only way that we can secure her life and keep her safe. I am ready to leave this world, but she is still so young," said the Emperor gently, his eyes lingering on Shu Mei's expressionless face.

Those gentle words bought silence in the room as all eyes turned to Shu Mei with mixed emotions.

"I missed the early part of the conversation, but what I can gather is that you want to use me to turn Yu Li over to our side and have him fight the Murong clan. Is that right?" asked Shu Mei.

"We plan to promise marriage to buy more time and fight the immediate battle while we send emissaries to Zu Bai Ye and convince him to bring Wulin's forces to attack Huang Yu Li before the wedding. Wulin and the Northwest army might be evenly matched, but Bai Ye and Yu Li would need to fight a life and death battle," said the Prime Minister.

The Consort raised her eyebrows when she heard Bai Ye's name, didn't Shu Mei said that he was killed by Yu Li, why is there another Zu Bai Ye? She turned to watch Shu Mei's reaction and was instantly rewarded with an anticlimactic nod. It was as if Shu Mei's ears didn't register what the Prime Minister said.

In truth, Shu Mei's ears are currently drumming with the sounds of her heart beats, so rapid and loud that it drowns out all other sounds and thoughts surrounding her. She couldn't think straight with all the noise, so she nodded dumbly.

What did he say?

Zu Bai Ye?

Zu Bai Ye...could it be?

Shu Mei's mind raced quickly, forcing the thumping sound to slow and quieten down, she needed the silence and space to think. Zu Bai Ye is not a common name and the only person who could command the Wulin would be that Zu Bai Ye.

But she saw him fall by Yu Li's sword! The blood and fallen arm haunts her dreams every night...no, it can't be, she must confirm the facts before she lets her heart go wild. Control it girl, just a little more, don't hope yet, it would only get more painful, she commanded her heart.

"Did you say Zu Bai Ye?" she asked quietly, wringing her fingers nervously, and not daring to look up.

The Prime Minister nodded and answered nonchalantly, "I have an inside man who saved Zu Bai Ye that day, after a month of being in unconscious he has awoken and healed rapidly. I understand he has gone back to reclaim Wulin, after which, it is certain that he will be out for blood Yu Li's. The next few weeks will be a bloodbath."

Those words sent a shiver down Shu Mei's spine and activated her coping mechanism. She started laughing so much that her body shook as tears and snot ran down her eyes and nose, making her look even more of a mess and less like a nation collapsing beauty.

The Prime Minister gave her a quizzical look and wondered how she could attract the men in this state.

Amidst uncontrollable laughter and heart wrenching tears she collapsed on the ground. The room stayed quiet and the Consort bent down, bought her daughter into her arms, and held her still without saying a word.

Then Shu Mei stood up, wiped her face with her sleeve and looked directly at the Prime Minister.

"He is alive and fighting his own battles. I shall too be strong and fight my own. For this empire and for myself."