"Congratulations Ma'am, it's a son." The midwife said as she handed over the child to her that was covered in a very beautiful turquoise quilt.
It seemed peaceful and gentle with it's small eyes and beautiful cherry lips she looked onto it's arm and noticed the birthmark on his arm.
"The crimson flame." She muttered, "it's the blood mark." She went ahead to say and eventually the midwife moved out to find the others anxiously waiting for her.
"How is it?" They ask.
"My work is done as the delivery was successful, you are now free to see her." The midwife said as she stepped aside and immediately the four stepped in and saw her seated in her bed holding her son behind a small silk screen.
"Congratulations Milady." They said the her paying their respects.
"I owe you all." Yang Meizi replied.
"Not at all." Jinglan muttered and there she raised her head and looked at them.
"Thank you nonetheless." She said.
"We heard that it's a boy, what is it then that you are going to call him?" Jinglan asked and the others concerned she kept quiet for a while and recalled the time that she had been with Shi Miyuan back at the capital.
The conversation they had had they agreed on one name in particular but that was something that she had never been courageous enough to tell anyone.
"A name for him?" She muttered.
"Yes." They all agreed in unison while looking at each other while she smiled and looked back at the child in her very arms.
"MAHA." Yang Meizi replied, "he is my very great boy that is here with me and surely, how much his father loves this name." She added.
"It's in deed a very strong and wonderful Buddhist name." Jinglan said and all the others looked at the young baby dearly as it's mother in tears she took the half Jade pendant and she placed it around his neck as she caressed her tightly.
After waiting for a while inside the house one of Court Lady Cao's men quickly rushed in and knelt to her.
"The rain has ceased Milady." He said.
"Very good." Court Lady Cao said happily as she turned around and looked at Beiyuan who took a cup of tea and sipped at it.
"I suppose we should be going now." She said to him and patiently he lowered the cup in his grip onto the nearby temple and looked her in the eye.
"Can we not wait?" Beiyuan asked.
"I believe we have waited long enough." Court Lady Cao said.
"Except that I was too foolish but I realized it in time, apart from Master Bao and myself there was not a single person that knew about what we were doing." Beiyuan said.
"What are you trying to mean?" Court Lady Cao asked.
"You came with these armed men I wouldn't think that much about it but then you knew that it was urgent to keep our lady safe yet when I told you that let's wait for the rain to stop you complied." Beiyuan replied.
"And what are you trying to get to?" Court Lady Cao asked.
"My mistress left the capital because quite a number of people wanted her dead and from today we have seen no better example so what's the assurance that you are not one of those people that want her dead?" Beiyuan asked.
"Give me a reason to want her dead when I have served her all my life?" Court Lady Cao asked.
"I don't know who you are." Beiyuan replied.
"So your self cautiousness at this point in time would gladly save her or you doubt that I might be lacking in strength to turn everyone of these villages up and down until you have delivered her corpse to me." Court Lady Cao said and Beiyuan standing up he unsheathed a small dagger and pointed it at the youthful woman who only reserved her calm and looked at him smiling.
"Alas you show me your true colors." He said.
"But have you thought about it that if you charged you wouldn't survive the first three steps towards me?" Court Lady Cao asked and instantly he turned around his hand and put the edge of his blade under his very own neck.
"In your next three steps I also could have probably buried her whereabouts with me." He muttered.
"But do you think she'll be so fearful when she looks at me?" Court Lady Cao asked and the young man keeping quiet she proudly stood up.
"Why?" He asked.
"The both of us have been closer than even best friends and blood sisters her first vulnerable step would be to surely embrace me which I very much assure you she certainly will and in that very event you wouldn't even be around to warn her and even if you did the chances of her believing you are very low you wouldn't be as lucky against me, but to think about it yet again, you are very foolish after all because as I speak you already put her life in jeopardy." Court Lady Cao said and Beiyuan couldn't bring himself to believe her words in deed she smiled having struck that very delicate note she was eventually too sure.
"No." Beiyuan said.
"How many Hamlets do you think are far away and it she were running from the capital she'd be coming in from the South East or the very East that's from Fuzhou in deed it's easy to tell in that direction which is the closest." Court Lady Cao assured him and that very instant he was calm.
"I can't let you leave this place." He said.
"But do you so think that I was the only person that wanted her dead?" Court Lady Cao asked and he kept quiet.
"No, it wasn't just me you see, all the way from the capital I was followed and the men that you see in front of you are here to protect me surely when you spoke not so far from the vicinity another overheard and it has been about a couple of hours I can only imagine how bad things must be where you left." Court Lady Cao said and smiling ghastly Beiyuan looked at the window next to him he immediately launched himself through while the others in a pair followed him and Court Lady Cao and the rest turned to take the door which she opened and saw the young man running in a distance while he was being pursued.
"We should head back to the capital Milady." One of her men Said.
"No." Court Lady Cao muttered.
"But the Empress' men are already doing the job for us we couldn't dare to lurk about the place and cause you trouble." Another suggested.
"I know her well enough even if she survived the first place she'd think of returning to is the palace and because of that you can't possibly expect me to remain idly waiting for that day." Court Lady Cao spoke furiously she descended the stairs but on her way the other two quickly stood in front of her and spread their hands.
"You'll have to kill us first Milady." One of them spoke up.
"You don't realise what you just said and I am not one to feel hesitant over daring to do so this you must know, but the only one way that my heart can be at peace is if I witness for myself that in deed, she has descended to the Netherworld even if I have to bury her myself." Court Lady Cao reprimanded them in the end she continued to mount the horse that was close by and turning it around she rode away while the others also got onto theirs and they followed him.
Yang Meizi was still with her son breastfeeding the young infant happily and the other three men slightly far from the screen one stood up and walked to the door opening it to look around.
An arrow flying hit him right in front of Jinglan's eyes and soon enough while he rolled down the stairs of the small building another group of arrows made their way through the thin walls of the structure startling the young mother.
"What's that?" She asked but the old man standing up he immediately charged and closed the door before he rushed with the other two surviving guards to where Yang Meizi was.
"It seems that we are under attack Milady." He muttered.
"What do you mean attack?" Yang Meizi asked.
"Someone wants you dead Milady." Jinglan told her bluntly.
"How come?" Yang Meizi asked, "since when?" She protested while the old man ceasing her hand forced her onto her feet.
"Now is not the time to complain I also wish too that you would know but we save that for later all that matters at this moment is to ensure your safety above all things and the safety of the child as well." He pestered her and realizing the bitter truth in his words, she immediately covered herself with a cloth.
"Is there a back door?" She asked.
"Yes." The other two replied.
"Come out." A voice loud enough demanded that they stepped out of their only shelter yet the four seemed to understand very well that what the men outside wanted wasn't a surrender but their heads.
"At this rate the whole building could be surrounded at the very least we aren't sure that they know the number of people within this room." Yang Meizi said.
"Then what are we going to do?" One asked and Yang Meizi looking at them an idea came to her mind.
The assassins advancing from the front the rear door was kicked down and out of it, two individuals emerged running towards the woods each of them hooded but one of them seemed feminine in shape and she bore in her hands what looked like a baby.
"There they are." The leader of the assassins shouted and at once they all pursued the two leaving behind about three that still moved up into the building and immediately looked around for any other signs of people hiding.
Except that the place was in some very good and tidy shape there was hardly anything else moving around.
"Is there anyone else there?" One asked.
"No one." The other replied moving out to pursue the others that had rushed off into the woods.
Jinglan holding Yang Meizi's hand behind the cupboard while she partly covered the baby's with her finger which it's gums had tightened around as it sucked on it moved out and surveyed the area outside with his eyes.
"I think they are gone." He said.
"Are you sure?" Yang Meizi asked.
"I might not be but we can't stay any longer because if they realise that they have fallen for our ruse the first thing that they would do would be to return here certain that we couldn't have made it so far in that very short time." Jinglan said and grabbing her hand they ran out while she held onto her hands heading towards the direction of Nanping.
Yang Meizi concerned about her child's well-being had very many questions that were going on in her mind.
Beiyuan running in the darkness he could hardly see a thing eventually his strife only brought him to a dead end when all that he could see was a valley of rocks below and behind him his enemies kept on pursuing.
They looked no different from the ones at Fuzhou at least he was sure and if he had made it away so many times around that side it wouldn't be any different on this other side of the country as well.
He descended there along the sharp rocks in every attempt to slip away that the others standing at the edge and far from him saw the terrain much too unbearable.
"He's too fast, we won't catch up to him." One said.
"Says who?" The other asked.
His colleague responding with silence he took out his bow and with an arrow from his quiver even in the darkness he took an aim of Beiyuan who turned around to look at his pursuers.
Firing the arrow the young man startled he slid on one of the rocks and fell down eventually screaming aloud the last they saw was his hand.
"Did you hit him?" One asked.
"Definitely." He confidently replied.
"But what about his body?" The colleague reminded him.
"Our Lady is much more important at the time than his corpse is." The other replied as they ran off in the very direction where they had come.
After running for a while the pursuers halted as they looked at the two people vanishing from sight.
"Why did we stop?" One asked.
"Let's turn around." The other replied immediately.
"Why?" His friend asked.
"With a child she couldn't be that first for a woman who has just delivered she's supposed to be acting delicately and not strenuously, I have already confirmed what I needed." The leader replied.
"But what about the child?" Another asked.
"Running around even if it were asleep any time it should have awakened and cried.
"So where could we possibly find the real woman and the child, if it was at the cottage by this time they should have left upon realising that we were already gone." One of the assassins spoke up.
"There's more than one way to get to them." The leader replied, "you didn't think that we'd be the only ones facing them." He added while taking a turn and he was followed by the rest.
Yang Meizi and Jinglan running around they were on a long isolated road that was descending from the hills and negotiating a corner at that instant they saw what was a police barricade ahead of them being manned by a group of soldiers.
"Milady?" Jinglan said when ahead of them the man from before who was wearing a black hat looked at the two holding the child he smiled ghastly that Jinglan pushed the two behind himself and pointed a sword at the young man.
"There's too many of us you must have noticed." The young man mentioned.
"I have slain thousands and I hardly recall their names so why would I fear a couple of you ten people." Jinglan replied.
"Except that you haven't recovered from the poisonous arrows at least I am certain though I must say that fate is quite funny and very much in my favour for granting me your head as well after so much strife in the past with minimal success yielded me nothing." The man said.
"What do you even want from the child?" Jinglan asked.
"Someone wants it dead it isn't my problem but even the Heavens themselves were unsettled both mother and child can't be two ordinary people in the whole world." The man said and Yang Meizi furiously she unsheathed her soft sword and pointed it ahead while she held her child tightly to her chest around which it was tied.
"You so wish to kill my son and me, I'll fight to the very end." Yang Meizi said.
"As though you wouldn't know, hardly even a day after child birth you are too weak to resist." The man said and at that very moment the other group that had been pursuing Yang Meizi's two guards arrived from behind having the three surrounded.
"Stay back milady." Jinglan said.
"It doesn't have to be so hard." The man tried convincing them.
"Over my dead body, you will now give me your blood." She shouted and looking at the men behind him, he raised his right hand and signalling forward they charged towards the two even their enemies from behind.
A large collision followed so soon and at that point in time the blades were against one another.
A pair launched their swords to Yang Meizi but she bent behind and spinning she moved through them cutting their abdomens the man at a distance spectating the sword movements seemed to be very familiar with them he was taken aback.
"It's the true warriors way to wield the sword, our strength doesn't come from our anger, it comes from the calm of our souls.
There's no easier way to kill a man than becoming softer than them." He could vividly recall the old man talking to him.
Another group approaching Yang Meizi from behind flying daggers struck the quadruple alliance of assassins and cleared the path the two guards had arrived in the vicinity as well.
"Get to safety Milady." They demanded and Jinglan fighting all the others there was a clear opening that had been created that Yang Meizi saw.
"Get the arrows." The man muttered.
"What about our men?" His friend asked.
"Come what may not even dawn should let her see beyond this hill." The man ordered.
"But....." His subordinate still saying he looked at the leader of the assassins and picked up the bow and arrow filled quiver as he pursued the young mother and child.
"Stay with me." Yang Meizi whispered to her baby, "I won't let anyone touch you Maha." She went ahead to promise him but the young child seemed to make an attempt at crying she instantly covered it gently as she continued through the woods, the place still dark she could hardly make out anything but she was sure to hear the sound of water rushing by she knew she was getting close to a river.
Her pursuers hadn't ceased as well as they were coming much closer than she had expected and her feet growing weary she was starting to feel pain at her lower abdomen she halted and leaned against a tree as the men pursuing her they had her surrounded the other picked an arrow and putting it in his bow he aimed at her and released it.
Coming for her head swift as she could she swang her sword and then deflected it to the side eventually facing them off again but unable to recognize their faces except for the man that was standing in front of her.
"Those moves of the Silver Fraternity." He remarked.
"Stay away from me." Yang Meizi muttered.
"So you are in deed a survivor of that doomed race." The man muttered.
"I'll kill you if you dare to hurt me." She said while he picked up another arrow and put it in his bow.
"No wonder you are so strong a person and for a woman like you, such characters appear only once but it is such an ill fortune on your side that even before me the heavens abandon you." The man said as he aimed at her and firing again this time looking at one of the assassins he let go while Yang Meizi swinging her sword in defense she was grabbed by the child she had tied around herself and the cloth breaking free she turned while they aimed another arrow at her and fired it straight into her back.
Holding onto the man with her child the two of them close to a slope they slid and rolled down when Jinglan and the others came to her aid and collided with the assassins.
"Maha." Yang Meizi shouted while the man holding the child reached the river course and smashing his head on the rocks the waves engulfed him and dragged him down while Yang Meizi staring intensely at him she was at a loss of strength.
"Milady?" The others called to her but gathering her strength she quickly rushed down trying to chase the current and searching for her child and the corpse of the man but she was unable to see any of the two she slipped on the slippery rocks and fell down while everything before her instantly went black.
The darkness had scattered and dawn was all over the place, Yang Meizi lying in bed she opened her eyes and the first thing that she saw ahead of her was the ceiling.
She could smell incense in the air and sitting upright she noticed that she was in a place that she hardly recognized.
"Are you awake Milady?" She heard a voice and Jinglan walked in and stood behind the silk curtain.
"What's there for you to not see?" Yang Meizi asked trying to recall everything that had happened but without any success for a moment the one thing however she did seem to realise was that she had had a child.
"I can't see Maha anywhere and neither have I seen Beiyuan." She remarked but hearing these words coming out of her mouth Jinglan coughed and he looked at his hands disappointed.
She seemed to understand from this expression that something was in deed very wrong.
"You aren't deaf as I remember." Yang Meizi said.
"Pardon me Milady, do you really not recall everything that happened?" Jinglan asked and it seemed to trigger a number of scenes from the previous night in an instant her eyes became teary at the awful memory she couldn't bring herself to believe anything there was before her.
"Impossible." She went ahead to assure herself, "where is Maha?" She asked as she threw away her beddings and getting up the old man moved closer in front of her and knelt down with his hands stretched up to her she noticed that there was something in his possession.
"What's this?" She asked as she took the name tag from his hands.
"We searched the river bank Milady but aside from the he clothes that were carrying the child the one thing we could find was this military name tag given to soldiers of war, it was a practice since the Han Dynasty that when they died in battle, we would collect them and return them to their loved ones as mementos." Jinglan replied and a moment after another of her guards though wounded he walked in holding a tray which had the same quilt she had used to wrap the baby covered in blood.
Taken aback by all the horrible scenes she ceased it and pulled it closer to her chest while she cried out loud.
"It couldn't be." She wanted to believe, "Maha." She yelled in her loudest tone, "Maha my only dearest son." She grieved until she turned red, her veins strained appeared above her skin she couldn't help but recall those sweet little moments that she had had with him.
"We are incompetent Milady." One of others said as he went down onto his knees and she on the other hand raised her head and looked at the name tag again reading the characters that spelt the name WANG LIUAN.
"Wang Liuan?" She mentioned.
"Yes." Jinglan replied.
"Do you know him?" Yang Meizi asked.
"Well enough he was a junior in the army and he was also that strange man in a hat that aimed the arrow at you, he served under General Yang but after the false charge of the rebellion he shifted among those who surrendered and swiftly rose in rank and became a junior Commander under Han Guang but under strange circumstances he resigned from the army and he chose to cultivate his liberal arts and study astronomy." Jinglan replied.
"Then why would he come up against me when no one knew about Maha and even my whereabouts you all suddenly acted up strangely yesterday I still remember." Yang Meizi said.
"Milady, pardon us but your security was compromised and you condition the best we could do was leave Fuzhou for Nanping where we had agreed we'd get reinforcements from the capital to protect you but unable to reach Beiyuan moved ahead to negotiate with them yet it is not only strange that he hasn't returned or even endeavored to give a reply it's likely that since they knew we were here they could have killed him too." He responded.
"And we survived?" Yang Meizi asked.
"As far as I know before they could hurt us the villagers in large numbers stepped in but at least I had overheard them we hadn't expected you to survive and we thought that the tough currents had already carried you away as well we were only lucky to find you along the bank a couple of hours later." Jinglan replied she clenched her fists.
"Who could it have been?" Yang Meizi asked herself, "unless he was working for Han Touzhou even this time I was confident he knew nothing about me and my child." She remarked.
"I don't know." Jinglan replied, "just get some rest Milady and focus on recuperating." He added as he stood up and bowing his head to the young woman he withdrew from the room leaving her alone as she stared at the bloodstained quilt and she went ahead and shed a couple of tears yet again.
Court Lady Cao stood at a balcony and in a distance she stared at the beautiful hills rising and touching the saffron firmament.
Suddenly, someone walked up to her.
"Did you find them?" She asked.
"Yes." He replied.
"It must be awful enough." She remarked.
"Why do you say so Milady?" He asked.
"I have been feeling so strange." Court Lady Cao replied.
"We'll take care of it." The man assured her.
"No." She replied.
"What do you mean Milady." He inquired.
"None of you could comprehend what her death means to me you might even be reluctant, my eyes are aching to bury her with these very hands of mine." Court Lady Cao replied.
"As you wish Milady." The man said withdrawing from her presence.
Emperor Ningzong sat on the dragon throne in the Imperial Grand Hall and the Courtiers converged and among them was the chief Astrologer.
In a moment he silently listened to them arguing amongst themselves before eventually his eyes looking aside he caught the gaze of Zhao Ruyu who nodded to him.
"Order." Eunuch Deng demanded and hearing his commanding tone and recalling that the Emperor was before them they each humbled themselves before him.
"Please tell me my men." Emperor Ningzong spoke up and his voice echoing throughout the hall the Courtiers themselves were embarrassed to speak up a word the Astrologer confident he held up his Ceremonial tablet and then he moved to the centre where he faced the Emperor and bowed down his head before him.
"Greetings Your Majesty." He muttered and the Emperor nodded his head in approval before he spoke up.
"There's rumours everywhere in the Palace and even throughout the whole kingdom that I am quite bothered myself, I was told that at the aftermath of the storm that ravaged the previous night, from the clouds hidden Venus Emerged above the Emperor's star it hasn't changed even with dawn the two stars appear in the sky right now." Emperor Ningzong said.
"The heaven's can only grant us a glimpse of the future but all mortals under heaven not one that can predict the fates of the others isn't blind to their own so to put it simply, we can only speculate but we dare not lie to Your Majesty." The man replied.
"Is it Zhou Yingtian?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"Yes Your Majesty." Zhou Yingtian replied.
"But the people need someone to comfort them and we all look to you, one word can bring both peace and chaos depending on which one we could choose, aren't I right?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"Surely Your Majesty but if I recall another such scenario close to seventeen years ago proclaimed the emergence of the Sovereign Star in the Palace and it was taken in good faith, Venus above the Emperor's star can't possibly be anything good." Zhou Yingtian replied.
"Why?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
"Because of the Tang Dynasty usurper." Han Touzhou suddenly replied and everyone turning to look at the Grand Secretary he emerged from the crowd and also bowed his head to the Emperor who allowed him an audience.
"I am sure this is what you wish to say Zhou Yingtian." Han Touzhou challenged and the latter looked down that the Emperor and some Courtiers seemed curious.
"Please tell me." Emperor Ningzong requested.
"In over four hundred years, ever since the founding of the Great Song there was never such a precedence in our history, however if you ask me, the last time that the Venus ascended over the Emperor's star was when it announced the downfall of the Great Tang and the rise of the female Dasheng Wu Zhao to the dragon throne." Han Touzhou replied.
"A female ruler?" Some of the Courtiers directly translating his words started asking themselves.
"Impossible." Others remarked while the Emperor studied the proud old man in front of him.
"It couldn't possibly be." He Said.
"The Taizong Emperor was infatuated with the young lady Wu Meiniang and he could hardly let go of her giving room to the prophecy a couple of years later that the Great Tang in deed collapsed." Han Touzhou spoke up.
"But where is this female ruler you say?" Emperor Ningzong asked as he raised his hands to them asking them to look around.
They all kept quiet.
"Even the Courtiers of Bei Song accused the Zhangxian Mingsu Empress Liu E of coveting the dragon throne and had hoped that she'd overthrow the Renzong Emperor and become like the female Dasheng but what happened?" Emperor Ningzong asked.
They each reserved their silence.
"Your Majesty, we can't be too sure." Zhou Yingtian muttered.
"But my people are asking you to be sure and Grand Secretary, I thought you weren't one to believe in these things?" He challenged.
"Superstitions aren't the best of things that I wish to believe however when it comes to our Great Song even I am ready to cast aside each one of those things that I dislike the most so as to embrace what could be the reality as I believe there's no better way of doing things than acting up cautiously." Han Touzhou replied.
"Yet when I look around there's not a single woman as capable that I see, is it the Grand Empress Dowager or the Empress Dowager herself, perhaps it's Empress Han or her sister Consort Han." Emperor Ningzong muttered.
"Yet as Your Majesty said the people need an assurance." Han Touzhou said.
"In three months time there'll be a concubine selection for people to fit into my harem and each of you can consider your best candidates, I won't be as strict on any of them the best that I can promise you is that I'll leave the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager to it, otherwise the female ruler is nonsense and surely the stars will normalize with time." Emperor Ningzong said.
"Please rescind Your Majesty." The Courtiers pleaded with him but standing up he walked out leaving a majority disgruntled while Han Touzhou looked Zhao Ruyu in the eye the both of them throwing daggers at one another.
"A female ruler, they are out of their mind." Emperor Ningzong said as he walked around the hall and mounted the stairs that led to his drawing room.
"But you aren't to blame them Your Majesty, the capital itself is already in turmoil over this issue." Lan He said and the Emperor halting in his steps he turned and faced him.
"You don't get it as much as I do, Han Touzhou stretching it out like that there's someone that he is probably after and my guess is that it's most likely the Grand Empress Dowager, as she gave me the dragon throne she's old but still holds a virtual hand over the Court yet I merely wish that the poor old her could die in peace without being disturbed by those annoying greedy men, the other likely option is that he could be weary of my mother in the cold Palace since she betrayed him and he wishes to get rid of her so that he can protect both his nieces and himself." Emperor Ningzong replied.
"Nonetheless, if we desire to protect Her Highness we shall need a scapegoat." Lan He said.
"I'm unwilling to implicate someone innocent, for rumours like this you can only leave them to die out on their own" Emperor Ningzong replied turning to the doors and throwing them open as he walked inside and shut them behind himself furiously.
Yang Meizi still seated in the small cottage all of a sudden someone rushed in.
"Milady?" One of her survivor guards said as he quickly knelt down.
"What's wrong with you?" She asked.
"There's someone here to see you." The young man replied.
"Who?" Yang Meizi asked and the young man silent she quickly stood up and rushed out flinging the doors open the first thing that she saw was that very long black hair that was falling from her head and that silhouette had never been more familiar than it was at that moment, she could recall clearly even without a word and the young woman facing the other side quickly turned and looked at her with.
"Nuwa?" She called while Court Lady Cao bowed her head to her and herself stepping down from the stairs she quickly rushed towards her and unable to believe her eyes she studied the very person in front of her until she confirmed.
"Milady." Court Lady Cao muttered.
"It is you." Yang Meizi finally said and a smile on her face she pulled her into a hug.
"There there." Court Lady Cao Said and at that moment Beiyuan appeared.
"Get away." he shouted and Yang Meizi trying to see who it was they instead held her tightly while flying arrows shot Beiyuan along with everyone else that was in the place.
Jinglan who was a couple of metres down the Riverside hearing the screams coming from the very place he had left he quickly turned and ran back while Yang Meizi in an attempt to break free from Court Lady Cao she felt a sharp thrust into her abdomen eventually the latter let go and she stumbled her eyes looking down at her stomach where she could hardly believe that there was a dagger that had struck her.
With blood on her hands, she coughed up more of it from her mouth and her eyes red and teary she couldn't help but feel her heart aching more than the mortal wound she had.
"Forgive me." Nuwa said.
"Why?" Yang Meizi asked and she kept silent, "WHY?" She shouted on top of her voice but in deed the Nuwa she knew looked at her as someone else, she was no longer the same innocent person, only a very vile woman, her eyes and her expression cold and hateful, she wasn't as devoted for a moment Yang Meizi could see every hint of a similar ambition she once had in her eyes.
"It had to be this way." Nuwa said and Yang Meizi at a loss of strength she fell down onto her knees.
"I respect you so much but the world is too small to contain the both of us, Milady?" Nuwa said as she bent down and held her by the chin staring into her bloodshot eyes that burnt with rage.
"You can not blame me because as long as you live I shall always be your shadow." Court Lady Cao muttered.
"I loved you so much and I cherished you so fervently, you were like a sister to me and out of people why not Han Touzhou but why must it really be you?" Yang Meizi asked.
"And I loved you so much as well but you see, the very Crown Prince you hated with all your life I loved with all mine unable to keep you both I had to choose one and leave the other." Court Lady Cao said as she stood upright while Yang Meizi's hands landed on the soil she still strained her head and looked up at her murderer.
"Is this your choice?" She asked coughing out so much blood.
"Go in peace." Court Lady Cao replied and with her right hand she pushed Yang Meizi who rolled down the slope while she smiled ghastly turning around and walking away while she was joined by her guards as they left the scene.
Yang Meizi eventually reaching the bottom she was halfconscious.
"Why?" She asked herself one last time remembering that awful scene in front of her.
"Maha." She called and then with blood everywhere she closed her eyes.
Emperor Ningzong inside his room he stared at the thousands of drawings that he had made and with his brush careful he drew a stroke trying to complete the eye when the ink smudged and he seemed to realise that he had made a mistake.
"Argh." He lamented picking up the paper and crumpling it along with tearing it to pieces, the mere thought of everything that they had told him made him so furious to the extent that he threw down the brush and yet turned to another painting on the wall.
He was saddened and hurting, so much dominated by all these Courtiers and men he was trying hard to be a good monarch but with very little success.
"Why can't you get out of my brain you Mei'er, you are very mean, now here I am without anyone to turn to and there you are living and enjoying your life not even sparing me a though it hurts me how happy you must be and how much you must be laughing at me." He said to himself when with a knock at the door he heard Lan He's voice.
"Are you alright Your Majesty?" He asked.
"Yes." Emperor Ningzong replied looking at the painting as though earnestly waiting for an answer but the silence that followed could only remind him that he was on his own.
Grand Chancellor Shi Hao at his home opening the door to get out he saw his son waiting for him.
"Father?" He called.
"Yuan'er?" Shi Hao asked unable to believe it.
"It is me." Shi Miyuan replied and the old man relived with a smile on his face he moved up to him and hugged him.
"I have missed you." He said.
"I missed you too father." Shi Miyuan replied as he pulled apart and staring into his teary old man's eyes he wiped them dry one by one and smiled at him even wider than before the two decided to have some time alone and walked up to the gardens.
"I heard that you weren't doing well." Shi Miyuan said.
"I am quite old you see but even then, your step mother is as tired looking after me her condition isn't any better yet she thinks about you all the time." Grand Chancellor Shi Hao replied.
"It has been a while in deed." Shi Miyuan agreed.
"What about the Princess Qi'an?" Shi Hao asked and for a while Shi Miyuan was hesitant to reply he reserved silence his father seemed to instantly notice that the topic made him uncomfortable.
"There's no need to tell me if you don't want to." Shi Hao remarked.
"The Grand Empress Dowager sent over gifts to me and we moved into a new manor, his Majesty graced it with the name Sapphire Palace and we do respect one another, as I am off reading my books and practicing my calligraphy as well as poetry, Her Highness is always tending to flowers in the garden she has made a good job trying to turn that cage into a beautiful home, at least once or more often I realized that I have breathed relatively well the past couple of days." Shi Miyuan replied.
"That's good." Grand Chancellor Shi Hao remarked.
"But that's not what I am here to talk to you about." Shi Miyuan said.
"What more concerns you?" Shi Hao asked.
"Have you not heard well enough that the capital is in turmoil, over the past couple of days Venus has appeared a bad omen rising above the Emperor's star and His Majesty is rather firm that Han Touzhou is trying to use this as an opportunity to most likely have the Empress Mother killed." Shi Miyuan replied.
"But in the Cold Palace what could a destitute woman like herself do?" Shi Hao asked.
"She once was an ally of Han Touzhou and rumour has it that when the Grand Empress Dowager confronted her she lashed out and cursed at her saying that she would never accept defeat and even if the Grand Empress Dowager died and she got back up again, she'd dig out her bones and force them to bow to her." Shi Miyuan replied.
"No Wonder Han Touzhou feels threatened." Shi Hao said.
"But His Majesty responded with reminding them of the Concubine selection only months away in my humble opinion he merely wishes to divert their attention from the issue and he hopes to buy time as long as the heaven's can go back to normal then the rumours shall die down naturally." Shi Miyuan said.
He is quite sensible and Zhao Ruyu seems supportive of the idea.
"Surely, he hopes that there could be a word or two from her mouth that he could use against her but one thing is certain, the Imperial Court and the harem are bound to fall into chaos anytime soon, at least I feel it." Shi Miyuan remarked.
"Let's wait and see." Grand Chancellor Shi Hao replied.
Jinglan and Beiyuan knelt close enough to Yang Meizi's bed quietly and opening her eyes she immediately noticed their presence she smiled heartily.
"You?" She said.
"Milady." They replied as she sat up and looked all around herself feeling her body mildly ailing and her abdomen below hurting.
"Careful Milady, your scar hasn't yet healed." Beiyuan said.
"Nuwa?" She called remembering everything else that had happened to her.
"Don't think too much about it." Jinglan said.
"How long was I out?" Yang Meizi asked.
"It's been a week." Beiyuan replied.
"What about Nuwa?" Yang Meizi asked.
"I managed to contact the capital and they shall be here to pick you up, but as far as I know, she rallied significant support and pushed many of her rivals outside the Palace and just a couple of days ago, His Majesty personally granted her the title of head of the six matrons." Beiyuan replied.
"Great." Yang Meizi replied.
"Don't stress yourself over it Milady." Jinglan said.
"Why?" Yang Meizi asked.
"I don't know." Beiyuan replied, "worrying too much isn't so good for your health Milady I am sure that you know this too." He added.
"So what, the day I became a mother my son Maha was killed, his arms were so tender and his skin was so soft with those lovely eyes of his what wrong had he ever done to the world to deserve a very cruel fate such as that and for all I know he wasn't even granted a proper funeral, I was stabbed by my own best friend, someone that I considered to be much closer than even a blood sister you would expect me to just forget everything like that and move on after all that's what life is all about?" Yang Meizi scolded them.
"We aren't even close to knowing what went wrong." Beiyuan Said.
"And until when shall I keep silent and watch all the people I love and care about being hurt and killed, until when shall I look the other side and wait for heaven to strike them dead and avenge them on my behalf or wait for karma to get back at them and give them hundredfold of the misery that they have given me?" She asked.
They each kept quiet.
"Why should I be the one nursing wounds while they are smiling and enjoying a life of luxury, why should it be myself that is taking so much pain and agony when they only have leisure at their exposure I'd be cursed being unable to raise hell against them and shedding on them thorns from the sky like rain I badly want to gouge out their eyes with my bear hands and savour on the blood of their loved ones both parents and children and perhaps their entire clans." Yang Meizi said.
"It's not as easy Milady, the people that you are clearly challenging are very powerful men and women and we on the other hand as survivors of the Silver Fraternity have nothing and furthermore we should be worried that one of those enemies was once one of us." Beiyuan said.
"That Court Lady knows you in and out and she surely has so much against you to rid herself of you would be easy so please rescind." Jinglan said.
"Retreat is all that I hear from your mouths but the both of you know nothing, that Court Lady has changed well enough so why couldn't I and if she thinks that she has a trump card with a load of things against me she would surely know that I also have a lot against her." Yang Meizi said as she smiled.
"The most cruel of people are those we keep around, she had the audacity to put a blade in your abdomen it's very likely all she ever did was put on a remarkable show for you." Beiyuan said.
"But like us she could barely do nothing and firstly I am going to secure the sword fraternity that is, otherwise with only some of the people in the palace acting on her whims she's still far from powerful." Yang Meizi replied.
"I just didn't seem to notice." Jinglan said, "more than twice you have nearly died are you really going to stake your life this time again?" He added.
"In the capital alone could I possibly find out the murderer of my child so I'll do whatever it takes even if it kills me as I am tired of running and hiding already and Nuwa, that one I promise I shall bury with these bare hands of mine." Yang Meizi replied.
"If you so wish." Beiyuan said.
"You either stand with me or you stand against me." Yang Meizi asked and Beiyuan looking at Jinglan the older stood up.
"I am a stranger and I have done much more than I can do I believe I have made up for you saving my life so to put it simply we owe each other nothing hence I can't be a part of this question." He Said.
"You are free to go." Yang Meizi said as she turned to Beiyuan.
"You should make a choice." She demanded.
"Can my promise still not stand?" Beiyuan asked.
"Nuwa promised in front of my mother and uncle to look after me and also protect me but look where we ended up now, I am giving you a chance to redefine your principles because if you are coming with me you are going to kill everything of yours if possible even your manhood for my sake and I wonder if this for you is something you are ready to do." Yang Meizi Said.
"I owe you my life." Beiyuan said.
"I am tired of working with people that owe me because that means that should you owe my enemy you wouldn't spare me all I need right now is a person that is going to be a loyal slave and a dog, that will bite when I tell them to bite and will kill when I tell them to kill." Yang Meizi assured him.
"All that I am ready but I can not leave your sight." Beiyuan replied while Yang Meizi stared at Jinglan who was still standing there next to them.
"I feel better enough so as soon as possible we return to the capital." Yang Meizi said.
"Yes." Beiyuan replied.
"This time round, we fight to the death." She assured herself.
YOU ARE READING
ROSES OF BLOOD
Historical FictionThe Empress Wu fostered a daughter within the Crimson walls of the Cifu Palace who with altered and faint origins she became the sister of a Marquis. Bound to her filial piety and the path of hardship, a "seductress" is what she must become poisonou...
