HEIRS TO AN EMPIRE

         "Please Your Imperial Highness, receive this my humble cry, grant me Your Imperial sanction, please let me vacate the seat of the Crown Prince of this country." Zhao Hong pleaded outside the Central Hall.

          It had been a couple of hours and there hadn't been a response from within, the doors still closed even the servants had dispersed while the Crown Prince on the other hand was still kneeling with his staff in the noon sun.

          "Your Highness, it doesn't seem like the Crown Prince is going to give up any time soon." Xiaoyang remarked.

          "I can't give in to his demand, just because he asks." Empress Yang asserted.

          "And you can't even ignore him any longer." Xiaoyang insisted.

          "What about the Imperial Grand Chancellor?" She asked.

          "There's still no reply from him." Xiaoyang responded, "however I am certain that by all means necessary, he must have already started his mission." She asserted.

         "Let the Crown Prince plead a bit longer." Empress Yang ordered.

        "Can you be that patient now?" Xiaoyang inquired.

        "I have been patient all my life, I am more interested in seeing how strong His Highness' will is." Empress Yang responded.

         Shi Miyuan making his entry into a small room found his sons along with the Empress' nephews gathered. Yu Tianxi present sat right in front of his table.

         Recognizing the Imperial Grand Chancellor's presence, they all stood up.

         "Greetings Your Excellency." They offered their salutation in unison while kowtowing to him as the latter only nodding his head in approval took his seat confidently.

          "You asked for our presence Your Excellency?" Yu Tianxi inquired.

          "There's something that we must do." He responded.

          "What's the problem?" Yang Gu asked.

          "We might have succeeded in defining the Empress' political position and now that we have empowered Her Highness we should take care of the Crown Prince." He responded.

          "It's about time that His Highness was deposed." Yu Tianxi said.

          "But it won't be easy," Shi Miyuan muttered, "for us to achieve that objective it is necessary that we back the Empress into a corner because she'll use all her Imperial power against us in the bid to try and protect the Crown Prince." He asserted.

         "Wouldn't it benefit Her Highness if we supplanted the Crown Prince?" Yang Gu asked.

         "And if she acted in accordance she would be censured, as it is that she couldn't get rid of the Crown Prince being his legitimate mother, Her Highness hopes that the Imperial Court could certainly do it for her." Yang Shi spoke up.

         "So that her reputation wouldn't be tarnished." Yu Tianxi remarked.

         "But it seems that luck is on our side as the Crown Prince is kneeling right outside the Central Palace and seeking the Empress' Imperial sanction to abdicate the Imperial throne." Shi Miyuan muttered.

          "What are we going to do Your Excellency?" Shi Yuzhi, his second son inquired.

         "That's why I called you here, the one way that we could protect the Empress and move her to act out of the Crown Prince's defence is if we muster the Imperial Censors and patriotic neo-confucian scholars." He responded, "if they find reliable fault in the Crown Prince, it will be much easier to isolate him from the support of the masses." He asserted.

         "Please Your Imperial Highness, receive this my humble cry, grant me Your Imperial sanction, please let me vacate the seat of the Crown Prince of this country." Zhao Hong kept on pleading outside the Hall.

          It had been a very long while and he had started sweating profusely, his face had turned red from the heat and as he kept gasping for air, he still had his eyes turning to the Empress' doors once in a while.

          He was hopeful that for a moment she'd send Beiyuan out with an Imperial receipt, he knew that deep down he was anxious for it as it had become his most sincere longing.

          Alas, with a loud thud, the doors were flung open by the little old woman herself, looking as energetic as she had been in her youth without even a whimper or a sigh her face was only covered with fury.

           She raised her right foot over the threshold and moved foreword to the lining where the descent of the stairs led.

           "Please Your Imperial Highness, receive this my humble cry, grant me Your Imperial sanction, please let me vacate the seat of the Crown Prince of this country." Zhao Hong still persistent asked her.

           "Your Highness, do you still not know what crime you are committing?" She suddenly asked.

           "Forgive me Your Highness." Zhao Hong apologised.

           "Is asking for my forgiveness enough?" She asked.

           "As the Crown Prince of this country, I am greatly inexperienced and acted out of turn, my thoughts, my speech and actions keep on damaging the Crown." He professed.

          "So you choose to ask me to hear your appeal and consent to your abdication?" Empress Yang inquired.

          "Is it not justified Your Highness?" He asked.

          "The prudence of the Crown Prince is his ability to desist from making mistakes, the prudence of a ruler is to atone for his sins, an Emperor is the intermedintermediate of heaven and earth and the foundation of the Country, if he bends easily then it too becomes a sin against the heavens for having failed to live up to their expectations, for having forsaken his calling and for having denounced the Heavenly mandate to govern its people." She responded.

          "Forgive me Your Highness for I am weak." Zhao Hong said.

          "Then become strong." Empress Yang ordered, "it doesn't matter if you grovel or you sever your limbs, even if you kneel in this square until your hair turns grey, until the day I die, never will I grant my Imperial sanction to permit your abdication of the throne of the Crown Prince of this country." She insisted as she turned around, facing the crimson doors of her Chambers, she sashayed towards them and made her entry while they were shut up behind her.

         Sitting down in her seat while Beiyuan rushed beside her, the Empress taking a deep breath she sighed.

         "Any word from the Imperial Grand Chancellor?" She inquired.

         "I am reliably informed, he has gathered the support of others, they'll move soon enough." He responded.

         "Yet we can't be lax at this critical hour, just because everything is going our way, we can't be too negligent to watch out for our enemies." She asserted.

          "Does something bother you Your Highness, perhaps, is it someone?" Beiyuan inquired.

          "At moments like this, it is only natural for me to feel uneasy, besides, I am curious as to who is loyal and who isn't." Empress Yang responded.

          "Sooner or later, I bet that it's only a matter of time, however, whoever is in their right mind by now should have realised that the nation is sliding into your absolute control." Beiyuan mentioned.

          "Surely, the nation is in deed sliding into my absolute control." The Empress flattered herself.

          Wei Shi rushed through the hallways of the Manor as he crossed from the outer courtyard into the Inner house. He seemed anxious negotiating the corner that set him right in front of the doors of the Commandery Prince's study and pushing them open he walked in on the young man who was deeply immersed in his thoughts at the time.

          "Your Serene Highness." He spoke aloud notifying the latter of his presence.

         "What is it?" Zhao Guicheng inquired.

         "His Highness, the Crown Prince......" Wei Shi somehow hesitant halted his speech which only made the latter more curious.

        "What is it?" He asked, "what about him?" He demanded to know.

         "It's all over the Capital, everyone is talking about it, the Crown Prince has made a formal appeal in front of the Empress' quarters, he has requested Her Highness to grant her Imperial sanction that he may abdicate from his position." Wei Shi reported.

         "What!" The latter exclaimed standing up from where he was seated, recalling his conversation with the young man hours before, his eyes tearing up he had instantly become distraught.

          "No." He muttered, "what about the Empress, what has she done about it?" He inquired.

          "Her Highness surprisingly has refused to grant the Imperial sanction." Wei Shi responded and the little man in disbelief was taken aback.

          "How come?" He asked himself.

          "Nothing is certain, I also can't bring myself to understand what the Empress hopes to achieve from protecting the Crown Prince." He responded.

         "She knows it's useless if the officials League themselves against her." Zhao Guicheng asserted.

         "Would they really do that?" Wei Shi inquired.

          "She acted this way because she knows they shall rise against her, but that's what she wants, at the very least, protecting him would make her blameless before the public and even if things don't turn out her way, the Imperial Court will become her scapegoat." Zhao Guicheng responded.

         "I didn't consider that, I suppose that means eventually the Empress will give in." Wei Shi muttered.

         "It's inevitable." Zhao Guicheng responded.

         "Then what are you going to do Your Highness?" Wei Shi asked.

         "There's only one way to save His Highness," Zhao Guicheng responded, "His Majesty must wake up before the Crown Prince is dethroned." He insisted.

         "How are you going to do that Your Highness, we have no news about His Majesty's condition and entry and exit from his quarters is strictly controlled by the Empress, we can't move if we are ignorant, that would only compromise our position and His Highness'" Wei Shi muttered.

         "We may not be in the position to do so but I know someone who can." Zhao Guicheng responded.

          "Who Your Highness?" Wei Shi inquired.

          "Someone we could consider His Majesty's most loyal subject, his right-hand man." He responded.

          The Crown Prince still kneeling outside the Chambers, he had slowly fallen short of breath and turned pale, his eyes dark and sunken with thick bags underneath, he was sweating profusely still supporting his seal in his hands.

          "Please Your Imperial Highness, receive this my humble cry, grant me Your Imperial sanction, please let me vacate the seat of the Crown Prince of this country."  He still pleaded, while a thick dark cloud gathered above the city and many started anticipating a downpour.

          "I can't imagine that His Highness is still persistent." Manyin said.

         "Isn't that a good thing?" Xiaoyang whispered.

         "How could it be?" Manyin inquired.

         "The harder the Crown Prince tries to act like a responsible and sorry son the harder Her Highness will act like a caring mother." She responded.

         "It didn't occur to me that way." Manyin asserted.

         "Because you might have not known but the harder one tries the better the people get to understand, regardless of the circumstances there's no power that could possibly save the Crown Prince." She remarked as she smiled at herself ghastly.

          The people still walking about in the streets were suddenly dispersed. Clearing the road that led to the gates of the Imperial City, the members of the Imperial Clan led by an elderly Prince who appeared to be around eighty years of age with long white hair marched through.

          Making their entrance into the Palace they stationed themselves right outside the gates of the Central Palace and there, they went onto their knees while the Crown Prince's retinue was watching.

          "Please Your Imperial Highness, receive this our humble cry, the Crown Prince disregards his official position and disrespects his father to the point of sending him to his death bed, by acting impious he brings disgrace upon the Imperial house and the Imperial  Clan, committing the gravest of sins which disqualifies him from leading our people into the paths of righteousness, grant us Your Imperial sanction we beseech thee, please let His Highness vacate the seat of the Crown Prince of this country." Their leader announced as he kowtowed his head.

         "Please Your Imperial Highness, receive our humble cry, grant us Your Imperial sanction we beseech thee and let His Highness vacate the seat of the Crown Prince of this country." The others behind him requested as well which startled everyone present.

          Their cry reaching the Empress who was seated in her Chambers, barely flinching her eyes she stared into the space in front of her.

          "Who is it?" She asked.

          "The Grand Prince Zhao Xuan, he is a respected member of the Imperial Clan and he has mustered others to beseech Your Highness." Beiyuan responded.

         "Finally, the Crown Prince's impeachment is gathering momentum and soon the pressure will become more intense." Empress Yang remarked.

          "I thought you didn't want to move things too fast Your Highness." Beiyuan muttered.

          "Which is why the Court and the masses should move things fast enough for me instead," She responded, "honestly, I wanted one day, one day for me is enough to hold out, it's enough to buy my innocence, it's enough for me to win the sympathy of the people and the generations to come." She asserted.     

          "What are you going to do now Your Highness?" Beiyuan inquired.

          "Just be patient, there's still a couple of hours to sunset, only until tomorrow morning, I don't intend to spoil the fun for you." Empress Yang responded as she smiled at herself ghastly.

         Lan He standing at a distance stared at the members of the Imperial Clan outside the residence of the Empress' Palace and taking a deep breath he sighed and turned around.

        He walked away, himself lost in a couple of thoughts, himself feeling uneasy and remorseful, he suddenly halted in his footsteps when he realised that there was someone standing in front of him.

         He slowly raised his eyes and met a familiar face that he wasn't expecting.

         "Your Serene Highness!" He exclaimed as he bowed his head to offer his salutations.

        "Would you mind having a word with me?" He inquired.

        "I'm afraid there isn't any business a Commandery Prince would have with the Emperor's bodyguard, these are troubled times and much as I hate to sound disrespectful but rumours could be harmful to an extent that can only be measured by the ears where they land." Lan He insisted.

         "I'm very much aware how it can be so but I am even more afraid that it is because we live in troubled times that I choose to seek you." Zhao Guicheng asserted.

         "But I can't determine that." Lan He asserted.

         "Then what concerns both you and me? What if I said that I wish to help His Majesty?" He insisted.

         "And why would I believe that Your Serene Highness?" He asked.

         "Because you and I both know that the only way to put an end to this conflagration is by His Majesty gaining consciousness." Zhao Guicheng responded.

         Lan He hearing this he smirked at the young man before he walked closer to him, looking him in the eye, the latter not intimidated by his gaze seemed confident in his own words.

         "I see," he muttered, "I don't know if you are aware of this but the Imperial Clan has joined the impeachment of the Crown Prince, if all the notable institutions of this country gather together and combine their strength to challenge the Crown, both the Emperor and Empress can do nothing." He said.

         "But there's one thing that His Majesty possesses that no other institution in this country can hold." Zhao Guicheng muttered.

         "What could that possibly be?" Lan He inquired.

         "The Mandate of Heaven," the young man responded, "the one thing that not even the Empress herself can wield, the one thing that His Majesty can use if he gains control of the people." He insisted.

          "What do you want from me?" Lan He inquired.

         "I only wish to understand His Majesty's health, I want to know his condition, if I was reliably aware of it, maybe I could do something to help him gain consciousness." He insisted.

         "His Majesty will never get any better, it's already a miracle that he has lived this long, I heard from the experts that the least we can do is prepare for the worst, why do you think the Empress is confidently taking these steps despite knowing how risky it could be for her in the end?" Lan He responded.

         "Even if it is for an hour or two, I wish to make His Majesty open his eyes, I wish to make him speak to this nation, it's the only way I know, the only choice we have left to end the darkness that is descending upon us before it takes control." Zhao Guicheng muttered.

          "It awes me so much, it's very surprising that despite knowing that you would survive this darkness unscathed, that you would most probably gain the most from it, you are the very person fighting it." Lan He said.

          "Because I love the Crown Prince so much, because I cherish him more than anything else, because it is that devotion that preys on me that will certainly push me to every extreme to protect him." He responded.

          "Such devotion!" Lan He exclaimed.

          "Please help me I beg you, help me save the Crown Prince of this country." Zhao Guicheng insisted.

          "I'll contact the Imperial Physician and see what I can do." Lan He gave in.

          "Thank you." The young man said.

          The Imperial scholars and Censors joining hands marched towards the gates of the Imperial City and halted outside while the crowds gathered around them.

          "Please Your Imperial Highness, receive this our humble cry, His Imperial Highness has committed the worst of sins and has brought great humiliation to our Greater Heavenly Empire." The Chief Scholar asked.

          "If the Crown Prince can not love his Legal parents and honour the man who called him to inherit our most magnificent heritage, how can he be concerned about the country's welfare and equally love its people?" One of his colleagues challenged similarly and the young man taken aback hearing these words only kept his gaze fixed on the ground where he was kneeling.

          "Please Your Imperial Highness, receive this our humble cry, grant us Your Imperial sanction we beseech thee and let His Highness vacate the seat of the Crown Prince of this country." They proposed in unison this time round in front of the people themselves.

         Feng Ba in his study was mesmerised as he slowly tapped his table.

         "What are you thinking about Your Highness?" Hua Jin inquired, very much curious about what was going on in his master's head.

         "Three influential organs in the society that might seem powerless have combined their strength already to challenge the Crown Prince." He muttered.

         "It appears that Her Highness even though unwilling to directly express her disregard for His Highness is the most eager to have him deposed." Hua Jin asserted.

         "Of course, once public excitement overrides social order, the law becomes powerless." Feng Ba remarked.

         "It is only a matter of time before the Empress gives her consent to the abdication." Hua Jin said.

         "At this point it will be worthless to invest ourselves in orchestrating division between her allies, a number of them must have realised that this political move is inevitable and it will by all means result into the Empress wielding more power than she initially did." Feng Ba mentioned.

         "So what are we going to do Your Highness?" Hua Jin inquired.

         "Purpose to resistance would have been achieved if the Crown Prince still reserved some will to protect his position, if he was at least willing to die fighting for it, our support and intervention would have been reasonable." Feng Ba responded.

         "Then Your Highness suggests that we are to do nothing?" Hua Jin asked.

         "We'll only achieve nothing by sacrificing ourselves right now." Feng Ba responded, "His Majesty is the only person who could end this but there's the guarantee that he might never awaken which makes one thing certain." He asserted as he turned towards Hua Jin who instantly seemed to know what he was hinting at.

        "Her Highness is preparing for His Majesty's death." He asserted.

        "Yes." Feng Ba responded.

        Shi Miyuan silently seated within his study as well, his wife present poured him a cup of tea.

         He picked it up and brought it closer to his lips taking a sip.

         "The streets seem busy my dear, quite a number of rumours have already spread all over the Capital." She said.

         "And what do they say?" Shi Miyuan inquired.

         "The Commandery Prince Zhao Guicheng has the makings of an Emperor and everyone still seems moved by his heroic save of His Majesty." She responded.

          "The common folk surely are excited." Shi Miyuan muttered when Dong Hua walked in front of the two.

          "Your Excellency, Milady," he said bowing his head to the two.

          "What is it?" Shi Miyuan inquired.

          "Alas the Imperial scholars and Censors have also joined the formal appeal and throughout the land, other provincial leaders have petitioned to the Empress to grant her Imperial sanction permitting the Crown Prince's abdication." He reported.

          "It appears that it has finally gained extreme momentum." Shi Miyuan muttered.

          "I heard that Her Highness seemed uninterested and unwilling to yield to the demand, don't you think that you are taking things too far Milord by cornering her like this?" Shi Miyuan's wife inquired.

          "If you believe that she sincerely wishes to protect her sinful son then that is good enough, it only means that Her Highness' plan is working." He responded.

          "Milord, my words may be of no importance to you but one thing that is certain is that going down this path, the historians and generations to come might never forgive you." She said.

          "I care less for the forgiveness of those critics, even if my name must be stained for the sake of Her Highness, I'll commit my whole life to her service." He responded.

           The sun set and the Crown Prince still kneeling in the square was exhausted, he was gasping for air slowly and the rest of the servants watching him still holding up his seal started feeling sorry for him.

           "Please Your Imperial Highness, receive this my humble cry, grant me Your Imperial sanction, please let me vacate the seat of the Crown Prince of this country, please, Your Highne......" he finally lost the last ounce of strength that he had and instantly fell unconscious.

           Eunuch Ling and the rest of his retinue watching were startled.

           "Your Highness?" They called as they rushed towards him, carrying him away in that commotion they stepped out of the Central square and rushed past the members of the Imperial Clan who still very surprised persisted with their protest.

          Throwing the doors of the Empress' private Chambers, Manyin rushed through before her mistress.

           "Your Highness," she said kowtowing to her, "there's a problem." She muttered which had the old woman curious about what she was going to say.

           "What is it this time?" She asked.

           "The Crown Prince has fainted in the Central Square and his staff has rushed him to the East Palace." Manyin reported.

           "I see." The Empress remarked, rather calm and far too different from what the young woman had expected.

           "Are you alright Your Highness?" She inquired as the old woman stood up from where she was seated.

          "As it so happens my son is currently unconscious, as his dear and caring mother, I should express my concern now that it is more relevant." She remarked.

         "Yes, Your Highness." Manyin agreed reluctantly and bowing her head the Empress walked past as she exited her room confidently, her eyes somewhat teary with the falsified expression of concern yet inwardly somewhat excited.

          Eunuch Ling carrying the Crown Prince into his chamber lowered him onto his bed while his Physician rushed towards him.

         Putting him underneath his covers, the man who appeared to be in his mid-forties immediately studied his pulse and analysed his health when he noticed that the latter was sweating profusely.

         "What's wrong with His Highness?" Eunuch Ling inquired entirely concerned for his well-being.

         "His Highness has been kneeling outside the Central Hall for nearly an entire day especially under the scorching sun, I am afraid to inform you but he is suffering from fatigue and a severe heatstroke." The Physician asserted when the doors of his Chambers were flung open and the Empress walked through.

         Everyone in the room recognizing her presence, they stepped aside and kowtowed while the latter moving closer to the Imperial Physician turned her eyes towards the bedridden Crown Prince.

         "What is the status of His Highness' health?" She asked.

         "It's fatigue and a severe heatstroke." The physician responded.

         "When will he gain consciousness?" She inquired.

        "It's uncertain, however, he needs to have adequate rest so that he can fully recuperate." The Physician responded.

         "In any case, do you intend to say that he won't be in the position to perform the duties of the Crown Prince?" She inquired.

         "It will take time." The latter responded.

         "And time isn't something that is on our side." The Empress scolded.

         "Forgive me, Your Highness." He instantly apologized.

         "I see." She muttered.

         "Seeing that His Highness is more than willing to relinquish his position, Your Highness, why bother forcing the burden upon his shoulders, should he first offer his life in exchange for you to permit his abdication?" Eunuch Ling inquired.

         "How dare you speak up to Her Highness like that?" Beiyuan lashed out at him and moving closer the Empress raised her left hand and halted him as the young man surprisingly knelt before her.

          "Leave us." She ordered the others gathered around and all of them including the Imperial Physician withdrew from the room.

          Eunuch Ling exploiting their privacy spoke up.

          "I don't care if you kill me Your Highness but how much more does the Crown Prince have to suffer, even if you protect him the Imperial Court, Censors, Clan and scholars have leagued themselves with the public and their resistance won't stop too soon." Eunuch Ling said as he seized the hem of the old woman's garment and looked up at her, "Please Your Highness, please I beg you from the bottom of my heart, grant the world Your Imperial sanction and permit His Highness to abdicate his position as the Crown Prince of this country." He insisted.

         "Suppose I allowed that, I believe that from your sincerity His Highness' life must be precious to you." She said.

         "Yes." He responded confidently.

         "What is it that you'll give me in return?" She asked him and the latter falling silent he clenched his fists, his eyes burning red with fury could barely overwhelm the aching in his heart.

          "His Highness owns nothing valuable beyond this point and he is already as good as dead, if Your Highness wills it, I can make sure that he leaves the Palace." He responded.

         "What makes you confident that I cannot do that myself?" The Empress inquired.

        "Even if you banished His Highness from the Imperial Palace, there would only be a bunch of power-hungry politicians that will find his mere existence threatening, I only wish for his well-being and of course Your Highness alone might not consider the thought of having his blood upon your hands even in exile only your power can save him." He responded as the Empress smiled at him.

         "Very well, it's well said." She asserted.

         Beiyuan and the rest of her retinue anxiously waiting outside as the conversation between the Empress and Eunuch Ling appeared to take much longer than they had expected, the doors were suddenly flung open and the latter stepped out.

         "Your Highness!" They exclaimed kowtowing to her.

         "Call the Imperial Grand Secretary." She ordered, "have him brought to my Chambers." She demanded.

         "Yes, Your Highness." Beiyuan responded and moved aside while the Empress gracefully holding onto her hanfu descended the stairs and strode towards her residence.

        The Imperial Physician seated by the Emperor's bed side checked his pulse in the presence of Eunuch Deng.

        "How is His Majesty?" He inquired and the old man nodding his head in dismay, it wasn't too long for him to grasp the situation.

        "You may leave." He said and the latter putting his tools back into his medical kit, he stood up and withdrew from the room.

          Stepping outside, he descended the stairs that led from the Emperor's Chambers and travelled in the direction of the Imperial pharmacy.

          Barely watched by others, he'd negotiated a corner that led to the West side of the Palace when he was intercepted by Lan He who pulled him behind one of the buildings.

          "What are you doing?" The old man inquired in protest.

          "I need to know about His Majesty's condition." Lan He responded.

          "I had orders from Her Highness, besides, if you are really that curious why don't you ask Superintendent Deng himself?" He asked.

         "He isn't quite the expert when it comes to things like this, I only wish to know if there's a possibility that His Majesty will regain his consciousness." Lan He responded that the Imperial physician was taken aback, "can you not tell me this much?" He insisted and judging from the sincerity in his eyes, the latter unwilling softened to him.

         "Are you ready to hear anything?" He asked.

         "Yes." Lan He responded hesitantly.

         "His Majesty may be in a stable condition, but every day that goes by only means he's stepping closer to the grave, it would require a miracle for him to open his eyes again or even stand up but speaking as a mortal man, one that has no control over death, there's nothing to hope for." The Imperial Physician responded.

          "Not even a one percent chance?" Lan He inquired.

          "Forgive me," the latter responde as he kowtowed to him before he continued his way leaving Lan He speechless while he raised his head and looked up at the moon in the sky.

          "Please Your Majesty, please don't go." He thought to himself inwardly before his eyes turning red and wet, slowly, tears rolled from them.

        Darkness settled over the Palace and dawn broke while the members of the Imperial Clan,  the Imperial Censors and scholars still remained kneeling in the direction of the Central Palace.

         The Courtiers had gathered in the Grand Hall for the daily assembly murmuring to one another when Beiyuan appeared at the doorway.

        "Her Highness the Empress deigns you all with her presence." He announced and everyone standing in order went silent as the familiar silhouette darkened the doorway.

         The Empress majestically marched down the aisle, clad in a beautiful blue and yellow hanfu and wearing on her head a magnificent golden phoenix headdress that was adorned with a set of blue and white pearls.

         The Courtiers refraining from looking at her striking appearance bowed as she passed them while slowly approaching the stairs that led to the Imperial Dragon throne, eventually mounting them and positioning herself right in front of the Court behind a silk screen, she gracefully settled in the Emperor's seat.

         "Greetings Your Highness." The Court delivered their salutation in unison while she nodded her head while turning to Beiyuan who faced the crowd.

         "You may all stand at ease." He announced and they instantly complied, all of them turning to face the direction of the throne as the Empress studied them.

        Silence prevailed momentarily before she spoke up in a soft but strong tone.

        "It is a pleasure to have you all here, however it seems that even if I don't say it, you all seem bothered by something I am mostly likely to be aware of." She uttered.

        "The Imperial Clan, Censors and scholars seem concerned for the position of the Crown Prince, since His Highness brought up his abdication without duress it has too become the discussion of the three Offices." Shi Miyuan muttered.

        "Is that so?" Empress Yang inquired.

        "Until now the Crown Prince's behaviour has only proved to become worse with each day that passes." He asserted.

         "And he has committed worse offences before what is so special this time round?" She inquired.

         "Before, His Highness seemed rather enthusiastic and was not only willing to admit error but rectify his mistakes, now that he chooses to abdicate his Crown makes the masses and the Court more spiteful as he appears to have abandoned his calling to become the future ruler of this our Greater Heavenly Empire." Yu Tianxi, the Left Chancellor reported.

         "As the Imperial Court, we can not commit ourselves to offer the reins of this country to someone unwilling to cherish its people and serve them." Yang Gu asserted.

         "The Crown Prince is the foundation of the Country, he is the Emperor's liege man for life, even if it is so that His Highness has sinned and he abdicated the throne, this is a crucial time seeing that His Majesty is unconscious therefore his seat can not remain vacant for too long." Empress Yang muttered.

         "Perhaps your Highness, but even in this state the Crown Prince is ill and can no longer perform his duties to the best of his abilities as required by the Imperial amendment, if it is Your Highness' worry about who will replace the Crown Prince, I move that this house support me to elevate the Commandery Prince Zhao Guicheng." Shi Miyuan voiced his concern.

         "Having been the Crown Prince's Cohort for the last couple of years, none would understand better than him the Imperial prerogatives." Yang Shi reasoned.

         "Please Your Highness." The rest of the house seconded him in unison as the Empress momentarily reserved her silence before she spoke up.

         "As it is that the house has willed it, I couldn't possibly say otherwise, however as the Crown Prince is still incapacitated and there could be hope for His Majesty's recovery, I don't wish to rush the Crown Prince's abdication." She asserted as everyone awed by her comment turned and looked at one another.

         "However, as I am temporarily overseeing the affairs of State in His Majesty's stead I care to concern myself with the well-being of the nation and as a measure of pacifying the masses and political institutions, the Commandery Prince Zhao Guicheng will receive an Imperial Decree which identifies him as a legitimate Imperial son of both His Majesty and me immediately, he will be required to move into the Imperial Palace and take over the duties and responsibilities of the Crown Prince." She said, "is it not too reasonable an offer?" She inquired from them.

          "It is reliable Your Highness." Shi Miyuan responded and the rest of the Courtiers whispering amongst themselves finally came to a conclusion.

          "Yes, Your Highness." They all agreed in unison.

          "The Grand Secretariat will draft the Imperial Edict and have it delivered to the Commandery Prince Guicheng's residence immediately, an Imperial procession will be sent to receive him and bring him to the Palace." Empress Yang notified everyone.

           "Long Live Your Highness, Your Highness is sage." The Courtiers lauded her as they kowtowed altogether while she smiled at herself.

          Zhao Guicheng pacing in his study, the doors were opened and Lan He walked through them up to his presence.

          "Your Serene Highness." He greeted as the young man rushed to him.

          "Did you find out anything, can His Majesty regain consciousness?" He demanded to know when he suddenly realised the look of distress that was painted on the latter's face.

         "Don't tell me...." he seemed hesitant to know when Lan He nodded his head as though to practically tell him "NO."

          Zhao Guicheng stumbled.

          "The Crown Prince is ill, the Courtiers,  Censors, scholars and members of the Imperial Clan are still kneeling and waiting for Her Highness ' decision on the Crown Prince's abdication." He muttered, "is there nothing we can possibly do?" He inquired.

         "Only divine providence can guarantee that His Majesty gains consciousness, otherwise, there's no science or alchemy that can give us that assurance." Lan He responded.

         "How did everything come to this?" Zhao Guicheng asked himself inwardly when Wei Shi suddenly barged into the room unannounced.

          "Your Highness." He called at the top of his voice as he quickly fell onto his knees before him, "there's a bit of a problem." He professed and Zhao Guicheng still speechless could barely give him a response.

         He took his silence instead as an opportunity to advance the news.

          "Her Highness the Empress has finally come up to a conclusion concerning His Highness." He reported.

          "Will she grant Her Imperial sanction permitting the Crown Prince to abdicate his position as the Crown Prince of this country?" He finally asked what he had been afraid to ask.

          "Her Highness has decided that as a measure of pacifying the masses and political institutions, now that both His Majesty and the Crown Prince are unconscious, Your Serene Highness will receive an Imperial Decree which identifies you as a legitimate Imperial son of both His Majesty and her and will be required to move into the Imperial Palace and take over the duties and responsibilities of the Crown Prince." Wei Shi reported, "Superintendent Beiyuan is here with the Imperial rescript." He notified the latter who finally losing all the strength that he had left stumbled yet again this time round finally falling onto the floor  and sitting.

        "Your Serene Highness?" A voice finally emerging from outside made its entrance into the room, "come forward and receive Her Highness Imperial Decree." Beiyuan insisted.

         "No." The latter nodded his head in disapproval.

         "Your Serene Highness?" Wei Shi startled by his behaviour graveled and moved closer to him while Lan He turned away.

         "Lock this room." He insisted, "I won't accept the Imperial Decree." He said.

        "Your Highness, rejecting the Imperial Decree can be considered treason." Wei Shi said.

         "And usurping the throne of the Crown Prince isn't treason as well?" Zhao Guicheng inquired.

         "There must be a preference and a less extreme of two evils." Wei Shi muttered when the young man instantly recalled the words that Zhao Hong had mentioned to him the previous day.

         "Was this what Your Highness meant?" He asked himself inwardly.

          "Do you think you can hold out anymore Your Highness?" Lan He asked.

          "I don't mind becoming a sinner in this Dynasty, I can't betray the Crown Prince." Zhao Guicheng insisted.

          "Until now you must have realised that not everyone gets to have a choice in life." Lan He said, "His Highness was willing to abdicate the throne in the first place, don't you think he knew that at one point in his life you would become his replacement?" He inquired.

          "Nothing you tell me will convince me to change my mind, it was His Highness' decision after all, this too is mine," Zhao Guicheng muttered, "I will not receive the Imperial rescript, that is my resolve." He insisted firmly.

          "What!" Empress Yang exclaimed.

          "I have been informed that the Commandery Prince has refused to receive the Imperial Decree." Xiaoyang reported.

         "On what grounds, how dare he?" Empress Yang muttered.

         "If this persists Your Highness then I am afraid that it might become quite cumbersome once the masses catch the wrong glimpse of the situation." Manyin said.

         "Certainly how different would he be from the Crown Prince that requested to abdicate his position?" The Empress muttered.

          "It is still somewhat early and some people believe that His Highness is having cold feet, perhaps we should postpone the arrangement..." Xiaoyang suggesting hesitated after receiving an intimidating gaze from her mistress.

         "Time isn't on our side, in fact, it has never been, we can not postpone this affair as it is something very crucial it seems to me that the Commandery Prince might be forgetting his promise to me." Empress Yang muttered as she raised her head to the latter that was standing beside her while she responded with silence awaiting her mistress' order.

         "I'll see the Commandery Prince, in private." She said.

         "I'll make the necessary arrangements." She responded.

         "Immediately." The old woman emphasized and Xiaoyang nodding her head, she slowly withdrew from the vicinity.

         "Your Serene Highness, come forward and receive Her Highness' Imperial Edict." Beiyuan still standing outside the Inner Courtyard called out and without any response from within, Zhao Guicheng sat down still feeling uneasy.

         "Your Highness, pardon me but your rejection will only bring with it undesirable consequences." Wei Shi insisted.

         "Leave me and wait in the hallway until I call for you." He responded.

         "But........" Wei Shi still insisting hesitated when his eyes met the fierce gaze of the young man who looked fully determined to retain his stance.

           Greatly intimidated, he withdrew unwillingly, shutting the doors as he took his stance right outside where a couple of other servants waited.

         The Empress dressed in a simple blue and grey hanfu while wearing a turquoise veil over her head approached the back door of the building, confident as Manyin followed her, she knocked on it thrice.

         An intense silence settled over the place momentarily before the door was flung open, there, a face of a man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties appeared.

        "How may I help you?" He inquired and the Empress slowly lifting her veil revealed herself to the latter who instantly bowed his head.

         "Your Highness........" he stuttered upon recognizing her while she on the other hand even without invitation walked past until she was inside.

         "Where is the Commandery Prince?" She inquired.

         "He's inside his study." He responded.

         "Take me to him." She ordered.

         "Yes." The man responded as he swiftly moved forward while the two closely followed from behind.

         Ushering the Empress through the outer courtyard, they moved forward towards his study, she gracefully mounted the stairs that led to its interior.

         Reaching inside, she sashayed through the hallways until she finally approached Wei Shi who was standing guard outside one of the rooms.

         "Your Highness." He immediately greeted her upon recognizing her presence.

         "I am here to see the Commandery Prince." She notified him

         "His Highness is resting." He responded but the Empress ignoring his words threw the doors of his Chambers open and walked through towards his table behind which he was seated.

         He stood up immediately and kowtowed to her.

         "Greetings Your Highness." He said.

         "Your Serene Highness?" She raised her voice at him, "have you and idea what you are doing?" She finally asked in a somewhat calm but serious tone.

         "Yes." He responded.

         "So you refuse to receive the Imperial Rescript, I can't help but wonder, what is it that you are trying to prove with your actions?" She challenged him.

         "Seeing that you travelled all the way from the Palace to come to my humble abode my decision must have aggressed you well enough." Zhao Guicheng mentioned.

         "Except that if you expect me to beg you to accept the Imperial Decree then you are mistaken." She muttered.

          "Are you not worried Your Highness that Your actions are giving off your need for me too easily?" He asked.

          "Except that you seem to have forgotten that it is my speciality to make a Crown Prince." Empress Yang mentioned.

          "Then why don't you go ahead Your Highness, there's at least a number of Princes out there and more in the Imperial Clan that are even closer in the line of succession so why does it have to be me Your Highness, why should I be the one to take the Crown Prince's place?" Zhao Guicheng asked infuriated.

          "Do you really want to know?" She asked.

          "It will be much more bearable, it could be the best excuse I could give myself to ease the burden of guilt that overwhelms my heart and troubles my conscience." He responded.

          "Because it hurts," she responded, "because I am afraid," she muttered which surprised the young man.

          "Until now, this is the first time that I have heard Your Highness say you are afraid of something in this world." Zhao Guicheng mentioned.

          "Those Courtiers would go very far, you can't possibly blame them because I understand how they feel, I understand what it's like to depend on someone just like they depend on me." She responded.

          "Is that the real reason Your Highness?" The young man asked.

          "I am mortal, I am ageing every day, each of those men risked their lives and their fortune, one can only imagine how much blood we shed because we felt that what we needed was not a strong Emperor but a good one, one that I see in you and not the Crown Prince," Empress Yang responded as she walked up to him and looked him in the eye, "but of course you know nothing at all, of course you wouldn't understand, I have stared in the Crown Prince's eyes and seen the look in them, a thirst for vengeance with the first chance he'll get that I can not let him possess the ultimate power to decide life and death." She insisted.

         "But I cherished the Crown Prince and devoted my whole life to being very much like him what is your guarantee Your Highness that I will not end up becoming another part of him, what's your guarantee that if you granted me ultimate power to preside over life and death I wouldn't be any worse?" Zhao Guicheng challenged the young man.

         "Because it isn't in you." Empress Yang responded.

         "It isn't written on my face." He insisted.

         "But my eyes will never lie to me, I can never let them." She remarked as Zhao Guicheng took a deep breath and sighed.

          "As a Court Lady I made the Emperor of this country, two Crown Prince's have gone through my hands but I do not wish to praise myself of course, I believe you do remember the promise you made to me before you returned to the Capital." She reminded the young man.

          "What about it Your Highness?" Zhao Guicheng brazenly asked, still soliciting the courage he needed to look at her while she slowly walked around him.

          "The Crown Prince incapacitated you do realise that I have the power over his life and death, since he requested that I allow him to abdicate his throne, I can have his life spared for your sake but if you do not insist on doing as I say, I can't guarantee his safety from those politicians that still feel threatened by his mere existence." She said and the young man infuriated he clenched his fists silently.

         "If you still value the life of the Crown Prince that is, in the next hour after my departure, you will accept and receive the Imperial Decree, if not then, prepare to bury him, either way I assure you whether peacefully or forcefully, you will sit on that throne because if you turn down the offer, I don't see anything that stops me from making your younger brother the Crown Prince instead." She whispered to him before she turned around and sashayed out of the room.

         Wei Shi walked into the room shortly after her only to find Zhao Guicheng quiet and frustrated that he could barely move from where he was standing.

         "Your Highness......" He called to him but instantly went speechless as the latter shouting out loud he collapsed onto his knees.

         "No." He kept on saying as he smacked the floor with his fists angrily.

         "Please get a grip of yourself Your Highness." Wei Shi insisted.

         "Why?" Zhao Guicheng kept on asking himself, "if only I could choose." He muttered.

         "I'm sorry Your Highness." Wei Shi apologized.

         The Empress walked into her Chambers accompanied by Xiaoyang as she took her seat.

         "Your Highness, what will happen to the Commandery Prince?" She inquired.

         "He's a very young and flexible man, he'll definitely bend and come around for the sake of what's good for him." She responded.

         "Suppose he doesn't Your Highness, what then?" She inquired.

         "He will break." She responded as she smiled at herself ghastly.

         "Your Serene Highness, come forward and receive Her Highness' Imperial Edict." Beiyuan called out while silence prevailed, the others still curious only kept on murmuring amongst themselves with their eyes fixed at the main building which harboured the young man.

         Beiyuan tired was only wishing inwardly for the Commandery Prince's presence when suddenly the doors were flung open aloud.

         Everyone taken aback only remained speechless as they beheld the familiar silhouette of the young man stepping out into the sunlight that shined upon his entrance.

         Slowly while being accompanied by Wei Shi he descended the stairs until he halted right in front of the old man who smiled at himself.

         "Alas, Your Highness is here." Beiyuan spoke up.

         "Forgive me for having kept you waiting." Zhao Guicheng whispered.

         "I only wish those words were sincere, but what matters the most is that Your Highness has finally yielded to your true calling." Beiyuan mentioned as he unfolded the scroll and the latter quietly bowed down with the rest of his household before him.

         "HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR IS IN ILL HEALTH AND HIS HIGHNESS THE CROWN PRINCE IS UNABLE TO FULFILL HIS OFFICIAL DUTIES BECAUSE HE IS BATTLING FOR HIS OWN LIFE AS WELL, THE FOUNDATION OF THE COUNTRY IS WEAKENED AND THE BURDEN OF ITS GOVERNANCE RESTS ON MY SHOULDERS THAT AS EMPOWERED BY THE IMPERIAL COURT, I HEREBY GRANT MY IMPERIAL SANCTION TO THE COMMANDERY PRINCE ZHAO GUICHENG TO ASSUME THE DUTIES OF THE CROWN PRINCE OF THIS COUNTRY, HE SHALL OVERSEE ALL AFFAIRS OF STATE UNDER MY EARNEST SUPERVISION AND WILL MOVE IN TO THE IMPERIAL PALACE AS AN IMPERIAL SON TO HIS MAJESTY AND I, ZHAO YUN." He read.

          "Zhao Yun, thanks Her Highness the Empress." The young man reluctantly agreed stretching his hands out to reach for the Edict which Beiyuan rested in his hands.

         "Long Live Her Highness, Her Highness is sage." The rest of his household sang in unison very much to the appeasement of the cunning old Eunuch stationed ahead of them.