The Passing Of The Queen - II

The first prince walked so quickly through the palace that he almost stumbled on his own feet.

When he saw the palace of the noble consort, he hurried in a frightening manner and expelled all the guards and servants who were watching the door.

Upon entering the Xia palace, of the Ayame consort, Amon did not even deign to kneel in a sign of respect, he just held with his gaze the figure of his mother sitting sipping wine while massaging his temples.

- What did the queen do? Amon pointed his index finger openly accusing the consort of treason.

- How dare you enter...?

- How dare you kill the queen? Are you crazy? My Father has already ordered the investigation squad to conduct a close search of the palace in search of the murderer. What if they discover you? Do you think that even your position as a consort will save you from death?

- What disastrous acts have I done to deserve death? Do you have any evidence against me? - Amon was so angry that he felt the urge to throw his own mother to the pigs. That foolish woman did not understand the gravity of killing a queen.

- You do not have to try so hard to know. It is obvious that it was you.

- The person who gave the delicacy to that clumsy queen was her own daughter, not me! - Ayame stood up in a fury.

- Who in their right mind will believe that my sister's foolish and futile set up such an ingenious scheme? Look at Mei Yang, no one on the board, not even the king himself will believe such a story.

- Why not? Is she exempt from being a murderer?

- In that case, yes! - Amon ran his hands through his bun, completely undoing it. His anger deepened so much that he had to sit down and think about what he would do to save his own mother from certain condemnation.

- You are worrying for nothing no one will suspect me. - Ayame murmured

- Then you dare to confess your sin!

- What a sin? - Ayame changed. She was tired of living on the sidelines waiting for the king every night while he ignored all consorts for his love for the late queen. - I am fulfilling your wish to be king! It is no longer enough to have to live a mediocre life inside this consort palace waiting for an old and decrepit man who does not love his concubines, since I was born to be queen and you were born to rule. That infamous dared to steal the king for herself and gave birth to that despicable creature stealing his throne! Sin is you and Yoshio being judged as a bastard just because Tai'Ner Zhi gave birth to a daughter of a royal lineage. The lineage of the king and queen! - Ayame waved her hands in the air in an exaggerated and ironic bow. - I will give you back the throne that has always been yours.

Amon looked at his mother in disbelief at what he had just heard. He never imagined the hatred and resentment she held over everyone, including the queen, who was just an innocent. For a moment, he analyzed what made his mother carry such a heavy load on her heart. All the years of bitterness without being able to speak or speak out against the king's favors. Having to share her mere monthly hours with so many other women and in the end be rejected and excluded within a palace.

- Do you know why the king gave me this palace? - Ayame was now facing the view through the window. The courtyard covered with snow and sadness, as well as his soul thrown into that lonely place. - Heavy conscience. I gave my life, I donated my time to him, I gave two sons that he is so proud of. I managed to maintain peace between my state, Yate and Naran in the war twenty years ago. If it were not for me to intercede with the king of Yate so he would not join Kase, Naran would have been crushed like an ant. I managed to keep the peace, I who was sold like anybody to marry a stranger just to bring power to my birth state. However, look where I am? - The consort pointed to her back and smiled uncontrollably. - Thrown into a luxurious palace just to erase the weight he carries of having changed the only woman who helped him, for a love at first sight. I was abandoned by Yate who sees me as an abandoned and powerless woman, and by Naran. I am that woman you see.

- My mother is envied by all women in the six states. It have everything that anyone could have. Wealth, power, influence and a palace just for you. What else do you want? Amon squeezed his mother's arms in fury.

- Be queen! - Ayame's eyes twitched as she said those words. The bitterness she carried in her heart had already blinded any kind of affection or love she could have for someone. - See you on the throne. In addition, I will not rest until that happens.

- Stop! - Amon and shook the consort's small and fragile body. - Don't you see that your actions call into question my plans? And I? Do you know how embarrassed I am to see a fourteen-year-old girl take my place? Do you know how humiliating it is to have to fight my little sister? Her life is full of luxury and wealth, even more than the late queen once dreamed of having is. The king gives you even more than he deserves. A woman can desire the maximum. Nevertheless, I am the one who carries the title of bastard wherever I go just because I was born in the womb of a consort.

- Stop! - Ayame shouted loudly feeling her vocal cords ache; trying to free herself from Amon's strong hands and cover her ears. She did not want to hear those accusing words from her son, it was no longer enough to hear everyone's accusations for not having become queen and making his two sons a perfectly real lineage.

- Whatever you are up to, give up. It will be a miracle if you survive this queen event, listen to me. Do not do anything rash. - Amon threw the consort through the huge blankets to the ground and, completely disgusted, he followed in heavy steps through the corridors back to his palace.

Ayame threw herself between the blankets on the floor, completely desolate she thought that this was just the beginning. She would never rest until that throne was his. She had done for Naran what no woman did. She was fighting for her reward. By your right, just!

The consort stood up, fixed her Hanfu, and smiled at her plans that were underway. The queen's death was only the beginning; she would throw that whole court down and give her son the throne. That traitor was dead and if everything went well her daughter would soon be with her on the other side.

- Furen * - the consort's most trusted servant entered her quarters, bowing gently. - Naki's noble consort is waiting outside for you.

Ayame took a deep breath and shook her head a few times, as she would have to receive her biggest disaffection. On a day that just wanted to celebrate alone with her final victory, the visitors decided to pester her. However, she only made mention to the servant to let the woman in.

And as soon as An Chyou entered the doors of the Xia palace hall, She bowed briefly and approached the place where the consort was. The two greeted each other cordially and stared at each other for brief seconds.

"Sit down," Ayame pointed to the seat beside her. On that day, no one could wear any kind of ornament, nor did extravagant clothes, which is why when An Chyou saw the figure of Naran's Consort She hardly recognize it. After all, she wore extremely exaggerated gadgets that guaranteed her a superior image, but now he looked just like an ordinary woman.

- I am sorry for the loss of the state. Queen Tai'Ner was a virtuous, magnanimous woman, in extreme mourning. - Ayame was staring at An Chyou with an empty, mocking glow. Her ears could no longer bear to hear the queen's name, nor of her death.

Her loyal servant came over with a tea tray and both were served.

- What shocks me is that the queen was killed before everyone's eyes and the culprit still remains is loose. - Naki's consort commented with her eyes fixed on Ayame's manner. - The king ordered the searches, but so far nothing ...

- I do not know the custom in Naki, noble consort, but here in Naran it is forbidden for the harem to meddle in state affairs. - An Chyou grinned and settled in her seat.

- It is not what it seems, but if the consort says, it is said! - Ayame was sick of that presence. She always hated Naki and her weak and dependent Naran power for everything, it was because of these states that Naran did not enter into larger agreements, and had to live almost on her own, and it was amazing how strong they were in maintaining an army of over a hundred thousand men and a stable policy. Naran had it all without needing any other state. However, on the other hand, there was Kase who possessed almost the same strength as Naran, and now they was uniting with Yate, both states of tremendous power allied against Naran. The consort thought for a few moments before paying attention to his visit, how difficult it would be to throw that nest of snakes down and keep Naran on his feet for Amon to then ascend the throne. She had to get rid of the fleas trapped on the back of the state, and the only flea was Naki. Then, to show her dissatisfaction with the woman's presence in her palace, she just let out a long breath of false tiredness and put her hands on her head as if she were in a tearing pain. - I see I am bothering you. I am leaving. - An Chyou made a brief bow with such delicacy demonstrating her superiority and meekness, and smiled falsely at Ayame.

Unhappy woman! I will still get that smile off your face! Thought Naran's consort - I hope the culprit is severely punished. May the sky punish you with all fury and that nothing about your existence. This is the desire of all people, and of the hearts of the adjacent states.

Ayame opened her eyes wide and closed her hands in a fierce fist. The desire to move forward on that woman took over her being that it took superhuman control to hold on.

When she found herself alone, she finally threw her anger by throwing all the porcelain vases, which were gifts from the king, to all sides. Her irritation was rising so that she was going into hysteria.

- Furen, Furen * - her servant tried to calm her down without much results - be careful, the young princess is outside watching everything - Ayame turned so fast that she saw Mei Yang behind the entrance door facing her humiliating scene.

- Why, you ... - Ayame pointed at the princess with such scorn that even Mei Yang was terrified - Hold her! - The palace guards were somewhat afraid to obey the consort's order, but at last, they took the young princess's arms and carried her inside. - Your nosy, insolent...

- How dare you talk to me in that tone? - Mei Yang shouted louder than she did. "If my father finds out that one of the women in his harem has dared to touch me, he will be severely punished." - Ayame smiled sideways. Her hands were shaking with nervousness to the point of causing a turmoil to spread throughout her body. Ayame thought that he finally had That princess, fruit of the late queen's womb, the woman who stole everything from her, who took her throne, her rightful place, was in her hands.

Her eyes emanated rancor that when her hands lifted up, slapping the young princess in the face, her body calmed down, as if her nerves had taken a calming tea. It looked like he was taking revenge on her past tormented by the ghost of Tai'Ner.

- My Father will know ... - Mei Yang shouted so loudly that the consort gave another slap seeing the girl's delicately white face turn red. In addition, not satisfied, she asked the servants to bring their homemade punishment rod.

- Furen *, today is the day of mourning; nobody in the palace is allowed to punish even one servant, especially the young heir princess. - Ayame didn't care. She was tired of the presence of that silly little mouse that took the stick and handed it to her right arm, her most loyal servant.

- Go, I want fifty sticks. - Her servant just took the object, and with trembling hands, she delivered the first ten sticks. The look of everyone inside the hall was astonished. Mei Yang screamed in pain while guards who feared for their lives held his arms.

Then, the doors of the hall opened and the king hurried in, his face closed, further marking his, deep expressions of old age.

- Who dares to punish on the day of mourning? The king shouted and everyone knelt in despair. Mei Yang was crying copiously by the sticks that clung to the hem of his father's robes. - Guards! - The king called his troops and promptly all entered the place. - take everyone involved to prison; tomorrow everyone will have their punishments duplicated.

The consort was thrown to the ground without reaction. The king never visited her, never been there to greet her since he met Tai'Ner. Now here he was, with his white mantle for mourning, his eyes weary with life and with eternal contempt for his image lying on the ground in distress.

When the king faced his consort, he was disgusted. How could a woman have become such a being?

"The servant who punished the princess will be severely punished," the king ordered them to take the consort's loyal servant to the torture division. - While the noble consort will be taken to the cold palace. She will stay there until he thinks of her sinful acts before the gods on a day when the late queen struggles to face the other side of life.

Ayame shook her head in denial and disbelief. Why did everything have to be against her? Why did not that man love you?

The next day Naran's noble consort had been taken to the cold palace of exile, all those present were whipped a hundred times, and the servant who punished the young princess had her eyes gouged out so that she could never again commit such profanity on a noble.

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Chapter notes:

Palanquin: vehicle for one person, used in eastern countries (such as China and India) and consisting of a kind of closed litter or covered bed or seat, attached to a clothesline that is carried on the shoulder by two, four or six men or, sometimes on the back of elephants or camels.

Dianxia: Your Highness

Furen: Great woman, a less formal way of addressing a consort or concubine.

Sí Che Wu: horse time (11:00 to 13:00)