Her eyes darted to the side immediately she sensed another presence in the throne room, quickly recognising who it is, she stood up from the seat and strode down the stairs then she walked towards her dear disciple who she severely injured and yet spent great effort to heal him again.

"Greeting, master," he greeted with his hands cupped and raised, she curled up her lips devilishly and moved closer to him.

​​

"Where are they?"

He gulped down his saliva in hesitation, he had already prepared himself to die as soon as he entered the throne room since this is the second negative news he is bringing him.

"I took the disciple to kill them but I found them already dead before we got to their abode," he disclosed then dropped to his knees immediately, her curled lips dropped upon hearing the news.

"What do you mean, who dared to kill my subordinates?"

"I checked their body but the killing method was too smooth for someone with ordinary skills, their necks were slit thinly, it seemed like the handiwork of an assassin,"

"Impossible, those two are even more powerful than you, I sent you alone because they will definitely give up their lives as long as I make the order but a mere assassin finished them off..." she gathered her claws into a fist, swearing to skin that person alive as long as she finds him.

- - - - - - - -

"How about the mission I sent you on?" the fourth prince inquired as he entered the maze of apricot blossoms and strode among the trees with Feng Shui close walking behind him.

"Thanks to your snow blade, I was able to assassinate them in one strike," he responded.

"Good, getting rid of those two is the same as cutting off her wings but I still can't find much about her disciple," he exhaled deeply.

"There is no need to rush things master, her disciple background is not yet known but I am sure we can find that out very soon,"

"She has been in seclusion for so long but she actually made the effort to seize the second young mistress of the flame sect...there must be a reason behind it, continue to find out what you can and leave no trace," he instructed but then they heard a breezy sound coming from a certain direction, both glanced at each other before going to see what is happening.

They soon found Xiaodi training in the maze, her nine fox tails swept around as she spun her body around and landed on the ground, only then did she notice them watching her, she retracted her tails then walked towards them with a broad smile on her lips.

"You didn't come to report to me after finishing your mission but you came here to train...should I praise you or scold you?" he teased, maintaining a straight face.

"Master...you should already know I took care of it, I have already transferred everything to the secret chamber without letting her know too much," she responded, linking her arm with his while Feng Shui rolled his eyes.

This gummy character of hers is never-ending.

"Then I should praise you," he patted her head with a brotherly smile.

"There will be more to happen in a few months time, the real identity of the leader of the blood moon sect is unknown and if not for the information left behind by my mother I would also be oblivious, now that she has made a move she definitely has plans to bring her sect back to the spotlight..." he turned to Feng Shui with a serious expression on his face.

"I will heal myself behind close doors as I would need to make great use of my power to help her pass the evaluation, Feng Shui, I will leave everything to you and...Xiaodi," he turned to her, reminding her that she can be playful but she should also take care of her responsibilities.

Both came forward and dropped on or knee, they cupped their hands and lowered their heads.

"We will not disappoint you," they chorused in unison.

- - - -- - -- - - -

In the imperial hall, the ministers were gathered in the hall including the prime minister who has ended his punishment of solitary confinement, the prime minister has already told them about the emperor's decree to relinquish their private armies but they specially came to the meeting determined to go against the emperor and of course, they were depending on the prime minister.

"Your majesty, the Khan has sent a letter saying they cannot afford the tribute for now as there is famine, he asks until your birthday to send the tribute," the minister of foreign affairs informed, the emperor hummed in response.

"Now that the Mongolians have been taken care of, I trust my ministers has heard of my order from the prime minister, it is necessary that my ministers relinquish their army in order to strengthen the defence of the nation.

One of the ministers from the prime minister's side immediately stepped forward, the moment they have been awaiting finally came.

"Your majesty, the ministers have been entitled to having our own private army since the reign of your ancestors, asking the minister's to relinquish their army will only cause imbalance," the minister argued while the other murmured in support.

"Do all of you think that same?" the emperor questioned with a cold glint in his eyes as he ran his gaze through them, they avoided his gaze as they glanced at each other then they chorused in unison.

"Yes, your majesty!"

The emperor downturned lips curled up before suddenly breaking into a peal of laughter resounding in the hall, they glanced at each other before glancing at him in the wonder of what was so funny about what they just said.

He slowly brought himself to stop laughing, his eyes narrowed into a murderous glint as he glanced at each of them then finally landed on the prime minister.

"Prime minister, what do you think of this?" he questioned, passing him a threatening look, the ministers turned to the prime minister who they were depending on to help them go against the emperor but his eyes darkened as he raised his head with his teeth grinding.

"Prime minister, we trust you are in the best position to give the best counsel to the emperor, please do speak?" the regional commander provoked with a friendly expression on his face, this made the ministers confused as to what exactly is going on but they still believed the prime minister will never agree to such order.

The prime minister then stepped forwards bowed his head while he cupped his hands and raised them.

"We will do as your majesty as ordered," he dropped the bomb on them, causing everyone to fall into a state of confusion, he tightened his cupped hands with his head still bowed.

"Prime minister, what are you saying t-t-this...is just outrageous," one of the ministers protested but earned the emperor's icy glare.

"How dare you!" the emperor thundered causing them all to fall into line and shut their mouths.

"How dare you show contempt against my order...it seems like I am no longer the emperor that you would rather listen to the prime minister than the emperor sitting on this throne, if so then..." he stood up from the throne and dusted the seat under the head eunuch confused watch along with everyone present in the hall.

"Prime minister, why don't you take this seat then," he gestured his hands towards the throne, everyone in the hall widened their eyes at the outrageous proposal the emperor just made, both the servant, eunuchs and the minister's all fell to their knees immediately.

"Your majesty!" they chorused in unison but the prime minister still stood on the same spot with his head lowered, he slowly raised his head with his eyes fixed on the empty throne.

{The seat I have always wanted is right there, if he is offering it to me then it is only right that I take my rightful place ----}

He took a step forwards, disregarding everything and everyone in his sight but the throne...the icy glint in the emperor's ice darkened as his eyes watched the prime minister's foot slowly take a forward leap.

The ministers and everyone present could also feel their heart thumping against their chest wall.

He had almost gotten to the front of the stairs leading to the throne when...

"Father, won't you go on your knees!" a feminine voice resounded in the hall, making the moment freeze and the prime minister snap out of his senses, the emperor raised his gaze to see the empress hurriedly rush into the hall.

The prime minister who was now in his right senses dropped to his knees and bowed his head.

"Your majesty, please don't make me into a sinner, how can I dare take your place on the throne," he refuted in a wailing voice, the empress heaved a sigh of relief while the emperor glanced at her before taking a seat on the throne.

"That is all for today, you are dismissed,"

The ministers quickly scurried out of the hall, knowing that they no longer have rights over their army especially after what just happened, they just realized that the emperor really means to take back their power.

After they all left, the emperor closed his eyes and took a deep breath before gazing coldly at the empress who still remained in the hall.

"It seems like the empress has made up with the prime minister, why was I not informed of this good news?" he remarked as though he really meant it, she lowered her head and raised her cupped hands.

"Please forgive me,"

"Why would the empress come to the imperial during a meeting with my ministers?" seeing as she came right on time, he was suspecting that she might have placed spies in the imperial hall to inform her of what is happening in the meetings.

"I was about to visit you in your palace when I got the news you were in the imperial hall, it skipped my mind that you might be in a meeting with the ministers, please forgive me," she fluently answered, without her voice wavering.

"Then what did empress want to talk about?"

"Your majesty, I heard you summoned madam Ju of Ruyi pavilion to the palace, I was just about to visit her but it appears that she has left the palace,"

{She left so fast, it seems like she indeed doesn't want to be in the palace,}

"I gave her the freedom to leave the palace when she wants to, you need not worry about that,"

{Does he really not intend to make her take his late consort's place,}

She pondered.