The next morning during breakfast, a few soldiers came by to find Ying-tai and Xiu Juan. Huian and Xia called Ying-tai to the door to meet them.

“Lord Ying-tai, the Crown Prince wants you and the Grand Princess to return back home,” the soldier said.

“We were about to be on our way,” Ying-tai replied somberly.

“He also wants to start the ceremonial service of the crowning soon,” the soldier informed Ying-tai in which he furrowed his brows as the soldier spoke those words out of his mouth, “but he wants you and the Grand Princess to be there to take part of the planning and setting the date before then.”

“He has the audacity to play out that facade to us?” Xiu Juan scorned as she approached all of the men. The soldiers immediately bowed to her and greeted her. “His confidence and his invitation for us to help him set an inauspicious date for the ceremony to crown him Emperor is insulting to me,” she continued, glaring.

“We are only here to deliver the message to bring you back home, Grand Princess Xiu Juan,” the soldier shook.

“We will be there,” Ying-tai answered. Xiu Juan turned her head to him. “We will take part in this. We each deserve to have a voice in it,” he said as he turned to look at Xiu Juan, who softened her expression as she began to understand what his intentions were.

The soldiers nodded and rode their horses back to the palace. Ying-tai told Huian and Xia to prepare for their return. Then he turned to Xiu Juan and drew himself nearer to her.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said softly, “Sir Guozhi told me everything.”

Xiu Juan’s face showed relief.

“Whatever happens when we return to the palace, I promise I’ll make sure everything will be for the greater good. For Qin. For you,” he spoke to her warmly.

Xiu Juan nodded. Afterwards, everyone packed their belongings and strapped it onto their horses. Ying-tai took a hold of Xiu Juan’s hand and helped her mount onto her white horse. He mounted onto his black horse shortly after and strode next to Xiu Juan’s. She looked at him tenderly as he looked at her, for they were unsure what the future held for them inside the palace. He smiled kindly at her and then turned his eyes away and nudged his horse to move forward.

When they reached the palace, soldiers saluted to Ying-tai and bowed lowly to Xiu Juan. They opened the gates and made way for them. Ying-tai helped Xiu Juan off her horse and led her inside the palace, holding onto her hand softly. Xiu Juan stopped in her tracks, tugging at Ying-tai. He turned to her.

“I will part from you now,” she said softly, “only you will be needed in my brother’s court.”

Understanding this, Ying-tai nodded to Xiu Juan and slowly let go of her hand and watched her leave till she was out of sight with Luli and Bo.

“My lord,” Huian nudged Ying-tai from his thoughts, “should we proceed?”

“Yes, of course,” Ying-tai said. But before he made another step forward, a servant rushed to him to deliver a message.

“Lord Ying-tai!” He gasped. He had been running to get to him. “I came to tell you that the imperial physician wants to see you before you join the Prince’s court. It is urgent.”

Ying-tai raised his eyebrow. Huian and Xia looked at each other, alarmed.

“The imperial physician?” Ying-tai repeated.

“Yes!” The servant nodded.

“Lead me,” Ying-tai ordered, and the servant scurried his way to the front to lead them.

In the library, the imperial physician and Sir Guozhi were waiting for him. They got up and bowed to greet him when they saw him enter.

“If you don’t mind, Lord Ying-tai, this is a private matter between only us. So if your men would be willing to step out for this conference,” Sir Guozhi requested.

Ying-tai nodded. “Huian. Xia.” He ordered them to step out, in which they obligingly did.

When Ying-tai sat down with Sir Guozhi and the imperial physician, the imperial physician began in a low voice.

“The day The Emperor died, I was ordered to come in and declare him dead in front of the officials. I was one of the only few allowed to be near him. On the night of the funeral, I was the one to dress him and get him presentable for the ceremony.”

He paused.

“What is it?” Ying-tai asked, keeping his voice low and calm. Sir Guozhi, who was already in the know, sat back and watched the imperial physician.

“However, when I undressed him, I noticed a mark on his arm,” his old hands trembled, “I have always tended his majesty but I’ve never seen it before. I would remember.”

“A mark? What kind of mark?” Ying-tai grew anxious.

“A puncture wound,” Sir Guozhi spoke, “from a needle.”

“You’re saying—“ Ying-tai began.

“I am quite positive The late Emperor was poisoned,” the imperial physician stated. “By the time of the funeral, there was bruising and discoloration of the skin surrounding the puncture wound.”

Ying-tai grew furious. “Who do you guys think did it?” He asked between clenched teeth.

“A few of my men last saw The Emperor having a tea session with his son, Crown Prince Jiao Long,” Sir Guozhi informed. “According to them, they never saw The Emperor come out of his room again that night.”

Ying-tai clenched his fist.

“I did not want to keep it from you, Lord Ying-tai,” the imperial physician said. “I strongly felt that you, of all people, deserved to know and that you would be able to do something about it.”

“The court wants to appoint Jiao Long as Emperor in the next three days,” Ying-tai said, “It’s already been this long since The Emperor passed. If we were to accuse Jiao Long of treason now, who would believe us?”

“They will shoot back at us claiming we want to frame the new Emperor and then prosecute us for false allegation in intent to over throw him. Regardless of what we may do, we will all be killed for knowing something we weren’t supposed to,” Sir Guozhi agreed with Ying-tai.

“I hate to say that our suspicions were correct,” Ying-tai scowled, clenching his fists tightly. “Thank you, imperial physician,” he finally said. “You were always loyal to The late Emperor, and for that I am forever grateful to you.”

The imperial physician bowed his head to him. “The Emperor believed in you. Therefore, so must I. You are Qin’s last hope. Please protect this empire from falling into the hands that don’t deserve the value it holds,” he said then excused himself.

“The Grand Princess?” Sir Guozhi mentioned.

“Don’t tell her,” Ying-tai demanded, “She won’t be able to contain herself. I don’t want her to be crazed with rage.”

Sir Guozhi nodded, “She does have her father’s temper.”

Ying-tai got up from his seat and poised himself.

“I am to meet Jiao Long,” Ying-tai stated. “I believe you were to be there as well?”

“Yes,” Sir Guozhi said with a sigh as he also got up. “I will meet you there later.”

Ying-tai nodded and headed his way out. Huian and Xia saw Ying-tai walk out of the library with a face marked with resentment and did not dare say a word. They followed him quietly, just looking at each other.

“What was it?” Huian questioned and broke the silence, as he was the only one who was able to say anything to Ying-tai without him retaliating.

When Ying-tai didn’t answer, Huian stopped him.

“Ying-tai, you are making us VERY concerned. I’ve raised you. Then I served you. Loyally. Just as Xia has. We deserve to know what’s going on.”

Ying-tai paused for a while, his chest heaving. Finally he pulled himself together and spoke.

“There’s a chance that treason has occurred in the palace.”

Huian and Xia’s eyes widened with horror.

“The Crown Prince,” Huian exhaled. He was filled with anger and his eyes remained wide open.

“We must do something about this!” Xia exclaimed angrily under his breath.

Ying-tai just stood still, his head lowered and lost in his own thoughts.

“No. It’s already too late for that. No one will listen to what we have to say,” Huian said. He looked at Ying-tai. They were all filled with hatred.

“What will we do now, Ying-tai?” Huian asked.

Ying-tai faced forward and continued on with his steps.

“His majesty awaits. We mustn’t let him become apprehensive,” Ying-tai said, his eyes as piercing as a lion. Huian and Xia did not ask any further questions and followed him closely.

Jiao Long was already waiting for him in the grand room when he arrived, adorned in his emerald green and gold attire.

“Brother!” He bellowed. “Come join me.”

Ying-tai observed his surrounding. There were numerous of young maidens standing on each of his side, noblemen enjoying wine, bureaucrats staring at him closely, and heavily armored guards at each corner.

“What’s the occasion, Crown Prince Jiao Long?” Ying-tai asked while his eyes scanned around the room.

“I’m feeling joyous!” Jiao Long smiled brightly. “When I am crowned Emperor, I will be able to make many changes to enrich Qin!”

“That is if the court agrees to crown you as the rightful Emperor,” Xia snapped.

Jiao Long glared at him but Xia, as well as Huian, was enraged with hatred toward him.

“What puts you in a place to say that?” Jiao Long questioned, looking down on them.

“If anyone, Ying-tai should be crowned. The Emperor took him in as a son. Therefore, Ying-tai has as much right as you to be considered to be crowned Emperor of Qin,” Huian stated. “The reason being: The Emperor was always hesitant on giving you The Seat! He had faith in Ying-tai more than anyone here in this room!” He shouted as he waved his hand at everybody in grand room. “You do not deserve to be sitting in the same seat He did!”

Jiao Long threw his cup down and shot up to his feet. “You are in no place to speak to me like that!” He roared.

Ying-tai raised his hand up to silence Huian and Xia who were clenching their fists and shaking from containing their composure.

“Brother, if you may, I would like to speak to you alone.” Ying-tai stated, his eyes piercing into Jiao Long’s. “Man to man.”

Jiao Long returned his gaze and smirked. He waved his hand and dismissed everyone in the room. Ying-tai turned to his two men and dismissed them as well. Soon, it was only them two inside the grand room. Jiao Long walked down the stairs from The Seat and faced Ying-tai.

“Brother,” Jiao Long smiled mockingly.

“I am no longer your brother,” Ying-tai interjected. “We are far too different.”

“Not so. We both would do anything for the things we hold dear,” his said. His eyes were snake-like glaring into Ying-tai’s lion-like eyes. “Such as getting rid of those who would get in the way,” he grinned.

“How could you, Jiao Long,” Ying-tai clenched his fists. “How did we grow up to be so different when we were raised under the same roof?”

Jiao Long scoffed and turned away from Ying-tai, “Don’t give me that, Ying-tai. Father favored you. You! A bastard child he picked up from a bush of thorns in the woods.”

“Jiao Long, stop,” Ying-tai pleaded.

“Even when you were the cause of my mother’s death he still favored you!” Jiao Long screamed as he spun, whipping is robe around with him .

“How dare you! I tried to protect her!” Ying-tai shouted, pounding his fist against his chest.

“I should’ve been there! I might have been able to save her!” Jiao Long cried. “You piteous being, you failed my mother and yet my father loved you!”

“You impudent soul! I have bled for His and Her majesty. You only stood by the sideline. Then, when you couldn’t get the undeserving acknowledgment you so desired, you turned against your own father!” Ying-tai roared. “I may be a bastard child your father picked up from the bush of thorns, but at least I wasn’t the thorn in my father’s thigh that he couldn’t pry out!”

Jiao Long swung out his sword and charged at Ying-tai. Ying-tai also unsheathed his sword and blocked his strike. The pressure between them burst and caused a whirl wind. Ying-tai slid his sword against Jiao Long’s and aimed toward his face, causing sparks to emit from the two blades roughly colliding against one another. Jiao Long bent back and dodged the point of the blade by just a little.

While bending backwards, he lifted his leg upward through his emerald green and gold robe to kick Ying-tai. Ying-tai read his move and blocked the hit. He grabbed a hold of Jiao Long’s leg and twisted him around in the air, causing his many layers to fan outward extensively before him. Jiao Long caught himself by placing his one hand against the hard wood floor and pushed himself upward.

Ying-tai stood in his stance and lunged at Jiao Long. Jiao Long pressed his sword against Ying-tai’s. Ying-tai spun the blade of his sword around Jiao Long’s blade and clanged it to the side. His small tap against his blade was so powerful it sent Jiao Long’s arm flinging to his side and his sword shaking.Ying-tai swung his sword up toward Jiao Long’s chest and ripped open all the layers of his robe. The point of his blade met his chin but Ying-tai did not proceed with his movement. Jiao Long quickly retaliated and hit his sword away with his. He swung away to the right and to the left, up and down; the green and gold layers of his attire flying all before them.

All of this effort was exerted but Ying-tai only hit away each swing swiftly and effortlessly as he spun around clanging away Jiao Long’s strikes. Ying-tai was so quick for Jiao Long, Jiao Long couldn’t even simply snag the layers of his white garments that floated fearlessly in front of the point of his sword. As Ying-tai moved, his white garments danced with him and even went in sync with the green and gold layers of Jiao Long’s attire.

This reminded both of them of when they were very young and often sparred. At that time, they were contentedly competitive and Jiao Long would always congratulate Ying-tai who would always beat him. Inside the sparring room, The Emperor would watch while standing on Jiao Long’s side of the room and Huian standing on Ying-tai’s side of the room. The Emperor would praise them when the spar was over and never mentioned anything about losing or winning. Then they would both spar against him with wooden swords, never being able to take him down. In the brightly sunlit room, the gold embellishment on The Emperor’s robe that spun around gracefully would flicker against the sunlight and emit a bright glow throughout the room. The fabric of the young boys would flow lightly in the air, appearing as though they were white moths lingering by a brightly lit lantern. Their exchange of clanging of swords against The Emperor was rather more of a beautiful waltz across the room between father and son than a combat between men.

Jiao Long was able to push Ying-tai into a corner but Ying-tai only got himself out of it by striding upward on the column behind him and flipped back down onto the ground, his long white robe following closely behind. Jiao Long quickly turned around to face Ying-tai but Ying-tai was already in his stance and smacked Jiao Long with the flat part of his blade. Ying-tai spun around and kicked Jiao Long. He flew back and smacked against the same column he tried to corner Ying-tai in and whimpered. Before he could raise his head and fight back, Ying-tai flew over to him and pierced his sword into the column. The blade was only a thread away from his neck. Jiao Long, who had his eyes tightly shut and was trembling, slowly opened his eyes and gasped. He looked into Ying-tai’s eyes that were full of anguish.

“I will not bring myself down to your level,” Ying-tai’s voice shook, still holding his blade by Jiao Long’s neck. “Qin will not go on without a ruler. It will not fall into vulnerability.” He drew himself closer to Jiao Long. “Your name is the only thing that defends Qin while I am away to finish your father’s vision. And your sister’s. Thus, why you live today.”

Jiao Long breathed heavily and then managed to bring himself to speak, “You do know you will lose your title of nobility when I become Emperor?”

“That does not bother me. The status of a man means nothing in the grounds of the enemy for they will all only want him dead,” Ying-tai stated. “You will become Emperor. But know this: I’ll be keeping a close eye on you.”

He swiftly sheathed his sword in a blink of an eye. He flicked his robe, turned around, and spoke in a cold tone, “Let that be a reminder to you that if you fail our compromise we made today, I will make my way back to you and kill you.”

Jiao Long wondered what Ying-tai meant when he walked out of the door. When the last piece of Ying-tai’s white layers disappeared behind the door, he slumped onto the floor and soon felt that his neck was wet. He lifted his hand to touch his neck and found that he was bleeding. Ying-tai was so skilled with his sword he was able to cut him without even touching his skin, and the skin didn’t even respond to the strike until after Ying-tai left the grand room.