"Then why aren't you two getting punished? I did a heroic act. I should be rewarded not demoted" he felt the major general targeting him alone and using the incident as an excuse.

"Have you forgotten that you belong to the special military force, we can't just be in the media, in case our identity is leaked to the terrorist groups we fought off before, remember they are still on our tail and we didn't get punished because the higher-ups said only you should be punished as our leader,"

​​

"I am sure that senile old man pulled some strings to demote me, If I wasn't keen on rising up in ranks with my own ability, I would have used my influence as the owner of Han Conglomerate,"

"Well, there is nothing we can do about it now, you just have to accept defeat,"

He clenched his fist tightly in anger.

"Lets go,"

- - - - - - - - -

The emperor's study.

He kept opening the petitions of the ministers and the petitions submitted by the sect leaders with furrowed brows, His hands were shaking in anger as he opened each of the petitions and closed them, he gritted his teeth while he read the contents of each petition.

The head eunuch who was handing the petitions to him already saw from his reactions that trouble will soon come, he scrunched his face as he tried to read the content of the petitions but it is not his place to do so.

"Those scums!" he thundered and flung the petition he was holding towards one of the flower vase, causing it to fall and shatter.

"Please ease your anger," the head eunuch quickly entreated, he wouldn't want to have another sword pointed at him.

"Those so-called sects are trying to undermine my power, how dare they send petitions when I have already given my order!" he swiped all the things on the table to the ground including the remaining petitions he hasn't opened.

"Your majesty..."

"They have divided my court into two even though I tried to keep it as one, Huo Jingyu! this is all your fault," he slammed his hands on the table and clenched his fist tightly, he needed something to destroy to vent his anger, his eyes caught the shadow of one of the maids waiting on him outside the door, he saw a slight curve of her lips.

"How dare you laugh at me?" he stood up from his seat and grabbed his golden sword, he marched angrily towards the door.

Eunuch "..."

"Your majesty!" seeing the sword in his hand, the head eunuch knew that emperor is up to no good, he quickly rushed after him, the emperor pushed open the door with much force, startling the maids outside the door, seeing the sword in his hand they all started trembling especially when he is glaring at them.

Gasp!

Blood dripped from his sword while he tightly clutched it to the side, a lifeless body dropped the ground.

Arrrggghhhh!!!!! They all started screaming with their entire bodies shaking, one of them has just gotten killed for no reason, they were originally gossiping about some of the eunuchs before his arrival and that was when the emperor saw the curve on the shadow's lips.

"Your majesty!" the eunuch called, he was flabbergasted at the sight of the young lady's body with a large cut from her chest to her stomach.

"You were all laughing at me, am I so funny to you," the girls nodded their head but he raised his sword again and slashed another maid's neck, her body immediately dropped to the ground while blood seeped out of the cut.

The remaining maids fell on their knees but his anger still wasn't appeased, he raised his sword again but his hand was held by a soft hand, he recognised the touch so he turned to the woman standing by his side.

"My consort..."

The woman standing in front the emperor's study with her hand on his sword widened her eyes at the sight of blood and two dead bodies on the floor, she watched him slowly drop the sword to the ground and regain his composure.

"Your majesty...what is going on," she was terrified seeing the blood on his face, the maids were thankful for her intervention otherwise their dead bodies would have dropped to the ground, they all heaved a sigh of relief, after all, the only woman left in the palace who has his favour is the imperial consort.

"Eunuch, clean up the bodies," he instructed and entered back into the room, she let out the breath she had been holding and followed him into the room while her maidservants waited outside the door, the emperor retired to his seat in front of his desk and placed his arm on the table.

"Why, do you think I am cruel and evil?"

"I would not dare think so but your majesty seems to have been angered, may I ask why your majesty was angered to point of killing your maidservants," her gentle voice and mannerisms soothed his mind, her voice always makes him feel calm-strangely.

The emperor signalled her to come closer to him which she obeyed, she took her seat next to him on the large seat with her hands folded on her navel, her dove-like eyes made her look delicate and gentle without greed or contempt, the main reason why he favours her.

"All my ministers and the sect leaders submitted petitions this morning, some were against my decree to allow Huo Jungyi to be with her daughter for a day while the others were agreeing to my decree," He clenched his fist tightly and pursed his lips, she placed her hand on his arm while she pondered on what he had said.

"Huo Jingyu, Huo Jingyu, I think I have heard that name before...isn't she the sect madam of the flame sect?" the imperial consort inquired with a quizzical look on her face while she faced him.

"This is why you are the only one I trust in the harem, you don't know too much and you don't have greed for power, Huo Jingyu is indeed the sect madam of the flame sect," the emperor answered with his hands patting her hand on his arm.

"I did hear that your majesty allowed the sect madam of the flame sect to see her daughter but I didn't know her name, I should be ashamed for not knowing these things as your consort, how am I supposed to assist you?" she lowered her eyes in guilt, softening the emperor's heart, he squeezed her hand.

"You don't have to blame yourself, all I need is your presence," she raised her eyes and met with his doting gaze, her lips widened into a smile.

"Then is your majesty angry because the ministers are petitioning against your decree or because the court is divided with different opinions on this matter?"

"I personally didn't want to make the decree but I will lose face if I don't, the ministers and sect leaders who are against the decree must have been instructed by Lin Yuanlang which means he already wields some power in my court, he must have gathered the other sect leaders and instructed them to petition against the decree while the ones who are for the decree must have been instructed by the prime minister, that sly old man,"

"It seems to be that your majesty really wants to allow Huo Jingyu to be with her daughter for a day but why does it seem like you are angry with the prime minister," the woman had a confused look on her face, for her, it is really hard to understand the matters of the court.

"My consort, you don't know what is going on in the court so it is natural that you don't know what it means for the prime minister to support the flame sect, the prime minister would never meddle with this if he had nothing to gain from it, it can only mean that he wishes to join hands with the flame sect,". She stood up from the seat and walked to the front of the table, taking each step carefully.

{The prime minister....}

"The prime minister appears to be an eyesore in the court for you, with his current power in the court, if he joins hand with the flame sect, the result won't be good for you," she turned to face the emperor.

"The strength of the flame sect is not yet known but they are still to be feared- for now,".

The emperor stood up from his seat and walked to where she is now standing.

"You are right my consort, therefore, I must do something about this, I can't take back the decree- I certainly can't but I need to find a way to make both parties enemies even before they become partners, if the flame sect comes out with the same strength as before they will once again earn the people's respect and with the prime minister as their partner, they will have authority in the court," the troubled look on the face was now clear, he sighed deeply and turned his back on her with his arm arched at his waist.

"The prime minister has never interfered with the Wulin sects, now that he is petitioning on behalf of the flame sect it seems like you are correct but the flame sect and the prime minister doesn't have any past grievance," she narrowed her gaze in search of a solution, after some seconds. her lips tilted into a satisfied smile.

"I do know of a way to grant your majesty's wish..."

"What way?" he hurriedly turned to face her.

"Before I speak of it, I hope your majesty won't think of me a vile woman, my suggestion might sound too vile but I am thinking for your majesty's sake," she raised her gaze to look him in the eye.