"Are you ready?" Feng Yun asked.

"Yes. Let's get this over with. The sooner, the better."

He nodded and escorted her into the building. At the doors to the actual throne room, she slipped her hand out of his arm. He nodded to her, entered first, and took his place at the base of the throne.

Tang Daiyu took a deep breath. Please, Guanyin, let me stay strong for this. I cannot appear weak in front of everyone.

She took the first step forward and walked towards the throne. When she arrived, she knelt down. Feng Yun stepped towards her.

"Are you okay?" he whispered.

She gave a near imperceptible nod. He swallowed and raised his head.

"By the gods’ decree, Her Majesty, Empress Lihua ascends the throne! Long life to Her Majesty! Praise to Lan Dynasty!"

The entire room echoed, "Long life to Her Majesty! Praise to Lan Dynasty!"

Tang Daiyu gave a silent sigh of relief. It's done.

Feng Yun helped her up, and she turned around to face her new and old subjects.

"From today onward, there is no Chang citizen or Heping citizen. We are all Chinese! We are all people under Lan Dynasty!"

Respectful bows rippled through the crowd. Suddenly, she heard footfalls. Her eyes caught on a surprise visitor. A genuine smile stretched across her face.

He walked forward and bowed in a different manner, but she knew it all too well. "Greetings to Your Majesty."

"Welcome back to Luoyang, Crown Prince Luzhen."

Gasps and murmurs spread throughout the room.

"Great Xia's Crown Prince?"

"What's he doing here?"

"Have they come to spread their wars to us?"

Tang Daiyu asked, "What brings you south?"

He straightened up and replied, "I heard that you were uniting China. I figured that I should see how you've turned out."

"As you can see, I'm fine."

"Yes. That's good. I also came for one other thing."

"What?"

"On behalf of my Royal Father, Emperor Heichen, I'd like to propose an alliance between Great Xia and Lan."

"Okay," she said and nodded. “We’ll discuss it later.”

He smiled and stepped off to the side. Feng Yun came up beside her.

"Let's go, Older Cousin" she murmured. "I can feel my strength slipping away."

He nodded and swiftly escorted her out of the hall.

~~~

Back in her room, he helped her sit on the bed. She began to cough blood and even the makeup could no longer mask her condition. Sweat beaded on her forehead. Feng Yun removed the headdress and called for Hua Chao-Xing and Wu Caihong. They quickly appeared.

"Change her out of the coronation robes."

"Yes, Your Highness."

He excused himself and went to go wait outside. While he was waiting, Liang Yingzhou and Cao Meixin walked over. Upon seeing them, he left his post and hurried over to keep them from getting any closer.

"Greetings, Master Liang, Master Cao."

"Your Highness," they replied and bowed.

"Where is Ah Daiyu?"

"Hua Chao-Xing and Wu Caihong are currently with her. It wouldn't be right if I stayed in the room," he chuckled nervously. Then, he swallowed. "Erm, what can I do for you?"

"I just wanted see Ah Daiyu before we left. Master Cao was kind enough to accompany me here."

"I'm afraid I don't know how long it'll take. I'd hate to trouble you and keep you waiting for a long time."

Suddenly, the doors to the residence slid open. Wu Caihong ran outside and came up to Feng Yun, a scared look on her face. He looked at her in horror. She hurriedly whispered something in his ear.

"Excuse me."

Then, he took off. Concerned, Liang Yingzhou moved to follow him, but Wu Caihong held out her hands to stop him.

"I'm sorry, Master Liang. But Her Majesty can't meet with you at this time. Please, don't bother her."

"Bother her?" he asked incredulously. "Impossible. I'm her ge ge. How could I be a bother to her?"

Wu Caihong shook her head sadly and said, "I'm sorry, Master Liang."

~~~

Inside her residence, Feng Yun clasped her hands in his after he had laid her down on the bed. Hua Chao-Xing paced nearby, nervous.

"Tang Daiyu, how can you keep up pretenses any longer? Each day, you get worse. Tell me, when will I have to arrange your funeral?!" he scolded.

"Don't worry. My death is still in the future."

"Then why are you like this?!"

"My pure qi mixed with impure qi which caused illness."

"How did that happen?"

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. This can't be undone, so there's no use dwelling on it."

"Tang Daiyu, you-!"

A weak smile spread across her lips. She looked ready to faint at any moment.

"I know Master Liang is outside. Please, Older Cousin, send him away for me."

"Are you going to rest?"

She nodded. "I'm tired. Today took too much out of me."

"Alright. Rest early, Young Cousin."

He stood and released her hands. She watched as he left.

I'm sorry you have to watch me deteriorate like this, Older Cousin. I wish I could have suffered this alone.

~~~

Outside, he approached the martial arts masters.

"Master Liang, Master Cao, I'm afraid Her Majesty cannot see you today. If you're planning on staying in Luoyang for a little longer, then you may be able to meet with her another time."

Liang Yingzhou, doubtful, asked, "Why can't she? Ah Daiyu was fine earlier."

"She's simply tired. Please, she's had a busy past few weeks and overworked herself."

"Couldn't you have done more?"

"Master Liang," Cao Meixin pleaded. "We can afford to stay another day. Let's just go."

"I have aided Her Majesty since she ascended the throne of Heping. Many of her reforms have been implemented by me. She wanted to move China's capital to Luoyang, but I suggested Changsha so that Heping would not be angered by the capital being in the old Chang. The city had been split across the border and yet remained peaceful during the Meng Dynasty. A perfect model for the capital of Lan Dynasty."

"And was Lan Dynasty your idea too?"

"What are you suggesting, Master Liang?"

"Who's really ruling China?"

Feng Yun's eyes blazed at the insolence of the man in front of him. "Tang Daiyu, of course. I have simply made suggestions. She accepted some and dismissed others."

"Let me see her."

Liang Yingzhou used One Hundred Dancing Lightning Strike to get past Feng Yun, but Feng Yun flew backwards at a similar speed. His hand shot out and grabbed the end of the other man’s sleeve. Cao Meixin gasped, and Liang Yingzhou spun around, shocked.

"How did you...?"

Feng Yun smirked. "One Hundred Dancing Lightning Strike, impressive. But I also have studied some martial arts. Trust me, I will always be able to block you, though I don't want to have to."

"Let go of me," Liang Yingzhou growled.

"She doesn't want to see you."

"How could she not? I'm-"

"Her Zhou-ge, yes, I know. And yet, she asked me to send you away."

"I'm betting she doesn't even know I'm here. You just don't want me to get close to her, do you? What, are you trying to turn her against me? Is that it? Or are you just jealous that she cares about me?"

Feng Yun gave him a withering look. If only you knew how much she cares about you.

"Are you sure you're not the jealous one? I have no intentions toward Tang Daiyu. I'm simply her advisor and older cousin, that's all."

"Do you really expect me to believe you?"

"Believe me or not, that's the truth. I only care about her like she’s my true relative and Empress."

"Your Highness!" Hua Chao-Xing cried.

Feng Yun spun to watched as she came running.

"What?"

"S- someone s- snuck into her residence!"

“Wo de maya.” Oh my god.

He left, sprinting over. Her maids tried to keep the two masters at bay. Feng Yun broke into the room to see an elder standing in front of Tang Daiyu, who had managed to sit up on her own.

"Your Majesty," he said.

She looked to him. "Go outside, Feng Yun. I'd like to speak to Magistrate Pei alone."

"But-"

She held up a hand. "Whatever happens, keep Masters Liang and Cao out."

He sighed and nodded before leaving. As he returned to the others, Liang Yingzhou stomped towards him.

"Why have you left? Is the person gone?"

Feng Yun shook his head. "She's speaking with him."

"What, so I have to break into her room to be able to talk with my own mei mei?"

"I'm sorry, Master Liang, but she doesn't want any interruptions. I hope you can respect her decision."

"Who is she speaking with?"

Feng Yun eyed him before lying, "I don't know."

~~~

Inside, she stared at her uncle.

"Uncle Pei, why are you here?"

"So you do know about the relationship between my son and yourself."

"Yes."

He looked at her and sighed. "You look like my wife when she was dying. So sickly and weak."

"Is there something you need, Uncle Pei?" she bit out.

"Is Xinhui dead?"

She looked down at her lap before nodding. "He's buried outside Nanning Palace."

"So, you've learned that damned Hei Siwang as well?"

Her head shot up. "You know about it?"

He scoffed, "How could I not? My wife died from it, and now my son as well."

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"I can tell you're on the verge of death. And for someone so young. Tang Daiyu, do not drag China down with you."

"I have no plans of doing so, Uncle."

She coughed into her arm. Blood spotted her light yellow sleeve. Groaning weakly, she fought the pain surging inside of her from the impure qi.

"Let me tell you something, Uncle Pei. I had learned Hei Siwang from Older Cousin. But then, I was freed of it when someone exchanged their qi with mine. Events followed, and I took my qi back. Then, an opportunity arose, and I was able to switch my qi with someone, thereby saving myself from the horrid fate. The reason why I am ill now is because I took some of Older Cousin Pei's to lessen his burden. It gave him an extra week and a half, but that was all. And now, I'll suffer it all over again."

"You tried to help Xinhui?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Since I owe you a favour, then I'll honour any request you make."

Tang Daiyu waved it off. "You don't have to do that. I wanted to try to save him because he saved me years back. I was repaying his kindness."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. He straightened his back and cleared his throat. "Alright. I'll leave first then."

"Very well. Goodbye, Uncle."

But before he left, he turned around and seemed to be debating something.

Finally, he added, “If another aids you in expelling the dark qi, you can be rid of it.”

Then, he was gone. She slowly laid back down and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

Aids me? What does he mean by that? Taking the qi from me? Or does he mean giving me their internal force to help meditate and expel the qi? Wait… what if it could actually work?