2 shadows quickly moved under the cover of darkness. Shuffling as quietly as they could. Around the bend and quietly through the back door.

Knock knock.

The man in front rapped his knuckle against the door in a series of rhythmic knocks something like a pass-code.

The small locked door opened and the two shadows slipped in. Once inside, the man in front took off the hood and revealed his face to the lady-in-waiting.

He questioned the maid with his eyes and she quickly bowed her head slightly as she replied,

"Eunuch Ling, My Lady is inside."

Eunuch Ling nodded and glanced back to the taller man motioning for him to follow along.

They entered the room and saw a large hall. At the end was a series of blinds. A seductive and curvaceous figure could barely be seen behind it.

As the two men drew closer, the smell of fragrant rosewood assaulted their noses.

Eunuch Ling bowed his head,

"Your Highness, this servant has brought the High Priest at your request."

As he knelt before the Empress, Eunuch Ling could feel a slight trembling of fear in his heart. But he could also see a life of riches and money if he could ride on her tailcoats.

"Hmn...leave us."

A sweet and delicate voice sounding half sleepy and half intoxicated replied from behind the blinds.

Eunuch Ling bowed and hurriedly retreated out the hall. He had done his job and would wait for his reward. His eyes sparkled in glee as he thought about all the riches he would get from now on.

The Lady-in-waiting came forward, towards him, her eyes warm and innocent as she passed a small pouch filled with some silver.

"Congratulations Eunuch Ling, My lady seemed pleased with you. I hope in the future you wouldn't forget about this Lady-in-waiting. "

Pride filled Eunuch Ling's eyes. After years of serving like a dog his efforts were finally recognized. He stuck his nose in the air and pocketed the pouch.

"Of course! Of course Lady Wei mustn't hesitate to let me know if you have anything I can help you with!"

The Lady-in-waiting smiled as she motioned for Eunuch Ling to take a seat at the fine Tea Table prepared, she reached out and poured 2 cup of tea passing on to the Eunuch,

"Then... to Eunuch Ling's success!"

She raised the cup and clinked it with him in congratulations. Eunuch Ling only proudly downed the cup in a single gulp. After today no more having to serve around like a dog.

Back in the hall.

The hooded figure stood with one hand in front and the other behind as he glance around appreciating the various China and Paintings. Only after a minute of silence did he return his gaze to the front towards the figure behind the blinds, slowly he removed his cloak. Revealing a young and suave face of a 30 year-old man.

A long cascading white hair flowed down. His eyes were dark and wise for his age and sitting just between his brows was a 6 crested flower imprint.

Only one high in spiritual foresight would have the 6 crested flower imprint.

The High Priest of the Gu Shi Zhu Mountain smiled gently as he greeted,

"Heaven's blessings, this one greets the Empress Mu of Xing. Why have the Empress of this far away land requested for an audience with me?"

Empress Mu narrowed her eyes. She knew the priest from Gu Shi Zhu mountain never bowed or submitted themselves to any country. Yet, none dared to try making them bow, in fear of angering the gods they served. Hence the GuShiZhu mountains remained untouched by all- a neutral party no matter which country waged war against each other.

But tonight she just had to confirm. After a long moment of thought she continued,

"This Empress thanks Master-..."

The high priest smiled and replied,

"Heavens had bestowed this one the name of Baili Shu An."

Empress Mu frowned, cleared her throat slightly and continued,

"Ehem...this Empress thanks Master ShuAn for coming this far. But don't know if you know a priest by the name of Master ShuRen?"

Upon hearing the name, Baili ShuAn widened his eyes slightly, his dark brows raising briefly as he nodded carefully.

"Master ShuRen is my father and the Late High Priest of GuShiZhu Mountains."

Empress Mu chuckled in response,

"So priests can have sons."

Baili ShuAn merely smiled and nodded his head,

"Although we pledged ourselves to god, we are still merely mortals."

Empress Mu raised her brows and cleared her throat once again. This time her voice taking a more serious tone.

"I didn't mean to offend. On the serious note, your father, Master ShuRen once came to our country and prophesized that the one holding the HongFeng Jade would one day rule the land. I would like for you to do a divination and see if it is true."

Baili ShuAn narrowed his wise eyes, he knew his father was a kind man but why would his father get involve in this country's affair. He had asked once before but was simply told by his father that it was God's will.

The stars had shown him, ShuAn, that this country would one day rule the land and it would bring prosperity and peace to the warring countries.

"My father is never wrong about his prophesies and I had seen it too. The HongFeng Jade is here in this kingdom.

The fated one who holds the HongFeng Jade is destined to rule the land."

Upon hearing the confirmation of Baili ShuAn, Empress Mu felt her heart race, her fingers curled into a fist her eyes narrowing with sharpness.

"This Empress thanks Master ShuAn for making the journey here to confirm your father's prophesy. I hope you understand the reason why I had to sneak you in like this.. but I promise to return this favour to you in the near future. There is a guest room you can use for your liking, please let Eunuch Ling lead the way. "

" Heaven's Blessing, I hope this has helped cleared your doubts, I would like to accept the kind offer but I'm afraid that I have to hurry back, the Temple cannot do without it Head. "

"Then I shall have Eunuch Ling see you back. "

Baili ShuAn stood to take his leave, he could feel Empress Mu's eyes on his back but paid no attention to it. The greed of humans were all just materialistic thoughts. The only reason he made this trip was to finish his father's last wish.

Having left the halls, he found Eunuch Ling standing by waiting to escort him back.

"Master High Priest, please put this cloak back on, this way please. "

Nodding quietly Baili ShuAn pulled the clock over his head as they made their way, two shadows against the night back out.

Just as Baili ShuAn got into his Carriage, Eunuch Ling bowed and spoke in reverence,

"Heavens blessing to Master High Priest. Have a safe journey."

" Eunuch Ling, thank you for seeing me off....."

Baili ShuAn paused for a moment before speaking from inside the carriage,

"It might be wiser that you see a doctor. "

As he finished, the temple disciple crackle the whip and the horses took off, the carriage wheezing past Eunuch Ling who stood there dazed in thought.

'Doctor?'

Just as he decided to turn back to the palace, he felt his throat began to itch and then a series of sharp pain formed and choked him. Unable to breath as he tumbled to the floor clawing at his neck as his eyes rolled back and his mouth started foaming purple.

Until death claimed him did he knew that all along he was merely a chess piece of the Empress, he felt how stupid he had been to have had dreams of all that gold reward it was hilarious how all he got was a teacup of poison.

----

" My lady, Eunuch Lin is dead."

"Good. He served well. Make sure to bury him with his family. "

"Yes."

Empress Mu sat in her arm chair as she crossed her long legs over the other. A slender wrist supporting her chin as her eyes narrowed.

'The HongFeng - a red jade in the prophesy of Master ShuRen. The very one that she spent millions of gold and people to dig and toil through the mountains to find just so she could let her son have it.

She was lucky to have heard the divination first after encountering Master ShuRen at a temple when she went for prayer. After that she had made sure to convince the emperor to gift the jade to her son, before he found out the prophesy at a later period during the yearly spring blessing.

When he found out, he could not get the jade back but yet it had fallen into the Emperor's hands. Now that he knew the prophesy, there was no way he would return it to RuoFeng.

Biting on her lip, Empress Mu began turning anxious as she wrecked her head about how to retrieve the red jade for her son.

-------

'USELESS! WHAT NEED DO I HAVE YOU ALL FOR?! CANT EVEN FIND A SIMPLE GUILD?"

In the emperor morning session. Between the cowering officers and a heaving and puffing Emperor no one said a thing. Rows of officials knelt with their heads to the ground. Shivering in fear, each not willing to say a word to further anger the Emperor on the throne.

Many months had passed since the banquet and until now, the guild he was looking for hasn't been found.

The guild the Emperor was looking for was none other than the number 1 assassin guild in the land. The HuangQuan Guild( yellow springs ) ah how could it be that easy?!

The assassin guild was known to be the most secretive and ghost like group. Although not much information about them were known, there was 3 things that everyone knew.

1. The HuangQuan Guild consisted of a handful of elite assassin's and were like ghosts, no one knew where or how to find them.

2. They never killed innocent lives. Those they killed were corrupted officials and ministers and when they went out for the job nothing would be left a 100% job completion with 0 failure.

3. No one has ever seen the master of the guild. But many speculated the master was probably an old demon with years of fighting prowess.

"Your majesty! Your majesty!!! "

As quickly as his legs could carry him, a soldier messenger dressed in army uniform came hurrying in. One look at his uniform and any official would recognized it as the scout messenger from the northern woods.

Upon seeing the hurried soldier, no one stopped him and merely kept their eyes forward. Glancing from time to time, waiting to hear the news.

"What is it? Can't you see the court is in session?!"

Flinging the scroll in his hands towards the messenger, Emperor JunZhan could only feel the blood pressure rising. These group of useless old fools pushing his rage to the limits.

"This lowly one greets the Emperor...This lowly one brings news that t-t-the Northern Long Clan has sent their envoy, they will reach the capital in 3 days time."

...

Silence filled the court, the Long Clan were a long standing group of warriors who held the largest mountain in the north. The North held the largest number of Warrior tribes and clans where the law was the strong eat the weak.

To be able to dominate all the other smaller Clans and make them submit to them is no small feat. In the world of the barbarians and warriors, submitting your Clan is considered shameful and weak.

"What did you say? "

Emperor JunZhan frowned, one problem after another.

"T-the northern Long Clan's envoy...is coming...?."

Unsure of what he did wrong, the messenger repeated his words again. The droplet of sweat sliding down the side of his temple.

In the face of the ruling Emperor, it was the same as being in the presence of a hungry lion, what move you make whether you lived or died depended on that lion's mood.

"They are sending envoys?"

A crease formed upon Emperor Junzhan's face.

'Envoy...does that mean they are here for negotiation?'

As if reading his mind. The senior Minister blurted out,

"Your Majesty, if it's a envoy group then... Could it be they wish to talk and negotiate?"

Hearing this statement, the various ministers and officials started murmuring among themselves.

The North Long Clan were lawless brutes that listened to strength and lived on bloodshed and war.

Although they fought mostly with other warrior Clans, the fact that their mountain stood in the path connecting many trade routes and countries proved to be a huge problem.

Everyday merchants and traders were robbed killed and looted as they passed through their territory.

How many kingdoms had tried to communicate with them sending envoys and messengers in hopes of establishing peace, only to be returned with the bloodied heads of those they sent.

"You...is this true?"

Emperor JunZhan asked again. His face stone hard and frozen, unable to hide his bewilderment.

"This lowly servant wouldn't dare lie to the son of heaven. Our northern army confronted them near the border town, there was no bloodshed and they let us go to deliver the news."

With his head still to the ground, the messenger quickly continued,

"The Princess of the Long Clan is also a part of the envoy. This is a sealed letter from the Long Clan Chief."

Reaching into his sleeve, the messenger pulled out a rolled scroll and passed it to the eunuch who came forward to receive it for the emperor.

Emperor JunZhan eyed the scroll as if a hungry wolves staring at sheep. If what the messenger said was true then...wouldn't this country prosper?

Having peace and allowing their traders go be the sole ones who could pass through their territory uncontested would give the Xing country a chance to prosper the economy.

But...why would the Long Clan suddenly ask this from them? There were just no answers he could think of. What could the lawless group possibly benefit from an alliance with Xing?

With the scroll in hand, Emperor Junzhan looked up at the curious ministers and paused.

"All of you leave. I give all of you 5 days to find the HuangQuan guild for me. Otherwise..."

He didn't need to continue his words, those ministers were smart enough to know when their lives were at stake.

After the group cleared out , Emperor Junzhan looked at the scroll in his hand.

The contents shocked him to a certain extent but he kept his face straight.

The messenger could only gulped silently as he awaited his order.

" Send the crown prince to receive our guest."

The old Head Eunuch swish his horsetail whisk and bowed deeply before hurrying off to find the crown prince.

"Send notice to the group to allow them passage."

Hearing his orders the messenger felt the pressure lifted off his shoulder. As if the weight around his neck was lifted off as he bowed low again and made his way to carry it out.

Reclining into the throne, Emperor Junzhan frowned slightly before snorting out a stifled laughter growing into a loud roaring laughter.

Thankfully no one was in the Great hall otherwise people would have suspected their Emperor had gone mad.

The letter contained the deal that was offered by the Chieftain of the Long Clan.

Reading the content once more Emperor Junzhan laughed again, this deal was to his advantage. Such a deal, he would be a fool to reject!

------------------------------------------------

- 黃泉 Huáng quán. the Yellow Springs the underworld of Chinese mythology the equivalent of Hades or Hell.