The scheduled day of the conference in the Pavilion of Literary Glory has come. As usual, it's Prince Yin Wenyan who acts as the emperor in palace and government matters.
They started unusually early than they normally do. In the eyes of the eunuchs present in the pavilion, his majesty looks more serious but more reasonable than their last conference where he never listened to their concerns and just decided for the palace matters alone; Just like the sudden preparation for a big event such as the annual ceremony for a good harvest.
There aren't many issues that needed his majesty's attention, and so they finished their three days' worth of concerns.
Prince Yin Wenyan looks at the head-eunuch of the Yin clan. The old eunuch, on the other hand, nods at him. Telling him that this is the right time to open up the thing he has in mind and that he and the Yin clan got his back.
The prince looks at the crowd before his throne, standing in organized lines, and is divided into two groups. The high-ranking eunuchs of the Yin clan on the left and the high-ranking eunuchs of Xue clan on the right.
"Since we're done with our general concerns, I have a concern for our inner court." Prince Yin Wenyan still has something to say but the head of the Xue clan speaks.
The old man said, "I'm afraid we're not done yet, your majesty."
Prince would be lying if he'll say, he's not annoyed with the sudden interruption. However, he tried his best not to be rude towards this old eunuch. He asks, "What is still there to talk about?"
The old eunuch was about to speak but Court Lady Han on the outside of the pavilion announced the arrival of a noble person worth disrupting the conference.
"The grand empress dowager has arrived!"
The high-ranking eunuchs all wear confused expressions on their faces. Asking one another in low voices, "Why is the grand empress dowager here?"
Now, this is a sudden turn of events. Who would have thought that the grand empress dowager who rarely goes out of her hall will come to the conference?
The door opens and the old empress walks across the pavilion with her chin up.
Although Yin Wenyan doesn't like where this is going, he still didn't like his composure. He stands up and clasps his hands to pay his respects to his grandmother. "Greetings, Grand Empress Dowager. What brought you here?"
Even the eunuchs in the pavilion don't seem to see this coming as well... except for one. The head eunuch of the Xue clan seems that he anticipated her arrival. From the looks of it, Yin Wenyan thought that these two already talked in private.
"Your majesty, my good grandchild, I hope you are doing well." She said in a gentle voice.
Prince Yin Wenyan thought she's just spouting nonsense. She's not here just to ask how he's doing right? There must be something else that she's plotting. Could it be she already knows that he sneaks into her hall?
The prince did disregard what she just said and went straight to the point. Still trying not to sound rude, he asks, "Why does her highness trouble herself in coming here? You could have just summoned me in your hall, Grand Empress Dowager."
"No, I believe it is better for me to come here by myself. Good thing, I came here before the dismissal." A smile forms on her lips as she says, "I am here to ask you to descend the throne now."
After her statements, everyone went silent. The eunuchs are just as confused
The prince silently gritted his teeth and his eyes narrowed even more. He asks, "What is the meaning of this, Grand Empress Dowager?"
The grand empress dowager on the other hand raises her eyebrows. "There is no other meaning, your majesty. I am here to request a petition for your dethronement."
The entire pavilion is filled with murmurs. Now, the eunuchs can't believe what they just heard even the high ranking-eunuchs on the side of the Xue Clan. But this is more shocking to the Yin clan's side. Why would the grand empress dowager suddenly want to dethrone his majesty? And there is no crowned prince yet that's next in line.
"Ridiculous." Prince Yin Wenyan whispered in the thin air.
The head eunuch of the Yin clan steps forward and speaks, "Your highness, why suddenly impeach the emperor?"
The grand empress dowager didn't say anything in response. Instead, she let the head eunuch of the Xue clan speak in her place.
"We all remember that not too long ago, chaos breaks out in the nearby town square."
"She opens that incident?" Prince Yin Wenyan silently thought. "Isn't it going to get her instead? Or could it be that she's not the one behind it? Aren't they in cahoots with the empress, who confessed her faults that resulted in Eunuch Xu's current condition? His condition is clearly related to those bloodthirsty monsters so there must be at least a little connection between the grand empress dowager and that incident. How can she be so confident about this being tackled?"
The prince speaks, "I demand an explanation as to how is it related to my impeachment?"
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The old eunuch in Xue clan's side gives the explanation that his majesty demanded, "Because you, your majesty killed innocent civilians during that time. The empire doesn't need an emperor that takes his people's lives. Do we deserve to have a ruler that is a murderer?"
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"...."
It wasn't really him who was present at that time. It was the real emperor, Yin Renshu. He indeed learned that his brother and sister killed a considerable number of those bloodthirsty creatures. All thanks to sect leader Zhao Yangguang, and their shifu, Wang junjie, that the two realized that those creatures were still live people.
As for the bloodthirsty monsters that they brought in the imperial palace and kept in the dungeon, they didn't last a day. They all died in thirst, their bodies dried, and their appearance never returned to a normal human.
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The head of the high-ranking eunuchs of Xue clan continues, "This matter has related the chaos that happened in the nearby town square, your majesty. I don't believe that you have already forgotten about it, your majesty. First, we brought the matter about the families of your captive bloodthirsty creatures. They are still waiting for your kind reply and hoping to see their family members soon. However, the only thing you kept on saying was that this incident needs further investigation. When will this investigation ever end, your majesty? Does this investigation even progress?"
He added, "And that is not all, your majesty. Realizing that the investigation takes forever to move, the Xue clan decided to conduct an investigation of our own. It turns out that you are aware that the bloodthirsty creatures that caused havoc in the town square are actually humans that are still alive. Despite knowing that, you still killed them mercilessly, and even brought the rest of them in the imperial palace as your captives."
He raises his head and dared to meet his majesty's phoenix eyes. He asks, "Speaking of which, your majesty. Where are they now?"
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Prince Yin Wenyan tightens his grip on his throne's arm.
His gaze unintentionally landed on the head eunuch of the Yin clan. The old man nods as he's giving his majesty a meaningful look.
The head eunuch then speaks on behalf of his majesty and the Yin clan, "What a coincidence, Head Eunuch Xue. I... we in the Yin clan rather, recently learned as well that the grand empress dowager actually knows that the captives all died of thirst because they did not consume enough blood. And that her highness the grand empress dowager ordered the emperor to bury them without public notice. Why are you still asking for the captive's whereabouts? Is it that you don't know or you pretended that you know nothing?" The eunuch put his hand below his chin. "We wonder why the grand empress dowager does not want the public to know about it."
Yes, the high-ranking eunuchs of the Yin clan already knew this matter.
Little did the grand empress dowager knows, this prince is a step ahead of her.
The high-ranking eunuchs of the Yin clan and Prince Yin Wenyan already exchanged words. The day before the scheduled conference that is composed of the members of the inner court, his highness notified these high-ranking eunuch of his clan to come in an exclusive meeting with him. They are also notified to keep this information from leaking to unconcerned persons.
To make this small gathering happen, the 'emperor' rented the whole nearby wine house so that the store won't be serving other customers for today. Also, he paid the store owner a big amount of money to leave them alone and keep this exclusive conference a secret.
"Greetings, your majesty." The high-ranking eunuchs of the Yin clan all rise and pay their respect to the first prince as Prince Yin Wenyan walks in. Of course, they did not know that this person isn't really his majesty, Emperor Yin Renshu.
"Good day, gentlemen." Prince Yin Wenyan greeted them back with a solemn expression on his face. Very far from his gentle and smiley face, he shows to Eunuch Xu.
"I very much appreciated your presence here with me, and I apologize for the short notice." He said as he takes his seat.
"There is no need for you to apologize, your majesty." The head eunuch of the Yin clan speaks with his head bowed down. "We are forever loyal to you. As the current most important person in our clan, your majesty can always call us whenever you need our assistance."
Prince Yin Wenyan put his right elbow on the chair's arm and supported his cheek with his hand. His serious aura added to his authority appeal. "Do you honor your words and truly swear loyalty on me?"
The eunuchs all respond in unison, "Yes, your majesty."
His highness' serious face becomes even more solemn as he asks, "Even against the grand empress dowager?"
The eunuchs look at each other, murmuring, and making meaningful looks on their faces. What their 'emperor' is meaning to say is as clear as today's weather. It could only mean one thing: His majesty is finally starting to grasp what's meant for him. A sign of independence and the start of a new sovereign.
In the end, they all nod to their fellow high-ranking eunuchs. They don't see anything wrong with it. He's already the emperor and a son of their former emperor whom they once pledged their loyalty to.
What's wrong is that the grand empress dowager is still holding the supreme political power over the imperial palace when the dynasty already has its rightful ruler.
They all bow their heads and clasp their hands, paying their respects and vows their loyalty to him. "Yes, your majesty."
The prince subconsciously forms a smirk on his lips. Seeing these more or less fifty eunuchs all pledging their loyalty to him makes him feel satisfied. Now, it's confirmed. Fifty percent of the inner court's support is on him.
"Very well. In the next inner court conference, our clan will seize the power from the grand empress dowager. Whatever she has to say against me, you must not change your stand and defend me."
"But your majesty..." The head eunuch said. "What do you know that she has against you? In what aspects should we make preparations?"
"Good question." Prince Yin Wenyan leans on the backrest of his chair. "That's what we are going to discuss."
"We are listening, your majesty." The head eunuch said.
"It's a matter wherein she can use it against me but we can turn the table and use it against her instead." Prince Yin Wenyan isn't so sure if she really would use it against them but it's better to get prepared. And besides, this is the most critical matter that can make them lose the game in just one move from the grand empress dowager. "It has something to do with the incident that happened in the town square."
"Why do you make it sound like I am the one who did something wrong?!" The grand empress dowager's voice echoed in the entire Pavilion of Literary Glory. "It was him who brought those creatures in the palace! It's him who let them die of thirst! Was it wrong to protect his majesty's reputation?"
"Your highness, Grand Empress Dowager! If I won't isolate those bloodthirsty creatures, they will turn every single innocent people to be part of them. I'm afraid that the strange illness would not only cause an epidemic but a pandemic! Would you rather let them wander outside freely, sucking everyone's blood, and turn all of the civilians into monsters?" Prince Yin Wenyan smirks. "Let's say I neglected them. However, before you blame me for their deaths, does the grand empress dowager had enough supply of blood to feed all the captives? I am quite sure, your blood alone isn't enough even if the last drop in your body is drained and fed to them."
Except for the head-eunuch of the Xue clan, all the eunuch murmured to each other again.
The grand empress dowager's smiling face earlier is completely gone. Anger is evident on her face. She doesn't like the prince's way of talking as it shows disrespect. Aside from his rude tone, she hates how he ruins her reputation in the inner court.
She was about to say something but Yin Wenyan speaks first, "To keep this heartbreaking news to the public pains me as the emperor but what can I do? I cannot disobey the grand empress dowager's decisions." He looks at everyone in the pavilion as he speaks in a loud voice. "Gentlemen of the inner court, I believe that the grand empress dowager is not suited to interfere in the palace and government matters anymore. As you see, she has now become more irrational due to her old age. Don't you think it's better for her to rest and enjoy the rest of her life away from politics? She has served this empire for quite a long time already after all."
The eunuchs talk to themselves for a while and even nodding sometimes.
The grand empress dowager hates to see that things don't seem to go her way anymore. She's losing it. She's losing her political authority as this grandchild of hers gains more power over the inner court.
"Nonsense! Everything I've been doing up until now is for the greater good! You all are ungrateful!" She exclaimed.
"For the greater good? How is keeping the deaths of those infected people from their family a greater good?" Prince Yin Wenyan dared to glare at her.
Those eyes, it's the same as her mother's. It's like she's seeing the deceased empress glaring at her. This sight gave her goosebumps. She can't even utter a word to defend herself.
The prince added, "Don't get us wrong, your highness. We only care so much for you that we want you to relax, and rest away from the official matters for eternity. I believe the members of the inner court want what is truly the 'greater good' for you. Gentlemen, am I right or correct?"
Given without any other option, the eunuchs all answered, "Yes your majesty."
It's not that they agreed to him because he's asking if he's right or correct but they really believe that the grand empress dowager should stop putting her hands in politics.
The grand empress dowager's eyes redden because of rage. She calls out in an angered tone, "Yin Wenyan!"
"Yin Wenyan?" The prince sneered. "He died a long time ago. You killed him, remember?"
Prince Yin Wenyan raised himself from his seat and descended from the throne as he said. "The conference has now ended. Dismiss."
The eunuchs all bow their heads as he walks across the aisle of the pavilion, heading to the doorway. As he's passing through the grand empress dowager, he slows down his pace and said in a low voice, "I wonder if the grand empress dowager kept my mother's body for the greater good as well?"
He did not bother to wait for the old woman's response nor did he turn his head to look at the other's reaction. He just walked past through her and leaves the pavilion.