In the Imperial study of Ming kingdom, a shadow guard was done with his report kneeing and waiting for further orders
Emperor Wei listened quietly though a flash of anger glinted in his eyes. When it was finished, he sat with it for a moment in the silence of his study, the weight of what had happened settling down.
Someone had dared to make moves in his kingdom under his nose
In his capital. In a private residence, yes — but under his sky, within his reach someone had dared look down on him thinking about it this hadn't happened since he ascended the throne and became emperor, he dragged his hand across the table Infront of him throwing everything on the ground in irritation fragile ones shattering once they hit the ground while the sturdier ones made loud thuds hitting the ground with force.
"Insolence...'
And worse yet he had found nothing.
No records. No traces. This was blatant mockery
He waved his hand. The shadow guard disappeared.
The chief eunuch standing next to him called in a bunch of servants to quickly clean up the mess while the emperor sat back down calming his anger— his actions natural like he had expected this a long time ago.
"What do you think?"
The question landed casually. It was not a casual question the chief eunuch who had been busy instructing the servants paused, this had never happened before ever since he started serving his majesty. Since he took over the throne, he had always made decisions based on his thoughts thinking about this something flickered in the eunuch's eyes but quickly faded
Emperor Wei of course caught that little flicker but quickly looked away as if he hadn't seen it. The chief eunuch quickly panicked internally after realizing his mistake and turned to the emperor realizing he hadn't seen anything he sighed it was small hardly hearable, but the emperor caught it his hands on the report paused for a few microseconds before resuming like nothing happened waiting for a reply
"This servant thinks," the chief eunuch having composed himself replied, in the smooth measured tone "that the young master Shen was fortunate enough to survive."
"Mm."
A pause.
"You may go."
The chief eunuch bowed. Turned. Walked toward the study door composed as the emperor glanced at his retreating figure.
The flicker of something moved through his eyes — brief, cold, a kind of madness that Chief eunuch Tan would have immediately recognized if only he had turned back. Once the footsteps grew further until they could no longer be heard the emperor clenched his fist in irritation. That eunuch
"Little Four. His cold voice resonated in the empty study
The masked shadow that landed behind him made no sound.
"Make sure that by sun rise tomorrow " he gave his order" only his corpse remains"
The shadow disappeared
That very night a little maid passed by the small pond wanting sneak in night snack for herself in the kitchen she saw something glimpse in the water wanting to see what it was she went to the shore only to find drowned corpse and screamed alerting everyone and so by the next day the news of the Chief Eunuch's death spread all over the kingdom.
Across the capital in a mansion that reflected its owner's taste for comfort and luxury the Sixth Prince Xie was laughing.
He laughed without any particular concern for what it communicated to the people around him, the sound of it filling the room. He seemed genuinely entertained feeling no reason to pretend otherwise.
The report from his subordinates sat on the table between him and his companion the Third Prince Ren, He had read it twice both times more amusing than the last. He finished his third cup of fruit wine.
"Brother. "Prince Ren quietly watched his brother down another cup careless "I think you took this one a little too far."
The Prince Xie chuckled.
"He's still alive," he said, with the cheerfully as if he was talking about the weather today and took a sip from his cup. "What's wrong with a little fun?"
"You call that little, brother you know the crown prince's faction is watching our every move looking for any chance to weaken us and u just had to go and" Prince Ren rubbed his temple with a sigh "If Father finds out—"
The Sixth Prince Xie laughed harder a hint of mockery in his tone
"What can he do?" He waved his cup in the general direction of the imperial palace with the casual confidence " with Mother's position in the harem and my maternal family's strength." A smile. "Even if he finds out — so what at most I'm just getting house arrested but that's if I get caught."
His companion looked at him for a moment.
"What do u mean "Prince Ren asked
"Don't worry am not that careless I made sure to hide my tracks well and even father finds it he'll just be going around on a wild goose chase so relax" Sixth Prince Xie smirked "as for the crown prince can do whatever he wants I'll continue playing his little games with him .... as long as he wants"
Prince Ren glanced at his brother and picked up his own cup and drank feeling that this conversation was no longer useful anymore
Prince Xie refilled his cup.
He's still alive, he thought feeling satisfied he had taken a gamble when he hired those assassins to attack Shen Yao now turns out his bet was right, he gulped another drink down
"let's play" he thought
Outside the mansion window the capital settled into the liveliness of the day— its streets slowly filling with people, shops around the capital waking up to the glow of the sun
None of them knew that the pieces had slowly set in place