In Liángwáng (良王)'s private chamber, Shīyí (诗仪) sat composedly beside him, lifting a clay teapot with a steady hand to pour a thin stream of steaming tea into his cup. Liángwáng glanced at her hands and remarked :
"So... you have heard as well. Indeed, there is an affection between Prince Hēiláng (黑狼) and my daughter."
Shīyí placed the teapot back with measured care, met his gaze, and said :
"Your Excellency, you are a shrewd statesman; it is difficult to credit that you have allowed this attachment to blossom by mere chance. You, above all, understand the message sent by uniting the State of Lán (嵐) with the Emperor's second son. The repercussions of such a union upon our relations with the State of Jīn (金) are nothing short of playing with fire!"
Liángwáng took up his cup, sipped, and leaned back against his chair. In a chilling tone, he replied:
"You are quite right... it is perilous. Yet, that peril remains only so long as Hēiláng remains the 'Second Prince'. But what if... what if he were to become the Crown Prince?"
Shīyí's eyes widened in astonishment.
"The Crown Prince?! Then the cordoning of the capital... what has befallen the heir?"
Liángwáng stared into a dark corner of the room.
"There is ample evidence to suggest that he has been... assassinated."
Seeing the dread in Seer's eyes, he quickly added,
"Do not be hasty in your judgement. My own hands are not stained with his blood."
"Then whose work is it?" she asked, her voice trembling.
" Yìfēng (逸風) and the court ministers. By instigating a rebellion, they intend to seize absolute power."
She pressed him urgently:
"Your Excellency, you are mindful of providence. It is the Will of Heaven that this Empire shall fall. You must not tether your fate to the Lóng (龙) clan."
Liángwáng's voice rose slightly.
"I cannot sit idly by like a fool and let divinations and horoscopes dictate my sovereignty! If I do not act, Yìfēng will seize power with ease."
Looking increasingly troubled, she said:
"I have heard of the occurrences at the Tiānshèng (天聖) Temple. I cannot dismiss these omens lightly."
Liángwáng replied with palpable impatience,
"You are letting your imagination run away with you! What bearing could a fire at a Buddhist temple in Yáng (陽) State possibly have upon my lands?"
"Yet the connection between the blood-moon, the cave, and the temple fire disturbs me,"
Shīyí countered. She paused, looking at him with a softened expression.
"Your Excellency, though much time has passed... there was once an affection between us. Do not look upon me merely as a seer. I am truly concerned for the future of this realm... and for you as well."
Liángwáng closed his eyes, pressing his fingers to his temples as if to stem a flood of memories. "Ah... do not bring that up. It belongs to years long past."
At that moment, the frantic sound of footsteps and a sharp rap at the door shattered their privacy. An attendant burst in, flushed with agitation.
"Your Excellency... urgent news! A frontier scout reports that the barbarians have breached the defensive wall and are advancing rapidly towards Lake Xuě (雪)."
Liángwáng rose in horror, his tea cup rattling on the table.
"What say you?! How is this possible?" He paced the room in agitation. "Tell General Xīn (辛) to present himself here immediately."
"What has happened?" Shīyí asked.
Liángwáng muttered with a mix of regret and fury:
"The fault is mine. I ought not to have entrusted everything to Hēiláng. He sought to ambush the barbarians at the Tiě-Mén (铁门) defile and disregarded the General's warnings regarding Lake Xuě. Now Sōng Lǐng (松岭) lies open to pillage, and Hēiláng and his men are caught in a dead-end; they may all be slaughtered."
Shīyí watched the trembling of his hands in silence for a moment, then, in a voice devoid of any tremor, said: "Let it happen!"
Liángwáng stared at her in disbelief. "What do you mean?"
She rose and knelt swiftly before him. "Your Excellency, I know your deep devotion to this land and its people; you can reclaim the city again. I beseech you, let fate take its course."
Liángwáng fell silent. He slowly gripped the arms of his chair and sat, staring into the flickering flame of the lamp, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, in another wing of the manor, the atmosphere was starkly different. Scented steam filled the bath-chamber. Hàn Yuè (汉月) sat in a large, circular wooden tub, the water rising to her shoulders, with small linen sachets of mountain herbs floating on the surface.
She had her eyes closed, lost in the quiet, steamy air. Her slender, pale feet were moving gently in the water, sending small ripples to the edge of the bath; an unconscious motion, as if her mind had wandered far away. Her wet black hair draped over her shoulders as a bath-maid poured lukewarm water over her locks.
Suddenly, the sound of running and the rustle of silk curtains broke the silence. Her handmaid entered, breathless and pale, entered while anxiously calling out, "My Lady…". She suddenly opened her eyes, a sudden shiver striking her heart.
"What is it? Why such distress?"
"My Lady..." the handmaid stammered, "Dreadful news. Prince Hēiláng... his life is in mortal danger!"
Hàn Yuè's heart sank. Terror filled her eyes. She gestured for the maid to stop and demanded, "Speak clearly. What exactly has occurred?"
"A wounded soldier from the Northern border has struggled to reach Hǎilán (海蓝) with word that the barbarians have entered the State. By crossing Lake Xuě, they intend to take the Prince and his soldiers from the rear." handmaid said.
Unable to hide the trembling of her hands, Hàn Yuè cried out to her handmaid:
"Quickly, bring… bring my robes. I must see my father this instant!"