Silence pervaded the better part of the long journey by horseback. The village was now nothing but a speck in the distance, though I turned back to see whether there were any pursuers. My eyes scanning the horizon, I could not see any disturbance. No stirring of dust, or the pounding of hooves to signal approaching men.

     Satisfied that we were safe for the time being, I brought my focus back to the front. The path ahead was bumpy but well-traveled by merchants, the soil trampled by hooves and feet alike. If any sign of enemies were to appear, the forests on either side offered ample cover as well.

     So far, the journey had been smooth, giving me time to sort matters out in my mind. Replaying all the events that had occurred the past few days, there were holes in the picture that I painted, connections that just hung in the air. Li Wai had not spoken since we left, owing to the fact that I had not started a conversation. But I had questions that needed answering now.

     I rolled the first one off my tongue. “Who placed you in the unit together with Ge Tuo?”

     “That was Minister He Wen, Empress.”

     He Wen. An image of the young, ambitious minister drifted to mind. Cunning was the first word that I would associate with him, his tactics brilliant but ruthless. I had always been wary of the man. He could prove to be either a great ally or an enemy force to be reckoned with.

     “What did Prime Minister Lu Bei have to say about that?” I asked tentatively.

     Li Wai turned his head sideways, his gaze not quite meeting mine. “Prime Minister Lu Bei initially suggested that no negotiations be made with the Tufan. When Minister He Wen suggested that a task force be sent, he agreed and hand-picked a few men.”

     He paused before resuming, “But Minister He Wen sneaked in a few bribes and I was discreetly assigned to the unit without Prime Minister Lu Bei’s knowledge. My assignment was to bring you back safely… no matter the cost.”

     I dipped my head in acknowledgement, letting Li Wai return his gaze to the front. As I processed this new information, my lips widened in a smirk. He Wen had staked his bets on me, choosing to rebel against that snake of a Prime Minister. With one ally on my side, it would make my return to the palace smoother, and knowing the cunning man, I could count on him to garner support for me.

     That did not make my journey back less perilous though. Realizing that I had not yet ascertained our next destination, I probed Li Wai. “What course are we taking to get back?”

     His index finger pointed to the rolling fields beneath the mountainous horizon. “There’s a village there where Minister He Wen’s spy lives. If Empress does not mind, we will spend a night there before leaving towards the plains and cutting across the border at one of the towns.”

     Humming in assent, I settled back, leaning away from Li Wai. It would take another hour or so before we would reach our destination. Enough time for me to line out my plan to reclaim my throne… and decide the punishments to mete out to those who dared stand against me.

     There would be hell on earth upon my return. Mark my words.

                                                      ~ ~ ~

     A shifty glance tossed behind his back, General Na Yile surveyed the courtyard before crossing over to join the stoic, young man shrouded in the shadows of the large pavilion. As he drew closer, the man turned away and walked swiftly down the outside corridor. Muttering irritably under his breath, Yile picked up his pace, falling into step with him.

     “He Wen, did you really need to do that?” he growled.

     The corner of He Wen’s lips pulled upwards. “I apologize. I was in a rush. It took me a while to escape the house arrest that Lu Bei subjected us to.”

     “I’ll say.” Rubbing the back of his head with a hand, Yile let out an exasperated sigh. “It took quite the effort and money to give the guards a slip. This secret meeting had better be worth it.”

     He Wen’s smile dropped. His expression turned serious as he regarded his old friend. “Indeed it is. It concerns the nation’s well-being and this time could not be more crucial.”

     Glancing around, his voice dropped an octave. “With the Empress Dowager being kidnapped, the Forbidden Palace has been thrown into chaos. Lu Bei is obviously putting his stake to the throne since there has been no obvious heir. That can’t happen.”

     Yile nodded sharply, grimacing as he imagined how life would be under the power-hungry Lu Bei.

     He Wen paused, his sharp eyes studying the more rugged-looking man. “Though the Empress returning safe and sound is the best possible scenario, we need to prepare for the worst.”

     Raising an eyebrow, Yile silently prompted him to continue.

     “We need to elect a suitable candidate to become the stand-in Emperor. Someone that we can all agree to support and who will lead the nation to a better future.”

     It took a few short seconds for Yile to grasp what his friend was hinting at, stopping him in his tracks. He Wen’s sole footsteps echoed a while longer in the long corridor before pausing. The man turned back towards Yile, his face set in utter seriousness.

     “He Wen… “ Yile uttered cautiously. “Are you intending-”

     “It’s just a precaution.” He Wen cut him off as he closed the distance between them. “To be honest, I’m not a match for the Empress’s brilliance, cunning, and ruthlessness.”

     Yile snorted softly in disagreement and shook his head. “That’s hard to believe, what with this… thing you’re trying to pull off now.”

     Coming to a stop in front of him, He Wen gave a dismissive wave of his hand. “Trust me, that’s nothing in comparison with what the Empress has done. Besides, I’m fairly assured of her safe return to the Forbidden Palace.”

     A brow raised perplexedly in response, Yile frowned. “Why?”

     “I snuck in one of my men into the unit sent to rescue her.”

     Yile’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “You’re trusting one man to bring her back? One?”

     He Wen’s resolute expression did not waver. “If anyone can do it, it is him. I have faith in him… in the both of them.”

     His friend’s risky gambles never ceased to amaze Yile. With thousands of things that could go potentially wrong, he could still be so sure of himself. Yet it was that confidence that Yile both admired and envied. A quality that gained He Wen so many supporters and made him a strong power within the realms of the kingdom. Sighing in resignation, he pressed his fingers to his forehead, feeling an incoming headache with his decision. “Fine,” he drawled out.

     A wide grin grew across He Wen’s lips. He slapped Yile’s back amicably. “Good, good. Now let’s join the rest of the men. We need to start planning to make sure the Empress’s return is paved smoothly.”

     “You mean undermining Lu Bei.”

     “I’m sure the Empress has her own thoughts about that too,” He Wen replied lightly.

     His voice etched with concern, Yile added, “Yes and so will Lu Bei.”

     “Indeed. So will he.”

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