EMPEROR OF ZHONG YUAN

Chapter 1 The War is coming

"In our Great Kingdom of Jin, a spectacle had many at a chokehold at the beginning of the year. Everyone who witnessed the great Spring festival celebration believed that the new year would bring bountiful blessings of luck and wealth.

Every Spring festival was the same in the Imperial Capital; auspicious red in all corners of the city, busy streets filled with people from all over the kingdom, couples celebrating another year of love and togetherness by burning incense at the great Temple of Goddess Ansha, noble families would arrange an erratic display of generosity and nobility by giving to the poor, and the Imperial Family would pompous banquets filled with aromatic foods and expensive wine and lead the city in celebration by unleashing the most colorful fireworks all over Wuling.

However, the 28th year of Anning, the reign of Emperor Feng Ru An, things were slightly different. The Second Prince Feng Wang was to hold his wedding to District Princess Yongxin, Pang Wuxian, daughter of former Chancellery of the Left Pang under the blessing of His Majesty..."

"Cut all that bullshit and reach the good part!" A man dressed in shabby but decent clothing remarked crudely from the back of the audience that filled the restaurant.

In the streets of Suzhou lied the Mo Su Restaurant renowned for its amazing pastries and entertaining stories that were not just stories, but more of exaggerated happenings of the Imperial Capital. At this time, it was the first day of the third month of the lunar calendar; two months after the incident of Second Prince's wedding. What people couldn't witness, they sought to hear the most making storytelling a fruitful business.

It was also a means of information collection used by members of Tianji Pavilion, however none of this was known to the common people.

Amongst the audience were low nobles, common people, and a few outstanding individuals.

"That's right, we know of all this. Just tell us of the wedding and the events after!" Another who sat front of the first man and was dressed in finer silks shouted.

Mumbles of annoyance soon turn to noise in support of the two men arose from the crowd leaving the old storyteller a bit anxious.

"Alright, alright. But I warn you, the story gets more and more interesting so don't leave your seats just yet." The members of the crowd beamed widely and brightly at the storyteller's words, all except a cold man who seemed withdrawn and more kept to himself with his half face silver mask and his dark cloak making him stand out as the mysterious figure.

"On the 14th day of the first month, the castle bells rung to announce the occasion. The well-crafted carriage entered the palace with an entourage fit for a queen. The Second Prince waited for her dressed elegantly in a wedding gown decorated in jewels from Liang and silk from Xihua (Eastern Hua). It was a great celebration indeed. All until the time of the wedding reception banquet. It was witnessed that the Second Prince held his wife in such a high regard that he had her not drink any wine so she wouldn't be too flustered, who would have thought that the Second Prince had only his wine poisoned!"

The crowd gasped in shock and their interest peeked greatly. "Why did he do that?" One of the listeners queried.

"I know, it's because he wanted to seem innocent of guilt should anyone point out that he killed the Emperor." Another answered with zeal, happy to have figured it out.

"Correct, but also incorrect." The crowd of listeners frowned in confusion. "Why do you say so, Old Man?"

"Correct in the sense that he wanted to free himself from guilt, but incorrect in terms of who he wanted to kill."

Everyone remained silent as they did not understand what he meant. The storyteller continued, "Should the Second Prince kill the Emperor, then even if he's freed from sin, he won't get the throne as it naturally goes to the Crown Prince."