Lessons for Lady Sin

CHAPTER 01 - Poison

LESSONS FOR LADY SIN 
© 2012 by hiro0911

 I came to your world in my selfish quest for immortality.
Then, I fell in love with you.
Now, my sins are beyond redemption.

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CHAPTER ONE | POISON

“EMPRESS WU WILL DIE IN SEVEN DAYS.”

Yang Xin Qian could still remember every word she heard from the honored guest of the House of Li, an old man who calls himself the ‘Sage of Mountain Tai’. He sat on the tea room’s tatami imported from Japan, his long, graying moustache almost touching the floor, his crumpled skin weathered by grime and sweat. He was dressed in tattered, loose-fitting clothes and carried around an old staff made of oak. Indeed, he lived up to his name, an elder who spent most of his life on the mountains, even naming himself after it.

Right across him sat former Lord Chancellor Gong Zai, Prince Li Jian Yu’s most trusted right hand man. He was on his late fifties, tall and brawny, highly intelligent and dignified, clothed in bright silken garment. He took a sip of the tea prepared from the finest handpicked herbs from Mountain Tai. Satisfied with its calming effect, he poured the Sage another cup, which the old man gracefully received.

“Empress Wu will die in seven days,” the Sage said. “The poison I used on the needle that struck her came from a rare water snake’s fang and was brewed for over three decades. Only three small drops of the concoction remain, and three drops will suffice for only three needles. The waterfalls in Mountain Tai dried up a long time ago, and so the snake is now presumed to be extinct. Therefore, there is no known antidote. It would be futile to keep the Empress’ condition a secret from the state. Her death would be absolute.”

“Once we remove the Empress from the Red Palace, we will immediately restore the empire under Prince Li’s leadership. Furthermore, the Silk Road will be re-opened for trade and will not be monopolized with excessive taxes. A new dynasty shall rise,” Lord Chancellor Gong Zai said. “The House of Wu will have no other choice but to collapse to the ground drenched with the blood of those they enslaved. The empire is soiled severely by Wu’s filthy corruption. Forty four years is enough punishment to the people of Chang’an.”

“Ah, Prince Li – that boy has grown. Before, he was a mere puppet,” the Sage placed down his teacup. “Now he’s ready to grasp an empire in his hands.”

“We are tired, the empire, all the more. Someone has to put a stop to all the ruthless murders and corruption. He is a good student. Prince Li is more than ready,” Gong Zai nodded. “The assassination plan we formulated against the Empress was a success, but the process wouldn’t be as problematic and not much lives would be lost if not for that female assassin alongside her.”

“The notorious Lady Sin?” the Sage Said. “Her name is Yang Xin Qian, the Empress’ personal bodyguard. She’s unstoppable like the wind, fierce like a storm, and unforgiving like wild fire.”

“We clearly underestimated Lady Sin. She could take down a large group of soldiers single-handedly by her prowess with a sword.”

“But Yang Xin Qian won’t be problematic for long, Lord Chancellor,” the Sage said reassuringly. “She, too, will be removed in seven days.”

Hearing a subtle clatter coming from behind one of the nearby windows, Gong Zai stood up, reached for a spear from the rack next to him, and swiftly threw it with astounding precision towards the direction of the eavesdropper. The person listening to their conversation revealed herself to be no other than Yang Xin Qian, the notorious female bodyguard of Empress Wu.