Beheading I

     If one were to imagine God's abode, it would pale in comparison to the resplendent beauty and grandiosity of the Supreme Hall in the Forbidden City. High ceilings with intricate patterns were supported by red strong wooden beams that spanned the entire length of the majestic hall. In the center lay the sandalwood throne, sitting on a raised platform. Dragons decorated the entire surface of the throne, symbolizing the powerful ancestry of the person who occupied its seat.

     Beauty it certainly had, but power and wealth… it did not possess enough. Sitting in that cold hard seat, lord over all his subjects, his shrewd eyes took in the surroundings with a fresh perspective. From a higher ground, he watched as hundreds of his loyal subjects bowed in respect to him, prostrating themselves before him. 

     It was hard to believe that just a few days ago he had been in their position when a twist of fate had laid this opportunity in front of him. This new vantage point showed him a different future - a brighter one filled with all the riches and power in the world.

     Subconsciously, his fingers drifted over the smooth surface of the dragon head armrest, feeling the sense of security that came with it. He could get used to this. Once he made this throne his, there would be so much work to be done. These pillars that surrounded him would be made of pure gold, as would the throne. He could not wait to get started. But all would come in due time as long as he handled this predicament perfectly.

     “Court is in session!” A shrill voice echoed in the hall, beginning the emergency meeting that had been called.

     “Minister He Wen,” he called out. 

     A young man stepped out from the ranks and made his way to the center of the aisle. Dropping to one knee, he bowed his head slightly, his hands raised at head level with his right fist covered by his open left hand – a respectful greeting.

     “Prime Minister Lu Bei, your humble subject brings worrying news on the Empress Dowager’s location. Unfortunately, it seems that her Highness has fallen into the hands of the Tufans. We believe they had prior knowledge of her schedule and orchestrated the abduction two weeks ago,” He Wen reported, his voice sharp and tense with worry.

     Lu Bei absentmindedly stroked his beard as he pondered this new development carefully. “Have the Tufan made any demands?”

     “No, Prime Minister. We have yet to receive word. But we believe they will ask for the four garrisons of Xiyu that we captured,” He Wen replied.

     A low murmur broke out among the officials at the mention of Xiyu – the victorious battle that had been achieved at the cost of a blood bath. Acceding to the demands of the Tufan would mean relinquishing the four cities they had fought so hard to claim.

     He knew all his officials were of the same thought that it would be a huge blow to both the kingdom’s position of power and the morale of the people if they were to lose the four cities. Would losing the Empress Dowager be as devastating? Of course, none of them dared voice their thoughts out for that was tantamount to rebellion. All he needed to do was give them a little push in the right direction and they would latch on to the idea rapidly.

     “We can’t possibly accept their terms for that will be sending a wrong message to all our enemies. Negotiating with the Tufan will only lead to the eventual downfall of our kingdom and I will not let that happen,” he proclaimed, proud of himself for intelligently navigating through the situation.

     He watched as many of the officials before him frantically bobbed their heads up and down in agreement. How easy it was to lead these people; much like herding sheep. If this was all it took to convince them, the route to the throne was much faster than he had previously thought. Already he could feel the sweet taste of power on his tongue when He Wen’s voice interrupted his pleasant dream.

     “Indeed I agree with Prime Minister Lu that accepting our enemy’s terms is equivalent to admitting defeat. But without the Empress Dowager, our kingdom will similarly descend into chaos.”

     His eyes narrowed at He Wen, studying the young man’s intense eyes and firm jawline. To think that this puny junior minister dared to question his judgment and also insinuate that he would not be suitable for the throne made his blood boil. The fact that He Wen did all of that in a way that seemed like he was agreeing with him meant that he couldn’t even reprimand the man.

     Making a mental note to get rid of this minister once he became the Emperor, Lu Bei replied in as even a tone as he could manage, “So what would Minister He suggest then?”

     “With all due respect, Prime Minister, your humble servant thinks that a small troop of soldiers should be sent to rescue the Empress. We can stall the Tufan by pretending to accede to their demands and while they celebrate, the soldiers would attempt the rescue.”

     Lu Bei leaned forward while an idea formed at the back of his mind. “And how many soldiers should we send?”

     “Not many, Prime Minister,” He Wen replied. “Too many would be too conspicuous and alert the Tufan to our plan. I would say three to four of our best men would be enough.”

     As his plan came together, Lu Bei spoke slowly, “That is indeed a good suggestion, Minister He. However, I’m still not too happy about how the abduction of the Empress was so well planned out. To make sure that this plan does not leak out, I will personally choose the men who will attempt the Empress’s rescue. And I would like everyone present here to remain in their respective quarters as well.”

     He smirked as he noticed the officials’ discomfort and anxiety at his decree, although what gave him more pleasure was the grim look on He Wen’s face as the young man realized that he had just been outsmarted. This was just the beginning though and he was enjoying every single second of it. Just a little more time…

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Beheading II

Just a little more time...

     ….before I die at the hands of the Tufan. That was the grim fate that lay in front of me. Three and a half weeks I had waited for my people to respond to the demands of the Tufan and yet here I was, strapped to a pole with my hands bound above me.

     It didn’t take too much effort to guess why I had been abandoned. My deceitful prime minister Lu Bei must have been appointed as my stand-in as only he would have done such a spiteful and utterly ridiculous act. If he thought that being the emperor was such an easy job, then he was welcome to try his hand at it. Shaking my head at his stupidity, I could only imagine the speed at which he would undermine all my hard work in building up the Zhou kingdom. If not for the decree of the late emperor, I would have eliminated Lu Bei from the start of my reign.

     Yet here I was, soon to be walking to my death. I didn’t feel fear. If I did, I would have been long dead since my days in the Forbidden Palace. No, if anything, I felt indignant at my abduction. Something about the whole circumstance surrounding my capture nagged at the back of my mind. 

     My monthly visits outside of the Forbidden Palace had always been planned to perfection; nothing was left to chance. What were the odds that a group of highly trained Tufan spies were in the vicinity and had known my identity?

     And yet it was only after I had visited the jewelry shop to get my golden bracelet fixed that they had made a move. Thinking back, they had plenty of chances before that to make their move. Nothing stood to gain for them by waiting until such a late time to strike. Unless…. they had not known who their target was.

     As it dawned on me what had identified me to my abductors, I tilted my head up. The soft silk sleeve that once covered my arm now hung loosely at my elbows, exposing the black tattoo of a dragon that sat just above my wrist. The mark was bold and thick, engraved on the skin as if it was a birthmark. 

     My eyes traced the curves of the dragon tattoo absentmindedly, once again entranced by its intricacy and elegant design that seemed so surreal, and at the same time repulsed by its significance. It served as a reminder of my sacrifices and the duties that I was bound to – a lingering curse that would follow me to my grave. And apparently, it had also tipped off my kidnappers as to my identity.

     Few people were marked with the sign of the dragon – only members of the royal family and their respective soulmates were granted such a regal design. The size and intricacy of the dragon crest further served to distinguish a couple’s status, with mine being the highest. It came as no wonder that the Tufan had instantly recognized my soulmate tattoo.

     Sighing in exasperation, I tore my gaze away from the mark that bound me to my fate. The mystery of how I had been picked out of the crowd now solved, I turned my attention to how they had even known I would be in the vicinity. Maybe if I could dissect this situation into its bare elements, I would find out a way out of here.

     Luck, however, was not on my side. Hearing footsteps from outside, I held my head up high and straightened my back as much as I could. As bad as my current status was, I wasn’t about to bow down to my kidnappers in deference. I had my dignity to uphold.

     A tall burly man with a sharp face walked in, wearing the typical high-collar Tufan warrior robes along with a thick fur hat. His hand rested on his sword, its hilt pierced of iron inlaid with gold, a sign of his seniority within the ranks of warriors. I recognized him as the leader of the group of abductors, one of the higher-ranking warriors that had made his name known even within our community.

     “Looks like you’re up, Empress. Sorry if I don’t bow or address you with the respect that you’re so used to,” he snickered as he eyed me like an eagle hovering over its prey.

     Matching his steady gaze, I countered, “Why it’s my honor to finally meet the well-known General Wangchuk. One would think that such a fine general would be gentleman enough to provide a comfortable setting for a lady.”

     “I don’t think that would be necessary, Empress,” Wangchuk replied as he moved closer to check my restraints were properly secured. Bending down, his cold eyes met mine. “After all, I don’t recall a lady as being one who has so much bloodshed on her hands, let alone the blood of her own child.”

     My expression never wavered as I stared right into the black depths of his irises. If he expected some kind of reaction from me, disappointment was all he would get. No matter how much blood stained my hands, everything I did was of my own choice, and never once have I looked back.

     Finally, Wangchuk broke his gaze, straightening up as he did. “Anyway, it looks like your people finally got the message. They have promised to release the four cities back to us and so, we will honor our agreement by letting you go.”

     A wave of relief washed through me but I could not let it show, for that would only satisfy him. Settling for a faint smile, I nodded in acknowledgment.

     Wangchuk cleared his throat, clearly disappointed at my lack of response. “Well we’ll be celebrating this joyous occasion of the reclamation of our land and of course, Empress, you’re cordially invited to the banquet,” he said brusquely.

     “Thank you, General Wangchuk. I see no reason why I couldn’t possibly accept.”

     Nodding gruffly, he shot me a glare before exiting the tent, leaving me to wonder whether he would renege on his promise by the end of the day. Something told me that my guess wouldn’t be that far off.

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Beheading III

    The rhythmic beat of the drums and celebratory singing drifted into my tent, along with the tempting odor of smoking meat. Hunger was driving my body to its limits and I had to suppress its uncouth voice from escaping. Such disgraceful sounds would hurt my dignity, even if the only people to hear it would be the three guards standing around me in the tent.

     In an attempt to release my body from its natural cravings, I turned my attention to the shadowy figures in the next tent that housed General Wangchuk and his closest soldiers. Hearty laughter and drunken cheers rose from there and I could already imagine the level of intoxication they were in. The cause for such careless behavior was of course well-justified, given that their objective had now been achieved. It was only a matter of days for the agreement between the Tufan and the Tang to take place, which would grant the Tufan tremendous victory.

     Now that my release had been decided, I would have to focus on resolving this large mess on my plate. Top on my agenda was of course to uncover the mole that was working for the Tufan. There was no doubt in my mind that this was the orchestration of someone within our ranks and if no action were to be taken, the consequences would be more severe than this. My enemies were many but I was confident that my swift and ruthless plan of action would quickly cut off the head of their operation.

     Too absorbed in my thoughts, I almost failed to realize that the neighboring tent seemed somewhat quiet. The music from outside still drowned out most of the noises but it seemed that the activity next door had died down. Behind the curtain, there wasn’t much movement.

     From the corner of my eyes, I looked at the guards around me. Their lack of expression told me they hadn’t noticed anything different; so bored and disappointed were they at not being able to join in the festivities that they were oblivious to the events taking place in their general’s tent.

     Just then a soldier from the neighbor tent burst in, his robe stained a blood red.

     “Help! General Wangchuk, he-“

     The guards snapped to attention, moving in unison as they approached the startled soldier whose hands still dripped with blood. His face was ashen and his eyes wide with fear but his hands never trembled. As the three burly men approached him, his slim figure remained stock still, poised like an animal waiting for its prey.

     In an instant, he whipped out a long curved dagger and slashed at the man nearest to him, slicing right through his neck. His movements were swift and calculated; moving on to the next one even before the first drop of blood had fallen. Within seconds, three bodies lay on the floor in the middle of a growing red pool.

     The assassin finally glanced at me, his cold eyes betraying the façade he put on earlier to trick the guards. His left hand still clutching the dagger, he moved slowly towards me. Swallowing down my fear, I raised my voice.

     “Who are you?? Do you not know who I am?”

     “Yes I do,” he replied, his voice gentle in contrast to his stern expression.

     “Empress Wu,” he greeted me as he removed his hat, revealing a bald scalp with a single bold character tattooed on it. “Your humble servant Ge Tuo pays his respect.”

     Recognizing the symbol of the dragon on his scalp, a sigh of relief escaped my lips. “Hurry and untie me from these bonds before anyone finds out.”

     “I’m sorry, Empress,” he replied.

     My eyes widened in confusion as I saw him lift his dagger high. This couldn’t be happening. I took in his expression, trying desperately to read what was going on behind that face of his. 

     Nothing, there was nothing.

     “Lu Bei sends his regards,” he said before bringing the dagger down in a swift motion.

     There was a glint of metal and I closed my eyes reflexively, waiting for death to welcome me into its embrace. But nothing came and I could still feel my heart thumping ferociously in its cage. Opening my eyes hurriedly, I saw Ge Tuo still in front of me with his dagger held only inches away from me. Then I saw his soulless eyes and the tip of an arrow jutting out from his chest. A second later he crumpled to the ground beside my feet.

     Looking up, I saw another soldier standing behind him, his bow drawn. Seeing that his opponent had been defeated, the man lowered his bow and dropped down on one knee.

     “Empress Wu, your subject Captain Li Wai apologizes for the unexpected mishap.”

     Li Wai…..

     It couldn’t be…. him.

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