“Yellow Sky”: Crisis for the Han Dynasty sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne

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“There’s no time!” Cao Jie hissed. “You, me, Guan Ba, and Su Kang… we will die first, and then the rest! We have to move quickly!”
“I… I am on that secondary list!” Zhu Yu whimpered. “But I… I thought I was-!”
“I’ll secure the Emperor,” Cao Jie continued. “Wang Fu, you shall go immediately to the Dowager and-”
“I know exactly what to do,” Wang Fu promised.
“Guan Ba, find Su Kang and warn him at the very least,” Cao Jie insisted. “Then you must gather as many of the others as you can, tell them what has happened, and meet me near the main barracks… Dou Wu is out of the capital, but he will return in two days; Chen Fan is at home, so if we strike quickly-”
“Like you said, we must act quickly!” Guan Ba retorted. “Go on, go!”
“Zhu Yu: come with me,” Cao Jie ordered, and the terrified Zhu Yu complied.
“Wait, where are you going???” Guan Ba said Wang Fu started to walk toward the corridor that led to Dou Wu’s office.
“Before we deal with the Dowager,” Wang Fu replied, “we need to do something else…”

Shan Bing was alone in Dou Wu’s office when Wang Fu arrived.
“…What do you want…?” Shan Bing asked with sudden discomfort.
“Nothing from you, Attendant Shan; I just wondered if you had seen Zhu Yu at all…?” Wang Fu asked in a friendly and ingratiating way.
“No, I haven’t, Attendant Wang,” Shan Bing replied.
“Oh, well, then perhaps I might have to ask your help…?” Wang Fu continued. “I’m afraid that Attendant Su is feeling poorly now, and I need someone to help with drafting a legal document… might you help…?”
“I didn’t think that Zhu Yu was much good at that,” Shan Bing retorted.
“I was intending to take time out of my own duties, and have him fulfil them,” Wang Fu lied. “But this way, the finer mind is at work.”

“…Alright,” Shan Bing conceded.
“Please, follow me…!” Wang Fu whined pathetically.
     Once the two were alone in a distant corridor of the vast imperial palace, Wang Fu slowed in order to allow Shan Bing to move ahead of him.
“Why have you slowed, Attendant Wang?” Shan Bing chuckled as he finally slowed as well. “Are we-”
Wang Fu moved quickly, simultaneously stabbing Shan Bing in the back and masking the inevitable scream by placing his free hand over his victim’s mouth. The last things that Shan Bing saw were five more eunuchs approaching with swords drawn, and a sixth that was carrying a sack. Within minutes, Shan Bing was slumping lifelessly to the floor, and Wang Fu was on his way toward the Dowager’s quarters with three of his six associates while the others disposed of Shan Bing.

What is the meaning of this???” Empress Dowager Dou shrieked as Wang Fu entered her living quarters with three other eunuchs - each was armed with a sword.
“You have been conspiring with your father to eliminate the imperial attendants and isolate His Majesty,” Wang Fu declared with menace. “You are hereby detained, and your seal placed in the care of the attendants to His Majesty. Hou Lan…”
The eunuch Hou Lan walked to the Dowager’s writing table and began a search.
“You cannot do this!” the Dowager said with fear. “I am regent! You cannot just-”
“I have the seal,” Hou Lan said as he walked back to Wang Fu.

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