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

“They do not see the ways of Heaven as some do,” Zhang Rang countered. “They decry men of divine inspiration, favouring only ‘what is logical’; there are many things that defy logic, Your Majesty, but they are true all the same! Prince Kui, the brother of the former majesty plotting treason against you makes no sense really, but it is true nonetheless, because he was covetous and spiteful!”
“We would rather that you did not speak of him,” the young emperor said miserably. “Our empress is most distressed, as are we, that such a thing as our own clans turning on us could be the case in our times.”
“But this is our point!” Zhao Zhong retorted. “Your Majesty speaks of calm, when uncles and aunts plot treason? The consorts-”
“The consorts are beautiful enough on the outside, but some of them harbour jealous hearts, and speak viciously for personal gain,” Emperor Ling interrupted. “Our empress has suffered slander from them since she was first created so, and we do not expect that to change. Was our own mother not a victim of the jealous desires of another woman, namely Lady Dou, the former dowager?”
The two eunuchs hummed and hawed inanely.
“Please, Mother and Father, enough,” Emperor Ling chuckled. “Every word against our empress is known to us already, as the spiteful words of jealous consorts. If there were ever a sign, a true sign, that she plotted evil or intended a curse upon us, then perhaps we would reconsider, but we have known only loyalty and devotion that has received little love in return, and she is therefore honest. The woes of the day are just that, and nothing in comparison to the days where we were hidden in rooms and armed with swords while our attendants were forced to fight battles in the palace corridors.”
“But-”
“There are no buts, not even for you, Mother and Father,” Emperor Ling chuckled pleasantly. “We will not heed slander without proof or motive. Speaking of which, how go the investigations into the partisan uprising…?”

“They are yet to conclude,” Zhang Rang reported.
“Mm… well, we are interested to know the outcome,” Emperor Ling said calmly. “Oh, and as it predates our marriage, we do not consider it a sign, so please do not try to convince us of it.”
“We do not take Your Majesty for a fool,” Zhao Zhong promised.
“And we had not considered that you did, Mother and Father,” Emperor Ling insisted. “But your kind hearts are beset with the need to rush justice and the law to the logical conclusion at times, and that perhaps leads to your combining similar issues to reinforce arguments. Such protective behaviour is appreciated, but not acceptable to those that we must explain matters to. We are bound by a mandate, and we must be deserving of it at all times.”

Later that day, a small group of eunuchs met to discuss the progress of their campaign against Empress Song.
“I don’t understand,” Wang Fu admitted. “He doesn’t even lust after her, or love her, or even like her, so why…?”
“I think,” Zhang Rang said after a short silence, “that it is a case that he finds her devotion in spite of his disinterest intriguing… and a sign that she is honestly infatuated with him. Or perhaps he cannot bear to think that he has married another conspirator, and is once again surrounded by enemies. But most likely, it is what he said it was; that the idiot concubines have been slandering her for a year already, and that this is just another bit of venom, and we’ve fallen for their lies. Whatever it is, he won’t assent.”

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