March of Hongli

Since the December Triumph, wherein I assumed the office of Imperial Chancellor, as well as Imperial Consort, decadent democracy has come to an end. The Celestial Parliament has only recently reopened, with a much reduced membership. I fondly remember the trembling, as I strode into the mighty Palace, with the guards by my side. My allies stood aside, returned to their manors, and allowed the new era to begin. The rain poured down upon my party, though I rejected any attempt to cover myself. My uniform has seen far worse than poultry rain, it has seen blood, of friends and traitors. It will see more of both. Elden, my Clan brother, walked by my side, it had taken many months to persuade him of the righteousness of our actions. His colonel uniform was dated, but contained within, the vibrant spirit of a mighty Golden Dragon, ready to do his duty. The ties of loyalty between Weishun are impossible to truly break, and our faction is held together, not by ambition or treachery, but by loyalty. All of us share the greatest of bonds with our sovereign, a bond misunderstood by outsiders and barbarians. When the Emperor is distressed, all share the pain. To enrich the Emperor, is to enrich the nation, bring the fruits of Tianqing to all men and women on earth.

December, 2021
At that time, the Emperor was abused, and required, a hero. I am that hero, the one who brings death to her enemies, joys to the people, and serves her with decency. Barging into the Dragon’s Heart Chamber, my party was met with miniscule resistance, old guards who had not been bought into the conspiracy. The taint of Zheng rule stained them, and there was no saving them. Their armour was worn, but from disuse and neglect, rather than battle. My eyes narrowed, and I felt nothing but contempt, as my hand clasped my weapon, ready to strike. Here, we were forced to conduct ourselves with force, as I drew my pistol, and commanded surrender. I was denied no longer, and upon the old man’s resistance, I pulled the trigger. I was told, after our success, that this decisive action awoke the Emperor, and made her aware of the march through her sanctuary. The Dragon’s Heart was colossal, and was virtually deserted. Unlike the former sections, there was no scurrying away from our blades, surrendering, or fear. There was no further welcoming, merely cold silence, as the rain continued to patter on the black rooftops. My men breached the doors of the Auspicious Hall, the colossal structure stood tall, and none but I dared to enter. Fitting, as here, began our great national restoration, ushered in by my will. I scoffed, as the Hall’s majesty was laid before me, clouded with toxins. Nothing overtly fatal, of course, but traces of narcotics, and hallucinogens. At the time, I considered the possibility that this was an area denial strategy, to delay my approach, an ingenious play, though not one that may have stopped me. I withdrew my gas mask, and advanced regardless. However, the truth was far more pitiful, yet insidious, as my vision was impeded by a vast, noxious cloud of drugs, the great treasures of the Empire were obscured. Regardless, I stumbled through the chambers, and ascended the hall’s several towers, following the vile vapours to their source, the central chamber. From where the throne itself etched itself into the nation, building the roots and sustaining us all. The tree now was corrupted, twisted, and evil. My thoughts at the time were dominated by fear, and a growing sense of mind numbing rage. I forced open the final doors, with the room virtually invisible, only silhouettes cowered in fear. The vapour was being promulgated by multiple contraptions, spewing out these toxins surrounding the throne, and along the walls to provide total coverage of the room, and slipping out into the rest of the Auspicious Hall. I drew my ceremonial sword, and charged through the huge opening, straight towards the throne, perched on a plateau. Those not in fear, remained utterly tranquil, staring at me with dazed, lazy eyes. I was greeted by a rather coarse female voice, no doubt intoxicated herself.
“Who dares disturb the Emperor during meditation?

“Meditation? You demons call this meditation? You send the Emperor of the Great Zhi into addled vices!”
I swiftly deduced the rationale for the overwhelming poisons, to force all visitors into the same addled state, corrupting their minds and bending to the will of vile witches like this whore. Such strategies were developed roughly seven hundred years ago, though are contrary to proper Imperial morality. The shouting stirred slight movement, which relieved me, as I had worried that these toxins had caused an overdose in the young Emperor. She spoke, lifting her open palm towards me, obviously in a call for help.

“Vi-vices?”
The voice emerging from the throne was not confident, nor graceful, nor did it convey the will of Tianqing. Instead, it was tired, stuttering, and lazy, the drugs had done their work, though the simple fact she even had the ability to pick up on simple words in this state suggested an immensely strong will, worthy of the Imperial Throne. I was incensed with rage, as the witch spoke again, with the tone of a fraudster swindling the elderly.

“Your Majesty? Are you troubled? Do you need a higher dose to lull yourself back into peace? This unique blend shall remove all troubles in this mortal plane.”
I reached straight for my sword, and went to swing, but the Emperor’s weak voice paralysed me.

“Vic-vices? I remember… I wro-wrote… No, Xieliu wrote Two Vices of Summer and Spring.”
The Emperor slumped her head forward, even as her voice grew more collected, as if struggling to resist this torture, the actual words remained delirious, however. The Two Vices of Summer and Spring is a depraved book, depicting decadent personal relations between an aristocratic woman and her harem of Zheng plantation workers. The book was rightfully banned swiftly after its creation, though the decriminalisation of the book was ordered under the present Emperor’s reign. No doubt this witch had a part to play in that decision, or maybe the snakes in Parliament. The crown, attached to the throne, and usually clamped around the Great Zhi Emperor’s head, directing the nation, had fallen loose, exposing her exquisite, yet dirty hair. Even through the vile fog, I saw that it was greasy, full of split ends, and yet, beautiful, like an impressive garden, unmaintained. Her headpieces had fallen off, and a loud series of clangs could be heard, as she jerked back into restless vice. The witch sighed, and drew a syringe, jabbing softly into the Emperor’s feeble arm, after gently lifting up her Dragon Robe. I was stunned, unable to react, and immediately, I felt the pain of the Emperor, as she jerked involuntarily for a moment, before her voice fell back into the same lazy tone, and her breathing fell quiet, and slow.

“Do you not see what you have done? The Emperor requires peace, not senseless interruptions. Much progress has been lost.”
The witch turned back to me and sighed, with the stench of condescension in her breath. I gripped my sword tightly, and aimed it directly at the witch’s face.

“You are killing her. Cease, before I stab those needles into your eyes.”
The witch recoiled in terror, in fear of banishment and justice. The Emperor showed no reaction, implicitly consenting to the heroic actions I was about to perform. The witch’s words were tainted with false confidence, as I heard her fear.

“Violence against the Emperor’s servants condemns your soul to the judgement of the ancestors and heaven. You shall not survive the inevitable wave of troops, even if you condemn yourself to barbarity yet further.”
The witch spoke again in vain, for my mind was made up. All the soldiers in the world would not stop me from tearing down these horrors.

“The ancestors stand with me as I bring the wrath of five thousand years upon you all!”
I swung down my sword, smashing the vile needles, and breaking the drug emitters in a series of aggressive manoeuvres. The witch ran, though she would never get far, my soldiers had been conducting thorough sweeps along the entire Palace perimeter, to account for all residents, and prevent any counter coup or escapes. After clearing away the drugs, I reached out for the unconscious Emperor, as my vision began to slowly clear. I battered open the windows, to disperse the toxins. Hoisting the Emperor, I ran from the throne room, endeavouring to pick up as many decorations as possible, for when her mind cleared. To preserve her health, I tore off the gas mask from my face, and elected to protect her as best I could. Though the mask was too big for her slender face, and I was starting to feel the effects, I pushed on. Upon escaping the throne room, I was set upon by two guards, young and weak, yet in my slobbered state, carrying the Great Zhi Emperor in my arms, it was a struggle. I drew my pistol, took care to avoid any injuries befalling the Emperor, even as I felt the sharp pain of the second guard’s blade swinging down on my back. I was far more athletic, and managed to execute the first man with my pistol, before turning to face the second. By the skin of my teeth, I dodged a downwards sweep, aiming for my legs, and kicked the remaining guard in the groyne, causing him to howl in pain. I shot him too, of course, before running towards my compatriots outside. Elden approached, his uniform drenched in a blood splatter, and the two of us saluted.

“The Emperor is comfortable under your protection, Hongli?”
Elden’s joke was not lost on me, the double meaning fell from poetically sound, to the form of joke fathers made around the family dinner table. Referencing the office of Great Protector in our ancient past, yet also the Emperor’s position in my arms, softly breathing. The Emperor showed no signs of stirring, like a sleeping fairy, awaiting her hero. She clutched my arms in her hazey, drugged state, stirring me into action. I dismissed such romantic idealism, and snapped back to reality, asking my old mentor a more pertinent question.

“We may ask her properly once we undo the damage the devils did. How much resistance was encountered by our forces?”
Elden smiled, as if about to recall a fond story from his childhood. The old soldier had served in several wars, no doubt, such skirmishes paled in comparison to the killing fields of Feiyang, or Laikan. He spoke nonchalantly, even as the smell of ashes and drugs permeated the skies, dissipating. Fitting, for the influence of the ones poisoning the Empire shall soon meet the same fate.

“We suffered five casualties, all heroes. The Sanctuary of Civilisation held many daggers within, all Princes are accounted for.”
Internally, I roared in triumph. The ultimate victory, of capturing, and saving all Princes, denying any potential usurpers to the enemy. I turned to the next biggest concern, the fate of our accomplice, Sain. The heroine who welcomed us into her home, and plotted with.

“What of her highness, the Seventh Princess?”
No doubt, the traitors would identify that our forces breached the Palace through the Seventh Princess’ manor in the Outer Section, and would attempt to send agents to eliminate her preemptively. However, this was accounted for, and great care was placed upon ensuring Sain’s safety.

“My wife was secured swiftly, her complicity in our campaign saved many Weishun lives.”
As if on queue, Sain passed the Dragon’s Heart Gate, with a single servant holding her hand, which seemed bruised. The only blemish on her typically perfect uniform, though she had taken care to wear traditional battle armour of a bannerwoman. She pushed aside her servant, when he continually attempted to massage the wound, before speaking, as she nodded to Elden.

“And you must save many more, for within days at most, the full might of Zhao Han’s armies will fall upon us. Only the consent of the Emperor will calm the people, and bring you the right to restore the Great Zhi Empire.”
The three of us formed a circle, and all eyes fell upon the Emperor. Her words would forge the future, and I would not let her speak wrongly, ever again. I nodded to my allies

“I will not fail.”

“We know. Five thousand years of heritage, and the entire Empire are at stake. All pray for your success, Hongli. Our forces may hold the enemy at bay while you make your case, treat the Emperor with respect.”
Elden spoke with utter confidence, and gave the signal to our soldiers to take defensive positions around the palace walls. Sain ignored them, and spoke directly to me, staring into my eyes, and with a firm voice.

“My sister is frail of body, she hides herself in layers of physical constraint and inexperience, you must break these barriers.”
I only now noticed the sheer beauty of the sleeping woman in my arms, her black hair extended to her lower back, when unconstrained by headdresses or hairclips. Her face, though no doubt distressed by the forcefulness of her rescue, and the years of intoxication, was perfect. Supremely maintained, utterly still, and pale, almost white in tone. Her eyelids were shut tight, though I had every confidence that they guarded unlimited joys. Though the pungent stench of gels and perfumes lingered, they dulled nothing about her perfection. She seemed to radiate in the cold evening wind. That same wind, that always pounded Zhijing in the winter, would do no favours for the Emperor’s recovery, especially in her light robes. I nodded once more to my compatriots, and withdrew to the Golden Manor, the home of all guests of the Emperor. I laid her down upon the soft bed, locked the door, and covered her with blankets. I stayed by her side, to welcome her to freedom, to my vision for the Empire.