While the emperor sat in deep contemplation there was a flurry of activity in another part of the palace.

The Grand Empress dowager who had attained that title now that the late emperor’s empress was now Empress dowager, had just received the news of the Emperor’s actions.

It took her servants and the imperial doctor the better part of an hour to settle her down. But once she did, her old mind was fast at work. She still had a few tricks up her sleeve, she wasn’t ...