PAST

(Past)

It was night yet the entire place looked like it was daybreak. This was because every solider was holding a flame stick. Whenever this happened, everyone made sure to stay in their houses in order to meet misfortune or be identified as one of the criminals. This time they were gathered outside of Zhou Wu Tang's house. Zhou Wu Tang was one of the king's brothers. He had been given a dangerous post as the head of the dynasty's Finance Bureau. His wife, Madam Zhou had not liked the promotion at all and claimed it was one of the emperor's ways of getting rid of him. Being the youngest, Zhou Wu Tang had admired his elder brother the most and did as he was told.

A few days ago, petitions had been filed against him for embezzlement. His wife had just been confirmed pregnant so he had thrown a lavish banquet to accept the well wishes of those who wanted to congratulate him. Now, he was being accused of embezzlement.

“Come out. There is no where for you to hide, Your Highness.” Ying Fu who was the head of the palace guards said shouting.

“What do we do?” Wu Tang's wife asked him as she held her eldest son, Zhou Wu Huan in her hand looking at her husband.

Zhou Wu Tang sighed realizing maybe his wife had been right all along. His brother had found him as a thorn in his side. Although he wasn't as famous as his second brother who was a war general, their late father had loved him the most. He had trusted and shown his brother sincerity but in the end, it had been useless.

“Take Huan'er and run. You know the passage out of here. Go with them. When you arrive outside, there is a huge stone by the entrance. Once you raise it, you will see some money and valuables I hid for you.” Zhou Wu Tang said as tears gathered in his wife's eyes.

“So you knew. You knew that your brother didn't like you. That he wanted you dead. Why did you still accept such a dangerous post?” Madam Zhou asked as she sobbed while tightening her grip on Wu Huan's hands.

Zhao Wu Huan stood by his mother and watched his father. He was just six years old but yet, he could understand some little things about what was going on. Seeing that his mother was crying and sobbing, Wu Huan released his hand from his mother and hugged his father causing Madam Zhou to cry even the more.

“I thought that I could change his mind and show him that I had no desire for the throne. Back then when father thought of passing the throne down to me, I had refused immediately. The throne is a seat with it's own curse. Just as with the power that comes with it. I will go the palace and talk to him. But you can't come.” Zhou Wu Tang said to his wife.

“No. I want to talk to him. I still have the token that your father gave to me as my dowry. I can use it to save your life.” Madam Zhou said as she removed the token from her inner sleeve showing her husband.

“Hide it. Don't let anyone know that you still have that.” Zhou Wu Tang warned.

“Why can't I? If it can save your life, why can't I use it?” Madam Zhou asked.

“I know my brother very well. You want to use the token to save me now, what about tomorrow? If he wants me dead, it wi find another excuse at another time. There won't be a difference. Instead, you should give it to the children. In case in the future they were need it.” Zhou Wu Tang said.

“What future is a good future without you? You are telling me to just stand and watch you die. Are you hearing yourself?!” Madam Zhou asked shouting as she broke down in tears again.

“If you don't come out right now, don't blame me for whatever you receive after.” Zhou Wu Tang and Madam Zhou heard Ying Fu say outside the closed doors.

Zhou Wu Tang turned to his wife seeing that there was no time left for them. Leaning in to kiss her, Zhou Wu Tang kissed his wife goodbye while placing a hand on her stomach to bid their unborn child farewell.

“My fate had been written since the day I was born. Since the day my father found favor with me and loved me. You need to be strong now more than ever. Go!" Zhou Wu Tang said pushing his wife away.

Madam Zhou continued to cry as she ran with Wu Huan leaving her husband alone in the manor. The servants and guards that had served them had long left passing through the hidden passage. Being a kind prince that he was, he had left a way out for them. If they were caught in the manor, they would be sold to harsh places and be branded as servants of a criminal. This was the worst fate that could be given to servant because they would be treated harsher than dirt.

Walking to the gate, Zhou Wu Tang turned around looking back at the manor for the last time remembering how happy they had been a few hours ago at the banquet. The emperor hadn't wanted to have innocent people involved so he waited till after the banquet which Wu Tang admired. Sighing to himself, Zhou Wu Tang opened the gate watching as soliders rushed in flooding the place. Standing with dignity, Zhou Wu Tang stared at Ying Fu.

“What are you doing? I haven't been declared officially as a criminal. Is my house a place where you can just enter?” Zhou Wu Tang asked.

“Your Highness, where is your wife and your son?” Ying Fu asked not caring about the consequences. He was the captain of the king's guards plus the Emperor trusted him very much.

“They left." Zhou Wu Tang said smiling.

“They left?” Ying Fu asked again surprised by Zhou Wu Tang's calmness.

“Yes. Before I am declared guilty of anything, you can't hold my wife and son captive. Do you think I am stupid?" Zhou Wu Tang asked.

" Take him immediately.” Ying Fu said watching as guards came around wanting to arrest Zhou Wu Tang but was stopped by him.

“What are you doing! I am still Zhou dynasty's third grand prince! How dare you try to lay a hand on me?” Zhou Wu Tang asked making the soliders stop to look at Ying Fu.

“I will walk by myself. With dignity and honor as it is demanded. I won't run away so don't worry. Besides, if I wanted to, none of you here would have been able to stop or catch me." Zhou Wu Tang said smirking at Ying Fu before walking off to the palace.

Meanwhile in the palace, the Emperor was sitting down in his room awaiting news of Zhou Wu Tang's arrest. Embezzlement in the dynasty was a huge crime that could even wipe down to your third generation.

“Your Majesty.” One of the guards came in and knelt down placing a hand to his chest.

“Have they arrested him? Tell them there is no need for interrogation. Kill him on the spot.” The emperor said.

“That was our commander's okan but he says that he wants to see you first. He says he had something of the late emperor that might interest you. You shouldn't be in a haste to kill him immediately. “ The guard said making the emperor sit up immediately with his eyes wide..

“What did you say? Something of the late emperor?" The emperor asked wondering if it was true what their second brother had said.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The guard said.

“Where is he right now? Bring in inside." The emperor said anxious.

Ying Fu arrived with Zhou Wu Tang behind him as they entered the king's chamber. The emperor was standing by a lit candle with his back facing the door as they entered. Zhou Wu Tang entered with chains on his hands. Although he had asked them not to touch him, the guard that the emperor sent to call him had said that it was the emperor's wish to have him arrested.

Since it was the emperor's wish, Zhou Wu Tang didn't object as they cuffed his hands.

“Greetings Your Majesty.” Ying Fu said kneeling before the emperor.

“Leave us alone. And remove the cuffs on his hands. " The emperor said without looking back.

Ying Fu nodded his head doing as the emperor had commanded and left after leaving the both of them alone. When they were finally alone, the emperor turned around looking at his brother.

“I heard that your wife is pregnant again. Congratulations. Please sit." The emperor said signaling Zhou Wu Tang to sit as he took his own. But Zhou Wu Tang refused and remained standing.

“Is this your way of congratulating me? By trying to have me killed?” Zhou Wu Tang asked.

"What one does has consequences. You should have thought about your wife and unborn child when you committed such a crime." The emperor said pouring tea for himself.

“You know I didn't commit any of those crimes! You know! You are just trying to have me killed for whatever reason that I don't know. How could you? I am your brother. Your youngest brother!" Zhou Wu Tang said as he hit his hand on his chest.

“You are. I never disputed that fact with you. However, you can only blame yourself. I don't have time to waste with you. You said you had something of our Kate father to show me. What is it? “ The emperor asked making Zhou Wu Tang to burst out laughing.

“Are you scared, brother? Hmmm? Is our oldest most confident brother afraid? That I have a royal decree stating that the late emperor left the throne to me. Does it make you anxious“ Zhou Wu Tang asked laughing.

“Stop with the rubbish. You should give me that decree or else, don't blame me for what I will do your wife and Huan'er.” The emperor said.

“I am not bothered. My wife and son are well protected by our late father. You don't remember. My wife has a token of amnesty. You cannot hurt her. They say your lived ones will protect you even in the afterlife. Its not wrong. You have no one to protect you. That's why you went down the wrong path. I have no objections. You can kill me. Just let me die before our late father.” Zhou Wu Tang said making the emperor furious.

Few minutes later, Zhou Wu Tang and the emperor gathered in the ancestral temple of the royals. Alk the tablets of kings that rules Zhou were found in the temple. Including their father's tablet.

“Is this the poisoned wine?” Zhou Wu Tang asked staring at the jug and cup beside him.

“You said you wanted to die before our Kate father. Your bond with him just have been strongm you claim that he was watching over you. Now is time for you to watch over him. Let him know how much I hated him and Royal Mother for giving you everything and ignoring their two children. It was up to me to raise Dong'er by myself. Look at him now. He is a eell known general. He is fighting for the great Zhou dynasty." The emperor said as he spread his arms wide while Zhou Wu Tang shook his head.

“He that lives by the sword will surely die by the sword. Father! Mother! My greatest regret is that I was not around to bid you farewell. I can take care of you now." Zhou Wu Tang said talking to the portraits of his parents.

Watching as the emperor turned his face away, Zhou Wu Tang drank the positioned wine falling to the ground immediately as blood fell from his mouth.