The deep moonless night surrounded the South Prime Minister’s Manor, servants bustled about, finishing up their tasks before going to bed themselves. If the servants weren’t carrying lanterns they wouldn’t have been able to see more than three feet in front of them. A thick canopy of clouds covered the sky, not even light from the stars overhead could bleed through. In her room the Eldest Miss Lian Cai Yi slept peacefully. She didn’t even stir as a dark cloud suddenly formed. The cloud only swirled for a moment before shooting straight towards her forehead, being absorbed. On that moonless night, the fate of everyone in the South Prime Minister’s Manor changed forever. 

Early the next morning one of Lian Cai Yi’s servant’s, Mudan, went to prepare her for the day, as she did every day. She went about her work as quietly as possible, wanting her Miss to sleep as long as possible before she was awakened. She was a very light sleeper and usually awoke before Mudan had managed to finish all her preparations. However this morning was different. Mudan managed to finish everything and had yet to hear even a rustle of movement from her Miss. Starting to feel slightly worried, Mudan lightly moved the curtains surrounding the bed. She was met with Lian Cai Yi’s pale face twisted as if she was in great pain. The curtain fell from Mudan’s hand with a gasp, and she quickly ran from the room.

Outside Yingsu and Chuju, who were waiting in case they were needed, were met with a frantic Mudan. Before they could ask what was happening Mudan burst out, “Yingsu, quickly run and get the doctor.” Without a moment’s hesitation, Yingsu swallowed all the questions at the tip of her tongue and ran out the courtyard as fast as her legs could carry her. Mudan was the oldest of Lian Cai Yi’s servants, she was always the most calm and rarely had a change of expression, Yingshu had never seen Mudan’s frightened face before. She suppressed the slight shaking in her limbs and ran even faster.

Back in the courtyard Chuju rang her hands together anxiously. “What happened to the Miss?”

“I-I’m not sure.” Mudan replied. “Run and inform the South Prime Minister, I am going to watch over her as best I can.”

Frightened Chuju took off after Yinsu.

Shortly thereafter, the Lian Family Doctor, Su Long, rushed into the courtyard, slightly out of breath, with Yingsu just a few steps behind him. When he heard that there was something wrong with the Eldest Miss, he became worried. His father, Su Guanting, had only recently trusted him enough to pass over the main responsibilities as the family doctor to him. He hoped that as Yingsu was the youngest of Lian Cai Yi’s servants, she was only overreacting.

“Doctor Su, please save the young Miss.” Mudan begged as soon as he entered.

Seeing that even Mudan was worried, Su Long felt sweat begin to gather on his brow. Wasting no time he directly went to Lian Cai Yi bed and pulled aside the curtain. 

Upon seeing her face, his own drained of almost all color. Her complexion was ashen, her face twisted in a grimace of pain. Her breathing was shallow and her hair had become plastered to her head sticky with sweat. This was far more serious than even his worst estimate. He carefully reached out and took her pulse, it was wildly chaotic, he couldn’t make out what could be wrong with her.

At this moment Lian Cai Yi’s father, Lian Geng Lim, walked into the room a frown on his face. “Doctor Su, what seems to be the problem with my daughter?" He asked directly.

Su Long bowed to Lian Geng Lim, “I must apologize, as I can not correctly diagnose the Eldest Miss’ condition. I was just about to call for my father to see if he had any insight.” He paused for a moment, “If you may permit me to be completely honest, I’m not sure even my father would be able to pinpoint her condition.”

Lian Geng Lim’s frown deepened, “I will pay a visit to the Emperor immediately to see if he would be willing to spare one of the Imperial Doctors.” He wasted no time in instructing the Head Steward to prepare a carriage and send over some of the more precious medical herbs in the storehouse to at least try and help stabilize Lian Cai Yi’s condition. 

The Sheng Kingdom has two Prime Ministers, the Prime Minister of the North, who helps take care of domestic affairs and the Prime Minister of the South, who helps take care of foreign affairs. Their job has them taking care of many things, including gathering information. While the Prime Minister of the North, Wei Mo Chun, was the only one allowed to officially gather information on the Kingdom’s officials and citizens, Lian Geng Lim still had a few spies of his own domestically. Wei Mo Chun looked the other way as long as Lian Geng Lim only gathered information about one place, his own residence. 

“Du Er,” Lian Geng Lim spoke, a figure dressed almost entirely in black slipped inside the carriage. “Has anything happened in the residence recently?”

From a kneeling position the man in black, Du Er, spoke. “The Second Miss, seems to have finally reached the breaking point and is ‘teaching lessons’ to the servants that have been bullying her. The Eldest Miss had been sending her servants to start looking into presents for His Imperial Highness’ birthday, but otherwise everything around her has been as usual.”

The frown on his face did not lessen, “Continue watching for anything strange His Imperial Highness would be displeased if anything was to happen to her.” 

Du Er bowed in acknowledgment of his orders and slipped out of the carriage as quickly as he had arrived.

Lian Geng Lim thought about how he was going to bring this matter up to the Emperor. Lian Cai Yi’s mother was the daughter of the Empress Dowager’s blood younger Sister. The Emperor cared greatly for his Imperial Mother and her opinions. The Empress Dowager had always doted on this younger sister of her’s. 

This younger sister always liked to travel incognito. When she ended up dying to a bandit attack, to appease his Imperial Mother, the Emperor set out himself to bring justice upon the bandits. The abandoned mountain fortress that the bandits called home was razed to the ground and the earth salted so that nothing could ever grow there again. It's said that the bandits directly involved with her death are still being tortured in the Imperial dungeons. To this day the crime of banditry in the Sheng Kingdom is punished extremely heavily.

Even if the Empress Dowager’s opinion is not mentioned, the Emperor and Lian Cai Yi’s mother grew up together and their relationship was very harmonious. Some even thought that she would become the Empress. It came as a great surprise when she had ended up marrying Lian Geng Lim. When she died during childbirth the Emperor was very upset. It didn’t help that shortly after his younger daughter, Lian Xie Mei, was born. He had managed to convince the Emperor that his relationship with her mother was a one time mistake he made while drunk mistaking her for his wife. Lian Xie Mei’s mother had come out of child birth rather well, but died due to complications shortly thereafter. 

The Emperor seemed to not blame Lian Xie Mei for her inconvenient birth, Lian Geng Lim still made sure he mostly ignored her putting all his doting upon his eldest daughter. His youngest had always been timid but even a cornered rabbit can bite, and she had caused quite a stir in the residence recently. He would have to pay more attention to this youngest daughter of his. If she was useful then that would be great, if not he would have to make sure and clip her wings before she caused any problems. 

“South Prime Minister we have arrived at the palace.” The carriage driver's announcement pulled Lian Geng Lim out of his thoughts. His face immediately contorted into one of worry.

“It’s a little early for you to be here for morning court South-” The guard approaching the carriage was cut off as he saw Lian Geng Lim slightly pale, worried face appear in the window of the carriage. The South Prime Minister was notoriously stone faced, with his only other expression being one of slight displeasure.

“Requesting for the Palace Guards to let us in, I must ask for the Emperor's benevolence in helping my daughter.” Lian Geng Lim said in a rush. 

The guard had yet to get over his shock when he was met with another shock, the South Prime Minister had never talked to the Imperials Guards in front of the gate to the Palace. The guards looked at each other, their faces mirrored in their emotions. They performed a quick check over the carriage and ushered him inside the palace. 

The North and South Prime Ministers were greatly trusted by the Emperor, having their carriages stopped and checked was merely a formality. For the South Prime Minister to let them check and even request entrance when his beloved daughter was sick, and not just immediately storm into the palace was giving the guards a lot of face. The assessment of the South Prime Minister went up a few notches for all the guards present at the gate. 

As the carriage moved quickly towards the front entrance of the palace Lian Geng Lim smiled, judging by the look on the guards faces, his performance was a complete success. He sat back in the carriage preparing for his next show.

The Emperor was getting ready for morning court when he heard that Lian Geng Lim was trying to meet with him. Personally his opinion of Lian Geng Lim had fallen a bit after the situation with Lian Xie Mei, but he had always done his job without much help and rarely ever with even the smallest mistake so his assessment of him was still rather high, he wouldn’t seek him out if there was something urgent. 

“South Prime Minister Lian Geng Lim requested an audience.” The servant by the door announced.

“He may come in.” The Emperor replied. 

No sooner had the doors opened then Lian Geng Lim rushed in pale faced and immediately kowtowed three times knocking his head on the floor so hard that the sound echoed throughout the hall, with his head still to the floor his voice echoed throughout the hall. “This servant asks for your Majesties benevolence!”

The Emperor’s brow furrowed slightly in worry, “Prime Minister Lian there is no need for this, stand up and tell me what is wrong.”

Lian Geng Lim only kowtowed again hitting his head so hard that a faint line of  blood started to trickle down his face. “Asking for your Majesties benevolence to save Lian Cai Yi!”

The Emperor frowned in worry, “Something is wrong with little Yi?” The Emperor didn’t seem to realize the slip of his tongue in referring to Lian Cai Yi in such a close way. 

His face hidden from the Emperor, a smile fleetingly passed by on Lian Geng Lim’s face. “She has fallen very ill, Doctor Su is not able to even diagnose what might be wrong with her.”

The Emperor's frown deepened“I will send some Imperial Doctors to check on her condition immediately. Right now you may return home to be by her side.”

Lian Geng Lim hit his head on the floor three more times, “This servant thanks your Imperial Highness, may his Imperial Highness live for a thousand thousand years!”

The Emperor only waved his hand to dismiss Lian Geng Lim, who immediately got off the floor and kept himself facing the Emperor bowing as he backed out of the room. Once out of the room he walked quickly out of the palace to rush home.