Chapter 2: prologue

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!, We have to get going, General Lu's army has breached the palace. They will soon be upon us" The Emperor's Personal guard Fu Hong shouted as he ran into the room and fell to his knees in front of the Emperor.

The palace was in a mess, servants and guards ran for their life, leaving the palace unguarded. After a day and a half of siege, General Lu's army breached the city gates and were headed straight to the palace.

Most of the officials had changed sides and pledged loyalties to the general and his army. The rest all hid behind their gilded walls.

Three days earlier, when Lu Yaozhu surrounded the city gate with his army, Emperor Ming sealed the palace and the city gates to keep the army away. He sent out the garrison commander Commander Liu to guard the gates and kill the rebels.

After days of siege, General Lu's army broke into the city gates thanks to the inside help from the ministers. He surrounded the palace a few hours ago. This morning the officials and commoners submitted various reports requesting for the emperor to turn himself in.

The Palace was already understaffed as most of the guards had resigned and joined the general's army.

The Empress had committed suicide as soon as the palace was surrounded, which completely broke the Emperor.

The once awe-inspiring Emperor got weaker. He looked much older and he had lost the will to live. Emperor Ming sat on the floor by his throne drunk, he reminisced on the old days.

Before everything changed before he let his envy blind him till he could no longer see things clearly. He saw his friends and allies as his enemies and dined with his enemies. When he still had a good relationship with General Lu. Back then Lu Yaozhu still looked up to him like an elder brother.

All the present pain and suffering was all thanks to his envy. If only he'd never let the power get to his head, all this wouldn't be happening and General Lu would stand with him and not against him.

It all began with an imperial decree...