Li Shen propped himself up on his elbow, his attention focused on Lady Jiao's words.
"I can't help you solve your problem," Lady Jiao said, her golden robes catching the morning light. "But I have a silly story that might help you find the answer you need, although it could just mean nothing at all."
Her fingers traced patterns on the silk sheets as she began her tale. "Even more than twenty years ago, the Golden Blade Sect was the richest sect in the land and its power kept expanding. The Imperial Palace felt threatened."
She paused, gathering her thoughts. "The military might of the Imperial Palace was unchallenged at the time, because they had been fighting to keep the invading tribes from the outer limits of the land. The Emperor himself was not untouched from the constant wars - he survived direct assault to the palace and more than one assassination attempts."
