The Imperial Palace
Rising Phoenix palace
Han Yuwen Hong
"Cough, cough, cough"
The hoarse voice of a woman rang out in the Phoenix bedchamber, at the dead of the night.
"Baozhai please just drink a little more, for me" Han Yuwen Hong, the fifth Emperor of Shang coaxed the sickly woman lying on the bed to drink more of her medicine.
"What's the use of it, the taste is already bad enough not to mention it has no effect on my illness, just let me be. I'm going to die soon anyway, let's not waste precious medicine on a wastrel like me" Fang Baozhai, current Empress of Shang said in a hoarse defeated voice.
"My Empress don't say that, I heard that the old monk from the Eastern temple will be coming, he's well versed in medicine and illness, as soon as he arrives I'll have people bring him to the palace to cure you, just hold on a little longer" Yuwen Hong tried to coax her as he scooped up more medicine from the beautiful Jade bowl filled with a coffee coloured brew and held it to her lips.
"It's too late, I can already feel death seeping into my core... It's so painful, Hong'er I'm cold, please hold me" Baozhai said turning her head away to avoid the spoon as she became even paler and her lips turned to a frightening blue colour.
Quickly placing the bowl on the table, Yuwen Hong climbed into the bed and held her in he's warm embrace and pulled the blanket closer and wrapped it more tightly over the shivering woman.
"Better?" He asked as tears glistered in he's eyes, refusing the fall.
"Ehn, better" Baozhai replied with a weak smile that was almost too painful to look at.
"Hong'er, I don't have much time left. Our Huiling, don't forget our Huiling. Please take care of her, don't let people bully her, pamper her, dote on her like you'd dote on me. She's the only child I have in this world, an impossible dream come true. Never in my life did I ever think I'd have children with this sickly body of mine and yet I had her, she's my greatest achievement and my most precious treasure. please guard her well, don't let her suffer" Baozhai said, tears pooling in her eyes as she thought of her little baby sleeping only a few rooms away.
Grasping he's hands tightly with her thin, frail fingers that were as pale as white Jade, she held on to him forcefully and said
"promise me you'll take care of her, let her live a peaceful life, don't let her get involved in your harem struggles and political matters. Just let her live a good and carefree life free of the coldness in this place and marry her to a noble man who will treat her well. Promise me Hong'er! Promise me"
"I promise, don't worry I'll make sure she lives a good life" he said as a single tear drop ran down he's cheek.
Finally relaxing, she felt her of her remaining energy draining from her limbs as she paled even more but still let out a sigh of relief.
"Give her to the woman in peach blossom palace, although she is of low birth and she's a bit crude, she's a good and honest person. She'll treat my Huiling well. After I die don't let me hold you back, this country is depending on you, you need a heir to take after you and stabilize your position in count, as long as you can live well and give my Huiling happiness, then I wouldn't have died in vain" Baozhai said as her voice grew weaker and weaker.
"Baozhai, please don't leave me, please... Just stay" Yuwen Hong said, all he's self control finally crumbling as tears flowed freely from he's eyes and he begged hugging her tightly.
"Hong'er, do you remember the peach trees that year? It feels like ages since I last saw them, I heard you went there recently. Remember how beautifully they would blossom, did they bloom the way they did that year again" she said as she stared into an empty space, her eyes unfocused gazing at something that only she could see.
"Em they're still as beautiful as that year but it doesn't feel special anymore when you're not there" he said softly, gazing down at her pale face.
"That's nice, it's good that they still blossom, one day you can visit it with someone that you love" she said closing her eyes and leaning her head on he's shoulder.
"No one else, you're the only one that I'll ever love" he's muffled voice came as in buried he's face in her long black hair.
She simply smiled like she knew something that he would never be able to comprehend.
"Hong'er, it's been so long since you called my Xiao Tao, please just call me that one last time" she said as slowly.
"Xiao Tao, Xiao Tao" Yuwen Hong said in a low voice as she held her tighter in he's embrace, almost crushing her into he's chest.
"It so nice to hear you say it again Hong'er gege... Take... Care" Baozhai said as her caramel brown eyes turned empty and her cold body become limp as her soul departed leaving behind only an empty shell in Yuwen Hong's arms.
A loud howl of cry resounded in the hall as the death knell stoke seven times and everyone outside the walls of rising Phoenix palace bowed down and kowtowed three times in the direction of the palace and cries and mourning for the late Empress Fang of Shang fill the area, some genuine and some fake.
Grand Tutor Fang's Manor.
"Ahhh!!! My daughter is gone, why are the heavens so cruel!!! Wuwuwu" Madam Fang cried louded as her maids supported her body from falling to the ground.
"Take the Madam inside to rest" Prime Minister Fang instructed the servants to carry the the crying Madam back to her courtyard.
The whole Fang Manor came out and kowtowed towards the direction of the palace.
Ladies cried and the male had solemn expressions on there faces. The concubine born daughters cried the most, who was going to support them now from bullying in this large Manor. Their eldest sister was always there protector while their father cared nothing about there lives in this Manor, it seems their days were going to get infinitely harder now.
Among the crying women no one noticed a girl of about 11 years old secretly smiling into her handkerchief.
"Da Jiejie (eldest sister), thank you for giving a Mingzhu a chance to be with Hong'er gege as he's rightful wife and beloved. Mingzhu will not waste this chance" the girl secretly said in her mind before putting back on her sorrowful facade.
Outside The Capital
Magistrate Luo's Manor
"Ai get up you lazy brat, the death knell just rang" Madam Luo bustled into the room and tapped the sleeping girl within the rumpled covers.
The 11 years old girl mumbled some incoherent nonsense before turning to her side and continued to sleep.
"Wake up!" Madam Luo scolded loudly spanking her harshly on her plump bottom.
"Niang(mother), what is it" the girl sat up with moppy brown hair all over her face as she rubbed her brown eyes and pouted.
"The death knell just rang" Madam Luo said.
"So?"
"So?! Do you know who just died"
"Who died?" The girl asked almost dozing off until her mother slapped her in the head making her alert again.
"You brainless thing the Empress just passed away and all you can think about is sleep, come out let's go and kowtowed towards the palace".
Outside the entire low household kowtowed towards the palace, the older children kowtowing half asleep while the younger ones were held in the arms of there nannies.
Madam Luo looked at her drowsy daughter with high expectations for her future.
"If she does enter the palace, I'll finally become a noble and even an Imperial relative if she gains favor and get rid of this merchant reputation forever, let's see who would dare make fun of me in the world ever again" madam Luo said, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
The whole country was to enter mourning period for two years. No joyful colours where allowed, no grand celebrations and men weren't allowed to sleep with there wives or concubines till the end of the mourning period.
-------------------------------------------
Hello Phoenixes, this is the beginning of my new novel. All the chapters are going to published together at once as one whole book, enjoy.