The tension inside the Phoenix chamber is very high, the servants are kneeling in fear. Royal doctors gather around the unconscious empress, checking her pulse. Next to the bed, the emperor is frowning, not knowing what to do. Today is such a mess, many unexpected things happened.
"What is wrong is my wife? She was healthy until this morning." Sweats are dripping on his forehead.
The royal doctors are talking to each other, confirming their finds.
"Don't worry your majesty, the empress is perfectly fine."
"This doesn't look fine to me doctor." The emperor is confused.
"This lowly servant checked her majesty's pulse and she is healthy. However, she is emotionally weak and shocked." The doctor explains.
"Hmm... she usually is not this weak." The emperor talks to himself.
A younger doctor whispers to the head doctor about something, and the head doctor immediately walks back to the bed and check the pulse again.
"Your majesty.. the empress is pregnant!"
"..."
"Congratulations your majesty!" The servants shout in unison.
"The empress is pregnant?" The emperor smiles as he feels delighted.
"Yes, your majesty."
"Give these doctors 100 golds!" The emperor is so happy that he is giving away gold.
"Thank you your majesty! May the dragon lives for 100.000 years!" The royal doctors thank him and left the room followed by all the servants. Leaving just the emperor and empress.
The sun sets and it was dark. The emperor still waiting for the empress to wake up, he even refused to eat his dinner. He is so thankful of everything that he owns. He face looks so small and peaceful, her eyelashes are long and thick, the emperor leans forward to kiss his wife, at this moment, she wakes up.
"Y-your majesty.. what are you doing?"
The emperor who is caught mid-act couldn't say anything, he moves back awkwardly.
"Mm.. nothing. Are you okay? You were unconscious."
"I feel better now.." she holds her head and tries to get up.
"Here.." the emperor helps her out and sits next to her.
"Lu Yu.." he calls her.
"Yes?"
"We will have another baby." He looks at her meaningfully. Pinching her cheek.
"Huh?"
"You are pregnant." He smiles and followed by her.
"I am?" She hold her stomach, happily.
"Yes you are." He pats her head and kiss her softly.
"Zhang Long Gege.."
"Yes, my love."
"Consort Hua.. she.. she is a victim." Her eyes begins to tear up.
"Sssh.." the emperor stops her, doesn't want to see her cry. The empress is always overthink everything.
"No, this is real.." she sobs.
"I know." He says.
"You.. know?"
"Yes, I have always known her intention. Her pain. But Lu Yu, in this world good people don't always win.."
______
The crown prince heard about the empress being pregnant. He smiles bitterly to the scroll in front of him. He quickly calls his eunuch.
"Zhi."
"Bring it to me."
"Zhi."
The eunuch hand him a scroll, a very important one. A peace agreement. The crown prince takes his royal stamp and wait for the ink to dry. He smiles.
"As long as she's happy.." It's time for him to go.
The eunuch quickly deliver the scroll to the emperor.
The dragon palace is empty because the emperor stayed at the empress's chamber.
"Your majesty, the crown prince send a bilateral agreement."
"Hand it over."
"Zhi."
The emperor reads it carefully before closing it again.
"There will be no war." He explains. "Let's visit him." The emperor instructs.
The emperor arrived at the villa that the crown prince is staying at. The eunuch greets him.
"This emperor wants to meet the crown prince."
"Your majesty, the crown prince had just left."
________
The crown prince left as soon as the scroll is delivered. He doesn't have that much stuff, so he can vacate quickly. He walks out of his villa, going to the royal barn where his horse is.
And then he passes the harem house, the place where he met the empress, his love. He stares at the gate, smiling. The crown prince knows that he needs to let it go, but deep down his heart still aches.
When he arrived at the forbidden city gate, the guards open the gate for him. He looks back one last time. This is the place that he found love and pain, the crown prince wants to remember everything that happened in this place, every single details about her. A place that he wants to make sure to protect.
"Mother, I love her. I truly does."
When the gate is fully closed, the crown prince rides north. Back home. At the jungle the wind is cold, like it's trying to wash out all his memories about her. He cries, for the first time, he lets himself be venerable.
You did well, my son.
_________
9 months later..
"Mother will have a girl!"
"No! It is a boy!"
The empress is in labor, and both of the young princes is waiting outside, guessing the gender of the baby.
A sound of baby crying is heard across the chamber. Two young princes quickly enters their mother's room.
The empress is holding the baby, smiling happily. The emperor is sitting next to her, kissing her head.
"Zhang-er, Tu-er, come here!"
The peek at the baby.
"I told you it's a girl!" Tu-we crosses his arm on his chest.
"Okay..okay.."
"What's her name, father?"
"Her name is Zhang Chun Hua." That means spring flower. They honors Consort Hua by using her clan name for the little princess.
"It's a beautiful name!" Tu-er says.
"Yes it is.." the empress says, touching her baby's nose. "Zhang-er, Tu-er, promise your mom something."
"Yes, mother."
"You have to protect your sister no matter what will happen."
"Of course mother, Zhang-er won't let anyone hurt my little sister!"
"Me too!"
"That's good." The empress smiles and hugs her children.
The emperor is stunned.
The scene in front of him is everything that he ever wanted. He wipes his tearful eyes and hugs them tightly.
"I love you." He says, before burying his head into the hug.
Ps: art not mine
OMG GUYS. We did it. This is the final chapter! After almost 3 years long~
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