LOVING HIS MAJESTY (Heirs Of Shang Prequel)

PROLOGUE

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.