A Male Empress Tragedy

Ling's Pregnancy

It had been 6 months since Ling had fallen pregnant and both had celebrated with glee. With an heir on the way, Xu's position was stabilised and Ling would not have to undergo marriage options to guarantee stable political progress. The purple pill was fed to Ling each day to ensure he remained fertile and could keep the baby. The herbalist had confirmed that it would be successful with just 1 pill a day due to Ling's natural feminine body type. This was positive as the pill had some adverse affects on Ling's body. The herbalist had also mentioned that Ling's naturally feminine body type would also help with producing the required nutrition the baby needed.

It was meal time when Xu slipped the pill into Ling's mouth with a loving kiss. He knew Ling complained less if he fed it to him that way because he couldn't deny being kissed although seeing the adverse effects play out on Ling's body broke Xu's heart. Every morning he would be woken up by a violent fit of vomiting. During the day he would be weak and would break out in a fever and breath heavily until at night where he would be racked with another session of violent vomiting.

The baby was soon to come and both were excited for the painful process to be over. Over the months, Ling had also been advising Xu on war strategy to strengthen their bond. Little did they know the advisor was not pleased at having his plan obstructed by Xu and Ling's bonding sessions. Pai Dao had been planning on stealing Xu's warriors by sending them on secret missions for his own political gains.

Now that Ling was deemed commander of half the warriors, Pai's power waned and he was not getting the political gains he was previously. With a cold heart, he would smuggle poison into Ling's food during the day. This was causing the vomiting as Ling's body was trying to reject it. Xu and Ling were oblivious and blamed the purple pill. Then one day, when Ling vomited up blood, Xu found him a whimpering mess lying on the bathroom tiles with blood running down the sides of his mouth.

He immediately picked him up bridal style and rushed him to the herbalist. "He's vomiting blood. It started out as severe vomiting in the morning and at night with fevers throughout the day. The pill is hurting him. Can't we give him something else?" The herbalist frowned at these words. "The pill should only be giving him the fevers and weakening him so that his mobility is limited to prevent the baby from being damaged but the vomiting is caused by something else. Has he been near any poisonous chemicals lately?" Xu shook his head confused. The herbalist frowned. "Check his food. The signs do not look good. I fear we have another traitor on our hands."

-Time Skip-

It was sometime in the afternoon when Xu's neighbouring state wrote a letter of urgency asking for a reinforcement army. All men were asked to prepare for war as the boarders were threatened and the enemy was skilled. Xu was determined as it was his whole army and he didn't want his men dying in vain. He left his empress under the care of Tung and told him to make sure no harm came to him even if he had to give his life. Tung agreed and locked the doors of his apothecary. That afternoon, Xu and his men journeyed hurriedly to the neighbouring state. It would take half a day there but that was the fastest they could possibly go.

-The next day-
Xu and his men lined the boarders and marched towards the East. They arrived at the palace walls of their neighbouring empire to find there was not a single soul. He could suddenly hear a whistling in the distance. "FALL BACK!!" He shouted as he saw black arrows whizzing towards them. Immediately, all the soldiers scattered. "THIS IS AN AMBUSH. CONGRUGATE BACK AT WEI EMPIRE." All the soldiers began riding hurriedly back towards the West. M

Xu knew they had been betrayed by the Spanish ally. He feared for his empress who had been left behind in the palace unguarded from the urgent call and poison running through his system. Something was terribly wrong. Xu rode on urging the horse desperately. It would take another half day to get back which meant he had been away from Ling for a while day. A day too long.

-Time Skip-

He arrived in front of the locked doors of the apothecary to find the lock smashed and the door swinging in the wind. His gut wrenched in fear. He rushes forward and raced to Ling's bed to find Tung slung on a chair next to a bed bound in chains. He had a sword stabbed through his stomach and his eyes were open in defiance.

The bed was coated in blood next to him but was empty and Ling was no where to be seen. Xu reached out with shaking hands as he gently closed Tung's eyes. "Rest my brother. You have done well. May your spirit and soul move freely for eternity." He rushes out and screamed Ling's name to the wind and clouds. But there was no response. Ling Tai had been ripped from him yet again and it was his fault.