She has been reborn. She has died during childbirth and, as a soul, she drifted in the living world only to see her daughter growing up in a rather sad condition. She prayed and begged the Creator to give her a second chance. She wanted to be there...
For the rest of the day, General Hai Bojing spends his time with Jia Huian and this has made his mother quite happy because she is hoping that she will have her first grandchild soon. Everyone in her courtyard can see how the older woman smiles from ear to ear when one of the maidservants told her so.
Meanwhile, back in Jia Huian's courtyard, General Hai Bojing gently fans his delicate wife who is currently sleeping with her head on his lap. Never did he thought that there will be a day that he will be able to spend his day like this. All these times, he thought that being married is just a responsibility for him to continue the lineage of his family.
After all, his mother is only able to give birth only to him as his late father believed in loyalty and died during the war when she was pregnant with him. Seeing how hard it was for his mother raising him on her own while taking over as the head of the family, he promised to himself not to let the one he marries will not live the same way. That is the reason why he keeps postponing his marriage but, his mother somehow managed to report to the Empress Dowager who in turns pushed the Emperor to grant him marriage.
"General... I am pregnant with your child. Why must you leave me all alone? It is only the third day of our marriage. And, you left without a word. I am dying... I can only pray that our child will be born safely."
General Hai Bojing stops fanning her. Pregnant? Leave? Dying? Today is indeed the third day of his marriage and he intended to leave earlier this morning too. Is she affected by that? What does she mean by dying?
"Chunhua..."
Chunhua walks silently towards the couple and softly says, "General, do you need anything?"
General Hai Bojing softly touches on Jia Huian's forehead and says, "It seems that your furen is slightly feverish. Take a guard with you and look for a reputable doctor."
"This servant will go now. Chuntao... Tell the others to add more coals into the stove to keep the room warm."
Hearing Chunhua's instruction, Chuntao instructed a male servant to prepare the burning coals outside before the stove being transferred inside the room. Chuntao then carries a warmer prepared by Jinghua and pass it to the General.
"Our furen has always been weak whenever the weather is colder. She needs to be warm at all times. This warmer is to be put under the blanket."
"En... You may leave now. This general will be with her."
"This servant will be outside the room."
Meanwhile, back in the imperial palace, Jin Ren Gong¹ to be exact, an overgrown child is complaining to his imperial mother, Empress Dowager Heli De², about General Hai Bojing. The older woman calmly sits on her chair while flipping through book pages that she is reading. On her side, another older woman is gently fanning the Empress Dowager.
"Muhou³, that Bojing chased me away from his residence! I was visiting him but he chased me away! Muhou, please do something about it... Tells older imperial brother to send him away..."
Empress Dowager He puts her book down and stares at Forth Prince Rong Yingming with a gentle smile on her lips.
"Yingming... General Hai is a newly married man. What on earth would you go there? Seems like you have too much of free time as an unmarried man..."
Fourth Prince Rong pouts his mouth in reply which made the Empress Dowager laughs.
"Yingming... Stops being childish. You are the only one who is not married yet. All of your imperial siblings are married with children including your youngest imperial brother. He is 7 years younger than you. His princess consort is currently pregnant. This old woman can not help but think that I have failed in raising you."
Firth Prince Rong then says, "Muhou, you are the best mother in the world! You accepted me with open arms then. Your heart, this son understands. Speaking about marriage..."
Empress Dowager He immediately focusing on Forth Prince Rong once more, "Yes... Tell me what is it about... Did Heaven somehow listens to my prayers for once?"
"This son found someone... But..."
But... Spill it out. Did you somehow fall in love with someone? Is it a man or a woman?"
"It is a woman... (Take a deep breath) Muhou..."
Empress Dowager laughs before she further says, "Yingming... Due to your age and close relationship with General Hai. I thought you are not interested in women... I am fine with it. One of your imperial uncles is in a happy relationship with another man. It is not something to be frown upon in our Kingdom. But, I've heard that Bojing is falling hard with his wife. His mother told me so."
"Muhou, you should feel happy that I am a normal man but... That girl is clearly rejecting me. That Bojing is not a 'help' as well."
"Are you in love with his wife!?!?!?"
"Muhou!!! Bojing will kill me if hear that nonsense! I like one of his wife's maidservants but that yatou is not having it."
Empress Dowager then asks, "A maidservant?"
Fourth Prince Rong then looks at her with a sad gaze, she rolls her eyes and continues, "Yingming, at this point, you can even marry a horse if you want too. I am fine with it."
"This is interesting... Yingming is trying to court a woman? Muhou, we have to somehow make it happens."
Empress Dowager He smiles and says, "That's my thoughts too, first son. Your fourth imperial brother is an 'old maiden' now. His future wife should be compensated for his..."
Fourth Prince Rong cuts her and says, "Muhou... Imperial brother... It seems that my single life is a joke for the two of you."
Both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor nod their heads in reply. The maidservants are trying their best not to laugh by pretending to be busy looking at their feet as they stand on their fixed place.
