Love In The Forbidden City (Completed)

Chapter XXVIII - The Gorolos' Tragedy (Revised)

I had a miscarriage, and the Imperial Doctor said I could never conceive again. The emperor was so furious that he ordered the Eighth Bei'Le to divorce Gorolo Ming Hui. The Eighth Bei'Le disobeyed his order this time and was punished to kneel in the rainy days. Die Hard Thirteen begged for him, saying that he had a stroke and the rain would worsen his condition. After Die Hard Thirteen's constant persuasion, the emperor finally agreed to dismiss the Eighth Bei'Le. 

When I had partly recovered, Ice Face visited me. He hugged me the moment he saw my pale face.

"I'm sorry," I said, "for not being able to protect our child."

"Do not blame yourself. The crucial thing is to take care of your health now."

I caressed his cheek. "All children are angels sent by the Almighty to the mortal realm. The Almighty must've loved our child so much that he retrieved her back. Now she's playing in the beautiful celestial realm filled with all kinds of blooming flowers. I'm sure that she's very happy."

He held my hand and nodded. "He will be very happy."

I smiled feebly. I wanted a princess and he wanted a prince, and in the end, we got none. Tears dropped from my eyes and wet Ice Face's hand. I mastered my voice and said, "Don't blame anyone, alright? I'm the only one who had committed the mistake."

Ice Face repeated, "The crucial thing is to take care of your health now. If you still want to burden yourself with others' matters, I will really get vexed. When you have fully recovered, I will bring you out to the suburb to enjoy the plum blossoms."

A few days later, Ice Face and I strolled in the garden.

"Look at the sunshine. It is warming up the lives on earth," Ice Face said. We halted in front of a plum tree. After plucking a red plum flower, he brought it to my nose.

I sniffed it and complained, "The smell of herbs on my body has covered the flower's fragrance."

"I sense your own fragrance." He bent over to kiss me but I placed a finger on his lips.

"You are an emperor. How could you do this unbecoming behaviour in the public?"

"Does the emperor kissing his concubine considered unbecoming? I have asked the ambassador to prepare the ceremony. We will hold the ritual once you are fully recovered."

"You didn't want me to be your concubine last time. You had only asked for my hand when I was pregnant. But now I am..."

"I am scared of losing you again. I do not care whether you are willing or not, the ceremony and the ritual cannot be further delayed."

I leaned into his embrace. "I'm afraid to lose you too."

"How would you lose me? I will always be here for you."

"Actually... I'm not from this dynasty. My name is Zhang Xiao. I don't belong here."

"What balderdash are you talking about?"

I hugged him tighter. "I'm afraid that I have to leave here one day, despite how unwilling I am, just like how unwilling I was when I first arrived here."

"You want to leave here?"

"Now I don't want too."

"I will go look for you no matter where you go if you are compelled to leave here."

We spent a tranquil day in the garden, but crestfallen news befell us a few days later. The emperor had asked the Eighth Bei'Le to divorce Gorolo Ming Hui again. If he disobeyed the Order of Honour, the entire Eighth Bei'Le's household, his son, the servants, and the Gorolos would be executed. The Eighth Bei'Le was once again compelled to sign on the Divorce Letter. Gorolo Ming Hui wasn't afraid to die with her husband, but if their ignorance would cause the deaths of hundreds of lives, she had to let go. She had a choice to live on but she chose another path. She was so devastated that she burned her residence and hung herself.