"Consort Ran, you best be wary of your words, else you may bite off more than you can chew. Don't think that just because I haven't been in the palace as long as you means that you can bring me down with this type of scheme." Though Shilian's words made it seemed like he wasn't worried, he truly was deep inside. In his past life, Consort Ran was someone who schemed against him the most, and was also the one who contributed to many other concubines demise.

To Shilian's words, Consort Ran only let out a delighted laugh. "Consort Shi, since when have I not been able to do so. Unlike you, who can only bark but not bite, I have always been the one showing my true self. Consort Shi, I'm sure that you know well what I mean, after all, I am not saying my words based off of baseless rumors. I'm not the type to do so, wouldn't you agree with me, Consort Shi?"

Shilian gritted his teeth, his anger hidden by a mask yet he was fuming inside. Everything shouldn't have gone this way, it was suppose to go like what he had wanted it to. Wasn't that why he was given a second chance to rise once more? No matter what he was not going to fail.

"Enough, speak, Consort Ran." Xu Yongheng couldn't take it anymore, seeing the expression on Bai Mengxiang's face dim, he knew that he was thinking about the days when he had left him. He didn't want Bai Mengxiang to think about those days, never again.

It was a shame that Xu Yongheng was wrong, after all, Bai Mengxiang wasn't that type of person. He was truly enjoying everything, especially the way Consort Ran had acted. If it was possible, he would've loved to be friends with Consort Ran, because she was the type of person Bai Mengxiang actually liked. Now, he just wondered how this was going to go like.

Consort Ran took one last look at Shilian, a look full of ridicule, humphing as she then focused her attention on Xu Yongheng and then got down onto her knees. "Your Majesty, on the day that Imperial Noble Consort Bai was poisoned, this consort had speculated that something wasn't right. On that day, Consort Shi had not attend the meeting, when just a few days before, he was much too healthy and even met up with Consort Yu a few times. Of course, as I am only a consort, I couldn't say anything without getting any evidences first."

"On that day, this consort had immediately rushed to Consort Shi's palace to see if he really was ill, but when I got there, I found a small jar filled with some foreign powder in it. My maid had sensed that something was off so she had picked it up when I had dismissed that fact. As soon as I arrived, I heard the sound of something falling to the ground and I hurried to hide. When I found a place to hide, I saw two palace guards carrying out the body of a dead maid. This is the jar that my maid had picked up, it is most likely the poison that was used to poison Imperial Noble Consort Bai." Consort Ran's maid handed her a small jar and she strained her hand out, offering the object to Xu Yongheng to inspect.

Xu Yongheng took a careful look at the jar before he called a Physician over to look at it.

After a few moments passed, the Physician turned and said, "Your Majesty, this is the poison that was used to poison the Imperial Noble Consort."

Xu Yongheng looked on forwards with a calm expression, yet the storm inside his eyes were raging.

"You said that Consort Shi had asked you to help him, so you must know where this poison comes from, don't you?" Xu Yongheng merely said his words without directing it to anyone, but Yu Zhuang already knew that he was talking about him.

Bowing, his forehead touching the ground, Yu Zhuang replied, "Your Majesty, that poison comes from this consort's nation, it is a strong but common poison. Although, the bag of antidote is currently in Consort Shi's hands."

"Consort Yu, you have the face to say those words without even thinking about yourself! Are you trying to make me look like I am the villain, that I am the one who forced you into this scheme with me? No! You were the one who wanted me to help you out, you even supplied me with the poison needed and you were the one who thought about a plan. How dare you think about pushing the blame onto me when you were the one who wanted to kill Bai Mengxiang!" By this point, Shilian was sure that there was no hope for him to escape out of this situation.

Yu Zhuang didn't reply to Shilian's words, instead, he only focused his words to Xu Yongheng. "Your Majesty, I will admit that I was the one to think about poisoning Imperial Noble Consort Bai, that, I will not lie about. But, I have truly changed my heart after seeing just how evil Consort Shi can be. Your Majesty, that maid that had spilt the tea on Consort Ran, she had done that because Consort Shi had ordered her to. The maid was told to wear that particular bracelet because that was what the maid, who Consort Shi had ordered to be killed, wore on the day Imperial Noble Consort Bai was poisoned."

"Consort Shi had wanted to get rid of me by blaming the event on me, but what he hadn't expect was that Consort Ran would come to my rescue. The maid was bribed into making sure that she would blame me for everything and that Consort Shi would be able to escape safely. In fact, at this moment, if Consort Shi hadn't been held up, Imperial Noble Consort Bai might've been injured again because of Consort Shi." Yu Zhuang purposely said that last sentence to point the dagger towards Shilian, completing the final step for Shilian's demise.

"You-" Shilian wasn't able to get his words out before he was detained by two place guards, dragging him towards Xu Yongheng and forcefully propped him on his knees.

"Shilian, for your crime of trying to harm Bai Mengxiang and Our child, you will be held captive in the Cold Palace and three generations of your family will be exterminated. Prince Yu Zhuang, for your crime of helping aid Shilian, you would've gotten a worse punishment, but because you have also admitted to your faults, you will be given the Zanxing punishment (also known as Zanzhi, it is where your fingers are put in between sticks and the sticks are squeezed, ultimately breaking your fingers or even crushing them to the point where you can no longer use them). Consort Ran, because you have helped find evidences and involved yourself in this matter, you will be raised to Noble Consort." Xu Yongheng finished, now carefully looking at Bai Mengxiang, who flashed a small smile towards him to reassure him that he was alright.

"This consort accepts," Consort Ran and Yu Zhuang bowed down, though their feelings were completely different.

Whilst Consort Ran was happy with her rank being raised, Yu Zhuang, though also a bit happy, was relieved to find out that his punishment was only this much. Sure, his fingers were going to be destroyed but at least he could still keep his position, unlike Shilian who would be thrown into the Cold Palace, and his family who were to be killed. The Cold Palace was simply worse than even death and was comparable to torture. In the Cold Palace, you were treated worse than even the lowest of slaves.

Shilian couldn't believe it, everything that was happening, he didn't want to believe it. Impossible. He, who had been given a second chance, still couldn't escape his demise. Deep in his thoughts, he was dragged away by the guards.

At that moment, Xu Yongheng opened up his mouth to speak to Bai Mengxiang when Bai Mengxiang let a soft groan full of pain.

Bai Mengxiang held his stomach, clenching tightly as he internally screamed. Fu*k, the  moment had finally come and right after the play ended too. He was going to be giving birth. Sh*t, this was totally going to be fun, yeah, and it was totally going to hurt like a son of a bit*h. 

 

 

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Noble Consort is losing a large amount of blood." A nanny said, sweat pooling on her forehead as the sound of screams echoed from within the bed chambers.

Xu Yongheng paced back and forth, his heart beating with fear as he listened. 

Just as he was going to speak, Xiao Lan bursted from within the doors, happiness yet sorrow merging on her face, saying, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Noble Consort has given birth to a beautiful prince, congratulations, Your Majesty."

 
 

Bai Mengxiang opened up his tired eyes, his face pale with thin beads of sweat upon his face. It felt like he had just gone through death before he was pulled out away from it once more.

Because his body was so weak, he couldn't support himself, much less, even moving his body was filled with pain. Because of the poison, his body was naturally weaker, much weaker than before, and giving birth had took a toll on his body.

"Mengxiang." Xu Yongheng called out upon seeing Bai Mengxiang open up his eyes. He was so scared that Bai Mengxiang would never be able to see his child, so scared that this man would disappear without seeing him.

"Yong....heng." Bai Mengxiang's voice came out raspy, weak, his breathing slow. Even though he looked so weak, he still tried to smile. At the moment, he looked so weak, beautiful yet delicate. "Where is our child?"

Xu Yongheng tried to smile, but he couldn't. Right now, he knew that Bai Mengxiang didn't have much more time, and his heart was broken, filled with fear and pain. But, for Bai Mengxiang's last moment with him, he wanted it to be happy.

"Our son is here. He is a healthy little boy and looks very much like you." With Xu Yongheng's words, he sat down on the bed next to Bai Mengxiang, a small bundle within his arms.

Only then did Bai Mengxiang notice the bundle in Xu Yongheng's arms. As Xu Yongheng lowered himself, Bai Mengxiang took a good look at the small baby. The small child looked exceptionally beautiful, though he was a bit small, his face looked very much like Bai Mengxiang but he had Xu Yongheng's eyebrows and eye color.

"He looks very much like you," As Bai Mengxiang said this, his hand reached out with difficulty to touch the small child's cheek, gently caressing it with a warm expression on his face. "Yongheng, may I hold him?"

"Here, let me help you sit up first." Xu Yongheng helped Bai Mengxiang sit up before he gently put the baby into Bai Mengxiang's awaiting arms, then he held Bai Mengxiang within his own arms.

"What is his name?" Bai Mengxiang asked, looking at the small child who was sound asleep.

"Xu Wuhui, Wu for without and Hui for regret." Xu Yongheng said, his eyes stung with tears as he looked at Bai Mengxiang, imprinting his image deep into his heart. He wanted this moment to last forever even though he knew that it was something that could never happen.

"Xu Wuhui, without regret, a great name for him." As Bai Mengxiang said this, he stopped as his breath came out in jerks. Just at that moment, Xu Wuhui opened up his round eyes to peer at Bai Mengxiang, letting out a soft yawn. Bai Mengxiang suppressed his tears as he gently smiled, but his eyes were red as his body leaned against Xu Yongheng. 

"Yongheng, I love you so much and I truly wished that time was on our side."

"Don't say those words, you will definitely make it through. Mengxiang, you have given me so much when I haven't been able to return anything back to you, you must stay by my side until I can do so." Xu Yongheng's voice came out with a heartbreaking tone. He didn't want to let go, not so soon.

"I'm sorry, Yongheng. I had really hoped to accompany you for a whole lifetime but in the end, my wish cannot be accomplished. I want you to know that I will never regret anything, because to me, my greatest joy in this life had always been you. Yongheng, don't worry about me. Take good care of Wuhui, because I won't be there to do so. I know that it will pain you, for me to be leaving so soon, but I hope that you won't let my death destroy your happiness. Wuhui will be by you, and that is already enough for me to be content in this lifetime." Bai Mengxiang's breath came out even more shallow, and with the last of his strength, he gently set Xu Wuhui onto the bed, even as the baby looked up at him with watery lost eyes.

Leaning into Xu Yongheng's warm embrace, the two spent the little time Bai Mengxiang had with silence, for words couldn't explain the regret and pain they were going through.

"Mengxiang, if it was possible, if I wasn't so foolish, just how different would things be now?" Xu Yongheng took a deep breath, his arms wrapped tightly around Bai Mengxiang, enjoying this for last time.

"I don't regret anything, even if it didn't change, I would still be happy. The time I spent with you, even if they brought me tears, I would never blame you." As Bai Mengxiang said that, his eyes grew heavier and heavier and Xu Yongheng could tell too.

"In the next lifetime, I will find you once more and fix my mistake, so please wait for me, Mengxiang." Xu Yongheng felt hot tears gently falling from his face and he smiled with despair. Everything was his fault.

"Yongheng, when the peach blossoms bloom once more, I hope you will still remember me."

With that, Bai Mengxiang took his final breath, his eyes closing gently as his body grew limp. Xu Yongheng held him tightly against his chest, embracing the warm body with all his emotions. Xu Wuhui let out a loud cry, as if he too, had noticed the disappearance of the one who had given birth to him.

The doors opened with a bang, Xiao Lan appeared with a shocked expression before it morphed into pain,"Your Majesty, the Imperial Noble Consort?"

Xu Yongheng closed his eyes, "Bai Mengxiang....has passed."

With his words, Xiao Lan collapsed onto the ground, soft sobs escaping from her as she cried tears filled with grievance. The person who had loved her like a sibling, that person was now gone.

Xu Yongheng gently laid Bai Mengxiang onto the bed, his eyes closed as if he was sleeping. If only that was true.....

As Xu Yongheng looked at that beautiful face, he whispered, "Mengxiang, please wait for me. I will definitely find you once again, so please, wait for me until I find you and fix my wrongdoings. I....I love you, Bai Mengxiang."

Xu Yongheng gently kissed Bai Mengxiang's lips.

"Forgive me for being selfish, but how can I live with happiness knowing that you will never open your eyes again?"

On that day, the nation mourned the death of their beloved Imperial Noble Consort, who was beautiful and gentle, kind and loving to all.

On that day, Xu Yongheng experienced the pain of losing the only person he loved, the person who he had hurt. The person who had always been by his side, the one that he had neglected. 

The pain couldn't be put into words, nothing could explain the aching in his chest, the burning flame that ignited his heart. What a fool he was...now he would spend a lifetime without that man in his life. Now, he would spend a lifetime longing for this man, a lifetime yearning and wishing for something he could never have. 

Everything was because of him, it was all his fault.

"Even if the peach blossoms never bloom again, how can I ever forget you?"