Hibiscus as a Painting - Chapter 223
Nalan Liushuang and the head of the Sikou family were deeply in love and went to the battlefield together, but unexpectedly, Nalan Liushuang was kidnapped by the head of the Zi family.
When everyone was in despair, the Zi family sent envoys to sue for peace, with the sole demand that Nalan Liushuang become emperor.
Since ancient times, no dynasty has ever had a woman become emperor. The envoy had not held out any hope, but the Sikou family and the Dugu family accepted the condition without hesitation.
From then on, Nalan Liushuang established the Yaochen Kingdom, with the reign title Fengyi, thus creating the ancestral legacy of the Nalan Southern Clan for ten thousand generations.
After the establishment of the dynasty, ministers advised one after another to establish the head of the Zi family as empress, so that he could share the world with the Nalan Southern Clan.
Unexpectedly, Empress Fengyi flatly rejected the proposal and insisted on marrying the head of the Sikou family. When the head of the Zi family learned of this, he was furious.
There was much debate within the imperial court about who should be made empress.
Some say that the head of the Sikou family and the Empress were originally husband and wife, and if an empress were to be established, the head of the Sikou family would naturally be the one to do so.
Some people say that without the Zi family head Nalan Nan tribe, how could there be such a vast land? If we are talking about establishing an empress, it should naturally be the Zi family head.
To everyone's surprise, the sixteen-year-old young master of the Dugu family, who had remained silent throughout the incident, used aphrodisiacs to drug the unsuspecting Empress Fengyi and spent a night with her.
A month later, the imperial physician discovered that Empress Fengyi was pregnant. With no other choice, Empress Fengyi had to marry the sixteen-year-old head of the Dugu family as her empress.
Upon hearing this, the head of the Zi family rode into the palace and made a scene with Empress Fengyi. In his agitation, he vomited blood and fainted.
Upon hearing this, the head of the Sikou family remained silent, but was in a daze and absent-minded every day until he received the decree from Empress Fengyi, at which point he realized that everything was already set in stone.
On the day of the Empress's wedding, everyone thought that the heads of the Sikou and Zi families would not be present, but to their surprise, they both took their seats early.
Just when everyone thought the matter was settled, the head of the Zi family charged into Empress Fengyi's bridal chamber with his sword, vowing to kill the young head of the Dugu family. Empress Fengyi, not wanting the father of her future child to suffer any harm, drew her sword and fought him.
Unexpectedly, the head of the Zi family had no intention of fighting back, as he was willing to die under the sword of Empress Fengyi.
Shocked, Empress Fengyi pulled the blood-soaked Zi family patriarch into her arms, tears streaming down her face: "Why...why were you so foolish..."
The head of the Zi family, bleeding profusely, laughed with unusual gusto: "I know you... have long harbored feelings for me, but you've always refused to admit it... Now, to die in your arms is enough for me... Don't think that you can so easily rid yourself of me... I'll wait for you... in the next life and the next... for all eternity, I will be entangled with you..."
Empress Fengyi, holding the corpse of the Zi family patriarch, alternated between weeping and laughing: "Go in peace... If there is an afterlife... I will never let you wait in vain... Trust me... You must trust me... No matter what I become... Just one glance... Just one glance and I will recognize you... At that time... Even in death, I will never betray you in the slightest..."
The sixteen-year-old head of the Lonely Family stood silently to one side, watching... watching Empress Fengyi's madness and despair, and watching the head of the Zi Family, covered in blood and now lifeless.
After the death of the Zi family patriarch, Empress Fengyi fell seriously ill, nearly losing her unborn child. Empress Dugu almost committed suicide in front of Empress Fengyi, who only rallied for the sake of her unborn child. However, at this point, Empress Fengyi had no interest in governing the country. Meanwhile, the head of the Sikou family had been bedridden since the patriarch's wedding, and for a time, the power of the court fell into the hands of Empress Dugu.
After Empress Dugu seized power, she quietly stripped the Zi family of all their power. Soon, the Zi family, without its head, declined amidst the ever-changing political landscape.
In early winter of the following year, Empress Fengyi gave birth to a prince, but her health gradually deteriorated, and she spent more time in a coma than awake. Empress Dugu and Empress Zhu stayed by her bedside day and night, fearing that Empress Fengyi might never wake up.
On the day of the prince's 100th day, Empress Fengyi woke up early and was in much better spirits than usual. She specially invited the head of the Sikou family to join her in the prince's "100-day banquet".
Since the beginning of winter, the head of the Sikou family had become increasingly weak, but despite this, he was afraid of spoiling Empress Fengyi's good mood, so he still arrived early.
All day long, Empress Fengyi was unusually happy, tightly holding Empress Dugu's hand, whispering and laughing softly, their bodies close together. Empress Dugu's face, which had been gloomy for days, also showed a long-lost smile. Just as everyone was celebrating, the head of the Sikou family suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood.
Empress Fengyi was shocked. She personally helped the head of the Sikou family to his feet and pressed his pulse. Gradually, the color drained from Empress Fengyi's rosy face.
Empress Fengyi released her grip, looking utterly distraught. After a long silence, she screamed hysterically, "You lied to me! This poison is incurable! Yet you tell me, yet you tell me… Who asked you to be so kind! My life and death are my own business! …Who needs you to save me…"
The head of the Sikou family smiled faintly and gently wiped the black blood from the corner of his mouth: It's alright.
Empress Fengyi, already burdened with resentment, suddenly coughed up blood upon hearing the calm reply from the Sikou family head. Empress Dugu rushed forward in alarm, but Empress Fengyi pushed her away.
Empress Fengyi, leaning on the table, swayed precariously. Her noble phoenix eyes were filled with boundless rage as she glared at the head of the Sikou family: "You think... that by making me owe you... I'll feel guilty... sad for you? ...Let me tell you...let me tell you...no matter how much you do for me...I will never remember your kindness..."
As Empress Fengyi was about to collapse, the Sikou family head reached out and pulled her into his arms, smiling gently: "It's alright... even if you don't remember me in the future... it's alright..."
Empress Fengyi was gradually losing her breath, but her noble phoenix eyes were still fixed on the smiling face of the Sikou family head.
Empress Dugu screamed and shouted angrily: "Imperial Physician! Imperial Physician!"
Empress Fengyi gripped the hand of the Sikou family head tightly, uttering only one sentence: You... are too foolish...
Before she could finish speaking, she closed her phoenix eyes forever.
The head of the Sikou family gently embraced Empress Fengyi, his smile unchanged. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Even if you don't remember me in the future, it doesn't matter... I will remember you... I will remember you... If there is an afterlife... I will do the same for you... But... if there truly is an afterlife... even in death, you will never abandon me again!"
After speaking, the head of the Sikou family gently kissed Empress Fengyi's lips, and closed his eyes with a smile still on his face.
Empress Dugu stared blankly at the two who had never been separated even in death, screamed hysterically, and frantically pulled the body of Empress Fengyi from the arms of the Sikou family head, rubbing her already cold hands desperately.
...Empress Fengyi never woke up again...
In the third year of Yaochen, Yaochen Yifeng Emperor—Nalan Liushuang—died.
After Empress Fengyi passed away, the blue-eyed, black-haired boy who had followed her for many years disappeared overnight.
For the next twenty years, the power of the entire Yaochen Kingdom was held by Emperor Dugu alone. He built the Nalan Southern Clan's kingdom into an impregnable fortress, and it flourished for a time.
The twenty-third year of Yaochen, the anniversary of the death of Empress Fengyi.
Empress Dugu stood in front of Empress Fengyi's tomb for a whole night and died that night in Xiayang Palace.
Xiayang Palace was the palace where he spent a night with the Empress twenty-one years ago.
After the death of Emperor Dugu, he left behind two secret edicts.
Firstly: No descendant of the Nalan Nan clan may ever marry a woman of the Zi clan.
Secondly: Any descendant of the Lannan clan shall never again be allowed to take a woman from the Sikou clan as his empress.
The Zi clan had already been almost wiped out during the reign of Empress Dugu, so the first secret edict was naturally ignored. However, the rule against taking a woman from the Sikou clan as empress persisted.