1 We will meet again

Chapter 1: We will meet again.

Min Hua lay on her silk-covered bed, her once vibrant eyes now dim and lifeless. Her delicate frame was consumed by illness, her breaths shallow and labored. The scent of medicinal herbs filled the room, a desperate attempt to ease her suffering. Her hand, pale and delicate, trembled in the grasp of the elderly physician who had been attending to her for past few weeks. The physician's hand was trembling in the fear of the new emperor who had already warned him to save this abandoned consort of the previous emperor who had a terrible death in the hands of Jiang Yuan, the new emperor.

He couldn't fathom as to why this young king is trying to save this girl who is neither beautiful, nor useful while the others from the royal family are either dead or in prison. The imperial physician was already drenched in cold sweat after sensing that the girls pulse is too low and she won't be able to make it. He can't figure out what to do. Should he wait here for his head to be cut and hanged at the main gate, or should he go and beg the emperor to spare his life?

After much thinking he felt that going and informing the king is better rather than standing beside a soon to be dead body. Thinking this he dashed out the room and made his way towards the king's chamber. But just as he came out of the lady's garden he saw the king rushing towards him with red eyes and the elder collapsed on the stone floor because his legs were trembling. He thought king was going to kill him for his incompetence. He immediately knelt on the floor and started begging the king.

"Your majesty, Pl..Please spare this lowly being. I was useless and couldn't sa..sa..save the lady. I have tried everything I could but her condition is already worse and no one can save her. Your highness, Please spare my li..li..life" as the physician's head was almost touching the ground he didn't notice that the young man hadn't even spared him a glance at first but stopped immediately after hearing about the girl's health as he looked down at the physician.

Without wasting another second he immediately ran into the chamber. As the door to her chamber swung open, a rush of cold wind filled the room, causing the candles to flicker. Jiang Yuan, now the ruler of the land, entered with hurried steps. His face was etched with lines of worry, his dark eyes filled with regret.

The young king rushed to her side, dropping to his knees beside the bed. He reached out, his hand hovering above her pale face. Min Hua's eyelids fluttered weakly, but she managed to open her eyes, her gaze meeting his. A weak smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Yuan," she whispered, her voice barely audible but Jiang Yuan heard it. Though her voice was weak it was filled with love.

"Hua'er, why?... Why?...Why did you do this... to yourself?..Hm....Hua'er...Love?" Yuan's voice started to crack as he spoke to the love of his life. The only girl he has ever loved. He failed to protect her and cherish her and by the time he reached her she was already on her death bed.

Tears welled up in Yuan's eyes as he spoke, his voice filled with remorse. He reached out, gently brushing Ling Yue's cheek with his fingertips. "I am ...sorry Hua'er. I was blind to your pain...Sorry". No one would believe that this man is the same ruthless monster who had won over two kingdoms in just two years earning the title 'The Demon Lord of the Battle Field'.

Min Hua's frail hand moved weakly, her fingers trembling as she tried to touch his hand in return. A tear escaped the corner of her eye, gliding down her pale cheek. Her hand trembled once more, reaching out to cup Jiang Yuan's cheek. Her touch was feeble, but it conveyed a depth of love that words could not express.

"I should be one to apologise. I hurt you. I was never angry at you Yuan. Don't apologise" she murmured, her voice barely audible. Jiang Yuan gently pulled her into his embrace and started leaving small pecks on her face. His heart filled with dread as he saw how weak and weightless she was. He didn't want to admit it, but there was no use of denying the fact that she was slipping away from him, she is going to leave him forever anytime soon.

Jiang Yuan choked back a sob, his eyes glistening with unshed tears."Why... did you do this Hua'er? Why?...Why didn't you blame me?.. Why didn't you blame your father?.. Why didn't you blame that monster?..Why..did you choose to blame yourself?" He hugged her as his tears rolled down his cheeks.

Min Hua slightly chuckled as she spoke "I couldn't blame you Yuan. You were suffering too. As for the other too...COUGH...COUGH...COUGH.." Jiang Yuan patted her back and he felt his heart bleeding as he watched the girl he loved fading in his embrace.

"As for the other two.. I don't want to do anything with them. I didn't want to spend time hating and blaming them when I could use that to love you more". Min Hua spoke with so much tenderness in her voice that Yuan wanted to bring those who separated them alive and kill them again and again.

"Do not mourn for me, Jiang Yuan," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "Instead, remember me in the laughter of children, in the blooming of cherry blossoms, in the gentle breeze that caresses your face. My love for you will live on, even beyond the realm of the living."

Jiang Yuan's shoulders sagged, and he lowered his head, his voice filled with sorrow. "I will honor your memory, Ming Hua. I will build a world where love and compassion reign, where no one suffers as you did."

"I love you, Hua'er"

Min Hua's lips parted as if to respond, but her weakened body could no longer find the strength to form the words. Her hand, still resting on Jiang Jingyan's cheek, slipped from his grasp, falling gently onto the silk sheets.

Jiang Yuan held his breath, his heart heavy with grief. He watched as the light in Min Hua's eyes slowly faded, a tear escaped her eyes and her spirit departing from the mortal realm. A profound sense of loss washed over him, leaving him hollow and desolate. With a trembling hand, Jiang Yuan closed Min Hua's eyes, silently vowing to honor her memory and the love they had shared.

"Sleep now my precious. The pain is now gone. We will meet again" Jiang Yuan said his parting words to Hua and became quite as he watched her face turn pale and her body turned cold.

In the quiet stillness of the chamber, Jiang Yuan knelt beside Min Hua's lifeless body, his gaze fixed on her serene face. His voice, barely above a whisper, carried the weight of remorse and a newfound determination.

"I promise you, Min Hua, that your sacrifice will not be in vain," he murmured, his words filled with a solemn resolve. "I will rebuild this fractured kingdom with compassion and fairness. Your memory will guide every decision I make as I strive to create a world where love and happiness flourish."

Jiang Yuan rose slowly from his kneeling position, his eyes reflecting a newfound determination. Min Hua's passing had awakened something within him—a deep understanding of the preciousness of life and the consequences of his choices.

As he stepped out of the chamber, the sounds of jubilation and victory still echoed through the palace halls. But within his heart, Jiang Yuan carried a profound sadness and a burning desire for redemption. Min Hua's legacy would forever shape his reign, a constant reminder of the love he had lost.

In the days to come, as he sat on the throne as the new king, Jiang Yuan would strive to bring joy and prosperity to his people. Ling Yue's spirit would guide him, reminding him of the importance of compassion, forgiveness, and cherishing the bonds that truly mattered.

And so, in the wake of Min Hua's passing, the once-ambitious ruler embarked on a journey to transform not only his kingdom but also himself, hoping to create a world where happiness and joy could thrive, never forgetting the woman who had touched his heart so deeply.