Da Li’s sky was slightly dark, the snow had yet to start falling, though it was cold enough already. The imperial physician Shun was still in the palace, having been summoned to check on the young crown prince’s health. The three years old boy was said to have been having a fever for the last hours which was of great concern to the Empress. With etiquette and responsibilities that being an imperial physician obliged, physician Shun performed his duty, his face a mask of a smile as he talked words of reassurance. It was nothing serious; her majesty could rest her worries.

As he talked like that, he himself had worries of his own that he hid perfectly well. Back at his residence, he had left his wife in labor, and more so than others, he knew how fragile her health had always been. His heart, which was once against this arrangement made by the emperor himself, had learned to enjoy the other person’s company and was now dreading what he thought was going to be inevitable. Not one to admit defeat without fighting first, Shun Tao hastily prescribed some medicines to the young master and bid farewell to the Empress.

Physician Shun wasn’t all that young anymore; in his early forties, it was somewhat of a surprise that this was going to be his first child. However, had it not been the emperor’s decree, there wouldn’t have been a child at all. Since young, this person had had only one obsession, which was the treatment of others. The fifth son of a low official, he had taken interest in the medical field in his young years when a physician had come to cure his ailing little sister and he had been made to assist by that man. No matter what his father did after that, he couldn’t like the scholar life his father had designed for him; instead, he was always running to that physician’s place to learn more and more every day. His begetter could only relent and let him learn it the right way, supporting him in his quest for challenges in the medical field.

Shun Tao had a good head on his shoulder and a certain passion for tests and very soon, his capability didn’t let him stay unknown for long. He could cure, amazingly, what others had before him deemed to be incurable which was how he became an imperial physician as early as when he was in his twenties, easily curing the gravely ill emperor at the time. Since then, he became the emperor’s personal physician and would sometimes, be called to check on the concubines and the many princes. He had also been the one who had checked on the empress’s late pregnancy.

Physician Shun wouldn’t dare to call his relationship with the emperor that of friendship, however, the monarch insisted on calling him that, a friend and it was, in the name of said friendship that his majesty had, two years before, decided to bestow a marriage upon him. So that he wouldn’t be lonely when he retired, the emperor had said, to have someone to watch for him in his old days. Since it had been a decree in front of many, it wasn’t like the physician could refuse. In the end, just a couple more weeks later, the man who had always thought he would never marry was married.

The first year hadn’t been all joyful as he knew nothing of his wife and he was also feeling all too old for her. Even though she was a widow and one who was twenty-six; for him, it just didn’t feel right so he couldn’t even bring himself to look at her. More so that he didn’t really have the time to, since the Empress was always summoning him daily to check on her firstborn, so scared was she about the latter’s somewhat fragile health. The mother of the world was already in her thirties and hadn’t thought she would be blessed with a child and was now, of course, fretting over him. A simple cough and all the servants would be planked numerous times, it was quite unbearable. So, Shun Tao was constantly letting his young bride by herself.

Their relationship got better by the end of that first year and kept on warming by the second. She had, he found, a certain passion for medical herbs, though, said passion was sadly brought about by her search for a cure for her constantly sick body. They had more things in common than he had first thought and by the end of that year, she was pregnant.

That pregnancy just worsened her frail body. Nonetheless, she constantly pleaded with him to let her have that child. He relented and just gave her additional nutrients and more bitter medicines to consume.

By the time physician Shun got back, it was already dark. The few servants in his residence bowed to him, and when he started to run once nearer they just bowed their heads deeper in their bosom not daring to lift them.

The child’s cries were perceptible. A healthy and loud cry announcing its arrival in the world. When he entered the room full of blood’s scent, one of the midwives had already cleaned the baby and cocooned him in a towel, presenting the child to him.

“It’s a beautiful girl,” she whispered, not daring to be louder for the baby just shushed and it wouldn’t do for her to start another round of crying.

Taking the small infant in his arms Shun Tao smiled at the child, mesmerized by her before asking about his wife worriedly, all pretense gone from his face.

The woman had a sad expression as she shook her head stating that the mistress lost too much blood.

Shun Tao’s heart shook as he quickly opened the curtain which was dividing the room in two, pushing past the others midwives.

There she was, his beautiful wife, all tired and too pale for her own good. For the first time in his life, fear gripped his heart. He hastily gave the baby away to check her pulse, immediately ordering what must be brought in a rush.

In a whisper, for she couldn’t muster more, mistress Shun calmed him down, noting his moist eyes for the first time.

“How is our baby?” She asked, “let me see him.”

“Later, for now you must rest.” He took her hand that he kissed, “you did well” he praised.

Shaking her head, she pleaded again,

“I can’t… not for long…” she was saying with tears in her eyes while he shouted at the servants to hurry with the prescription he had asked for. “Please…”

With tears running down his cheek now, he had one of the women bring the little one close.

“So tiny…” she smiled at the sleeping infant, gently tucking the towel to see her face. “Is it a boy?”

“She’s a wonderful girl…”

There was a bit of disappointment on her face and her smile faltered a bit. It would have been better if she could have given him an heir… Still, it was joyous to have a child that shared their blood. After holding the child for a bit, she turned to her husband.

“…Thank you”, she mumbled as she felt her strength leaving her. She extended the bundle of clothes to him, “thank you for everything.”

He let down the herb the servants had just brought once he saw her face. It got a shade whiter again, she could barely keep her eyes open. With a hoarse voice, he asked, once the child was in his embrace,

“Won’t you give her a name?”

“Can I?…” she struggled with her lips to ask.

He caressed her face,

“Then… husband… How do you feel about Shu…Fen?”

The words died on her lips as her breathing ultimately ceased.

With a shaky hand, he closed her eyes,

“Sounds great. Shufen it is.”

The baby, who had been quiet until now suddenly wailed as though saluting the mother she would never get to know.