The Great Han Dynasty perished in sixty-seven years

  In March, the outskirts of Chang'an were filled with crimson peach blossoms.

  Zhang Yan carried a bamboo basket and walked through the peach forest, picking up the opened petals with deep and light colors that were consistent in color and putting them in the basket. She turned her head and smiled, asking, "Jing Niang, since you followed Dongyuan Gong to move out of Chang'an, are you used to living there?"

  Jingniang smiled and made gestures in front of her chest, after a long time, Zhang Yan finally understood some of it. "Actually, as long as she can stay by Mr. Tang's side, no matter where, Jingniang is happy."

  They picked a basket of peach blossoms and then made peach blossom lip balm in the courtyard.

  Clean stone mill rolling grinding, taking new spring water poured on, slowly, peach blossom juice water flows into the lower ceramic plate.

  Jingniang smiled and asked, "Ayan, you're also nine years old now, right?"

  "Hmm." Zhang Yan replied, "Just passed her ninth birthday three days ago."

  "At nine years old, you're also a big girl," Jingniang said with a smile, "You're the thousand gold of the Hou Mansion, I didn't have anything to give as a birthday gift, so I'll just do your makeup for you, it's just a small token of my sincerity."

  Zhang Yan's heart skipped a beat.

  She had been playing the role of a young girl for so many years, and her former girlish feelings were long gone. Now she suddenly became lively, smiled and said, "Good! I've been wearing this bun for so many years, I'm tired of it. Sister Jingniang, braid me a flying fairy knot."

  Jingniang smiled and nodded, taking a wooden comb to tidy up Zhang Yan's hair, brushing it back to the top of her head, dividing it into several strands, and coiling it into a ring shape.

  "Your hair is so smooth." She praised with a gesture, "After using Huixiangze for so many years, it's really effective."

  Zhang Yan's lips curled up, thinking back to three years ago when she followed her uncle to Shangshan to invite the Four Hoary Ones. They stayed overnight in a farmhouse east wing. At that time, she didn't feel anything special, but after lingering in the rich and luxurious palace walls for three years, she unconsciously missed the refreshing night breeze in the mountains.

  Jingniang wiped her face with a handkerchief, then applied a thin layer of powder. She dotted new peach blossom rouge on both cheeks and finally drew her eyebrows with a stone eyeliner.

  After finishing the painting, she stepped back a few steps, gazing at the girl sitting in front of her. "Really beautiful." She praised with gestures, "A Yan, take a look and see if you're satisfied?"

  Zhang Yan gazed at the copper mirror, and the girl in the copper mirror was also gazing back at her, with a hint of black sparkle in her eyes, pure yet seductive.

  The fairy's bun is high and sacred, yet it also has a bit of youthful shyness. The not-yet-fully-grown girl has a kind of purity unique to this age, but her soul is far from being nine years old. Innocence and maturity coexist in conflict within this delicate body, and Jingniang keenly grasped the essence of this contradiction. And used cosmetics as a brush to enlarge it.

  Is the girl in the mirror really me? Zhang Yan couldn't help but reach out to touch, but only touched the cold surface of the mirror. The black eyes of the girl in the mirror seemed to be shrouded in a layer of misty haze as if she had something to ask for.

  What is it that I am seeking after all?

  She can't see it.

  She looked up at Jingniang who was holding the mirror. Her face was radiant, her eyes shone brightly, filled with a happy glow.

  A woman's beauty is for the pleasure of her lover. If I were born beautiful, who would I most want to see me?

  "Jingniang sister," she asked. "Every year on the Shangsi Festival, there are many young men by the Wei River who pay their respects to you. Don't you look down on any of them?"

  "Hmm?" Jingniang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "I'd rather spend my whole life serving by your side, sir. The beauty of the Wei River in spring is lovely, but it's not what I'm looking for."

  "'A gentle and quiet maiden, a gentleman's delight.' Yet youth is fleeting. Doesn't my sister want to be a gentle maiden for a gentleman?"

  Jingniang smiled slightly, raising her head. Zhang Yan saw the gentle curve of her chin and said, "Sir is indeed the gentleman I have been asking for. Even if one day he becomes old and frail, lying on his bed unable to speak or move, he will still be the best gentleman in my heart."

  "Ah Yan." She said with a heavy heart, "When you grow up, you will understand how hard it is to find someone who truly treats you well, and for a girl who has her heart set on someone, what kind of gentleman can love her to that extent."

  A gentle and virtuous lady. A gentleman delights in her company.

  Back at the Hou Mansion, Zhang Yan still had thoughts on her mind. Had she found that man who loved her? And what exactly was love, anyway?

  After some days had passed, someone from the palace came to say that the Empress's rouge had been used up and asked Mistress Zhang to send some more over.

  "So soon?" Zhang Yan was shocked, the lip balm she made by herself was only for a few close female relatives to use, including the Empress, her mother-in-law, Lü Yi, and Crown Princess Chen Hu. It had always been young girls who loved beauty, but surprisingly, every time it was the side of Empress Lü that finished using it first.

  "Go back and tell Her Majesty the Empress," she instructed the person who had come, "that tomorrow Ah Yan will personally go to the palace to see her and bring it over for her."

  It was already late March, and Zhang Yan thought of Chen Hu's fondness for peach blossoms, so she also brought some peach blossom rouge to give to her.

  These days, Lü Yī's life was extremely comfortable. She took the lip balm with a smile and said, "Ah Yan's thoughts are always the most clever. Su Mó, tell me, after applying Ah Yan's homemade lip balm, can I compare to that Qi Yi from the west?"

  Su Mo smiled and replied, "In terms of fox charm, the Empress may not be as good as Qi Yi, but in terms of grandeur and elegance, a hundred Qi Yis are not as good as the Empress."

  Zhang Yan smiled and asked, "It's been some days since you entered the palace, I wonder if the fetus in your aunt's belly is doing well?"

  As soon as Chen Hu was mentioned, Lü Wei slightly furrowed her brow and said, "She's not feeling well and doesn't move around much. I haven't seen her for a while either."

  As she turned around the wine pool, she saw Chen Hu from afar.

  At that time, Chen Hu was already seven months pregnant. She wore a loose white silk robe and leaned against her waist with one hand, turning to talk to Xiang Qin beside her. Her profile looked somewhat thin.

  Xiang Qian handed the lacquer tray in his hand to her, and Chen Hu reached out to take it.

  Zhang Yan raised her hand, just about to shout loudly, when she suddenly stared blankly and saw Chen Hu falling down from a distance. The palace maids around her rushed to support him, but it was too late.

  Chen Hu fell heavily to the ground, clutching his stomach and letting out a groan.

  "Ah——"

  Zhang Yan let out a loud shriek.

  She grasped the hem of her garment and trembled with fear.

  She closed her eyes, and it seemed as if she could see the blood flowing out from under Chen Hu's body, staining the hem of her skirt, like a blossoming of bright red flowers.

  In the inner chamber, Chen Hu seemed to be shouting something. Due to his lack of strength, it sounded somewhat muffled. Listening carefully, however, revealed that he was saying "Taizi".

  "Uncle?" Zhang Yan raised her head and asked, "Has anyone been sent ahead to inform Uncle?"

  Qing Yi Xiao Gong's eyes were red as he lifted his head. "I had someone go call him a long time ago, but..." His thin body trembled with anger, "The Crown Prince said that Your Highness is currently discussing state affairs with the Emperor and cannot be disturbed."

  "Nonsense." Zhang Yan stood up in a hurry, "I'm going to find Uncle."

  Just as he stepped out of the Ear Temple, he suddenly heard a heart-wrenching scream coming from the East Wing Temple where Chen Hu was.

  She turned around and looked at the majestic hall of Donggong, grasping the hand of Tuer, pinching her fingertips white, "Go take a look. What's going on with the Crown Prince's wife?"

  The eunuch returned with a face as white as a ghost.

  "What's wrong?" Zhang Yan asked.

  The eunuch refused to answer me.

  "What's wrong?" Zhang Yan suddenly changed color and scolded. "If you keep nagging, do you believe I'll slap your mouth?"

  The palace maid did not dare to deceive again, and said in a dismal tone, "I do not dare... The crown prince's wife has just given birth to a male infant, which is already fully formed. However, his complexion is dark purple. There is no... no breathing."

  Zhang Yan was stunned for a moment. Suddenly, she let out a loud "wa" and hugged the pillar, feeling like vomiting, but nothing came out, her mouth filled with a foul odor.

  "My daughter." Mulan wept and supported her saying, "What shall we do?"

  "What can we do?" Zhang Yan said with a wry smile. "How am I supposed to know what to do?"

  At that time, she stood far away and saw the crowd gathered around. Chen Hu just fell down like that, and she had never seen a person bleed so much before.

  She wiped away her tears and stood up shakily, saying with difficulty, "In any case... please ask Uncle to come back once."

  "What a commotion." A stern voice said, walking in from the palace gate. With a group of dark-clad palace attendants, "Is this where you should be?" The person in charge, with a dark-colored sleeve, grabbed her and instructed in a low voice, "Tong He, go to the front hall to find the Crown Prince, if anyone dares to block your way, make a scene; Zhang Ze, when the Crown Princess had an accident, take all the palace attendants who were by her side into custody and investigate clearly what happened to the Crown Princess --- Su Mo," The voice sank slightly, sighing, "Go in and see how the Crown Princess is doing now?"

  Zhang Yan let out a sigh of relief and slowly leaned back against the person behind her.

  Empress Lü finally arrived.

  Su Mo came out of the inner hall with red eyes and shook his head.

  At that time, the sunlight was shining on the eaves of the East Palace, and a golden thread was flashing on Su Mo's face, which had just walked out of the main hall with a pale complexion, and for a moment it was a bit blurry.

  Zhang Yan only felt a blackness in front of her eyes, and then she fainted.

  In a daze, she heard the girl's clear voice, "Isn't Ah Yan awake yet?"

  "No." Lianlian replied softly.

  "Isn't she frightened to death?" The voice approached the bedside, "It's also," she sighed, "A good person, gone in an instant. Who can help but feel sad about it?" She reached out her hand to touch Zhang Yan's forehead.

  Zhang Yan suddenly opened her eyes.

  "Ah," Lü Yi rolled up her left sleeve and covered her right hand over her forehead, suddenly stopping an inch away, smiling joyfully, "A Yan, you're finally awake."

  She nodded and sat up.

  The sky had indeed darkened. Several bean oil lamps were lit in the house, but they were all covered with white cloth.

  Her gaze swept around the place where she was, still a lacquered birch wood bed, with an exquisite bed screen on top, and a canopy like smoke and mist hanging down, embroidered with four auspicious cloud patterns. Not one thing didn't look familiar - it was actually the same as Chen Hu's own private chamber last time.

  Zhang Yan covered her face and choked back a sob.

  I still remember the last time Chen Hu came to visit me, it was her most carefree moment. Her husband had won a victory, and she was pregnant, so she was in high spirits, with a smile on every corner of her face. But who would have thought that just half a year later, the one visiting me would be replaced by Lyu Yi? And that bright and beautiful woman from back then was nowhere to be seen again.

  Things in the world can change suddenly, sometimes all it takes is a snap of the fingers. Take Chen Hu for example. One moment she was still a radiant and proud wife with a virtuous husband and sufficient children, the next moment she was struggling on the line between life and death, losing everything including herself.

  Zhang Yan raised her head and asked softly, "Has the prince seen his princess?"

  Lü Yi's face showed a hint of sorrow, "No." She shook her head gently and said, "At that time, the Crown Prince's wife had just closed her eyes, and the Crown Prince stood in front of her bed for more than half an hour, looking at the dead child, his face pale, without saying a word.

  Zhang Yan burst into tears.

  Lü Yi let out a soft sigh and took a handkerchief to wipe away her tears, "A Yan, don't be too sad. Think about yourself."

  As for this chapter, I actually wrote it a long time ago, but this afternoon I revised it several times on the computer, and still felt that it wasn't perfect.

  Actually, about Chen Hu this kid, I owe her an apology.

  During the Han Dynasty, many aristocratic children married early. Given the situation of two sons contending for the throne at that time, Empress Lü would naturally not miss the opportunity to win over an ally through her son's marriage. According to records found in unknown historical accounts, before Crown Prince Liu Ying ascended to the throne, he indeed married a daughter of a meritorious minister as his wife.

  Which meritorious minister was not mentioned. However, although I gnawed through the Historical Records and Book of Han for this article, when it comes to mentioning the meritorious ministers of the Han Dynasty in a hurry, the first ones that come to mind are just those few, plus Chen Ping is famous for being a handsome man, his daughter will not be ugly, so there is now Chen Hu.

  When Chen Hu came on stage, some book friends told me that she had already started counting the days of this child's death.

  I: ~~~~

  This woman died after Liu Xuan ascended the throne. Because at that time, the Han Dynasty had no system of posthumous honors for empresses, she was quietly forgotten.

  There is a saying that after the old emperor's death, the new emperor ascends to the throne. Due to mourning, during the mourning period, an empress is not appointed (not referring to a new marriage, but rather a wife who has already been married). However, I have always been skeptical. Not to mention distant cases, just looking at my family's Ajiao, she also directly became empress from crown princess. It didn't say that it was necessary to wait for three years.

  However, when Emperor Wu of Han died, mourning rites seemed to have been simplified. Or maybe not.

  Anyway, I tend to believe that this woman died before Emperor Hui ascended to the throne.

  It was now the twelfth year of the Han dynasty and Liu Bang's death was imminent, so I had no choice but to start writing about Chen Hu.

  Chen Hu, the personality I created for her is elegant and kind. This kind of personality isn't bad, but it's not suitable for the imperial palace. As they say, "the higher you are, the more jealous you'll be; the cleaner you are, the more the world will resent you." Some people in the comments said they don't like Chen Hu because she doesn't deserve to be the crown prince's wife or future empress. Personally, I agree with them, but I have a bit of a soft spot for her.

  There is a version of the text where she just sleeps and sleeps, slowly declining until she finally dies from her "illness". However, considering the plot that follows, it was changed to what it is now.

  In addition, having written this far, I regret it. I shouldn't have let her be Chen Ping's daughter. Mainly because of Chen Ping's cunning nature, it's unlikely that his own daughter would end up in the situation she is today. Considering changing Chen Huo's background, replacing him with a more rough-minded meritorious official.

  Moreover, the title of this chapter is "Extinguished". What was extinguished was not only Chen Hu's life, but also my daughter's budding spring heart.