Da Fan trembled, this dream felt so real, so familiar yet so foreign. Who is she, who is that child?

"Mommy, it hurts. It hurts so bad."

Two lines of tears flowed silently down Da Fan's face. Who was that child?

Feng Huang, meanwhile saw the tears flowing down from the corner of Da Fans' eyes.

"What's hurting you Da Fan?" he whispered to himself, watching her with unending gentleness. "Where is the doctor?"

"Master the doctor is here"

The doctor had the posture of a soldier. Every step he took was purposeful. He smiled in a cold and distant way, opposite of what doctors Feng Huang seen usually do.

"Master Feng." The doctor said, bowing his head in respect. "I'm Doctor Kuchen."

Feng Huang looked at the thirty something year old man.

"No need to be courteous." Feng Huang doesn't know why but the presence of Kuchen reminded him of a trained killer.

"Take a look at the Second Madam, her fever seems to be intense."

Kuchen walked to the unconscious Da Fan on the bed, he took her pulse and asked Feng Huang of the condition of her body to diagnose her.

"Why have she become like this?"

Kuchen frowned when he saw his Mistress, then widen his eyes as he continued to feel her pulse.

"Would Master Feng Dismiss the servants?"

Feng Huang frowned but followed the doctor's order. He even dismissed Meirin when the doctor turned to look at her.

Meirin on he other hand glared angrily at Kuchen, wanting to ask him why he's dismissing her too.

"The Second Madam suffers from dehydration, starvation and an infection."

"That still doesn't explain why she's like this."

"The Second Madam is pregnant."

Feng Huang perked up, this is good news. Hus hopes, however were dashed by Kuchen next words.

"However, the child is dead."

"What?" Feng Huang felt light headed as he stumbled towards the beside chair.

"Second Madam's pulse indicates she's three months pregnant, though it hasn't shown. Her pulse also indicates that she's not pregnant."

"Which is it?" Feng Huang roared.

Kuchen looked unfazed by Feng Huang's anger.

"I could care less for you Minister Feng, the next time you speak to me that way may be your last. Because of you and your family Cheng Da Fan might lose her life."

"Who are you?"

"I am Kuchen, Cheng Da Fan is my mistress. However due to the severity of my mistress illness I can only reveal myself to you.

Kuchen smiled sadly, he understood why Da Fan went along with the first Madam's plan. But if she knew this was to be the end result would she still be happy?

"The child in Second Madam stomach is the cause of her pain and furthering illness. The child has already died and must be induce to prevent it from further harming her body.

Feng Huang heart ached and fury and anger threatened to consume him.

"Why her? Could this have been prevented?"

"No, I believe that even without the dehydration and starvation, the child would have still died. I can't be sure."

Silence ensued, after that answer Kuchen busied himself; lighting herbal incense and making the necessary preparations to induce Da Fan.

Da Fan's head flopped back on the bed. Somehow, she knew she's unconscious but she just can't open her eyes. Da Fan watches as the child smiled at her and waves goodbye. She wanted to talk, to scream but her voice failed her.

In the room, Kuchen force fed Da Fan the labour inducing medicine. Right now, the only thing they could do was wait for the medicine to take effect. After two hours, the contractions began, Da Fan's unconscious body stiffened as if she's in pain.

Those moments that stretched into an infinity, Feng Huang watched even when he knows he shouldn't.

Women screamed when they're giving birth, but Da Fan made no sounds at all. Occasionally her body would twitch and stiffened when each contraction passed.

"Is she going to be alright?" Feng Huang asked Kuchen.

Kuchen grunted, "It's coming."

In those next few minutes all Feng Huang saw was blood. As if time stood still, the already lifeless child slid into Kuchen's hands, and Feng Huang swore he saw Da Fan's eyes open and she screamed in pain.

There was no crying that's usually associated with births. Silence hung in the air. For the first time Feng Huang felt unimaginable pain and helplessness. He held the hardly developed child, no bigger than his palm, in a cloth in his arms and he just cried.