Chapter 1 Truly Blind

Midnight, in a little outer courtyard of the City Lord's House, the sobbing of a little child intertwined with the cool breeze of mid-winter. Even though it was called a courtyard, it only has a little cottage with a single room lighted by torchlight; there were only the basic things of daily life inside. The yard only had greenery and wild plants; the only beautiful thing was a plum blossom that grew behind the tall stone wall.

The sobbing grew louder and a choking voice was heard, "Eldest… eldest miss, wake up… Zhi'er doesn't want to be alone again…" a six-year-old boy was kneeling in front of a single bed where a beautiful fifteen or so year old woman was lying. Her face was paler than snow with a deathly air around her, but her exquisite features and silky long black hair didn't make the sight unbearable, her complexion was thin that the song of nature could blow her away.

"Umgh…" soft whimpers were heard amid the child's sobbing.

The little child froze but the choking of his mouth and his muddy nose didn't stop sounding until he heard a commanding voice, "Stop crying! This Empress had a bad dream and now has a headache."

He stopped right away, not for the command but because of fright, his miss had never used such a tone before.

"Water, " the commanding voice rang once again.

It didn't take much for the child to react and a smile quickly was drawn on his little and tender face, he happily stood up and reached for a bowl with some clear water. Her miss had got a high fever, thus he already had gathered some water beforehand. He hastily put it on the outstretched thin hand.

The young woman felt something heavy on her hand, the glass was pretty big and rough but she didn't mind, she was very thirsty right now. She sat on the bed but all her body ached; she dropped the bowl of water and it splashed on the wooden floor.

"Ugh…"

The little child face paled and said with worry, "Eldest miss, eldest miss, it's better to lie back on the bed."

"Presum…" She didn't finish her words, after rummaging through the words of the little child she shivered as she thought with furrowed brows, 'A child? This Empress doesn't have a kid or a servant that young. Eldest miss? Is he talking to this Empress?' She heavily shook her head and turned to the voice's origin, she slowly opened her tired eyes, but she saw a pool of darkness, obsidian black like the Dark Abyss of Death from the depths of the Spirit Origin Blue Sea. She quickly commanded, "Light the Night Pearls."

Hearing no answer, she said displeased, "Didn't you hear me?"

"Eldest miss, what is a Night Pearl?"

"You…" She simply didn't know how to answer and some anger arise. But before she could berate at him, she recalled her dream and a pool of darkness, filled only with voices, flavours and fragrances overlapped with it. She gave a cry, "So, it wasn't a dream! This Empress died, what a fool! Ha ha ha, what a fool! Ha ha ha…" She laughed madly before calming herself and said with anger and hate, "Huang Yinxun, Li Meigui, even if you both were to be in another world, this Empress will never spare you", she bit her lower lip and thought to herself, 'My Huan family has big brother and eldest cousin, thus nothing big will happen to the family, right?'

"Eldest miss, you are scaring Zhi'er."

She recovered from her thoughts at the sudden cry, she couldn't see the little child but she knew, the little child must be holding back his tears. She was deprived of the joy of giving birth in her past life; her heart softened, she first closed her eyes before beckoning him. This body was blind since birth, she wanted to laugh at the irony; she was blind of love in the past but now, she was truly blind!

"Zhi'er, come here. It's late. Let's sleep." This little cottage only has a single bed and because Zhi'er was just a little child, and the only servant left, the previous host will let him sleep with her. In the past months, she got used to sleeping alone, but she never had a child and she longed for one. Moreover, it was winter now and there was only a thin blanket. No wonder the owner of this body got sick and died from high fever.

Zhi'er bit his lips and said, "But… Eldest miss is sick."

"Oh, don't worry. You won't get sick."

"No… it isn't that. Eldest miss must rest comfortably."

"But with this thin blanket I will feel cold. I will sleep more comfortably if you sleep with me, " she said as she thought, Tsk, this Empress was a concubine born daughter and always had the best. But the previous host was a legitimate daughter and had nothing, what a crude irony!'

Zhi'er didn't think twice at her words and jumped onto the bed to sleep.

The young woman embraced him and slept while enjoying the warmth of this new feeling, dropping aside the nightmares of her past life and the worries of this new life.