In the year 264. After Shu surrendered, Sima Zhao took the title King of Jin, and began his preparations for a new age.
One year later...
"Ah... This goes here, and that goes over there... No no, not there, I said over there..."
Sima Zhao is directing his men to prepare administration on how to develop the land of Shu back to its prosperous state just like it once was when Zhuge Liang was the prime minister.
Because of countless continous campaigns to attack Wei made by Jiang Wei, the resources of the land of Shu had almost ran out. Because many men were draft into the army for Jiang Wei's campaigns, not many farmers were left to tend the fields, so the soil lost its quality and became hard to grow crops. Because of Sima Zhao's last assault on Cheng Du, many area around Cheng Du were badly damaged. To bring back Shu's properous state like before is no easy task, that's why Sima Zhao has work as hard as he possibly can, and set out to solve all the development problems by himself.
One can clearly see that he is overworking himself, but when someone tell him that he should take some rest, he just shrugs it off and says "I'll have plenty of time to rest when I die." Many doesn't find it to be funny, and tell Sima Zhao shouldn't joke like that, but Sima Zhao just laughs at them and continue with his works.
Knock... Knock...
"Who's that?" Sima Zhao looks to the doors to see who just knocked. "Ah... Liu Shan, come in."
Liu Shan slightly bows to Sima Zhao, steps into the room, and walks to near Sima Zhao.
"You're as busy as always, I see..." Liu Shan says. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Of course! I'm more than delighted to hear you say that! I'm so busy recently that I barely have time to sleep." Sima Zhao shakes Liu Shan's hands and point to one of the tables next to him with piles of papers on it. "There, those are complaints from Luo Yang's merchants. Do me a favor and solve those, please!"
Liu Shan looks at the piles of paper, shocked, and stood there dumbfounded for a second.
"Lord Sima Zhao... Don't tell me THOSE are your daily work?" Liu Shan utters.
"Hmm... Uhm, yeah... Those are the average amount of work I get everyday." Sima Zhao nods.
"Really now... Lord Sima Zhao, you really ought to get some rest. Just leave the paperwork to your subordinates." Liu Shan says so, then goes to the table and begins to
Read the complaints.
"Ha... I'l have plenty of rest when I die." Sima Zhao laughs.
"Again with the joke, lord Sima Zhao." Liu Shan shakes his head.
"Well, joking aside... I really can't afford to waste my time to take a rest. There's just too many thing to do. And after I'm done with all the work at Luo Yang here, I intend to make a trip back to Cheng Du to see how's the construction there going... *cough* *cough*"
"Lord Sima Zhao!" Liu Shan quickly rushes to Sima Zhao's side. "Are you feeling okay? You really shouldn't push yourself too hard like this."
"Ah, no need to worry there, Liu Shan. It's just a little cough." Sima Zhao reassures Liu Shan, but right after that, Sima Zhao started to cough a lot harder. Other officers in the room all rush to Sima Zhao's side.
"It's just a cough! Everyone get back to work!" Sima Zhao waves his right hand to order everyone, but he lost his balance falls down to the ground.
Sima Zhao tried to get himself up, but he couldn't. He desperately try to use his hands to push his body up, but he can't feel his arms. He try to look around, but he suddenly realize that his vision is getting blurry as each second passes. He try to say something, but the words fail to escape his lips. His consciousness is slowly fading away...
...
Later that night. Sima Zhao wakes up to found himself lying in a bed in a dimly lit room. He takes a quick glance around the room. "I'm in my private room, it seems." He thought.
Sima Zhao try to pushes his body up from the bed, and he barely to gather enough strength to do so.
"Hmn..."
A small grunt rises from the side of the bed. Sima Zhao slightly tilts his head and looks down to see what it is. It was his wife, Wang Yuanji.
"My lord! You've awoken!"
"Well, I just..."
Before Sima Zhao can finished his sentence, Yuanji dived into his chest and hug him tightly.
"Do you know how worried I was?! Don't do that ever again, you hear me?" Yuanji says so, and tears start to flow down her cheek.
"..."
Sima Zhao doesn't say anything back to Yuanji, he just hug her and gently stroke her hair.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Time passes and no one has spoken yet another word.
"Aren't you gonna say something?" Yuanji speaks up with head still buries into Sima Zhao's chest.
"Well... It's been a while since you act so... girly like this, so I thought I should savor the moment." Sima Zhao laughs.
"Geez... In this situation, you should say something like "Sorry for making you worry." Or "I promise it won't happen again". " Yuanji scolds Sima Zhao.
"Well... Ahaha, I guess I really should have said so, eh...?" Sima Zhao continues his laugh, but then his laugh got interrupted by violent coughing.
"Ah, my lord! Wait, let me pour you some water!" Yuanji stroke Sima Zhao's back a little, then she rushes to the nearby table to some water into a small cup and gives it to Sima Zhao.
Sim Zhao takes the cup, but his hands were so shaken that he can't properly hold the cup. Yuanji has to help him to hold the cup and help him to finish drinking all of the water, Sima Zhao coughs many time while drinking, but he managed to finish it after a while.
"Ha haha... I must look as bad as master Guo Huai, right?" Sima Zhao says jokingly.
"You look even worse than he was..."
"Whoa... That was... harsh. At least say something to encourage me a little, won't you?"
"Ah, I'm sorry, my lord. It's just that... You really look so pale and sickly that I can't bring myself to joke with you..."
"I know... You look so worried, so I wanted joke a little to cheer you up..."
"..."
"Did you lost weight, Yuanji?"
"Wha... What are you saying so suddenly, my lord?"
"Here..." Sima Zhao brings his hands to Yuanji's face. "Even with the makeup, I still can see bags under you eyes... And your face doesn't look as... What's the word? ... As brilliant as before..."
"..."
Sima Zhao then bring his hands down, and hold both of Yuanji's hands.
"And your hands... I remember your fingers used to be slender, and soft, and beautiful... But now it's... I... I never notice it before..."
"..."
"Did I overwork you...?"
"No, my lord! I'm not overworked! You are the one who's overworked. You should rest soon, my lord."
"... Yuanji..."
"Yes, my lord...?"
"... Remember my father and my brother?"
"Why... Why are you mentioning them all of the sudden?"
"I think... My time is running out... *cough* *cough*"
"No, my lord... Don't talk like that! You're just tired! Take some rest and you should be back to your healthy self again!"
"No, Yuanji... The doctors probably said I don't have much more to live, right?"
"No... No no no! Nobody said anything! The doctors said that if you take some rest, you'll get over this illness in no time."
"Don't lie to me, Yuanji... If it was so, then why did you cry earlier? Besides, I know about my body better than anyone else..."
"My lord..."
"So... Do you think we should call Yan over here? You know, like when my father and my brother passed away? Wait, let me practice my laugh. Ahem... Mwahahaha... *cough* *cough* *cough*"
"My lord! Take it easy... Here, here... Take it easy..." Yuanji gently srtoke Sima Zhao's back to calm him down.
"That didn't go so well, did it? Oh well... Guess we can skip it this time then... Not like I'm a good laugher like father and brother anyway... Ha, what a bother..."
"..."
"Oh, Yuanji... Sorry, I just thought it was a good joke..."
"No, my lord... It's just... It has been forever since I saw your this carefree side of you again..."
"Yuanji?"
"After lord Sima Shi passed away, you've been pushing yourself to work harder and harder, and you stopped complaining to me, and you no longer say "What a bother". So... I really... I really glad that you said it just now... I really..."
Yuanji couldn't finish her sentence, tears started to flow down her cheeks once again.
Sima Zhao gather all of his strength and hold Yuanji tightly into his chest.
"Sorry, Yuanji... You're the only one I can complain to..."
"..."
"I promise this is the last time I'm gonna complain to you... So hear me out, okay?"
"Geez... If you say it like that... Then how can I refuse you?"
...
The night goes on... With only the two of them in the dimly lit room.
... ... ...
... ...
...
In the year 264. After Shu surrended, Sima Zhao took the title King of Jin, and began his preparations for a new age...
However, destiny had a different idea...
... He died a year later.
...