Ballad of a Fallen Kingdom: The Consort’s Final Goodbye

The Huangfu family had long stood at the forefront of twenty-first-century commerce, their influence and wealth reaching into nearly every industry, great or small. They were a force at the very top of society. Yet, for years, it was as if they’d hit an invisible ceiling, unable to make that crucial breakthrough—as though some fateful opportunity was missing. The higher one climbs, the harder it is to ascend further.

In such a world, even the private affairs of the family became public secrets. Every word, every move, was subject to intense scrutiny. There are no walls without cracks; even the faintest stir would be broadcast far and wide, and those who lived under the public gaze tread cautiously.

Inside one of the Huangfu family villas, twelve men stood outside a closed door. The eldest among them, a middle-aged man, paced anxiously with his hands clasped behind his back, just beyond the threshold.

His wife, the principal lady of the family and spouse to the family head, was in labor with their fourth child. The previous three had all been sons—certain to secure the family legacy—but now, as age crept upon him, he yearned for a daughter, to complete the circle of familial joy. Strangely, despite the most advanced medical technology in the world, they had been unable to determine the child’s gender, which only heightened his anticipation.

Within the room, every conceivable state-of-the-art medical device was present, attended by a top-tier medical team. All eyes were focused on the woman in labor, as the professionals aided her with utmost concen