That day, Yunlan Temple was full of brilliant sunflowers. This kind of flower, which grows towards the sun and is easy to survive, is bright and eye-catching and is Zhong Qin's favorite.

Chen Xiao bought all the sunflowers in the nurseries in Kyoto and had a fleet of cars deliver them to the mountain. A long road of flowers became a new topic of conversation in Kyoto.

The Zen room where Zhong Qin once lived, the cemetery on the back mountain... Yunlan Temple has almost become a sea of ​​flowers.

Both Shen Zhaoshu and the abbot of Yunlan Temple kept their mouths shut. Shen Xiao couldn't find the grave, so he had to hand over the offerings, paper money, incense, candles, food and clothes to Yunlan Temple. After he came down the mountain, Yunlan Temple would offer sacrifices on his behalf.

Chen Xiao stayed for one night in the Zen room where Zhong Qin had lived for ten years. The room was small and cold. The mountain wind at night seemed to whistle in his ears. There was a thin mattress on the hardwood floor.

The next morning, Chen Xiao ate the breakfast that Zhong Qin had been eating for ten years: a bowl of white porridge with a little pickle. It was said that tomorrow would be bean porridge, and the day after tomorrow would be cornmeal porridge.

Zhong Qin, the daughter of the Grand Marshal, who had come here wholeheartedly for him, was forced by him to live here for ten years...

The old marquis called the cleaning nun over and asked, "Yunlan Temple collects so many incense donations from devout men and women, and yet they live like this?"

The little nun said, “Yunlan Temple collects money to perform rituals, but our abbot and a group of nuns and nuns often work for free.

Yunlan Temple also maintained two charity halls. In the past, supplies were often sent to the border troops. Nuns, both nuns and nuns, from all levels of the temple sewed cotton-padded clothes and military shoes for the soldiers.

Nowadays, we live a good life. On the first and fifteenth day of every month, the whole temple has extra meals, and you can eat one or two of the temple’s famous vegetarian dishes.

Moreover, we monks emphasize self-cultivation. Compared with ascetic practices, this life is very good.

There are enough mattresses and quilts, and the porridge and side dishes are enough to fill you up. Although you don’t have a high bed, soft pillows, or delicious food, you won’t be hungry or cold.

Look at my quilted monk's robe, it's new, and so are my shoes."

The little nun smiled happily and said, "Donor, if you have any inconvenience or need anything, I will run errands for you and get it for you. I am sorry that Yunlan Temple has not taken good care of you."

The old marquis said: "...I don't lack anything...It's all right..."

Chen Xiao went to Yunlan Temple and asked, "Can I stay in that Zen room?"

"Donors come to burn incense, and it's inconvenient to go down the mountain late. You can stay for one night, but not long-term. Long-term residence in this temple is only for female relatives."

Shen Xiao sat blankly on the stone bench outside, his eyes suddenly moistened: "How can you be so cruel? Not a single word, not a single word..."

"Father."

Shen Xiao raised his head, tears streaming down his face. Shen Zhaoshu lowered her eyes and said, "His Majesty will issue an edict soon. After you pass away, the Yongding Marquisate will retain the hereditary title for twenty years, waiting for the successor to return.

If you want to receive the imperial edict, it would be better for you to stay in the mansion for the next few days.

Actually, this was the promise the late emperor made to his mother. The late emperor said that his mother had done him a favor, and he owed her a promise; if he killed her entire family, he would repay kindness with hatred, and he would owe her a second promise.

My mother has arranged a marriage for me, and I have promised to keep the title for my brother for twenty years."

Shen Zhaoshu added: "For your brother's sake, you must take good care of yourself. The longer you live, the longer it will take to find Zhaoming."

Shen Xiao said slowly: "Zhao Shu, I don't want to live anymore, I want to find your mother.

I'll leave the task of finding Zhaoming to you.

I always felt that Yumei was all alone in this world, with only me to rely on.

Your mother is from the Wu family, a noble family, with parents and brothers all alive... She is so noble and stubborn, and won't bow her head or admit her mistakes... But it turns out that it is your mother who is alone and helpless.

She did nothing wrong..."

Marquis Yongding returned home and found the elders of the clan to open a clan temple and left a will.

Sure enough, within two days, the decree was issued, and Shen Xiao accepted it. Everyone was discussing it, thinking that this was the emperor's way of giving face and honor to the late emperor's old minister. After all, the old marquis had followed the late emperor into battle.

Shen Xiao stayed in the study for three days. There was a box of letters on each side. He read one letter and laughed, then read another and cried. He didn't eat or drink for three days, just kept reading the letters.

When the old butler came to see him again early in the morning, the candle on his table had burned out.

Yongding Hou Chen Xiao passed away suddenly while tightly clutching a letter from Zhong Qin.

According to his will, his concubine Yumei was removed from the family tree and moved out of the Shen family's ancestral tomb.

The house, fields, shops and all the properties under the name of Yongding Marquis Mansion are handed over to Shen Zhaoshu for management. If Shen Zhaoming returns within 20 years, they will be handed over to Shen Zhaoming, but the profits from these years will belong to Shen Zhaoshu.

If Shen Zhaoming does not return within twenty years, all the property will belong to Shen Zhaoshu.

All matters of the Yongding Marquis' Mansion will be handled by Shen Zhaoshu before Shen Zhaoming returns.

Regarding his own burial, Shen Xiao left a will that he be buried in the gravekeeper's place at Yunlan Temple.

After Shen Zhaoshu took care of her father's funeral, she sat in her father's study and looked towards the door.

It was as if I could see my younger self and brother standing there, envious of my younger sister, who was acting like a spoiled child on her father's lap...

Now, both father and mother are gone, love and hate are gone too. Shen Zhaoshu wiped away her tears. She knew that life must always move forward. Xipei or Hanyi would be back, and the debt owed by Rongguo Mansion had to be repaid. It seemed like they wanted to default on their debts... But the tears still flowed uncontrollably.