Chapter 116 The End (Part 2)...

Liang Shao carried Shanhe on his back, stumbling and struggling as he finally made it down the mountain. He found a nearby official post station and asked for a superior room. When he arrived at the room, he found that Shanhe had fallen asleep on his back, exhausted. She was breathing softly, her eyebrows were furrowed, and her face and the back of her hands were covered with bloodstains from the scratches of dry branches.

Liang Shao asked the waiter for some wound medicine, a white cloth, and a basin of hot water. He first cleaned Shanhe's face before applying the medicine to her little by little.

The next day, when Shanhe woke up, she found Liang Shao fast asleep, his hand still holding hers, leaning against the edge of the bed. She tried to sit up, but he held her hand tightly, and she couldn't pull it away even a little. Unable to get away, Shanhe could only lie there on her side, waiting for Liang Shao to wake up.

A bitter feeling welled up inside her. She raised her hand to stroke Liang Shao's brows and eyes, and couldn't help but think of Yuanbao. Last night, when they came down the mountain, Liang Shao said that Yuanbao was unhappy. The words "looking around blankly" twisted Shanhe's heart with pain. She was indeed an incompetent mother; abandoning her child and then trying to take her own life—what could she do? She truly, truly couldn't find a reason to live. If she died, perhaps the stigma of sharing a brother's life would fade, which would be better for Yuanbao.

Shanhe couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat again. She touched Liang Shao's thick eyebrows and said softly, "Shao, I beg you to find a wife who can accept Yuanbao and treat him as her own son."

Beneath his palm, Liang Shao quietly opened his eyes and said calmly, "I have only one wife in this life, and Yuanbao has only one mother in this life."

Shanhe sniffed and composed herself.

Liang Shao sat up straight, adopting his usual carefree demeanor: "Alright, Shanshan, I'll go get some hot water and food. Think carefully about how you want to die today, but whatever you do, don't jump off a cliff."

When Liang Shao brought over breakfast, Shan He had already combed her hair and styled it into a simple yet elegant bun. As Liang Shao prepared the dishes, he smiled and asked Shan He, "Well? Have you decided yet?"

Shanhe calmly said, "Jump into the river."

“Sure,” Liang Shao laughed. “The river is clean, so dying in it would be a clean death. As long as I pull you out in time, you won’t turn into a giant.”

Shanhe was stunned and speechless.

After finishing their breakfast, the two went out together to look for the river.

Liang Shao, having spent these past few days searching for Shanhe, had become very familiar with the layout of the streets and alleys of Mizhou. He offered to lead the way, but in reality, he secretly led Shanhe into the alleys where people lived in densely populated areas. People lived near water, naturally dumping their waste into the river. With so many people, all sorts of dirty and smelly things were thrown in. Xue Shanhe, being a clean person, would never want to die in such a place.

Liang Shao led Shanhe to a small river and stopped. Shanhe looked around and saw that the riverbed was no more than ten paces wide, and several women were washing clothes and chatting on the bank.

Liang Shao casually pointed: "Alright, this is it. How about it?"

Shanhe glanced hesitantly at the women beside her and whispered, "Someone's here."

"So what? They can wash theirs, you can do yours, I can do mine, we're all minding our own business."

Shanhe sighed and walked towards the less crowded area. Liang Shao secretly curled his lips and followed after her with his hands behind his back.

The area was far from human habitation, but the riverbank was piled with all sorts of filth and chaff, with a few flies buzzing around it. Without Shanhe having to say anything, Liang Shao immediately took her hand and pulled her away, saying, "This place is too dirty, we can't go there."

They went to three or four rivers in a row, but none of them were suitable. Some were piled with filth, while others were crowded with tourists. They figured that as soon as she jumped in, someone would pull her out immediately. Shanhe was exhausted, her forehead damp with a thin layer of sweat, and her ankle, which she had sprained the night before, was throbbing slightly. Liang Shao then carried her on his back: "I know another river that I guarantee will be less crowded and the water will be clear."

Shanhe said, "I'll trust you one last time."

Liang Shao smiled and said, "Don't worry."

The last river was outside the city, quite a distance away. Liang Shao carried Shanhe on his back, his hands tucked under her legs, from the bustling streets to the desolate countryside. Shanhe saw the beads of sweat on his forehead and felt bad. She was about to speak when Liang Shao interrupted her, "Shanshan, how come you're so light now? You don't even feel it when I carry you."

Shanhe knew he was trying to comfort her. She buried her face in his back and mumbled, "I don't know either."

They finally arrived at the river Liang Shao had mentioned. It was indeed deserted, and the water was crystal clear. Leaning against a tree, Liang Shao laughed, "I didn't lie to you, did I?"

Shanhe nodded: "Ah Shao, thank you." After saying that, she turned around and quietly walked towards the center of the river.

“Hey! Shanshan!” Liang Shao suddenly spoke up.

Shanhe was startled, and several pebbles rolled into the river with a rustling sound at his feet.

“That won’t do. You’re too light. You’ll float up in no time. You need to hold onto the rock.” With that, Liang Shao ran to the boulder not far away and moved it in front of Shan He.

Shanhe also thought it made sense. She opened her arms and hugged the stone, but found that she couldn't lift it at all.

Liang Shao smiled and hugged the other end: "I'll help you carry it inside."

The two embraced the stone and walked towards the center of the river. Shanhe's expression was calm, as if she was ready.

Liang Shao then said, "Hey! Shan Shan!"

"You don't need to say anything more. I don't care if it's dirty, smelly, or crowded. Just let me die."

"No, Shanshan," Liang Shao said seriously. "My brother also drowned in the river. What if he floats back to you from the river?"

Shanhe's face turned pale.

Does that mean I'll be forced by Liang Ye even after I'm dead?

She said firmly, "When a person dies, what else matters? I don't believe in these supernatural tales."

Liang Shao then said, "That old woman before the New Year said that our Yuanbao was the reincarnation of Liu Liu, why are you laughing again? Why are you kowtowing and making offerings to the Goddess of Mount Tai again?"

Shanhe was choked on the spot. Seeing this, Liang Shao quickly threw the stone aside, pulled Shanhe over and walked to the shore: "Alright, alright, let's think of a new way to die tomorrow! Drowning won't work, the waterways are all connected, I'm afraid my brother will come looking for you no matter where you jump. Let's think of a new way to die tomorrow."

He bent down and wrung out Shanhe's waterlogged trousers. He then wrung out his own trousers, rolled them up, and turned around, his back to Shanhe. He bent his knees slightly and smiled, "Alright, get on. I'll carry you back for a meal and to rest. Tomorrow I'll accompany you to your suicide attempt, okay?"

Tears welled up in Shanhe's eyes: "Ah Shao, I know you're stalling me. You don't have to do this..."

Liang Shao suppressed his laughter and said in a calm tone, "Yes, I don't want you to die. I love you, you are Yuanbao's mother, how could I want you to die? I wish you, Xue Shanhe, would live to be a hundred years old and be an immortal pair of ancient turtles with me."

Shanhe chuckled, "You're the cuckold, I'm not." But then the phrase "green cuckold" suddenly came to mind, and her heart clenched. She had indeed betrayed Liang Shao, making him a cuckold.

“But I also know you can’t go on living. You don’t want to be a burden to Yuanbao and me. You feel there’s no hope in life. I respect that. I only have one request: let me collect your body and take you back. Whether you want to be buried in Jinling or Mizhou, just tell me, and I’ll agree to either. I’ll find an old craftsman to carve a fine tombstone for you. Every year from now on, I’ll bring Yuanbao to kowtow to you and have him call you ‘Mother.’ Is that too much to ask?” He turned his head. “Come on up, I’m starving. Let’s go eat. Aren’t you hungry?”

Shanhe sniffed: "Not too much." She leaned on Liang Shao's back and let him carry her.

The long dirt road was sparsely overgrown with weeds. Liang Shao carried Shanhe along the road, the sun casting long shadows.

Liang Shao's voice was filled with laughter: "Shanhe, don't worry, Yuanbao is my son, my only son. Even if you leave, he will still be my only son. You can rest assured."

"Everything I own is for him. The gold and silver real estate will eventually be registered in his name. And the money, calligraphy and paintings, shops and farmland that I left behind will all belong to you and Yuanbao."

"Who wants his things!" Shanhe frowned.

Liang Shao laughed and said, "Liang Ye made a mistake, but the money and the land did nothing wrong. Why bother getting angry over these worthless things? If I were you, I would have squandered them all in ten or five years, leaving Liang Ye to worry in the ground! These are all things he owes you and Yuanbao. If he doesn't spend them all quickly, it would be a disservice to you for all the suffering you've endured."

He suddenly changed the subject: "Well, there's one thing..."

"What?" Shanhe asked.

"Shanshan, you know I'm not good at managing household affairs. In the past, all my private property was secretly looked after by you and Liang Ye. Now that Liang Ye is dead and you're leaving soon, I don't have a good accountant by my side. I was planning to keep the one from the family in Mizhou to help Cheng manage the income and expenditure of the charity school, but I really can't do that. If I hire someone else, I'm worried about their background. It's not a big deal if they take some money, but I'm afraid they'll use it to commit crimes and implicate me and Yuanbao. What should I do? It's really difficult to manage without a mistress in the inner quarters!"

Shanhe pursed her lips: "Why don't you do it yourself?"

Liang Shao: "I'm good at leading troops to fight and suppress bandits. But if you want me to settle accounts, please spare me!"

Shanhe pondered for a while, then carefully explained the secrets of managing a household and keeping accounts. Knowing that Liang Shao was clumsy in this area, she also gave him detailed instructions on how to hire a good accountant and how to manage servants. As they talked, they unknowingly returned to the city.

Liang Shao found a nearby inn to stay in. After the two had eaten their fill, one lay down on the canopy bed, and the other reclined on the narrow couch. Shan He stared at the twin lotus flower pattern on the ceiling, pondering it carefully.

Liang Shao, with his hands behind his head, suddenly spoke up: "Shanshan, what are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about how to die."

Have you thought of it?

"I've thought of a few."

"for example?"

Shanhe turned her head to look at him: "Hang yourself."

Liang Shao gasped, "I know that. When I was a chief criminal investigator, many people hanged themselves. Their necks and tongues were stretched out so long, it was horrifying. And after the burial, we had to invite a priest to perform a ritual in the room where they committed suicide, which was very troublesome."

"Why?"

"The ghost of the hanged man is full of resentment, and his spirit does not dissipate after death. You need to ask a master to send his soul away. Otherwise, if he lingers here, he will become a vengeful ghost sooner or later."

Shanhe frowned: "Then how about using a knife?"

“Don’t you dare,” Liang Shao said again. “When I was in Beichuan, I saw a lot of dead people. Unless they were killed with one stab, they died slowly and painfully, and in the end, they died in agony. There is another possibility, that is, one stab is not enough to kill them, and they have to stab themselves many times.”

"Just kill me," Shanhe said calmly.

"No way!" Liang Shao sat up abruptly. "Xue Shanhe, what are you saying? I don't want you to die, yet you want me to kill you? Are you crazy or am I crazy?"

Shanhe closed her eyes: "What other way is there..."

Liang Shao got up and went over to sit on the edge of the bed, taking Shanhe's hand in his. "I have a plan." He paused. "The censor has a poison that is colorless and odorless but extremely potent. From the moment you drink it to death, it only takes a few breaths. It's a quick and clean death. What do you think?"

Shanhe opened her eyes and looked at him.

Liang Shao continued, "I'm writing to my brothers in Beichuan now and asking them to send it over. But it will take about twelve days for the round trip, plus the time they spend searching for the drugs. Can you wait that long?"

Shanhe frowned and said, "You're not lying to me?"

"Why would I lie to you? I've been with you these past few days, trying to die. Do I look like I'm lying to you? If you don't like it, then tell me, what other way to die is better? Even if you buy ordinary poison, you can't just go to a pharmacy and buy it right away, can you?"

Shanhe thought for a moment and said, "Alright."

That afternoon, in front of Shanhe, Liang Shao wrote a letter to Beichuan, asking an old friend in the army to find the poison used by Chatai. After sending the letter, the two stayed at the inn.

Seeing that his delaying tactic had worked, Liang Shao was quite pleased with himself. However, although Shanhe had agreed, she remained sullen all day, clearly harboring resentment. Remembering Shanhe's hobby, he instructed the shop assistant to purchase a batch of fine painting supplies. Shanhe, having nothing else to do, simply began to paint.

But her paintings are not the same as before. For some reason, Shanhe's paintings nowadays always have a strange and terrifying quality that makes people feel uneasy when they look at them.

Seeing this, Liang Shao thought that Shanhe's actions were probably not as simple as seeking death; he must have contracted a strange illness. Otherwise, why would a perfectly healthy person be so determined to die? He bought many medical books and began to read them one by one.

Every day, Shanhe would sit by the window painting, while Liang Shao would sit beside her reading medical books. Symptoms similar to Shanhe's were rare, only scattered fragments in different books. Most of the prescriptions in these books weren't herbal remedies, but rather required a Taoist priest to exorcise evil spirits. Knowing this method was unworkable, Liang Shao relentlessly searched for a better remedy. He would continue searching as long as there was even a glimmer of hope.

These days, Liang Shao realized for the first time how easily he cried. Sometimes, Xue Shanhe would sit by the window, watching the sun slowly set and the moon slowly rise. She wouldn't move, just stare blankly, too lazy to do anything, too lazy to speak, too lazy to even move. Liang Shao would stand behind her, and when he came to his senses, his face would always be wet with tears.

Fortunately, spring was gradually approaching, everything was renewed, and the sun was shining brightly. Liang Shao came up with a plan: he would take Shanhe out for walks and to bask in the sun every morning and evening, which seemed to be slightly beneficial to Shanhe. However, she still asked him every day: "Has Beichuan sent a letter yet?"

He always said, "It'll be soon, don't rush."

That morning, Shanhe dressed neatly and waited for Liang Shao to go out for a walk with her.

Liang Shao grabbed her hand and said with a smile, "We're not going for a walk today, I have something urgent to attend to!" With that, he pulled her away hurriedly.

Shanhe followed behind and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Didn't Chengbao go to Jinling to look for you? I didn't tell him I found you; he's still in Jinling. There's no one to look after the school right now. These past two days, Aunt Wang's daughter in the kitchen gave birth, and she took three days off to take care of her. I was thinking, just three days, why hire someone else? It'll just cost extra money!"

Shanhe stopped in her tracks: "You want me to go?"

Liang Shao laughed and said, "Yes, you're a good cook. Grandfather used to praise you a lot. Don't worry, Shanshan, you can just direct from the side, I'll do the cooking."

Shanhe remained unmoved: "I don't want to go."

Liang Shao then said, "Shanshan, your father used to study there. Don't you want to go and see? There's a group of children from poor families who study very hard. Are you going to just watch them go hungry for three days?"

Shanhe's pupils twitched slightly.

Liang Shao continued, “Their family is really poor. They only eat a little better at lunchtime at the free school. So many children are waiting for this meal! Shanshan, the letter from Beichuan won’t arrive for five days. You cook for the children for these three days, consider it doing good deeds, and may it bless you to be reborn into a better family in your next life, okay? After you finish cooking, you can rest for one day. When you have enough energy, you can go and die. Wouldn’t that be perfect?” Seeing that Shanhe’s expression softened, he pulled Shanhe and walked into the free school.

"Shanshan, don't worry, you won't be tired! Just leave the dirty, tiring, and hard work to me! There are also a few little ones in the school who can do the work. You can just be the general who directs everything from the sidelines."

The free school was nestled at the foot of the mountain, with a rushing river flowing in front of it. Liang Shao dismounted, carrying Shanhe, and led her through the gate. As they reached the courtyard, several children who had been reciting lessons by the railing saw Liang Shao and exclaimed with laughter, "Father Liang!"

The term "Father Liang" used to be what the children called Old Master Liang, but now that Old Master Liang has passed away, it is now used to refer to Liang Shao.

Liang Shao smiled and nodded to them, then pulled Shanhe towards the kitchen.

Shanhe let him lead her, but her mind was filled with memories of what her father had told her when he was alive: "Back then, my father and mother were no longer alive, and we had no money to go to school, so I had to work odd jobs. I was only ten years old then, and I felt like the sky had fallen. I was terrified, so I went to find the old man in the rain. I remember it was summer, and I was wearing a thin shirt, patched upon patched. I was also carrying a tattered cloth bag, which was made from my mother's old clothes. I ran all the way to the Liang residence, knelt before the old man, and said, 'Father Liang, my parents are dead, but I still want to go to school, is that alright?' The old man smiled, helped me up, and asked me in return, 'Who says that children whose parents have passed away can't go to school?' He even gave me Liang Zhao's clothes to wear; Liang Zhao was his son. Alas, Liang Zhao was also pitiful; he and his wife died fighting the epidemic. He left the old man with two grandsons, only a little older than you. The old man himself went to take the two children home."

Coming to her senses, they found themselves in the kitchen. The meat, vegetables, and rice were all prepared, but they were missing a cook. Liang Shao didn't want Shan He to do anything; he just wanted her to guide him. However, he had never cooked before, and even with his best efforts, he kept making mistakes. Shan He couldn't bear to watch any longer, so she rolled up her sleeves and took Liang Shao's hand: "Look carefully. It needs to be sliced, not in chunks, and it needs to be evenly thin."

“Slicing is too much trouble, I’m afraid I won’t have enough time.”

"Just do it like this, gradually increase the speed, and it will be fine."

Liang Shao's pace was too slow, so Shan He had to take over personally. By noon, a meat dish, a vegetable dish, and a soup were barely finished.

The servants and teachers at the free school helped serve the food and rice, and the children lined up in a long queue with their bowls in hand. Liang Shao and Shan He sat side by side on the stone steps in front of the kitchen door, wearily resting their heads on their knees, and smiled bitterly at each other.

Liang Shao asked softly, "Shanshan, are you tired?"

"Yes, my bones are about to fall apart. I'm afraid I won't make it in time."

"With experience today, we will surely be able to catch up tomorrow."

Shanhe buried her face between her knees: "Ah, two more days."

Liang Shao pursed his lips and tentatively asked, "Then you can rest tomorrow. I've already learned it today."

Shanhe remained silent.

Liang Shao continued: "Basically, it's just washing vegetables, chopping vegetables, and stewing—"

"Let's make pancakes tomorrow," Shanhe suddenly said. "We can't eat the same dishes every day, right?"

Liang Shao smiled and said, "Okay."

The two of them sat there in the sun, letting the sunlight lazily fall on them.

Before long, a child slowly shuffled over. He looked to be about six or seven years old. He didn't say anything and just leaned against Liang Shao.

Liang Shao laughed and said, "Little Zhang, are you full?"

Zhang Shi pursed his lips and nodded, but didn't say anything.

Liang Shao gently pinched his arm: "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Zhang Shi still smiled with her lips pursed.

A few older children walked by and laughed, "He's shy."

"Ashamed? Ashamed of what?"

Zhang Shi glanced at Shan He.

The child continued, "His mother is also kind-faced and beautiful!"

Later, Liang Shao told Shanhe that Zhang Shi's mother had run away with someone when he was five years old. Shanhe felt a pang of sadness upon hearing this. Liang Shao added, "Perhaps she was abducted. In these poor mountain villages, whether a woman leaves on her own, is abducted, or dies for no reason, they all say she ran away with someone, as if it makes things look better. I met his mother when I was handling a case in his hometown; she was a very gentle and honest person. How could she have run away for no reason?"

It was already dark when they returned from the free school. Shanhe and Liang Shao finished washing up and were about to drift off to sleep when they suddenly heard Shanhe say, "Take out Liang Ye's money and hire a few more cooks."

Liang Shao, who was sleeping on a narrow couch not far away, slowly opened his eyes and curled up the corners of his lips.

Shanhe has begun to contemplate things beyond death. This is a good omen.

Liang Shao deliberately asked, "Aren't you going to leave us any gold ingots?"

“Don’t you still have yours?” Shanhe twisted her fingers. “Use Liang Ye’s money to help the children, as a way of atoning for his sins.”

Liang Shao said softly, "Okay." He closed his eyes again, "Let's go to sleep."

Three days passed quickly, as if in the blink of an eye. Shanhe had become quite familiar with the children, and when Aunt Wang returned, they even asked Shanhe when she would come again.

Shanhe said, "Let's talk about it later."

She secretly hoped that Aunt Wang would return a few days later, but a letter from Beichuan was on its way. She could only sit on the edge of the bed, quietly awaiting death.

Liang Shao rushed in from outside, and when he looked up, he saw Shanhe sitting there in a daze. He knew that Xue Shanhe had returned to a state of wanting to die.

"Ah Shao, when will Beichuan's letter arrive?"

Liang Shao pursed his lips and sat down: "Tomorrow then."

"Okay." Shanhe nodded.

The next morning, Shanhe got up early, washed up, and sat listlessly by the window. Liang Shao watched her back, looked up, and swallowed his tears.

Around 9:45 AM, a thumping or clattering sound came from the passageway outside the door.

Liang Shao said coldly, "It should be them who have arrived."

Shanhe lowered his head.

The door opened, but there was no messenger, no soldier, and no letter.

Liang Shao smiled and said, "Oh! Isn't this young master Liang Yuanbao?"

Shanhe's back stiffened, and he suddenly turned his face. He saw Yuanbao wearing a tiger-head hat and tiger-head shoes, with a peace lock around his neck and a paper windmill in his hand, giggling at Liang Shao.

Liang Shao took the gold ingot from the wet nurse and laughed, "Oh! It's gotten so heavy. It's only been a few days, but it already feels so heavy in my arms."

The wet nurse smiled and said, "Yes, children this age change every day." She paused, then added meaningfully, "If you miss today, you'll never see them again."

"Alright, you two go and rest for a while. Madam Xue and I will take care of things here."

The wet nurse agreed, then sighed, "There's really no other way. Qingyue is quite far along in her pregnancy, Miao'er is working on her book and is at a crucial point, and Caixiang and Caiping are helping Lan'er prepare her dowry. I'm the only one looking after the children, and I'm just too busy to manage. That's why I've come to seek refuge with Second Master and Madam." With that, Fang Fu bowed and left.

Liang Shao, holding Yuanbao, sat down next to Shanhe and placed the child in her arms: "Hold him a little longer."

As soon as she finished speaking, Shanhe's tears fell like a broken string.

She held Yuanbao in her arms, stroking his soft body. Suddenly, she wished that Beichuan's letter would come later, much later.

But it finally arrived. Liang Shao hadn't lied to her.

A large, earthen-yellow bottle sat quietly in the center of the table. Shanhe held Yuanbao, constantly rubbing Yuanbao's chubby little hands.

Liang Shaoqiang laughed, "Alright, our Yuanbao has to say goodbye to his mother now." He said this deliberately, without actually intending to take Yuanbao away. At this point, if Shanhe still decided to die, there was nothing he could do. Shanhe had become like this because she had been forced. If he forced Shanhe to live, wouldn't that also be a form of coercion?

Shanhe reached out and grabbed the bottle.

Liang Shao choked up, "Shanshan, are you really sure about this?"

Shanhe didn't say anything.

Liang Shao opened his arms to Yuanbao: "Come, Yuanbao, come into your father's arms."

Yuanbao refused, clutching Shanhe's clothes and burying his face in Shanhe's arms.

Liang Shao finally couldn't hold back any longer: "Xue Shanhe, do you want to see Yuanbao become the next Zhang Shi? All these things you've been through these past few days, can't you keep him? Yuanbao won't let go of you in your arms, he doesn't want his mother to leave either!"

Shanhe's hand trembled, and the bottle crashed to the ground. Both Shanhe and Liang Shao were in tears, their foreheads pressed together, sobbing uncontrollably.

Shanhe gave up on suicide, but her illness was still not cured. Although Shanhe was careful not to mention the word "death" and loved Yuanbao sincerely, her paintings remained unchanged. The terrifying and eerie style made people's hearts tremble.

Liang Shao returned to the capital with Shanhe and Yuanbao. He resigned from his post in the Shence Army, retaining only the title of "Count of Protectorate." He bought a new mansion and moved in with Shanhe and her son. Their lives were now devoid of Liang Ye and anything related to him. Liang Shao prepared a study for himself, refusing to let anyone enter. One day, Shanhe accidentally walked in and saw two large bookshelves piled high with medical books. Over the years, Liang Shao had been trying to find a way to heal Shanhe's emotional wounds.

When Yuanbao was one year old, they remarried, officially becoming husband and wife. They invested all eight thousand taels of silver left by Liang Ye into the charity school, and rented out all the farmland and shops to ensure the school's continued operation through annual rent.

When Yuanbao was two years old, Liang Shao added martial arts courses to the free school, allowing the children to choose between academic and martial arts studies. Not long after, the second free school in Mizhou was completed, admitting only female students, and all the teachers were women. The idea of ​​a girls' free school was proposed by Shanhe. From then on, Mizhou not only had Father Liang, but also Mother Xue.

When Yuanbao was three years old, the first group of children studying at the free school passed the imperial examinations, and three of them became Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest level of the imperial examinations). They made a special trip to the Huguo County Earl's Mansion to kowtow to Liang Shao and Shanhe. Every year thereafter, children who had passed the examinations would come to visit Liang Shao and Shanhe.

When Yuanbao was five years old, Liang Shao was in his study as usual, reading the medical books he had already finished, hoping to find a cure for Shanhe's illness from other ailments. As usual, he spread out Shanhe's paintings, glanced at them as usual, and suddenly noticed that something was different.

They are different now. One painting depicts Yuanbao catching a jade-colored butterfly, panting heavily; another shows Qingyue educating her husband, with Miao'er standing beside her, chiming in; and yet another shows Liang Shao climbing a tree to raid a bird's nest, with Yuanbao standing beneath the tree, hands raised. The content is different, but the style of all the paintings is comforting and healing.

Liang Shao burst into tears and rushed out the door, only to see Shanhe standing by the pond feeding the fish. Qingyue was asking her how to prepare a birthday gift for the wife of Minister Chen of the Ministry of Works when Shanhe thought for a moment and said, "The Minister's wife loves painting. There is a painting called 'Cold Mountain' in the storeroom. We must bring it."

Qingyue frowned: "There seem to be two or three 'Hanshan Paintings'."

Shanhe said, "It's the one painted by Master Liu Xin, the one that Grandpa used to collect."

For many years, Shanhe had never mentioned Liang Ye's name. This was the first time she had mentioned him so casually, as if he were just an ordinary relative.

Shanhe turned around and saw Liang Shao walking over. She smiled and said, "You're here."

Liang Shao's voice trembled slightly: "Shanshan, you..."

Shanhe understood what he meant. She reached out and stroked Liang Shao's nape, saying softly, "Shao, I'm all better now. It's just that one day, it seemed like everything was resolved. Everything in the world regained its color. Standing by the pond, I wasn't thinking about what would happen if I fell in, or how long it would take to drown. Instead, I was thinking about how the water was clear, the pond was shallow, and the fish were swimming freely."

"Ah Shao, you don't need to read those books anymore."

Liang Shao couldn't help but shed tears.

Shanhe pursed her lips, trying her best not to cry: "How old are you? Why are you still crying?"

Liang Shaoqiang chuckled to himself, "I'm happy." He picked up Shanhe, supported her under her armpits, and spun her around in circles.

Both of them burst into laughter.

Only Liang Yuanbao came running from afar, paused for a moment, then stomped his feet and burst into tears.

Miao'er asked him, "Why are you crying?"

Yuanbao cried, "I want a hug too... I want to be spun around too..."

That year, Shanhe was twenty-three years old and Liang Shao was twenty-four years old.

From then on, Liang Shao stopped soaking sheep intestines every night.

Two years later, Shanhe gave birth to another daughter. Liang Shao carefully named the child Yashan. Ya means beautiful and noble, while Shan represents his hope that his daughter would grow up to be as upright and generous as a mountain. Liang Yuanbao was very jealous and finally, at his twentieth birthday celebration, chose an extremely auspicious name for himself.

Because Liang Shao voluntarily returned to his family, he became the most comfortable person in his later years among the ministers who had accompanied Li Zhun in the struggle for the throne.

After giving birth to Yashan, Liang Shao only led troops on two expeditions, often accompanying the new crown prince on salt and iron inspections. Li Zhun trusted him greatly because he didn't covet military power and would voluntarily relinquish it upon return. He was a rare general capable of leading troops independently yet unwilling to relinquish power. He often told Li Zhun that he hoped to retire early and return home to be with Shanhe and their two children. This lack of ambition ensured that the Liang family remained a first-rate aristocratic family in the Great Yan Dynasty during the reigns of Li Zhun and his son. However, Li Zhun's wish to create a second "Lingyan Pavilion" was completely thwarted.

When Yuanbao was eighteen, Liang Shao and Shanhe asked him to choose his future path. He neither chose the imperial examinations nor pursued a military career, but instead tinkered with strange and unusual gadgets, such as a celestial compass, a time-predicting box, and a direction-pointing bowl. Yuanbao stood out in the court; he never took sides in court, and rarely even attended, devoting himself entirely to his tinkering. The emperor then appointed him as the Director of the Imperial Observatory. Later, Yuanbao discovered he had an exceptional sensitivity to fragrances and developed various perfumes. Liang Shao put his arm around Yuanbao's shoulder: "I knew you had a good nose." Yuanbao asked doubtfully, "Father, why?" Liang Shao laughed, "Because you were a dog in your past life." This angered Yuanbao so much that he didn't return home for three months.

Ya Shan was a woman of great literary talent and entered the palace to serve as a lady-in-waiting to the Empress. Her literary talent won the favor of the Emperor and the Empress, and in the fifth year after entering the palace, Ya Shan left the palace not to get married, but to become an examiner for the imperial examination in poetry and prose, evaluating poems and essays from all over the country.

When Yuanbao was fifty-two, his health gradually declined. The doctor said that Yuanbao was born prematurely, so his constitution was naturally weaker. Shanhe felt guilty about this. Knowing that his life was short, Yuanbao resolved to fulfill a dream he had always wanted to do but hadn't yet. He built a flying bird; a person could sit on it and continuously turn the handles, causing the bird's wings to spread, allowing it to ascend to the heavens. On his first flight, Yuanbao fell. Shanhe couldn't bear it, but Yuanbao smiled and said, "Mother, I don't have many years left to live. Let me do what I want to do." Yuanbao always felt that the blue sky was freer than the land, so he wanted to fly up and see the sky. On his second flight, the bird flew very high, and Shanhe, Liang Shao, and Yashan waved to him from below, all smiling. Yuanbao was happy too; he even saw the Imperial Palace, Chengtian Gate, and Chengen Temple. When Liang Yuanbao fell to his death, he had a smile on his lips.

When Liang Shao was eighty-three, he fell and his health deteriorated. Six months later, he finally passed away. On his deathbed, Shanhe, Yashan, and his grandchildren were all by his side, as were the surviving children from the charity school. Liang Shao smiled contentedly, squeezed Shanhe's hand, and uttered with difficulty, "I'm going to find Yuanbao now..." He passed away peacefully with a smile.

Liang Shao's burial was the last time Shanhe visited the cemetery. She and Yashan supported each other, quietly seeing Liang Shao off. As they left, Shanhe noticed weeds growing rampant in front of Liang Ye's tombstone. She hadn't thought of Liang Ye for many, many years, the man who had almost ruined her life. Seeing him again now, she felt no emotion whatsoever. She called her great-grandson and pointed to Liang Ye's tombstone: "From now on, when you pay respects to your ancestors, remember to sweep your great-uncle's grave too."

Many years later, Shanhe became an ancestor. A young man came to the Liang residence and presented a letter to Shanhe.

The book is titled "The Biography of Liang's Righteous Schools".

The young man said that his grandmother used to study at the Liang family's free school, where she learned accounting. Later, she went to Tianhang to make jewelry. His grandmother supported his father and aunt's education; his father passed the imperial examination, and his aunt inherited his grandmother's jewelry shop. Twenty years ago, his grandmother passed away, and she told him that he must write down the story of the free school. However, the first group of children at the free school had all passed away, so he could only look through their posthumous manuscripts about the free school and visit their descendants one by one to piece together this book.

The book has four or five chapters, one of which is dedicated to people. The first section is about Father Liang, and the second section is about Mother Xue.

Secretary Xue was kind-hearted and talented; she was the one who initiated the girls' free school. Many things, some of which Shanhe herself had forgotten, were remembered by the children and their children's children, and recorded in the book. Yet, no one wrote about her experiences serving her brothers. As time passed, those vulgar anecdotes long since vanished into the river of history, and Xue Shanhe's virtuous deeds far outweighed her infamy.

So what if she served her brothers? She helped many children and many girls. This is more important and more worthy of being remembered for generations than whether Xue Shanhe was forced to submit to Liang Ye or whether she made Liang Shao a cuckold. For many years to come, people will only remember her kindness, generosity, and sincerity.

After listening to his great-grandson read the entire book, Shanhe closed his eyes with a smile.

Gradually, she heard Liang Shao's voice.

"Shanshan, let's go..."

Then, the centenarian smiled knowingly.

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Author's note: Finally finished writing!!!

I originally planned to write a lot of concluding remarks, but now it seems there's nothing left to say, because Shanhe and Liang Shao are happy, and that's enough (very important).

I really, really like Shanhe. At one point, I wondered if Shanhe was too saintly, but then I realized that it's precisely because of her pure beauty, kindness, and sincerity that so many people like her.

(I plan to learn Chinese painting this year. If I succeed, I will definitely paint a picture of Shanhe and give it to you guys in a raffle hhhh I hope it comes true [glasses])

The following is the next article:

"The Great Lotus Bath" - A socialist only-child high school graduate turns into a feudalistic wicked woman. Full text free, short story of 10,000 words, already drafted. [Abusive, dark, melodramatic! Enter at your own risk]

"Wind and Lotus" tells the story of a hearing-impaired princess from the cold palace who, after being married, is forcibly taken by her paranoid elder brother. Both the male and female leads are not virgins; it's a medium-length story with a focus on romance.

I'll list the remaining posts by favorites. I'd like to write about ghosts and monsters later, planning to start a series. "Searching for Hollandon" should be the first book in the series; I've already outlined it. A completely new attempt! [Please!]

Lastly, see you in the next post! [heart emoji] [heart emoji] [heart emoji]