farewell
Lin Xu was frightened, and perhaps due to a lingering illness from the cold she had suffered while remonstrating with the emperor, she needed more than twenty days of rest before gradually recovering. Having gone through so much, Lin Fu and Gao Youyi were constantly worried about her safety. With the New Year approaching, they simply invited her and Mianxue to stay at the Lin residence for a while, determined not to let Lin Xu make any more decisions on her own.
At that time, there was no one else in the court, and Emperor Su was ill. So, Lin Fu, the father, officially took over as acting prime minister. Lin Fu had been assisting in government for many years and was highly regarded for his integrity. In addition, he had made great contributions to flood control and was deeply loved by the people. Now that he held great power, there was no opposition or obstruction. As a result, the Lin family gradually became prosperous again, even reaching a height that they had never been able to reach in their previous life.
Meanwhile, Princess Kunrou played a crucial role in Prince Mao's rebellion, not only cleverly seizing control of the Imperial Guards but also collaborating with Duan Jinru and Liang Zhengyuan to protect the Emperor. Even though some in the court still questioned her right to interfere in politics as a woman, the presence of the powerful Princess and the declining fortunes of the Empress made the court desperately need a leader of such wisdom and courage.
For a time, the saying "General Duan is the best man, and Princess Kunrou is the best woman" became a popular saying about the two outstanding talents of Dayu.
Since moving back to the Lin residence, Gao Youyi has provided the best for Lin Xu and Mianxue in every way, from food and clothing to daily necessities. She not only had people renovate and decorate the courtyard where Lin Xu used to live, but also specially built several spacious and bright inner rooms, for fear of making the mother and daughter feel uncomfortable.
The sound of children's laughter came from under the eaves. Lang Ge'er and Rong Ge'er were building a snow lion, laughing and playing. Not far away, their wet nurse was standing under the eaves holding Mianxue, who was watching the fun. Mianxue was very young and couldn't speak yet. She looked like a soft, glutinous rice ball, curled up in her thick swaddling clothes. When she saw her two brothers chasing each other, she couldn't help but clap her hands and giggle.
Gao Youyi leaned against the window, holding a steaming cup of Baihao Yinzhen tea in her hands. The tea soup shimmered with a light, clear light, its color like fresh snow. She gently stirred the lid of the tea, and the aroma wafted out. Then she sighed with satisfaction, "...Such harmony between children and the peace of the world are truly rare. I think this is probably what a perfect life is all about."
Lin Xu opened her half-closed eyes, the still-warm hand warmer in her hand emitting a faint scent of pear blossoms. Since that catastrophe, she had become increasingly sensitive to the cold, and the hand warmer was always at hand.
Only after experiencing life and death, after witnessing the devastating flames that could destroy everything, after seeing ordinary kings and generals easily turn into ghosts under the blade in an instant... all these things made her cherish these peaceful days with her family by her side, with tea to drink and flowers to admire.
Sometimes, even in the middle of the night, she felt quite disoriented.
It was as if the flames that night, the swords that clashed, and the blood-soaked surroundings were nothing more than an ordinary nightmare.
When the dream ended, everything should have returned to normal. There were no cries of agony, no ruins, and no one was injured... The world was peaceful and serene, just as before.
Ironically, while the disaster wasn't caused by her, her secret involvement was undeniable. It seemed as if fate was deliberately punishing itself, causing the calamity to befall its closest loved ones. The person who should have been waiting for rewards and accolades, instead faced certain death.
Liang Si risked his life to save him that night in a moment of crisis, but now he is seriously injured and lying in bed, his years of martial arts skills destroyed overnight.
It was all because of her.
If Liang Si hadn't noticed Xiang Xingde rushing towards her, she might have already turned into a ghost, just like in her previous life.
Liang Zhengyuan was not so lucky; he was unable to dodge Xiang Xingde's arrow.
The arrow came across a mountain of knives and a sea of fire, piercing his chest with brute force. Perhaps the only saving grace was that the incredibly sharp arrow ultimately missed his heart by a mere millimeter.
However, Xiang Xingde had gone mad at the time, and although the arrows from the heavy bow were not poisoned, they still caused Liang Si to suffer a penetrating wound, severing all the tendons and veins in his body. Physician Xu treated him again and again, but in the end he could only shake his head and sigh, "...The Marquis's meridians were damaged, it is already a miracle that he survived."
Liang Si possessed superb martial arts skills and traveled all over the country, making a name for himself. In just three years, he had made great achievements. He was also the only one among his cousins who had truly mastered his maternal grandfather's skills. Before he could even enjoy the joy of making a name for himself, he could no longer ride a horse, practice martial arts, or even move freely like a normal person.
All relatives were devastated.
Liao Yan was also deeply saddened.
Even though she was now the renowned First Female General of Dayu, with free access to the Imperial Palace, and a princess beloved by the people, she remained listless for several days after Liang Zhengyuan was injured. Liao Yan even broke with tradition and offered a reward throughout the land, hoping to find a renowned reclusive physician to treat Liang Zhengyuan. However, despite the numerous responses to the offer over the past few months, not a single person could truly save him.
Perhaps the only person who could take this matter in stride was Lin Xu's maternal grandfather, Liang Suzhi.
Even though he was far away in Hecheng, he had extensive connections. When Liang Su heard that Liang Si had almost lost his life and could no longer lead troops into battle, he was very worried. But his initial worries quickly disappeared, and the old man simply smiled and said, "Very good. It is fortunate that you were able to come back alive. You can come back to Hecheng and play chess with me."
After listening to her second cousin, who had come from afar, recount her maternal grandfather's reaction, Lin Xu felt only endless regret and sadness welling up inside her. She could even imagine her grandfather, his beard white, clearly heartbroken, yet pretending to be carefree and magnanimous.
But wasn't her grandfather right? A second chance at life was better than anything else. Only by living could there be hope for the future. Therefore, this time, when her grandfather insisted that her second cousin take Liang Si back to Hecheng, she didn't object.
On the day Liang Si was about to leave, the snow that had finally stopped for a few days began to fall again.
The second cousin was tall and strong, but it took several of Liang Si's men and two others to lift him onto the carriage. Liang Si had been recuperating for some time, but even so, his face and lips were still deathly pale, and he struggled to even lift his hand. Snowflakes swirled in the air, landing on his dark eyebrows and eyelashes, making his features appear even more striking, yet filled with a sense of desolation.
After this battle, Emperor Su was grateful for Liang Zhengyuan's meritorious service in protecting him, and not only promoted him to General Who Guards the Nation, but also bestowed upon him a residence and fertile land. However, compared to his life, all of this was as fleeting as passing clouds. He had fulfilled his duty to protect the country, but since he could no longer ride a horse into battle, he was no longer of any use to the court.
Perhaps seeing through Lin Xu's distracting thoughts, Liang Si lay on the carriage, his gaze passing through the crowd who came to see him off, looking at Lin Xu standing in the snow, and the corners of his lips slowly curled up.
He reached out his hand to Lin Xu, gesturing for her to come closer.
Looking at the once spirited young man who was now so sickly and pale, Lin Xu couldn't help but let the tears that had been welling up in his eyes roll down his cheeks.
Seeing this, Liang Zhengyuan's lips curved into a half-inch smile, but it was a truly helpless one. He raised his hand and spoke with great difficulty:
"Xu'er, don't cry."
"You've never looked very pretty when you cried since you were little..."
Lin Xu's tears, which she had managed to hold back, burst forth like a dam breaking upon hearing this. She understood perfectly well that Liang Si didn't want her to be sad; even though he was full of pain, he still tried to find ways to cheer her up.
"Yingzhi... When you return this time, please take good care of yourself and give my regards to your grandfather."
The second cousin nodded knowingly and comforted Lin Xu, "Cousin, don't worry. With the Liang family backing him up in Hecheng, Fourth Brother will be fine."
Liang Zhengyuan, however, raised his eyes through the snowflakes, his gaze falling on her furrowed brow.
"Xu'er, don't worry about me. As long as you and Mianxue are safe and sound, I have no regrets."
Shrinking in her thick swaddling clothes, Mianxue was unaware of the adults' thoughts of parting. She simply stretched out her little hands to the falling snowflakes, trying incessantly to hold onto them. Liang Si coughed a few times, his gaze falling on Mianxue's delicate, pink cheeks, already red from the cold. After a long while, he sighed softly and withdrew his gaze from the boundless white expanse.
"Also, please apologize to... Kunrou for me."
Lin Xu's heart stirred, but Liang Si gently closed his eyes, his expression unusually solemn.
"Liang Si owes the princess too much in this life. The kindness of being recognized and the friendship of being a confidant are things that I can never repay even if I die. However, Liang Si can only accompany the princess this far. May the princess's life be smooth and peaceful from now on."
Lin Xu knew that Liao Yan hadn't come to see him off today because she was still angry with Liang Si. She spared no expense in hiring renowned doctors, determined to cure Liang Si no matter what. But Liang Si ultimately decided to return to Hecheng to recuperate.
After this parting, he and Liao Yan truly didn't know when they would see each other again.
Since none of them had fully recovered, Gao Youyi couldn't bear to see Liang Zhengyuan suffer from the cold again, so she instructed the grooms to hurry on their way before the snow fell too heavily. The group bid each other a reluctant farewell in the cold wind. Lin Xu also said a proper goodbye to his second cousin, and had many gifts carried to his cousins and maternal grandfather before watching the carriages disappear into the snow.
Until they could no longer be seen.
Once the snow stopped, it was New Year's Eve in the blink of an eye.
This year, everything in the palace was kept simple. Emperor Su was probably still reeling from the Crown Prince incident, so he not only canceled the New Year's banquet for court officials to pay their respects, but also the regular banquets in the palace. Duan Jinru had rendered meritorious service in quelling the rebellion. After being appointed as the commander of the Imperial Guard, he was also greatly pleased by Emperor Su for his efficient handling of affairs, and was even granted the title of Prince An, a first-rank official.
Moreover, he was still unmarried, and now, with his power and influence, his marriage had become a major event that everyone in the capital was concerned about. Sure enough, not long after, Emperor Su issued an edict to grant Duan Jinru the marriage to Wei Tingya, the fourth daughter of Prince Gong. To celebrate, he was further granted the title of Protector-General of the State, given a residence in Donghuafang, a gold seal and purple edict, and a fief of one thousand households, to show that the imperial family line would be forever secure and the imperial family would be harmonious.
When Lin Xu heard about the marriage, a group of noble ladies had gathered in the mansion, playing cards in a lively atmosphere. Amidst the fragrant clothes and swaying hair, she was momentarily distracted and couldn't help but think of Wei Tingya's proud and beautiful face.
Duan Jinru is now a highly sought-after military general in the court, and she has naturally married well, not only saving the Gongjun Prince's Mansion from its long-declining reputation but also obtaining the title of Princess Consort. However, Lin Xu still can't help but think of Song Jiaoling, who used to always be by Duan Jinru's side, and the tender and affectionate look that his old classmate would give him whenever she looked at him.
Meanwhile, the court was in turmoil. Kunrou, having made a name for herself through this battle, was now a legitimate royal noblewoman. The legitimate daughter of Princess Duanhe, who had once captivated officials with her beauty and talent, she quickly gained a large following of ministers. Everyone knew that Lin Xu and Liao Yan had a close relationship, so many of those who came to celebrate the New Year were there to curry favor with her and curry favor with Princess Kunrou.
She knew perfectly well what was going on.
After all, this is a time when both the civil and military factions in the court, who were once locked in a fierce struggle, are weakened, and talented individuals are scarce, leaving the officials in a state of panic.
Now serving as acting prime minister, her father, who had lived a life of integrity, was even more selective in appointing capable officials, seizing this hard-won opportunity to support the reform of the old calendar. Liao Yan quickly distinguished herself among the court officials with her keen insight and strategic acumen. She not only vigorously promoted her father's reforms but also advocated for lower taxes and corvée labor, quickly gaining widespread support from the people. Even many veteran officials, reminiscing about the brilliance of the Wu Zetian era, repeatedly petitioned Emperor Su, who was often bedridden, to reinstate the position of advisor, and subtly or overtly pushed her towards a more central position in the court.
Another powerful minister who is now very influential is someone Lin Xu was once very familiar with.
Although Dou Yanxun had once served under the Crown Prince, Wei Yun had lost face after the palace coup and, more or less, was affected by the deposition of his birth mother, the Empress, thus his influence in the court was far less than before. Some officials even secretly submitted memorials to the Censorate, arguing that Wei Yun was morally flawed and unworthy to be the Crown Prince of Dayu.
The court was short of talented people, and Dou Yanxun, who had already seized power before the palace coup, was naturally rewarded as well. He was not only granted the title of Xuanfeng Dafu (a high-ranking official of the second rank) and granted a fief of 1,500 households, but was also exceptionally granted the title of Qinghe Marquis. Now was the time when the emperor's favor was at its peak.
Meanwhile, the rumors circulating about Doctor Dou have become increasingly diverse, with new stories appearing every single day.
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