Chapter 1368 End and Beginning 2
Ever since he learned in October that the young master had filed a complaint with the emperor and the King of Yizhou had rebelled, he had put half of his worries to rest.
Later, when he learned that the King of Yizhou had died on the battlefield, the old case from thirteen years ago was completely uncovered, and the remaining half of his worries was resolved.
After that, he lost the will to live. He kept holding on just because he wanted to see the old lady and his elder brother to make sure that this was true.
After that, he was in a daze. He thought he would not live to see the New Year, but he also felt that it was too unlucky to die during the New Year.
Although he was just a servant, it was too unlucky to die in the mansion, so he always held this grudge.
As a result, when his eldest brother told him yesterday that the young master and Miss Man were engaged, he felt very elated. He knew that the end had come.
The servant who had been taking care of him also noticed it and quickly invited Madam Liu over.
Manbao took two steps forward and reached out to feel his pulse. After a while, she withdrew her hand and shook her head with everyone else, looking somewhat sad.
Daji's eyes were hot, he held back his tears, stepped forward and hugged Erji's upper body, letting him see Bai Shan and Zhou Man, he whispered: "Master and Miss Man are here to see you."
Erji opened his eyes slightly and looked at Bai Shan and Zhou Man. His gaze lingered on Bai Shan for a long time. He murmured "Young Master", then slowly turned his eyes to look at Zhou Man. After a while, he said "I'm sorry" in a low voice.
Manbao shook his head slightly and whispered, "I don't blame you. It's not your fault that my parents died."
Erji twitched his lips, seeming a little happy, but his spirits and energy suddenly dropped. He leaned even softer in his brother's arms, his voice barely audible, "I, I want to go home..."
Daji nodded with tears in his eyes and said, "Brother will take you back to Longzhou, don't worry..."
Erji felt relieved, exhaled a long breath, and slowly closed his eyes...
Manbao felt his pulse with trembling hands, and after a moment, shook his head at Daji with tears in his eyes.
A low cry was heard in the room.
Bai Shan and Man Bao's eyes were red and they were dazed. It was the first time for them to see someone die of illness like this.
The last time they saw death was when an assassin came to kill them...
But the deaths of those people did not make them feel too sad. This time it was completely different.
The two of them stared blankly at Erji lying on the bed.
Madam Liu had been mentally prepared for this, and she wiped her eyes with a look of sadness. She turned to Madam Liu and said, "Get the burial clothes prepared for him, so he can pass away peacefully."
Matron Liu agreed with tears in her eyes and turned to leave.
Manbao and Baishan stood aside, tears falling from their eyes, their shoulders shaking as they cried silently.
There were only faint cries from everyone, but no one shouted loudly. Aunt Liu brought the funeral clothes. Daji wiped his eyes and said to everyone, "You all go out. I will change his clothes."
Manbao reached out and took Baishan's hand and went out. They stood in the corridor in silence. Their hearts were sour and bitter, and even their mouths felt bitter.
Old Lady Liu turned around and saw the two men crying. She pulled them to her side, wiped their tears with a handkerchief, and said, "This isn't a bad thing. His life was too hard. His death is a relief from suffering."
Manbao and Baishan cried even harder.
Old Lady Liu touched Manbao's head, and her eyes fell on the empty sky. It seemed to be getting colder today. There was still some sunshine in the morning, but now it was covered by dark clouds, and the whole sky became dim. At this time, it was just past noon.
Inside the room, Daji dressed Erji in his funeral clothes and tidied his hair, and then everyone went in to see him.
Madam Liu stood by the bed and looked at Erji, who seemed quite peaceful. She said to Daji, "Let's wait until nightfall to bury him. The coffin has already been prepared. There's no need to rush."
Daji knelt down and kowtowed to Old Lady Liu, and Bai Shan stepped forward and pulled him up.
In fact, there is not much that requires them to do. Erji has been ill for too long. When he arrived in Yizhou City last year, the doctor said that he would not be able to recover, but he has held on until now.
But Madam Liu was prepared, so everything was ready.
The servants quietly set up a mourning hall in the main hall of the side courtyard. Since Erji was a servant and younger than him, they had no intention of holding a grand ceremony.
Old Madam Liu stood in the yard and watched for a while, then she reached out and held Madam Liu's hand and slowly left. Zheng looked back at the house where Erji lived, and silently followed her mother-in-law.
For a moment, only Daji, Bai Shanmanbao and three others were left in the room.
The three of them sat on the footstool in a daze, while Erji, looking neatly dressed, lay on the bed behind them.
After a long silence, Daji finally spoke awkwardly, "Master, I have to send him back home. I'm afraid I can't go to the capital with you."
Bai Shan asked, "By land or by water?"
They will travel together by land, but separately by water, but the water route is faster and more convenient.
Longzhou is still north of the capital, and it will take another two days to walk there. If we go by land, even if the weather is cold now, the corpse will smell after ten days or so.
Daji said: "Let's go by water."
Bai Shan nodded and said, "I'll tell my grandmother to prepare some more ice for you."
Daji was almost in tears. He stood up and was about to kneel down, but Bai Shan quickly held him back and said, "Daji, you and Erji are different. I have never treated you as servants. You and my father lived and died together. Originally, my father released your registration book..."
So you are not a servant.
Daji said, "Once I have settled my family, I will go find the young master and Miss Man."
Bai Shan and Man Bao nodded, and the three of them continued to sit on the footstool in a daze, occasionally looking back at Erji on the bed.
It is best to keep the body for half a day after death before burying it. Some wealthy families may keep the body for a whole day and a night before burying it.
It is because some people are in a state of suspended animation, they have just stopped breathing, and even doctors cannot tell, and they may come back to life at any time.
But as a servant, Daji knew that they did not have this privilege. Basically, when they died, they were directly put into the coffin and buried. In some large and powerful families, unless the steward was particularly respected, they would be wrapped in straw mats and moved out before they even breathed their last. Otherwise, it would be too unlucky to die in the mansion.
This is the case when you are still alive, let alone when you are dead.
The burial was basically done by the servants themselves. The rich would buy a coffin, while the poor would just wrap the body in a straw mat and bury it.
Not to mention transporting the coffin all the way home. Transporting a coffin back home costs more than transporting ten truckloads of goods.
Daji stood up and twisted the quilt for Erji. Although Erji's face was pale at the moment and he probably couldn't feel the cold, he still covered him with it.
He couldn't help but ask Manbao, "Miss Man, if you were to treat Erji's injury now, could you cure it?"
Manbao thought about it and shook his head. "I don't know if I can cure it in the future, but it's definitely not possible now."
See you at 6pm
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
