Chapter 43 Entrusting you with this task, let me see what you'll look like at fifty...
To avoid the awkwardness of meeting his son, Li Yuan warmly invited Changsun Wuji to have dinner with him.
Without the women present, the three men felt free to chat about the bandits who were seizing granaries in various places, the insecure officialdom in Luoyang, the endless corvée labor and taxes, and the emperor's new round of northern tour plans.
Just as they were talking about entering the harbor, Changsun Qingjing personally came to invite Changsun Wuji to speak with Lady Dou. Li Yuan and Li Shimin were both puzzled. Changsun Wuji also felt that it was quite inappropriate for an outsider like himself to be entering Lady Dou's private quarters.
"It seems Mother has some important matters to convey to her, brother. She is unwell and unable to come to the hall. I implore you, brother, to make an exception." Changsun Qingjing's explanation was not without merit. With Li Yuan also urging him from the side, Changsun Wuji complied and went with her.
Madam Dou's bedroom had just been tidied up again, with a deliberate touch of embellishment as if she were afraid of not being able to entertain her guests properly.
The aroma wafting from the smoked ball cleverly masked the smell of the herbal soup, even though the soup was barely anything. To put her family's minds at ease, Madam Dou still reluctantly took the medicine on time.
At this moment, Madam Dou was wearing a thick padded jacket and her hair was neatly styled. She sat upright behind the screen, not in the sickly state that Changsun Wuji had previously imagined, which was almost devoid of dignity.
"Wuji, you don't need to stand on ceremony. You can treat me as your uncle's wife." Madam Dou felt she had misspoke and corrected herself, "Just treat me as your mother's sister."
Changsun Wuji knelt before the screen and bowed, saying, "I am listening to your instructions, Madam."
"Qingjing, remove the screen for your mother. The rest of the maids, go out and close the doors and windows. Wait outside, and especially for Erlang not to come in." After dismissing everyone, Madam Dou said to her eldest grandson and his sister, "Qingjing, sit beside your mother; Wuji, stand closer to me. I know my illness is approaching, so I have important matters to entrust to you..."
Changsun Qingjing's eyes reddened, and tears welled up instantly. She dared not cry out loud, but could only forcefully suppress her heart-wrenching sobs back into her chest, replacing them with endless sobs and spasms.
Madam Dou reached out and wrapped her arms around Changsun Qingjing's heaving shoulders: "Child, don't cry. Your mother, for her own selfish reasons, wanted to see Vitiha get married before she died, and even made it so that your wedding would be followed by a period of mourning. I am truly sorry for you."
The intense grief and convulsions made Changsun Qingjing feel as if her throat was being choked. Apart from desperately shaking her head in denial, she could no longer utter a single word of rebuttal.
Changsun Wuji felt a lump in his throat and explained on behalf of his sister, "Madam, what are you saying? Please don't blame yourself anymore. My brother and I were driven out of our home by our half-brother and were already like stray dogs. I was valued by Vitiha and we became sworn brothers; my sister was also loved by you, Madam, and she even serves your beloved son. I have no regrets in this life..."
After speaking, Changsun Wuji solemnly bowed.
Lady Dou nodded slightly to express her gratitude: "Since you and your brother are so understanding, I will humbly ask to entrust my beloved son Li Shimin to you two."
The brother and sister were both astonished, fearing that they were not worthy of the gift and would disappoint Madam Dou. However, Madam Dou's words were earnest, and the two could not bear to go against her wishes, so they readily agreed.
"Madam, if you have something on your mind, please speak freely. I, Wuji, will do anything to help you." For the first time in his life, Changsun Wuji was not entrusted to someone else, but was entrusted with something by someone else. He couldn't help but feel a strange sense of responsibility, a sense of being relied upon, and an inescapable duty. He felt a deep gratitude towards the Duchess in front of him, almost like that of a kindred spirit.
He certainly knew the weight of his promise, yet he still decided to fulfill that responsibility.
Changsun Qingjing took a deep breath, suppressing all her fear, worry, and sadness. She couldn't let these sorrows overwhelm her!
She pinched the back of her hand hard, regulated her breathing, wiped away her tears, and crawled to Madam Dou's side. Changsun Qingjing used the left half of her body to brace against Madam Dou's right shoulder to prevent her from coughing, wheezing, or fainting when she became emotional.
“Mother, tell me, I will remember everything.”
Madam Dou forced a smile and slowly said, "Shimin has been exceptionally intelligent since childhood, decisive in the face of adversity, and has always harbored great ambitions. However, his impetuous and impulsive nature always makes me uneasy. The rigid are easily broken, while the flexible endure. If I pass away, you must comfort him and prevent him from falling ill from worry; if his great ambitions cannot be realized for the time being, you must also try your best to persuade him not to be resentful and to understand the importance of combining firmness and gentleness, and to wait patiently for the situation to change..."
Madam Dou was overcome with emotion, seemingly pouring out all the worries that had been hidden in her heart for many years. A sudden feeling of suffocation triggered a violent spasm, and the Changsun siblings could even hear the sound of their teeth clattering. "I know his character, he will never betray you in this life... You... you must not abandon him! Qingjing, Wuji, you must promise me."
"Mother, I will definitely do as you say." Changsun Qingjing supported his frail mother, who was worried about her son's future, from behind Madam Dou, and wept uncontrollably.
"Rest assured, Madam, I will certainly live up to your expectations." Changsun Wuji had no other way to better alleviate his loving mother's deep worries and longing, so he could only bow deeply to express his utmost sincerity.
"Heaven has been kind to my son and me." Madam Dou's eyes were red and swollen. "These unreasonable requests have really troubled you. Also, please don't tell Shimin about our agreement. In his heart, he is the only one who takes care of others in this life, how could he expect others to take care of him?" Madam Dou couldn't help but smile through her tears when she thought of Li Shimin's feigned maturity.
"Qingjing, I'm relieved; Wuji, after we return home, please be sure to thank your mother for me. It's just a pity I will never have the chance to personally visit the Gao residence..."
With everything settled, the knot in Madam Dou's heart, which had been accumulating for many days, was finally untied.
She let out a long sigh, closed her eyes, leaned on Changsun Qingjing's shoulder, and let out even, gentle breaths.
Changsun Wuji took his leave and happened to meet his friend, who was being held back by a maid, outside Madam Dou's bedroom.
"I've troubled you, farewell." He gently patted Li Shimin's shoulder, looked up, and walked away, trying to hold back his tears.
As night fell, snow began to fall intermittently over Zhongnan Mountain.
At first, there were only scattered, dry salt grains; in a short while, they turned into a sky full of flying willow catkins.
These fragments of jade flowers recreated a world, smoothing out all darkness and sharp edges with light and roundness.
The maid added more charcoal to the dryer, while Li Shimin and Changsun Qingjing kept Lady Dou company as she slept.
"I heard a rustling sound." As if receiving some kind of premonition, Madam Dou was jolted awake from her dream. She couldn't help but sit up.
"Mother, it's snowing." Changsun Qingjing tested the temperature of the hand warmer and placed it next to Madam Dou.
Changsun Qingjing dragged Li Shimin to the winter plum tree in the central courtyard. The young maids also began to gather in the courtyard, looking up at the falling snow and pointing excitedly. The snow fell softly, like flying catkins and jade.
Only Li Shimin stood there, bewildered and out of place amidst the snow and the people around him. Changsun Qingjing secretly crept up behind him, tiptoed, and pulled down a plum branch, pouring all the accumulated snowflakes onto his hair, neck, and shoulders.
Li Shimin frowned, preparing to brush the snowflakes from his head. Suddenly, Changsun Qingjing leaped in front of him: "Wait, don't brush them off! Let me see what you'll look like when you're fifty!"
"Naughty!" He stood quietly with his hands at his sides, letting Changsun Qingjing look at him to his heart's content.
When his eyes caught sight of the plum branch above his wife's head, which was almost bent over by the weight of snow, Li Shimin suddenly had a whimsical idea and reached out to grab it.
Knowing that Li Shimin also wanted to play this prank, Changsun Qingjing closed his eyes tightly and curled up his neck to wait for the first snow to fall.
"Just kidding!" Changsun Qingjing was lightly tapped on the forehead. "I don't want to see what you'll look like when you're old."
"snort!"
This scene was witnessed by Madam Dou, who was enjoying the snow in her bedroom.
“Erlang and Lady Changsun are a perfect match.” Li Yuan appeared at Lady Dou’s bedside at some point. He gently sat down beside his wife and held her withered hand. “Looking at them, you can’t help but think of your own youth, can you?”
There is a little, but you are not in the past. Madam Dou thought.
Her hand trembled slightly under his palm, but she did not pull it away.
"Tell me, where is the imperial envoy now?" This was the first topic his wife brought up since Li Yuan arrived at Cuiwei Villa.
For Li Yuan, the purpose of his wife's reconciliation with him was not important; reconciliation was reconciliation, and forgiveness was not categorized.
"What envoy?" Li Yuan asked.
"The imperial envoy who delivered the new edict... perhaps to be cautious, should be a secretary in the Secretariat?" Madam Dou said thoughtfully. "I'm thinking, the emperor really has no one else to rely on. After testing you for most of his life, it's time for him to stop. Guess whether he'll appoint you as the Right Valiant Guard General or the Pacification Ambassador of Shanxi this time?"
His expectations were fulfilled, and his promises came from the bottom of his heart; it's just that his luck might not be so good this time.
“Vitiha, I know you’ve been eavesdropping behind the screen.” Madam Dou raised her voice slightly with difficulty. “You and Qingjing come to my side.”
"Is there good news in the East?" Li Shimin walked around the screen and sat excitedly next to his parents. "We didn't eavesdrop. It's windy outside, so we had to come in."
Madam Dou beckoned her son to come closer: "Go and take care of the last few things for me tomorrow." She glanced at her eldest grandson, Qingjing, "When you go, Qingjing can take care of me."
Upon hearing the word "last," Li Yuan, Li Shimin, and Changsun Qingjing were terrified, unable to face the impending doom that Lady Dou had already foreseen.
"Go to Xiaoling Mausoleum and pay respects to my uncle on my behalf, telling him that Lady Hedouling will finally be reunited with him. On your return journey, go to Daxing and call all your brothers and sisters to the villa... No need for morning greetings tomorrow morning, set off before the morning bell rings..."
“Mother…” Li Shimin was speechless for a moment.
"Be careful when you come and go, the wind and snow are fierce." The loving mother instructed.
Everything is ready, waiting for the hurricane of fate to take everything away.
Author's Note: This will probably be another chapter where I find sweetness amidst hardship.
Fate played a cruel joke; neither Li Shimin nor Changsun Qingjing saw the other grow old.
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