Chapter Three
In the 13th year of Emperor Wencheng's reign, Emperor Wencheng was seriously ill. No matter who felt the emperor's pulse, they all shook their heads in fear.
Everyone knew that it was time for another change of dynasty.
Emperor Wencheng himself was not particularly strong in the womb, and was born prematurely. As he aged, he was prone to illness, unless he was healthy. This time, however, his condition was so severe that he needed to prepare for his funeral.
After all, this was the child he had watched grow up. Li Qingping sighed again and again when he heard the news and went back to the palace.
When the Imperial Noble Consort Dowager returned to the palace, the Empress, the Crown Princess and other ladies of honor personally welcomed her.
When Li Qingping was helped out of the carriage, he subconsciously looked up at this familiar yet unfamiliar palace city.
The palace was much the same as it had been during Emperor Wuzong's time, its walls red and tiles unchanged. But perhaps because he had been away for over a decade, Li Qingping felt as if he were in another world. The walls were so high, staying inside felt like a bird in a cage. But now, Li Qingping would no longer be trapped.
"aunt."
"Greetings, great aunt."
"Greetings to Her Majesty the Imperial Concubine."
The voices of greetings and reverences rang out one by one. Li Qingping looked in the direction of the voices. There was a huge crowd of people, and the first person she saw was Empress Sun.
Empress Sun was the Crown Prince's Consort personally chosen by Empress Xiaoshu Renxie. From Crown Prince's Consort to Crown Princess Consort and now to the position of Empress, Empress Sun rarely made any mistakes over the years and was recognized as a virtuous queen by both the previous dynasty and the harem.
Now she was nearly sixty years old and her hair was white. Li Qingping looked at her but did not see much life in her eyes.
Li Qingping had understood from the time of Empress Xiaoshu Renxie that it was impossible to live a vibrant life under the weight of such a reputation for virtue. However, it was a path that she had chosen, so Li Qingping was not in a position to elaborate further.
"The emperor was so happy last night when he learned that you were coming to the palace that he drank half a bowl of porridge." Empress Sun stepped forward to support her and said with a smile.
Li Qingping said softly, "It's a good thing that you can eat now."
Empress Sun nodded in agreement: "The imperial physician said the same thing."
"Imperial Physician... speaking of this," Li Qingping continued walking, patting her hand and asking, "Did the Imperial Physician tell us... how much time the Emperor has left?"
Empress Sun's expression froze, a bitter taste welling up in her mouth: "It'll only be a matter of two or three days."
Li Qingping paused for a while and said he understood.
Emperor Wencheng had been in a deep sleep recently. Li Qingping first went to Kangshou Palace to sit for a while. After sitting there for a few hours, he realized that the day had passed.
It seems that Emperor Wencheng did not wake up today, otherwise he would not have seen her.
Li Qingping waited until the palace maid came to report the next day before she got up and went to the Qianqing Palace.
"……aunt."
Emperor Wencheng leaned back on the couch, looking at Li Qingping who was walking slowly towards him, and raised the corners of his mouth with difficulty: "I seem to be older than you."
Li Qingping sat down in front of the couch, raised his hand to tuck the corner of the quilt for him, and said in a voice as light as a feather: "What nonsense are you talking about? After all, I am your elder by more than ten years."
Emperor Wencheng smiled, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were as deep as ravines, as if they were carved by the years.
He looked at the ceiling and whispered, "I remember when I was little, I fell ill and happened to run into a palace banquet. My mother, despite her status as the Queen, had to go to the palace, and it was my aunt who stayed by my side, feeding me medicine spoonful by spoonful. At that time, Yuxi was just old enough to remember things, and she even secretly sulked."
From a very young age, Emperor Wencheng understood that since Empress Xiaoshu Renxue had failed to give him siblings from the same mother, the children born to his two aunts, who shared the same clan and lineage, were no different from his full siblings. These half-siblings and cousins were his natural blood allies and supporters. Therefore, Emperor Wencheng always showed tolerance and love for the children of Li Qingping and Concubine Kegui, and their close relationship remained even after the birth of the Fourteenth Prince, now Prince Rui, and Hehuang.
As if remembering the way his younger sister angrily suspected him of stealing their mother away, Emperor Wencheng's shoulders relaxed, filled with nostalgia, but he quickly sighed:
"Now at this age... you are at my bedside again, but Yuxi shouldn't be angry this time."
Li Qingping held his skinny hand, remembering what the imperial physician had said when he set foot on the ground to rest the day before: his pulse was weak, like a candle in the wind, which could go out at any time.
Her heart ached. Seeing her grown child come to this point, even if he wasn't her biological child, it still made Li Qingping sad. She felt incredibly distressed, but she didn't show it on her face. She simply said gently, "Your Majesty, you are blessed by heaven. Everything will be fine."
Emperor Wencheng smiled and shook his head, knowing full well his physical condition.
Emperor Wencheng's gaze shifted from the top of the tent to Li Qingping's hands, which were holding his. Although those hands were also covered with wrinkles, they held a reassuring warmth.
He gently held it back, his voice so low that it was almost drowned out by the sound of the burning candle outside: "Aunt, there is no need to comfort me. I know my own body better than anyone else." Emperor Wencheng had been drowsy these days, and could clearly feel the vitality in his body slipping away, like quicksand, no matter how hard he tried to grab it, it still dissipated through his fingers bit by bit.
"However, I have been in this position for over a decade, implementing new policies and maintaining stability both internally and externally. I have lived up to my father, the emperor, and my mother's expectations."
Li Qingping's fingertips trembled slightly. As people age, they become more sentimental. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he forced himself to hold them back. "You've done a great job. The people live and work in peace and contentment, and the court is stable. You're a little gentler and more responsible than your father was. Your father was a military general, so he's more ruthless than you. You've done an excellent job."
"But I still have regrets." Emperor Wencheng sighed softly, "I didn't allow the Crown Prince to study for a few more years, I didn't see Ling Cheng and Ling Qian build a business on their own, and I didn't... properly honor you and my aunt. And now I'm asking you to send your son off when you're old. This is truly unfilial."
When Li Qingping heard this, he felt warm and a little sad in his heart.
She echoed Emperor Wencheng's words, "The Crown Prince...is different than you were back then. He was born the Emperor's legitimate grandson. Although he wasn't directly crowned the Crown Prince, your father's attitude at the time was to train him to be the heir apparent. Even if he's a bit impatient, Your Majesty should trust the Crown Prince more."
"As for Ling Cheng and Ling Qian, I think these two children are more like their mother and grandmother than the Crown Prince. They both have very stable personalities. Even if they don't show it now, they will surely achieve great things in the future."
"Besides, your aunt and I... Look at you, you're still thinking about this at this time. Your aunt and I are already living a good life now. We both have children, and they will naturally be filial to us. As for your so-called unfilial behavior, what's the problem? That's not the case."
"Okay, okay... I feel guilty about walking before my elders."
"Crown Prince..." Emperor Wencheng knew his child well. He sighed deeply and lowered his voice. "Crown Prince's temperament is just like that. He's impatient and not calm enough, but he's also not decisive enough. He's prone to self-doubt. If there's anything he can't make up his mind about in the future, he'll be easily swayed. I really can't be at ease."
"Ling Cheng and Ling Qian are still young, and with me and the Crown Prince at the forefront, they've been raised to be a bit unruly. Even after getting married, they haven't settled down. As the legitimate sons of the Eastern Palace, the responsibilities they'll shoulder will only grow heavier. I wonder when they'll grow up."
When people are about to leave, they always have so many things to worry about, and they cannot close their eyes in peace until they have explained everything.
"So... I left an imperial edict in the Palace of Heavenly Purity."
Li Qingping raised his eyes and subconsciously tightened his fingers, but Emperor Wencheng seemed not to notice and continued talking to himself.
"I... have appointed Prince Hua Hexuan, Princess Long'an's consort and commander of the Imperial Guard Zhou Tiansheng, Wenyuan Pavilion Grand Secretary and Grand Tutor Wan Changqing, and Dai Guangmin and Wang Bi, the two left and right prime ministers, as regents. These five will assist the new emperor after my passing."
Li Qingping's heart was shocked.
She knew why Emperor Wencheng had specifically mentioned this to her. Of the five regents, Prince Hua and Prince Xuan were her biological sons, while Prince Consort Zhou Tiansheng was her son-in-law. Both of them had close ties to her.
Li Qingping loosened her grip on Emperor Wencheng's hand and tried to step back and kneel, but he was quick to react. With a wink, the eunuch beside him hurried forward to support the Imperial Concubine. After a long stalemate, Li Qingping looked into Emperor Wencheng's calm eyes, sighed, and sat back down.
Seeing this, Emperor Wencheng started to laugh again: "How can I bear your kneeling?" He said: "If I really let you kneel, I will be whipped with a cane when I see my mother later."
"Your Majesty, what can I say..." Li Qingping's voice was a little hoarse. She looked at Emperor Wencheng's pale and withered face, and for a moment she didn't know what to say. This trust was too heavy, so heavy that even someone who had lived for so long was at a loss.
Her fingertips touched the raised joints on the back of his hand, and something weighed heavily on her heart. How could she not understand Emperor Wencheng's intentions? Including He Xuan and Zhou Tiansheng as regents was a sign of trust in her family's loyalty, but also a desire to use her influence to balance the other forces at court, thus creating a stable environment for the crown prince and the future emperor.
Emperor Wencheng seemed to see through her thoughts and gently patted the back of her hand. His breath was weak but his tone was firm: "Aunt, I know that doing this will put you and the children in the spotlight. But I have thought about it for a long time, and among my brothers, no one is more suitable than He Xuan."
Prince Dun and Prince Xian were brought up to be indifferent to everything. They have the ability but are lazy to do it; Prince Yong and Prince Yun are easily impulsive; Prince Xin and Prince Xuan are too ambitious; Prince Shun and Prince Zheng are nerds; Prince Kang and Prince Chang are in poor health and are absent-minded in attending court; the remaining four, He Xu, He Qing, He Wei and He Heng, are still lacking in ability.
After Prince Gong and Prince Yan passed away, Emperor Wencheng became the eldest brother. Having served as Crown Prince and Emperor for so many years, he had a clear understanding of his brothers and ministers. "He Yan is calm and steady, and Zhou Tiansheng controls the imperial guards. With them around, they can not only help the Crown Prince stabilize the capital, but also contain those who want to take advantage of the opportunity to cause chaos. Grand Tutor Wan Changqing, Prime Minister Dai, and Prime Minister Wang are all veteran ministers who have been in the officialdom for many years. They are loyal but have different stances. With your lineage mediating between them, they can truly unite as a team and assist the Crown Prince in his initial path."
Li Qingping lowered her eyes, gazing at the bright yellow quilt embroidered with dragons. Past images flooded through her mind. He Xuan, as a child, reciting lessons on her lap. Yu Xi, with her hair in a bun, smiled as she carried Zhou Tiansheng back to the palace. And then there was the scene when Emperor Wencheng, as Crown Prince, paid her respects in Yonghe Palace. These once innocent children had, long ago, become the ones shouldering the heavy responsibility of their country.
"Your Majesty, rest assured," Li Qingping slowly raised his eyes, his gaze more resolute. "He Xuan and Tian Sheng are both children who understand the importance of things and will not let your Majesty down. I will also remind them from time to time that assisting in the government is for the stability of the Great Qi, not for their own power."
"The Crown Prince is a sensible child. With the assistance of the court officials and the regents you have appointed, he will surely be able to stabilize the court. As for Ling Cheng and Ling Qian, I will also give the Crown Princess some advice so that these two children can settle down as soon as possible."
"I'm relieved to hear your words, aunt." Emperor Wencheng smiled with relief, but his eyes gradually became distracted. "I've also left a message. When the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he will honor you as 'Grand Imperial Noble Consort' and my aunt as 'Grand Imperial Noble Consort Ke' according to custom. We've gone through three dynasties, and we'll soon be welcoming the fourth. No one should be disrespectful to you."
Li Qingping smiled bitterly and said, "No one dares to be disrespectful anymore."
Emperor Wencheng seemed relieved, leaning back on the couch and resting for a moment. When he opened his eyes again, they were a little more tired, but also a little more relieved. "After I'm gone, don't make the Crown Prince and his family too sad. After they've cried their last tears at the funeral, it's time to return to the court. Children of an emperor must learn to endure separation before they can shoulder the responsibility of the country."
Li Qingping patted his hand gently: "I know."
Emperor Wencheng's voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible: "Aunt, I want to sleep for a while. Can you accompany me? It seems like I haven't heard the sound of folk songs while resting for a long time..."
Li Qingping was stunned for a moment, then he hummed the tune that Empress Xiaoshu Renxie often sang in the past.
Emperor Wencheng closed his eyes, and his breathing gradually calmed down. Li Qingping sat beside the couch, looking at his unrecognizable face, and thinking about how he had looked since childhood.
From a babbling child, to a high-spirited prince, and now to an aging emperor, so many years have passed in the blink of an eye.
Outside the tent, the sun gradually shone westward, streaming through the window lattice onto the couch, casting a gentle glow on Emperor Wencheng's face. Li Qingping sat beside the couch, humming a tune, his voice becoming softer and softer, as if he was afraid to disturb his dreams, but also wanted to quietly accompany him through these final moments.
After an unknown amount of time, Emperor Wencheng suddenly opened his eyes, looked at Li Qingping, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "Aunt, I seem to...see the Queen Mother. She is calling me and waving to me..."
Li Qingping couldn't hold back her tears. She held Emperor Wencheng's hand tightly, her voice choked with sobs. Although she was reluctant, she chose to speak and said, "Go. Don't make your mother wait anxiously."
Emperor Wencheng's eyes slowly closed, and his hands gradually lost strength and fell on the couch.
"The Emperor... has passed away."
The suppressed crying of the eunuchs was heard outside the palace. Empress Sun and the Crown Prince hurried over and burst into tears when they saw the scene.
Li Qingping stood up and looked at Emperor Wencheng lying peacefully on the couch. Suddenly, he blinked and raised his chin to ask softly, "Sister, have you picked up He Luo over there? When can you come to pick us up..."
The cries of Empress Sun, the Crown Prince and others were deafening.
Li Qingping stood for a moment, then walked over to the crown prince and gently patted his shoulder. "Good boy, don't cry. Your father passed away peacefully. You must cheer up. It's up to you to hold up the Great Qi Kingdom from now on. Don't let him down."
The prince nodded vigorously, wiped his tears, and straightened his spine. Li Qingping looked at his resolute back, then looked at Emperor Wencheng lying on the soft couch, and sighed softly.
This palace city has seen off another emperor and is about to usher in a new beginning.
As they left the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the sun was setting, tinting the red walls and yellow tiles of the palace a warm red. Li Qingping glanced back at the familiar palace, then turned and left with a slow pace.
A month later, the crown prince ascended the throne.
The crown prince was granted the title of Prince Hui during the reign of Emperor Wuzong. Now the reign title of his accession to the throne is "Hui Zheng", and the next year will be the year of Hui Zheng.
After Emperor Huizheng ascended the throne, he decided to give Emperor Wencheng the temple name of the Sixth Emperor Renzong of the Great Qi Dynasty.
Renzong...
At that time, Li Qingping was sitting by the window making tea, and was stunned when he heard the news.
Steam from the teacup rose, blurring Li Qingping's eyes. She raised her hand and brushed it, her fingertips touching the cool window frame. Only then did she realize that the leaves outside had fallen, leaving only bare branches pointing towards the gray sky.
"Renzong..." She repeated the temple name softly, her tone filled with melancholy. "For these thirteen years, he truly lived up to the name 'Ren'."
From Emperor Wenzong, Emperor Wuzong to the current Emperor Renzong, Li Qingping has seen off three emperors.
During the reign of Emperor Wenzong, Li Qingping was sending off an insignificant stranger, and at most he felt a sense of emotion and joy at the impending change of identity.
When Emperor Wuzong came to power, Li Qingping, as his woman, had followed him since the 17th year of Xianshun. Their friendship had lasted for nearly 50 years. Despite the hatred and resentment in the last 10 years, things finally returned to peace, which also made Li Qingping feel relieved.
Now, Renzong, Li Qingping still remembers the little baby he held in his arms shortly after it was born. It was so soft and so thin. When Li Qingping held it for the first time, he didn't even dare to use too much force.
Now that Emperor Renzong had passed away, and Empress Xiaoshu Renxue's legacy was fading, Li Qingping once again felt clearly that he had lived for so long.
It has been so long that I have been involved in farewells again and again, and there are fewer and fewer old people around me.
It was so long that even she couldn't count how many old people had left and how many new faces had come.
Yun Su walked in with some freshly warmed ginseng tea. Seeing Li Qingping gazing out the window in a daze, she said softly, "Master, have a cup of ginseng tea to warm yourself up."
Li Qingping took the teacup, and the warmth on her fingertips brought her back to her senses. She looked at the ginseng slices floating in the cup and suddenly smiled. "I remember when I first entered the palace, I couldn't even get used to ginseng tea. It tasted like medicine, and I always had to pinch my nose to drink it. Now, I feel cold all over if I don't drink it for a day."
"That's right," Yun Su also sighed, "The master was only in his teens back then. If she hadn't received the imperial decree to enter the palace, she would probably still be an unmarried girl. Now, in the blink of an eye, you have become my great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother."
Li Qingping nodded, looked at Yunsu's white hair, and said softly: "You are old too. You are an old lady like me."
Yun Su smiled faintly: "I have been serving you since I was little, and I am not much older than you. If I am not an old lady, then I am a monster. I don't want to be a monster."
"That's the truth." Li Qingping also smiled and his eyes drifted out the window again.
She recalled the days in Prince Xuan's mansion, when Empress Xiaoshu Renque was still only the Princess Consort, and she and Qingyan were part of the dowry. The three of them often dined and chatted together, and Empress Renque had said that from now on, the three sisters would be together forever. But now, the Empress was gone, Wuzong was gone, and Emperor Wencheng was gone too, leaving only Qingyan and herself, guarding those fragmented memories.
Thinking of Empress Xiaoshu Renxie, Li Qingping was silent for a moment.
"When Renzong left, he said he had seen Empress Xiaoshu Renque." Li Qingping finished his ginseng tea and let out a long sigh. "Before she left, Empress Renque urged Renzong to be calm and cautious, and this boy has remembered this for over a decade. He reduced taxes, comforted refugees, and redressed the wronged old ministers. These are all tangible achievements. He took every step with dignity and without impatience, leaving no room for criticism."
Yun Su listened silently at the side.
"...He simply passed away too soon." Li Qingping lowered his eyes to look at the pine and crane longevity patterns embroidered on his clothes and closed them. "He was only in his fifties. If he were in better health, at my age, he could have been emperor for a few more years and watched over the Great Qi for a few more years."
Yun Su comforted him, "Birth, aging, sickness, and death are all human nature. Master, please accept my condolences."
Li Qingping said with a helpless smile, "He's old, and he just can't bear to see the younger generation go first. He must be feeling bad."
On that day, Li Qingping fell seriously ill, which was rare.
Very, very sick.
Li Qingping is almost eighty years old. At this time and age, he may never recover from this disease.
Li Qingping's illness came on suddenly and violently. He'd drunk half a bowl of porridge that night, and nothing unusual had happened. But the next morning, he couldn't get out of bed. He was burning hot all over, and he couldn't even open his eyes. Yun Su and the others who attended to him were extremely frantic. They sent for the imperial physician while simultaneously dispatching a horse to notify He Xuan, Yu Xi, and the others.
They went to the palace to invite the imperial physician, so the palace naturally knew about it. When they heard about it, Sun, who was already honored as the Empress Dowager at that time, was so frightened that she fell off the throne. When she came to her senses, she wanted to leave the palace to visit.
Emperor Huizheng also hurried over, but was stopped at the palace gate.
If it were someone else, Emperor Huizheng and the others would definitely not care, but it was Princess Mingjing Yujin who stopped them.
"Big sister."
"aunt."
Yu Jin was over sixty years old at this time, but his back was still straight, and he could even ride a horse and look down at Empress Dowager Sun and Emperor Huizheng from horseback.
"Go back," she said.
"When you first ascend the throne, you shouldn't go anywhere except the palace."
After saying this, Yu Jin turned his horse around and left in a hurry, as if just to give a reminder.
Empress Dowager Sun and Emperor Huizheng looked at each other, not knowing what to do.
When Emperor Renzong was alive, he valued the Imperial Noble Consort Dowager very much, which was why they wanted to leave the palace to visit her, but now...
That's all.
No one else knew what they were thinking, but Prince Hua's mansion was in a panic at first.
He Xuan received the news right after leaving court. Without even having time to change into court clothes, he hurried back. As soon as he entered Songshou Hall, he went straight to the inner chamber: "Mother! Mother, how are you?"
Li Qingping on the couch was as pale as paper and breathing weakly. He could clearly hear He Xuan's voice, but he couldn't open his eyes.
He Xuan immediately knelt in front of the couch, holding Li Qingping's hand and pressing it against his forehead. Without saying another word, his body was shaking violently, as if he was going to faint in the next second.
The imperial physician arrived quickly, frowning as he took He Xuan's pulse. Afterward, he pulled He Xuan out of the room and whispered, "Your Highness, the Grand Empress Dowager is advanced in age. This time, she seems to be suffering from a heart attack. Her pulse is very weak. I can perform acupuncture and moxibustion. Whether she can survive depends on the next few days. But if I can't cure her heart attack, even if she does... her time is running out."
He Xuan's heart sank, and his eyes instantly turned red: "No matter what method you use, you must save the life of the Grand Empress Dowager!"
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. We will do our best."
After the imperial physician performed acupuncture on Li Qingping, he slowly woke up. The imperial physician wrote a prescription and warned, "Let the old lady rest well during this period. Don't let her worry too much, and eat a light diet."
Yuxi, Yujin and Hechang also rushed over quickly. Seeing Li Qingping lying on the couch with so much energy and spirit in just half a day, they couldn't help but tear up.
Yuxi sat beside the couch, holding Li Qingping's hand, her voice choked with sobs: "Mother, please don't scare us. If you have something on your mind, please don't keep it to yourself. Talk to us."
But Li Qingping couldn't answer her.
Later, even Yulang Ping'an and the children of Huang came.
He Huang, in particular, was no less heartbroken than his biological children, He Xiao. When Empress Xiaoshu Renxue passed away, he was still a child, and his mother personally entrusted him to Yonghe Palace. Before his wedding, besides the prince's residence, He Huang's most frequent visitor center was Yonghe Palace. In his heart, Li Qingping was no different from a second mother.
Li Qingping looked at the children gathered around the bed, feeling both warm and sad in his heart. He wanted to raise his hand to touch their heads, but he didn't even have the strength to do so. He could only blink gently as a response.
In fact, she didn't know that she was hiding something in her heart, so much so that she even fell ill.
When Consort Dowager Ke received the news, she was admiring the flowers in the garden of Prince Dun's mansion. When she heard that Li Qingping was seriously ill, the teacup in her hand fell to the ground with a clang.
In fact, no one wanted her to know. Concubine Ke was not much older than Li Qingping. One of them was already sick. If another one fell ill due to the stimulation, it would be a real chaos.
But no matter how much she planned, she never expected that the Imperial Noble Concubine Dowager Ke would actually ask the palace maid to get the medicine in advance.
Ever since returning to the capital from the imperial farm, Consort Ke had been suffering from persistent headaches. Emperor Renzong had granted her permission to fetch medicine from the Imperial Hospital twice a month. Perhaps due to her age or perhaps just a few days of being exposed to the wind, Consort Ke felt unwell and had her maids fetch medicine in advance.
The maid had only recently begun serving the Imperial Noble Consort Ke. She had a small, round face and a low profile. Before she even entered the Imperial Hospital, she saw several imperial physicians hurriedly leaving the palace, carrying their medicine boxes on their backs. Upon closer inspection, she saw that the servants leading the way were actually from Prince Hua's mansion.
The one who was sick with such a big scene must not be an ordinary master. At least it had to be Prince Hua and Xu. Even Prince Hua’s wife was not qualified. After the palace maid returned, she immediately told Concubine Ke.
Grand Imperial Consort Ke immediately summoned Prince Dun and He Xian and asked them, "What happened at your fifth brother's house? Why did you call several imperial physicians at once? Who is in trouble?"
His mother's gaze was sharp. He Xian originally insisted that everything was fine, but Concubine Ke immediately broke the flower branch and said, "I want to ask you, is there something wrong with your sister?"
"That's my sister! Why did you hide it from me?" The old lady's voice was sharp, she burst into tears and almost collapsed: "That's my sister! The sister who grew up with me for seventy-seven years! Why did you hide it from me!"
He Xianjian could not hide the secret any more, so he had to quickly have someone prepare a car and rush to Prince Hua's mansion.
As soon as Consort Ke entered the inner room and saw Li Qingping's appearance, she couldn't help crying again: "Sister! Please don't abandon me! What should I do if anything happens to you?"
She already lost one sister, she doesn't want to lose another one.
When Li Qingping heard her voice, the corners of his mouth barely curled up a little: "Why are you crying... I'm not dead yet..."
"You still say that!" Imperial Noble Consort Ke couldn't stop crying and threw herself on the bed, refusing to leave. "Don't worry, I will stay here with you until you get better."
In the days that followed, Grand Imperial Noble Consort Ke stayed in Songshou Hall, never leaving, refusing to listen to anyone's advice. Princess Hua had the neighboring room cleared out and let the old lady live there. Grand Imperial Noble Consort Ke personally fed Li Qingping medicine and wiped his body every day, and she couldn't sleep well at night, getting up every hour to check on Li Qingping.
Li Qingping's condition was sometimes better and sometimes worse. When he was feeling better, he could drink half a bowl of porridge and even talk a few words to Concubine Ke.
One day, when she was feeling well, Grand Imperial Concubine Ke asked her, "Sister, what are you thinking about?"
"I don't know." Li Qingping was stunned for a while, then suddenly looked at the top of the tent and smiled, "Maybe I've lived too long and let my imagination run wild, and I've tired myself out."
"Then don't let your imagination run wild." Imperial Noble Consort Ke held her hand and said, "We two old ladies should just eat and drink, and don't think about anything else."
"...Okay." Li Qingping nodded.
When Li Qingping was in a bad state, she would fall into a deep sleep and could not even recognize people. Once, in a daze, she mistook Consort Ke for Empress Xiaoshu Renxie, and took her hand and said, "Sister, why did you come so late... I missed you so much..."
He mistook Hezhe for Wuzong and said, "Your Majesty...you came to see me too?"
Tears suddenly fell from the eyes of Consort Ke, and she choked and said, "Sister, please really, really don't scare me."
He Xuan's hands also trembled, and he could hardly hold his expression.
But fortunately, every time Li Qingping fell asleep quickly, Concubine Ke would carefully check her breathing, and her breathing was so clear that it comforted her heart a little.
As the days passed, Li Qingping's condition finally improved.
When she woke up that day, the sunlight was shining through the blinds onto the couch, making Li Qingping, who had been lying there for a long time, feel a sense of nostalgia.
Imperial Noble Consort Ke was sitting by the bed, killing time by weaving a peace knot. When she saw her wake up, she immediately dropped her work and came over to ask, "Sister, are you awake? How are you feeling now? Are you thirsty? Do you want someone to bring some porridge?"
"Take a breath and talk later." Li Qingping looked at the dark circles under her eyes, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry for making you suffer."
"What's tiring about?" The Imperial Concubine Ke said with red eyes: "If I were sick, my sister would take care of me like this."
"That's true." Li Qingping felt a little better and thought about moving. She looked out the window and smiled, "Spring seems to have arrived early this year. Let's go out and bask in the sun."
"Okay." Imperial Noble Consort Ke followed her gaze and hurriedly had people prepare. While doing so, she said to Li Qingping, "The crabapples and peonies in the garden are doing well. The garden manager wrote yesterday saying that the buds are hanging there. They should be blooming in a few days."
Li Qingping nodded and said with a smile, "Then when I'm better, let's go to the garden together to enjoy the crabapples and peonies, okay?"
"Okay." Imperial Noble Consort Ke said everything was fine. Furthermore, since Li Qingping had recovered from his illness, she felt relieved and smiled. "Then we can enjoy the flowers, drink tea, and chat together like before. It'll be a lively occasion."
Li Qingping looked at her smiling face, and the last bit of depression in his heart finally dissipated.
She has lived for such a long time and has seen many old friends pass away, but there are still some people among the living who she doesn't care about at all.
When the children learned that Li Qingping had recovered from his illness and was in the mood to go out to the yard to bask in the sun, they all came to his house.
"Were you scared before?"
Li Qingping looked around and saw that everyone had lost weight. It was obvious that they had been having trouble sleeping and eating recently. "I'm fine now, so please don't ruin your health again."
A group of children, about fifty or sixty in number, gathered around her knees, nodding their heads incessantly, but with red eyes, they didn't want to miss a single move of hers, fearing it was just an illusion.
He Chang stood aside, his usual playful expression gone, and his tone was particularly serious: "Mother, please stop letting your imagination run wild. If you feel bored, I'll bring my parrot to entertain you every day, or take you for a walk in the garden. Whatever you want to do, I'll be there with you."
The child now likes to keep parrots. Li Qingping quickly waved his hand and said, "Forget about the previous one. Your birds are making so much noise that they disturb my peace and quiet. They will only shorten my life by a few years."
"Mother, you really scared us this time." Yuxi pressed her handkerchief against the corners of her eyes, her voice hoarse, "We would rather shorten our own lives than not live a hundred years longer."
Li Qingping was amused by this scene and laughed out loud, but at the same time, he felt very distressed. He raised his hand and knocked on their foreheads one by one: "What nonsense!"
She added, "You should be more open-minded. I've lived for almost eighty years, which is a long life to be honest. If you make it through, we'll continue living. If you don't, we still have to prepare for our funeral, right? You guys, on the other hand, are torturing yourselves. If I really don't make it through, do you want me to worry about it in the underworld?"
Yu Jin and the others blustered, "...What are you talking about?"
Old lady Li Qingping said frankly, "To be honest, I hadn't prepared anything before. But after getting sick today and having a near-death experience, I should have started preparing for some things. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are inevitable for everyone."
Imperial Noble Consort Ke also chimed in, "That's right. Let me tell you, when we're buried, all the burial objects must be precious and beautiful, and the burial clothes must be the finest. We'll be the richest and most beautiful sisters in the underworld."
The children couldn't argue with the two old ladies. In fact, I knew this was the truth, but it was still hard to accept emotionally.
But now it seemed that Li Qingping had recovered from his illness and still had some years to live, so they gradually began to smile.
"Alright, alright, stop standing around in front of me. I don't expect the trees to bloom right away. Bring over a few of those crabapples and peonies in the pots warm and carefully cared for in the greenhouse so I can see their colors. Just smelling the flowers is more effective than drinking ten bowls of medicine."
The decocted medicine was brought over. Li Qingping held the bowl and drank it all in one gulp, feeling the bitter taste in his mouth. He ordered the child around like this.
The children responded quickly and filed out, their steps lighter than usual.
The sound came from outside, and from the sound, one could probably tell that the brothers were responsible for moving the bonsai, while the sisters were picking and choosing on the side.
"This pot is not good. Why is one of the twin flowers so small? It's a bad omen!"
"That pot over there is great, so bright and red! Hexuan, come and move it!"
Occasionally, the trembling voices of servants could be heard: "Prince, Princess, let us take care of the work. Don't tire yourself out!"
Li Qingping and Consort Ke looked at each other and smiled helplessly.
Soon, a dozen pots of beautifully blooming flowers were moved to the courtyard of Songshou Hall. The grandparents, who were all grandfathers, were now trying to take credit for it.
He Xuan wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead and said to Li Qingping with a smile, "Mother, look at this pot of flowers. They are big and bright, and the colors are bright. If you put them here, you will definitely feel happy looking at them every day."
As he spoke, he carefully placed the pot of flowers in the best sight possible for Li Qingping.
Yuxi also hurried over and took the opportunity to complain, pointing to another pot of crabapples and saying, "Mother, there's this one too. I picked it out. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it! The petals are layered on top of each other, so beautiful! That brat Hechang even said I didn't choose well! And the fragrance of this flower is so strong, can't you smell it?"
Li Qingping leaned in and sniffed, his face full of satisfaction as he smiled and said, "Well, it does smell good. Looking at these beautiful flowers, I feel like my energy has returned a lot."
Yuxi immediately looked at Hechang proudly.
He Chang: "..." He stubbornly said, "Sister is right, but my mother has just recovered from her illness, so she can't be dazzled by this fiery red color. It's too dazzling, it makes me uncomfortable just looking at it."
When everyone heard this, they all laughed.
Li Qingping was also amused and laughed non-stop. She gave He Chang a feigned scowl and said, "You're such a talker, you even make fun of the crabapple blossoms. But these flowers are really beautiful. Put some over here so I can take a good look."
Several other children also introduced the flowers they had brought or picked. One said the colors were beautiful, and another said the shapes were unique. For a while, the yard was very lively.
At first, Li Qingping was just watching and smelling this flower and that pot, but then he simply turned his head and said to Concubine Ke, "They should let their husbands, wives, children, grandchildren, etc. come and see it. They are all making so much noise."
"Mother!"
"aunt!"
Li Qingping couldn't help but smile. She leaned back on the couch, pretending not to hear anything, but she couldn't stand the children chattering beside her.
"Alright, alright." Li Qingping tapped each of their foreheads with his round fan. "Get ready! Let's enjoy the flowers in the courtyard while we eat today!"
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