Li Xiaoman
[My dear, although the white horse is young
Phoenix candles and red gauze will accompany you for the rest of your life
My dear, the stars are around you on your way home.
The beauty in red makeup is worthy of your invitation]
The weather in August changes suddenly. There is still some sunshine in the morning, but the sky in Sizhou becomes increasingly gloomy near noon. If it were not for the hot and stuffy air, one would have thought it was winter.
People were coming in and out of the Fang Mansion's grand entrance. Large white lanterns were hung on both sides of the door, and the plaque was covered with white cloth. The whole mansion was filled with grief.
Yu Cuizhi, dressed in white, held her mother's arm, who looked dazed, and dragged her younger brother slowly towards the Fang family.
"Mom, it's Butler Mu." Yu Cuizhi pulled her mother's elbow and reminded her, subconsciously holding her younger brother's chubby hand.
Aunt Yu quickly adjusted her expression, revealing a look of sorrow. Her eyes quickly turned red. She let go of her daughter's hand and went forward, "Butler Mu... let's burn incense for Xiao Man... Woo woo, my poor child, for us mother and child..."
"Aunt Yu, I'm so sorry... This is Xiao Niu, right?" Butler Mu bowed respectfully. His face was pale from days of toil, and his weary eyes softened as he saw the child staring blankly back at him. "That's wonderful! I'm sure the young mistress would be relieved if she knew."
Aunt Yu wiped her eyes sadly, grabbed the little boy and went inside. Yu Cuizhi bowed deeply to Butler Mu and whispered, "Butler Mu, let's go see Sister Xiaoman first."
Steward Mu smiled and nodded, then sighed as he gazed at the backs of the mother and child. The Fang family's young master was supposed to be getting married in a few days, but a few days ago, the soon-to-be-married young mistress of the Fang family encountered startled horses in a busy city while on duty. Several constables were on the scene, but they couldn't stop the three sturdy horses. One of the constables, trying to protect the mother and child, was struck by a horse's head and sent flying, injuring his head in the fall... He died a few hours later.
And this constable was none other than the bride-to-be, Li Xiaoman.
The Fang family's happy event turned into a sad one, and Fang Jingsheng, the eldest son of the Fang family, who had been full of expectations, would never wait for his beloved wife of many years. Thinking of the distraught figure in the mourning hall, the butler Mu, who was almost 70 years old, could not help but sigh that things did not always go as he wished.
The atmosphere in the mourning hall was oppressive and gloomy. Aunt Yu brought her children to burn incense and offer a few words of comfort, but the man seemed to have not heard anything. Instead, when he looked at Xiao Niu, his eyes were gloomy and dark, which frightened Aunt Yu so much that she quickly said goodbye and left with her children.
"Isn't Constable Li married yet? Why is the funeral being held at the Fang Mansion?" On the way out, several people dressed as constables were secretly discussing.
"I heard that the eldest son of the Fang family is so infatuated that he has decided that Constable Li is his first wife and wants to bury her in the Fang family's ancestral tomb."
"It's a good thing that it's Mr. Fang. If it were any other family, how could they allow it?"
"Alas, Constable Li is such a good and capable man, why did he become someone else's scapegoat..."
"Don't talk nonsense," someone said, spotting Aunt Yu and her family. They hurriedly stopped their colleagues from talking nonsense. "No one wanted this to happen. Constable Li died for the people... Sigh."
By the end, the man didn't know what to say. Although Li Xiaoman was a woman, she had been with them through thick and thin, fighting side by side for years. And yet, she died saving others... Thinking about themselves, they didn't know they could do the same. Now, they couldn't even feel sorry for her, which made them even sadder.
Only when the eyesore of the constables' uniforms was completely out of sight, save for the gates of the Fang residence, did Aunt Yu curl her lips, a hint of disapproval between her brows. "He's just a constable, and he needs the whole city to mourn him? How pretentious! That Young Master Fang even forced Doctor Chen's daughter to stay home for days."
Wasn’t it that the girl couldn’t bear it that day and knocked him out to stop him from committing suicide?
"Mom!" Yu Cuizhi's eyes were red with tears when she saw Xiaoman's coffin in the mourning hall. Her voice was hoarse now. "Sister Xiaoman died saving others. We all came here voluntarily to pay our respects. That girl also went out of town to see a doctor. What nonsense are you talking about?"
Yu Cuizhi's father was also a constable. Li Xiaoman was cheerful yet delicate, and she had always had a very good relationship with her, a peer of her age. She also doted on her younger brother, Xiaoniu. It was for this reason that, upon seeing them that day, Li Xiaoman had rushed forward without hesitation to catch the charging horse.
"You're going to die! How dare you yell at me!" Aunt Yu had heard a lot of pity for Xiao Man these past few days, as if they deserved to die. She had long been filled with resentment. "She did the right thing by saving us, and we're very grateful. What else do you want? Give your brother to the Li and Fang families? Is it my fault that she's unlucky enough not to become a young lady?"
"Mom!" Yu Cuizhi didn't expect her mother to say that, and she screamed in anger.
"That's enough!" Constable Yu hurried out and grabbed his wife. He had just been talking with Constable Li in the front yard, and his face changed when he heard this. He hurried out and scolded, "Xiao Man's seventh day hasn't even passed yet, and you're so ungrateful?"
Aunt Yu was stunned by the scolding. In her anger, she cursed like a broken plate, "Am I ungrateful? Is it our fault that she died? Your son and I are also victims! If you are really that powerful, why don't you arrest that horse-scaring merchant? Is it any use for you to just scold us? Can Xiaoman come back..."
The angry scolding suddenly stopped when she saw the person coming out of the door. Aunt Yu rubbed her hands in embarrassment and shame. The more she thought about it, the more guilty she felt. She sobbed and sobbed. Who wouldn't love that obedient and capable girl? She was just talking nonsense because people kept accusing her of killing Xiao Man.
Yu Cuizhi pulled her younger brother over and bowed respectfully to the man. "Uncle Li...my mother was just too heartbroken to say that. Sister Xiaoman is the best person, and we are all grateful to her."
Captain Li's eyes were bloodshot. He waved his hand wearily and helped the two children up. "Your mother is right. This isn't your fault... Xiao Man was able to save you, so it was worth it."
He was certainly heartbroken by his daughter's sudden death, but he had been mentally prepared since she decided to become a constable... He just didn't expect that after all this time, his daughter would be married, and she would have the happiness of an ordinary woman, a husband who loved her deeply, and they would have children, but in the end...
The hem of his clothes was gently pulled, and Captain Li lowered his head. Xiao Niu looked at him eagerly with his big round eyes, and his chubby hands hooked his big hands along the hem of his clothes.
"Uncle Li, when can I see Sister Xiaoman? I miss her. Mother said I can see her if I'm good."
Children don't remember much, he just knew he hadn't seen Sister Xiaoman in a few days. Just now, in the funeral hall, his mother had asked him to kneel down and talk to a wooden plaque, and she said it was Sister Xiaoman. He didn't know why Sister Xiaoman was a wooden plaque, or why there was a large wooden box... He just missed his sister; she hadn't brought him candy in a few days.
Captain Li took several deep breaths before swallowing his sobs. He patted his head and said, "Sister, she's gone to a faraway place on business. Xiao Niu, eat well. You'll be able to see her when you grow up."
When Aunt Yu heard this, she couldn't hold back her tears any longer. She had just said all those things out of madness. Xiao Man's mother had passed away long ago, and she had taken care of her as if she were her own child for many years. How could she not be heartbroken?
It’s all the fault of those Hu merchants. They dragged these wild horses into the city and couldn’t control them, harming both themselves and others!
Seeing this, Constable Yu quickly asked his daughter to help her back home. Looking at the backs of his wife and children, tears streamed down his face. His family's complete existence was bought with Xiao Man's life!
Captain Li patted his shoulder, speechless, and could only hurried back. The one who was most heartbroken after losing his daughter was the child who had waited for her for so many years. He should find an opportunity to persuade him. Master Fang had allowed Xiao Man to be buried in the ancestral tomb, but if the eldest son of the Fang family truly decided not to marry a second wife in his lifetime, how could he justify it?
He'll have to go back to the government office in a few days to report for leave. And that businessman, someone else was injured on the street that day and things were smashed, so they need to send someone to take inventory. Xiao Man is gone, so her work needs to be rearranged... The food I left for Xiao Man a few nights ago hasn't been thrown away yet...
After walking for a while, in a corner where no one was paying attention, Captain Li couldn't help but raise his hands to cover his eyes and sobbed softly.
After an unknown amount of time, a hand gently patted his shoulder and handed him a handkerchief.
Captain Li took it and wiped his face in embarrassment. His eyes softened when he saw the person in front of him. "Aruo girl, I'm sorry to make you laugh."
Looking at this father who couldn't even cry freely when he was sad, Aruo felt heartbroken. Her eyes reddened and she leaned over to hug the elder without regard for etiquette. "Uncle Li, I'm sorry. Don't worry, we will take care of Fang Jingsheng."
Startled by her embrace, Constable Li, who was always strict in his duties, felt a little flustered, but also clearly sensed her concern. He patted her back stiffly, "Thank you for coming back to give Xiaoman a ride. That child...please try to comfort her. Xiaoman...she doesn't want to see him like this."
Aruo nodded. She had just heard firsthand what the Yu family mother and son had done, and for a moment, she felt truly sorry for Xiaoman. But, those were two lives, something she couldn't do, so why would she question Xiaoman's decision?
Captain Li saw through her thoughts and patted her shoulder. "Xiao Man became a constable for the sake of the people of this city, didn't she? She... has no regrets."
Yes, that stubborn girl probably still thinks she’s getting a good deal by trading two for one.
When Aruo walked into the mourning hall, the first thing he saw was the huge black willow coffin that was large enough for two people to lie in. It was as tall as an adult's shoulder. The coffin had not been sealed yet. On both sides of the mourning hall were many offerings sent by the government.
Master Fang had been in poor health since being replaced, and it was only thanks to Doctor Xue that he was saved. Now, exhausted from days of toiling and socializing, he had been helped back to his room to rest. A wave of mourners had left, and the only people left to take charge of the funeral hall were Qin Zhi, who was helping with the arrangements, and Cai Xin, who was crying and leading the maids in burning paper money.
Aruo's gaze fell on the slumped figure sitting to the side. Fang Jingsheng had lost half his weight in less than two months. His cheeks were now sunken, and his face, once handsome, had returned to its former beauty. Now, he was as pale as paper, with dark circles under his eyes. No matter how one looked at him, it looked wrong. His red, swollen eyes stared blankly at the coffin, revealing a deep despair.
Silently sitting beside him, imitating his way of leaning against the wall, looking over the flying paper money at the coffin over there. Aruo's eyes were sore, and tears fell. She thought of many words of comfort, but could not utter a single word from her throat that was choked with pain.
"She waited for me, for the first and last time in her life." Fang Jingsheng suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse as if he was muttering to himself. It was difficult to hear clearly if you didn't listen closely, but maybe he didn't care whether anyone heard it or not.
Xiao Man didn't die instantly. She held on until he knelt trembling beside the bed. Even though he was spitting blood, she still smiled.
"She said I waited so long, but she still let me down... She told me to live well. Before she became a constable, she had dreamed of traveling around like you, going to the northwest with its dusty skies and overlapping mountains, and going to the prosperous capital... She said it would be difficult to leave the city after becoming a constable, so she asked me to help her fulfill her wish of traveling around the world." Fang Jingsheng spoke more and more tenderly, tears slowly falling from his dry and swollen eyes. He coughed several times before forcing out a wry smile, which was uglier than crying. "But Aruo... How can I live without her..."
The girl he had admired since childhood, the girl he had openly pursued for so long... had died in his arms. When he was little, Wang poisoned him and despised him, and only Xiao Man secretly loved him. After Wang's death, he could finally love her. She had finally agreed to marry him, hoping to be a good match for him in his career...
She is going to be his wife...
"Fang Jingsheng... don't be like this, Xiaoman doesn't want you to be like this..." All the consolations are so powerless and pale, but the dead are gone, and the living must continue to live.
"Aruo, please save her... Haven't you always had a lot of evil ideas? Please save her..." Fang Jingsheng looked at her crazily, like a drowning man grabbing the last piece of driftwood.
A Ruo's face was covered with tears, and she shook her head helplessly, "I'm sorry... I can't do anything... I'm sorry, Fang Jingsheng."
"Aruo...why was it her..." Fang Jingsheng clutched Aruo's clothes tightly, crying and shouting, tears streaming down his face, "How could it be her..."
Aruo leaned forward and embraced him, the man in her arms wailing helplessly, and she cried too hard to speak. She also wanted to know, why Xiaoman? Of all the people in the world, in all of Sizhou City, why did it have to be Xiaoman?
Cai Xin looked at the two people who were crying and hugging each other, and couldn't help but kneel on the ground, hugging her knees and crying.
That year, in order to plot against the Wang family, she pretended to be a bride and married into the Fang family. She was nearly poisoned by the Wang family to eliminate her family lineage, but it was Xiaoman who discovered her and saved her. After traveling to so many places, Sizhou had always been the place she and Aruo wanted to return to, precisely because of Xiaoman and Fang Jingsheng.
Now...that girl is gone...
Qin Zhi's eyes were red, and the white cloth in his hand was clenched tightly. Sizhou was close to the canal, and he had dealt with the constables here a lot in recent years. At this moment, he felt very sad.
It's a pity Yiyuan couldn't come, otherwise he really wanted to ask, didn't the Buddha say that accumulating virtue and doing good deeds would benefit children far away and oneself near? Xiaoman had accumulated so much merit in solving cases over the past few years, and the Fang family's good deeds were known to the whole of Daqi, so why couldn't they benefit a girl like her?
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