Chapter 33: Crying at the Grave
Ji Hongde thought about it and agreed.
"Then let your niece give it a try. If she can defeat that evil creature, she can marry a First Rank Lady and have no worries for the rest of her life."
He replied, "I'll ask her to come to the mansion tomorrow."
Ji Changqing knew nothing about the couple's plan. As the hundredth day of Ji Changfeng's death was approaching, he asked the emperor for leave and went to Ximei Mountain to visit the grave with his mother and Feng Qingsui.
——He had already set up a separate ancestral hall in the mansion, so naturally he did not want to bury his "brother" in the Ji family's ancestral tomb in Jiangzhou. After "Ji Changfeng" died in battle, he bought a hill on Ximei Mountain as a cemetery for his brothers and descendants.
Ximei Mountain is covered with plum trees, which makes for beautiful scenery in spring, but now it is winter, and apart from the sporadic blooms of wintersweets and camellias, there is not much to see.
Qi had no intention of enjoying the scenery.
Thinking that his son passed away at the age of twenty and was buried alone on such a desolate and broken hilltop, without even anyone to talk to, he couldn't help but feel sad.
Tears fell down.
Feng Qingsui was about to comfort her when he suddenly heard wailing coming from not far away. He looked up and saw that it was the direction of the cemetery.
She couldn't help but wonder: Why is there someone else coming to cry at the grave besides this young widow?
Could it be Ji Changfeng’s old lover?
She subconsciously looked at Ji Changqing, thinking that he might know, but saw that he also looked confused.
Qi wiped away her tears and asked, "Who is there?"
Ji Changqing shook his head: "I don't know who it is."
Feng Qingsui helped Qi walk to the grave, and only then could she see the face of the person crying. It was a strange girl about her age.
Although the girl was dressed simply, her makeup was extremely beautiful. Her eye makeup and face cream must have been specially made. Even when she was in tears, her makeup was not ruined.
Qi didn't recognize the girl either, and asked in confusion, "Who are you? Why are you crying in front of my son's grave?"
The girl heard the question and started crying again, which had been interrupted when they arrived.
"Wuwuwu... Wuwuwu... I, I'm sorry, General Ji..."
It seems that he will not stop crying until Ximei Mountain collapses.
Feng Qingsui didn't want to wait in vain, so he asked Wuhua for a broom and started to sweep the fallen leaves on the grave.
Ji Changqing also took a broom and swept silently.
Qi placed offerings of fruit, snacks, rice, and wine in front of the grave, lit incense and candles, and inserted them one by one.
When the girl saw that no one paid attention to her, she slowly stopped crying.
"General Ji died trying to save me."
Her words were shocking.
Ji Changqing: “???”
How come he didn't know that he had saved such a person!
Feng Qingsui paused with his broom and cast a surprised look at the girl.
Just when we've dealt with the Jin family, another one pops up? Is being Ji Changfeng's widow such a hot commodity?
Qi was stunned and asked, "Didn't our Changfeng die in battle? How does he have anything to do with you?"
A certain girl raised her hand, wiping tears with her sleeve as she said, "It's my fault for being young and impulsive. I thought I had learned a few whip techniques and a little riding skill, so I wanted to go into battle and kill the enemy."
"Before the two armies went to war, I happened to be visiting some uncles at the border. Seeing the local people being burned, killed, and looted, I was furious and wanted to take up my whip and go into battle. My uncles wouldn't let me, saying they would handle the enemy themselves and it wasn't my turn as a woman to go into battle."
"I didn't listen. After my uncles and General Ji led the troops into battle, I followed behind and also went to the battlefield."
When Ji Changqing heard her say this, he understood her identity - the army that fought alongside him at the time was the Zong family army. The Zong family had once been married to the Ningguo Mansion. The young lady Zong was a beautiful woman with a tragic fate and died on the day of giving birth.
A year later, her husband, the prince, married a new woman. The Zong family was afraid that the daughter she had risked her life for would be abused by her stepmother, so they took the child to be raised by the Zong family.
Perhaps influenced by the family tradition, when the girl grew up, she did not like playing music, chess, calligraphy or painting, but loved wielding guns and sticks, riding horses and waving whips.
She never thought that when she went to the border to visit her uncle, she would end up playing on the battlefield.
Can she play on the battlefield whenever she wants?
Ji Changqing recalled that when his side had gained the upper hand, he was fighting the enemy while looking for an opportunity to escape.
Seeing a soldier just swinging his whip, the enemy general snatched it away and the soldier was about to be killed by a knife, he rode his horse over, rescued the soldier, fought with the enemy general while retreating, led a small group of enemy soldiers to a remote place, and died together with him.
Is that soldier played by Miss Ning?
Ning Fengluan wept bitterly, "After I sneaked into the battlefield, I relied on my excellent whip skills to defeat several enemy soldiers. I didn't expect to encounter a powerful enemy general who took my whip away. In the critical moment, General Ji rushed over and blocked the enemy general's sword."
"But he never expected that he would lose his life while fighting with the enemy general..."
"If I hadn't taken the initiative to join the battle, General Ji might not have died. I... General Ji's kindness is something I can never repay even if I were to repay him with a favor."
When Qi heard the story of her eldest son's death again, her tears flowed like a river bursting its dam.
Feng Qingsui, however, had a look of anger on his face.
"You went to the battlefield privately, disrupted the fighting, and killed a general. And you think you can just let it go by shedding a few tears? Your uncles are really partial and bend the law, shielding and condoning you!"
Ning Fengluan hurriedly said, "When my uncles knew about this, they wanted to beat me to death on the spot. But because my mother left me a bloodline, they spared my life and let me suffer the punishment of the Zong family."
"I was whipped with a cold iron whip forty-nine times and had to lie in bed for three months before I could get out of bed. As soon as I got out of bed, I went to the grave to pay my respects to General Ji."
Afraid that the three Qis wouldn't believe her, she rolled up her sleeves, revealing the scars that had already scabbed off but were still much darker than the surrounding skin.
Feng Qingsui stepped forward, grabbed her wrist, and took her pulse. Seeing that it was indeed the pulse of someone who had just recovered from a serious injury and whose vitality was greatly depleted, he believed that she had been whipped.
But if she really felt guilty, she would not use Ji Changfeng as a stepping stone to raise her own status.
"If you truly want to thank him, keep this kindness deep in your heart and don't shout it around. Otherwise, your good reputation will be tarnished."
"Changfeng died fighting for his country and his people, not to save you!"
Qi came to her senses and agreed, "That's right. It's fine for you to say those words in front of us, but if they get out, it won't be good for your reputation or Changfeng's."
Those who love to gossip might spread rumors of all kinds. If they make up nonsense like "a man is willing to risk his life for his beloved" or "he fights to the death for his love", then even the greatest achievement will be covered up.
Ning Fengluan said hurriedly, "My uncles have also reminded me of this, and I know it. I can never repay General Ji's kindness. I only hope that I can serve my aunt in the future, so that General Ji's spirit in heaven can rest assured."
Qi waved her hand: "No, seeing you reminds me of how he left, I can't bear it."
Ning Fengluan: “…”
She glanced at Ji Changqing and thought that there was a long time to go and they would get to know each other slowly.
After Feng Qingsui and the other two swept Ji Changfeng's grave, they went down the mountain with Ning Fengluan. When they reached the carriage at the foot of the mountain, Ning Fengluan made a request that surprised Feng Qingsui.
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