Chapter 103, the grand finale.
"Madam, it's time to take your medicine."
Looking at the medicine soup placed in front of her, Zhao Xian felt that her eyebrows were the same color as the soup, but she could only grit her teeth and drink it.
She takes medicine every day, and whether it's from lying down for too long or the medicine itself, she doesn't seem to be in good spirits and spends most of her time sleeping.
Every time she woke up, besides Jiang Liangxu, she would see all the members of the Jiang family except for Li Lianniang, who was still in confinement after childbirth. Xiao Ping'an saw them all once.
It was Jiang Shuxiu who had the wet nurse bring it to her.
The father suggested bringing the child, but Zhao Xian stopped him. Unexpectedly, the daughter brought her younger brother, saying that it was with the grandfather's permission.
Jiang Shuxiu took off her shoes and climbed onto the bed, sitting next to Zhao Xian and looking at the little baby: "Grandma, little brother didn't cry, little brother likes Grandma."
Zhao Xian was amused by her words, "Does the fact that my brother doesn't cry mean he likes me?"
"Yes, my little brother is a crybaby. He loves to cry. When he first met anyone except me and Mom, he would cry. But now Grandma is here too."
Although Xiao Ping'an was born prematurely, he was stronger than his older sister. This was probably because Li Lianniang had taken better care of him during her pregnancy, and he was also cared for for another half a month after birth. He was chubby and fair-skinned, and very endearing.
Zhao Xian pinched Xiu Jie'er's face. Both siblings were unfortunate children. When Li Lianniang was pregnant with Xiu Jie'er, she was always worried and was also made difficult by her wicked mother-in-law. Xiu Jie'er was born like a kitten. At first glance, Zhao Xian thought she was ugly. But during her postpartum period, she looked at her every day and found her more and more adorable. As she grew up, she became even more beautiful.
When Li Lianniang became pregnant with her second child, Zhao Xian was extremely worried that things would turn out like in the book. Although the child was born, she was given another fright at the last moment.
"And what about your father?"
“He also cries. His father is very fierce, and his younger brother cries whenever he sees him.”
Watching Ping An sticking out her tongue, Zhao Xian recalled that Jiang Shuxiu had done the same thing back then. She would cry whenever she saw her father and was scolded by Zhao Xian. Zhao Xian even told Jiang Shuxiu in private to go and bother her father. Jiang Shuxiu took the advice to heart, which is why Zhao Xian suspected that she might have been reborn.
"You two siblings are really alike. Cough cough... But it's all your dad's fault. Who told him to always have such a cold face? It's scary."
Jiang Shuxiu nodded repeatedly, "Yes."
As if in perfect harmony, Ping An's lips curved into a smile, which put everyone in a good mood.
After visiting Ping An only once, Zhao Xian stopped Jiang Shuxiu from bringing her younger brother to see her again. The child was still young, and it was winter, so Zhao Xian was worried that the child would catch a cold.
Aside from Li Lianniang, who was in confinement after childbirth, and Zhao Xian, who was injured and bedridden, Jiang Liangxu was the most idle person in the mansion.
Zhao Xian would see him almost as soon as she opened her eyes. When she was awake, she would listen to him read travelogues or other stories. When she fell asleep, he would stay in the room and read books by himself.
Even Zhao Xian, who was bored, couldn't stand it anymore. "Lord Jiang, you're not resigning from your post, are you?"
Jiang Liangxu paused for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "Good idea."
Seeing Zhao Xian glaring at him, he smiled and said, "His Majesty is understanding and has allowed me to stay home to take care of my wife."
"to be honest."
Jiang Liangxu's smile froze, and he looked away. "When Madam was injured in Shanglin Garden, all I wanted to do was stay by her side until she woke up. However, the attack on His Majesty during the autumn hunt was a serious matter, and His Majesty ordered me to investigate it. At that time, I had no choice but to investigate all those involved... In Madam's words, I 'smuggled in my own agenda.' I arrested and killed too many people and was impeached by the censor. His Majesty took the opportunity to send me home to reflect on my actions."
Those so-called smuggled goods, ostensibly working for the Emperor and clearing obstacles for the future new emperor, were actually his carefully selected targets for revenge.
This time, he smuggled in his own agenda and took down quite a few people. He had taken most of the revenge, and only a few remained. At this crucial moment, it was even more important that he couldn't go to the court.
"I'm already awake. Are you still planning to stay at home?" Zhao Xian believed that if Jiang Liangxu wanted to return to the court, he had plenty of ways.
Jiang Liangxu paused in stirring the medicine, his voice light and indifferent, "Does Madam dislike me?"
Zhao Xian glanced at the books scattered throughout the room: "Ahem... You're not the type to sit still."
"Then you must stay idle."
Zhao Xian sensed that there was something more to his words, but Jiang Liangxu kept her in suspense.
Several days later, although Zhao Xian was lying at home, she learned that King Yu had returned to Jin'an overnight without being summoned to the palace.
Soon after, news spread that the Empress Dowager was seriously ill and that King Yu was kneeling before the palace.
What is the connection between King Yu's visit to the palace and the Empress Dowager's serious illness?
Jiang Liangxu handed the hand warmer to Zhao Xian. It had snowed last night, and the red plum blossoms in the backyard were in full bloom. The wheelchair that Jiang Liangxu had used to pretend to have a leg injury was still there, and Zhao Xian had the servants bring it over for her to use.
She lies in bed all day and feels like she's degenerating from it all, so she keeps insisting on going out for some fresh air.
Charcoal fires were lit around the pavilion, and a small stove on the stone table inside was bubbling and simmering with sweet pear soup.
After Zhao Xian woke up, she coughed from time to time, so she changed her tea to pear water to soothe her lungs. "I sent someone to send a letter to Prince Yu, informing him that Princess Rongyang is still alive and that the Empress Dowager has hidden her away."
Zhao Xian withdrew her gaze from the plum blossoms. "She...wasn't she dead?"
Jiang Liangxu pulled the blanket on Zhao Xian's legs up a little higher. "Among those injured or killed in the autumn hunt, and those later found to be connected with the Lin family, Princess Rongyang was not among them."
As for the woman beside Lin Nianzang who attacked Zhao Xian, she was just the mother of a failed scholar.
But now that they've found evidence that Princess Rongyang is still alive, King Yu, whose son was deposed, should have the right to know where his enemy is.
Zhao Xian thought of three words: Dogs fighting!
Jiang Liangxu poured Zhao Xian a glass of pear juice to soothe her throat, and said in a low voice, "The Empress Dowager has suffered a stroke."
Zhao Xian took the cup and remained silent for a long time.
“Ah Xian, didn’t you want to see Master Huineng before? He’s back from his travels. Once you’ve recovered, I’ll take you to Huguo Temple.”
Mentioning Master Huineng was something Zhao Xian had been longing for, but hearing Jiang Liangxu mention it now, she felt calm and unmoved. She took a sip of pear juice and said indifferently, "We'll see."
After that dream, she realized that her parents' faces had long become blurry. She didn't know if her hopes were still valid, after all, more than thirty years had passed here, and several years had passed in the real world.
The expectations in my heart have turned into the unknown, and the unknown is the most confusing thing.
Zhao Xian didn't want to talk about this, because mentioning it would remind her of those two blurry faces, and her heart would feel a little uncomfortable. She changed the subject: "I feel better now than I did a couple of days ago. Let's not postpone Yingying's coming-of-age ceremony. If we delay any longer, it will be almost New Year's."
When Lord Lu and Madam Lu left Jin'an, I promised them that I would treat Yingying well. Little did I know that they didn't even give her the important coming-of-age ceremony for a woman.
Lord Lu and his wife are not in Jin'an; we cannot let the passage of time make us careless.”
When Jiang Liangxu saw that her expression changed when she talked about other things, and the faint sorrow in her eyes was gone, he followed her words and said, "It just so happens that I am also idle at home, and I can help you, Madam."
"Don't worry, I'll definitely make you cough cough...make you do whatever you want."
--
After using the wheelchair once, Zhao Xian felt that she didn't necessarily have to wait until she could get out of bed before visiting her eldest daughter-in-law, so she directly asked a servant to push her to Yunzhu Garden.
"Mother's here?"
Inside the main room of Yunzhu Garden, upon learning that Zhao Xian had arrived, Li Lianniang was first taken aback, and then she couldn't wait to get out of bed.
Hearing the sound, the wheels of the wheelchair rolled over the outer room floor. She couldn't wait to stand by the inner room door. If the maid hadn't stopped her, she would have rushed out.
After waiting for a while, the sound of wheels approaching was heard again. When a figure appeared at the door, Li Lianniang couldn't wait to speak: "Mother."
They entered the inner room.
Zhao Xian first looked Li Lianniang up and down, "Very good, you haven't lost weight, cough cough... Go back to bed quickly, don't get chilled by the cold air at the door."
After Li Lianniang sat back on the bed, Zhao Xian stared at her face for a long time, until Li Lianniang reached out and touched her face, asking in confusion, "Mother, is there something on my face?"
Zhao Xian shook her head. "It feels like I haven't seen you in a long time, so I wanted to spend more time with you."
Upon hearing this, Li Lianniang felt at ease, no longer the shy and haggard woman she had been when stared at.
Zhao Xian carefully examined Li Lianniang's face. Although she was still in confinement after childbirth, she was well taken care of and had a rosy complexion, looking quite healthy.
But at the same time, Zhao Xian began to have doubts in her heart: Did Li Lianniang really look like Qu Shuangxing?
Even Zhao Xian herself was confused by this question.
There may be similarities, or there may not, but because Qu Shuangxing played the role of Li Lianniang, she confused the two.
More than thirty years have passed, and during the period of amnesia she remembered the past, but what she remembered most were the plot of the book and the faces, probably because she herself was drawn into the story because of the name.
Li Lianniang sensed an indescribable melancholy in her mother-in-law's gaze. If her mother-in-law was once a vibrant, flamboyant peony, now she seemed to have lost all her passion.
"Mother, what's wrong?" Li Lianniang asked with concern. What had happened that she didn't know about?
Zhao Xian smiled gently, putting aside the worry about the unknown outcome, and teased familiarly, "I missed you. I was thinking that you couldn't go hunting in the autumn because you were pregnant, so you stayed at home to rest. Who knew... who knew that you would cough at home... and still be frightened by me. I'm so worried."
When Li Lianniang saw her mother-in-law coughing, she quickly got up to pat her back, while Shaoyao skillfully poured out the pear water she had prepared.
Seeing Li Lianniang's anxious expression, and how she had gotten out of bed without even putting on her shoes properly, Zhao Xian patted her hand and said, "I'm fine. Go back to bed and lie down. You're still in your postpartum period. Cough cough... how can you cough cough... how can you get out of bed like this?"
Li Lianniang stubbornly continued to stay by her side, saying, "I heard that the imperial physician came to see you yesterday. Did the imperial physician say what medicine could cure your cough?"
"I'm fine, I just spoke too fast, cough cough..." Zhao Xian coughed twice, then finished the pear juice in her cup, suppressing the discomfort.
Li Lianniang's eyes were full of worry. If she had known that something like this would happen during the autumn hunt, she should have left her mother-in-law at home under the pretext that she was pregnant and not feeling well.
"Waaah..."
A baby's cry interrupted their thoughts.
The wet nurse brought Ping An, who had woken up and was crying loudly. As soon as Li Lianniang took the baby, the child stopped crying.
Holding the child close to Zhao Xian, Li Lianniang said with a smile, "Mother, Ping An's eyes are like yours."
Does she look like her? Zhao Xian couldn't tell, but who doesn't like to hear nice things?
Zhao Xian raised her hand slightly, and Shaoyao took out the prepared gift book and placed it on top, "This is for you and Ping An, just like when Xiu'er was born."
Li Lianniang shook her head repeatedly as she looked at the two gift books handed to her, "Mother, I can't accept these."
"Keep it. One portion is rightfully yours, and the other is for Ping An. Just like with Xiu'er back then, there was no favoritism. Keep it for Ping An to use when he gets married in the future."
Back when Li Lianniang gave birth to Xiujie, she would give her a few things today and a few things tomorrow, in small amounts, thinking that if the male and female protagonists in a tragic novel divorced in the future, Li Lianniang would have money to rely on.
In case she didn't have enough, part of it was still disguised as a dowry for Xiujie.
It seems that the male and female protagonists of the tragic novel have no intention of divorcing. They have also given birth to their second child. She is still not fully recovered and does not have time to send gifts, so she asked the accountant to organize the book according to the gifts sent before and prepare the same gifts.
Li Lianniang chuckled, looking at her son in the swaddling clothes, "He's not even a month old yet, Mother is thinking too far ahead."
Zhao Xian stayed at Yunzhu Garden for about half an hour, and when she returned, it started snowing again.
She met Jiang Liangxu, who came to pick her up halfway. He was wearing a black cloak and stood upright. A thin layer of snow had already fallen on his oil-paper umbrella, and the plum branches that stretched out from the roadside added a unique touch to him.
As soon as she opened her mouth, a gust of cold wind entered her throat, and Zhao Xian began to cough uncontrollably: "Cough cough..."
Jiang Liangxu stepped forward, took off his cloak and covered Zhao Xian with it, then bent down and picked her up: "If you feel a little better, you'll be running around everywhere. I can't leave you unsupervised."
Zhao Xian reached out and wrapped her arms around Jiang Liangxu's neck, using her handkerchief to shield herself from the cold, and retorted, "I went to see my daughter-in-law, how is that running around? Weren't you organizing the gift list for this year? Are you done?"
In just one year, from the discovery of years of cheating during the spring imperial examinations and the traitorous general in the border city colluding with the enemy to the attack during the autumn hunt, Jin'an lost many people due to these incidents. To fill the vacant official positions, many new people were brought in.
The New Year's gifts were different from those of previous years.
Before the New Year's celebrations, the household also held a coming-of-age ceremony for Lu Zhaoying, and the invitations were different from those of previous years.
She was injured and unable to go out to gather information. Cui Tingyue was still young and might not be able to handle these things. Fortunately, Jiang Liangxu was at home and it was most appropriate for him to do this.
"No, I'll arrange for an accountant to refute this. I originally thought that since I know all the families in Jin'an so well, this matter wouldn't be difficult, but I didn't expect that there would be so many more twists and turns in the gift-giving process. So I'm taking a break to get some fresh air."
Jiang Liangxu hugged Zhao Xian tightly, his teasing tone subsided, and he said seriously, "Thank you for your hard work, Madam."
Zhao Xian leaned her head on Jiang Liangxu's shoulder. "It's alright. I have two daughters-in-law now, so I'll leave these things to them from now on. But you, my husband, still need to work hard. You're still in your prime."
Jiang Liangxu chuckled softly, "Yes, I promised Madam I would win you the title of First-Rank Imperial Lady. It's a long and arduous task."
Zhao Xian chuckled, then changed the subject: "By the way, have you finished writing the invitations my husband wrote? We're inviting a few ladies and young misses to come over to our residence in the next few days. My legs aren't very strong, so it's inconvenient for me to go in person to invite them. We can only invite them over to discuss this."
"The invitations have been written and sent to each household."
The two had just returned to Haitang Residence when Cui Tingyue braved the wind and snow and rushed over with her maid. Before even entering the house, she spoke from outside the door: "Mother, Aunt Qi'an from the Empress's side has arrived."
"Please come quickly... cough cough..."
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