Chapter 104, The Grand Finale (Part 2) (...)
Since Qi An was a woman, Jiang Liangxu, being a man, felt it inappropriate to stay long, so he returned to his study.
Before long, Cui Tingyue personally led Qi An into the house.
After Zhao Xian woke up, she reminded Cui Tingyue to find an opportunity to go to the palace to pay her respects to the Empress. However, before she could even set off, the Empress's attendants arrived first.
"Aunt Qi'an..."
Qi An stopped Zhao Xian from getting up, saying, "Ever since Madam Jiang was injured, Her Majesty has been thinking of you. Just now, after the imperial physician came to the Jiang family to examine her pulse, he reported to Her Majesty that Madam Jiang had woken up. Upon hearing this, Her Majesty immediately sent me to visit her."
Zhao Xian didn't struggle much; it was just a pretense. When Qi An stopped her, she lay back down against the bed rail, her tone apologetic: "It should be this humble woman who goes to the palace to apologize to Your Majesty, but instead, Your Majesty has troubled you with my injuries."
"Madam Jiang shielded Her Majesty the Empress from the thieves. How can we forget such a great favor? Her Majesty ordered me to send a gift of thanks, but Her Majesty also said that gifts are all material possessions, while kindness is the most precious. In the future, Madam, please feel free to ask."
Zhao Xian was somewhat bewildered. When had she ever done the Empress a favor?
Zhao Xian glanced at Cui Tingyue, whose expression remained unchanged. She chatted casually with Qi An and inquired a few more times about the Empress's health.
Qi An came to visit Zhao Xian on behalf of the Empress. He delivered the message but did not linger.
Zhao Xian sipped the warm pear juice and, seeing Cui Tingyue return after seeing someone off, asked, "How did it go? Did they say when you'd be allowed to enter the palace?"
Cui Tingyue nodded: "Your Majesty is understanding and has allowed me to enter the palace to serve you after the New Year. The date has already been set."
Zhao Xian was relieved. "That's good then."
"By the way, Qi'an just said that I owe Her Majesty the Empress a favor, cough cough... what's going on?"
Cui Tingyue sat down on the small stool and explained, "After Mother dragged the assassin down the cliff, Lin Nianzang suddenly knelt down and begged for mercy, saying that she was forced by that woman. The woman forced her to eat poison and forced her to lead the way to the Empress. She dared not disobey. Fortunately, the Empress was unharmed."
Speaking of this, Cui Tingyue's face was full of hostility. At that time, she kicked Lin Nianzang.
Zhao Xian's eyelids are droopy, which doesn't match what Jiang Liangxu said.
As night fell, Zhao Xian questioned Jiang Liangxu again and learned that Xiao Langyue's false identity had not been wrong. However, Lin Nianzang had indeed been poisoned, but it was not a complicated poison. He would be fine after drinking an antidote.
"Lin Nianzang didn't tell the truth in front of the Empress, probably because he was afraid that Xiao Langyue's identity would be discovered and that he would preemptively convict her."
If Zhao Xian hadn't woken up and brought it up, he wouldn't have guessed that the person was Xiao Langyue.
The Empress Dowager had people given to her by the late Emperor; she kept it a secret very well.
Zhao Xian thought about it again and realized that it was worth it; the Empress's kindness might come in handy in the future.
--
Li Lianniang finished her postpartum confinement at the end of October.
The coming-of-age ceremony for Lu Zhaoying was held on the ninth day of the eleventh lunar month. When Lu Zhaoying saw her mother in the room early in the morning, she thought she was seeing things.
Madam Lu smiled gently, her eyes brimming with tears, "Don't you recognize your mother?"
Lu Zhaoying clasped her hands together, her expression tense. When she realized she wasn't seeing things, tears welled up in her eyes, and she rushed over, crying, "Mother!"
The mother and daughter embraced and wept.
Jiang Heng leaned against a pillar with his arms wrapped around himself, listening to the crying inside the house but not going in to disturb them.
Lu Zhaoying cried for a while before she could stop, her voice hoarse from crying, "Mother, why are you back? Where is Father?"
"The coming-of-age ceremony is an important coming-of-age ceremony for girls. Your mother-in-law was worried that you would have regrets in the future, so she arranged for someone to bring your mother back." Madam Lu held her daughter's hand, looking her over from left to right, and wiped away the tears on her face with a handkerchief. She continued, "You've lost weight and grown taller."
Lu Zhaoying pulled Madam Lu to sit down. "Mother has lost a lot of weight. How is Father?"
“It’s quite good. It’s not as cold over there as Jin’an. Your father’s chronic leg pain is surprisingly not too bad this winter.” Madam Lu said, her voice gradually lowering. “It’s not as busy over there as in Jin’an. Your boss is easy to get along with, so life is more relaxed.”
The mother and daughter hadn't seen each other for months and had so much to talk about that they didn't leave until the maid came in to announce that it was time for the coming-of-age ceremony.
Long before Lord Lu and his wife left Jin'an, Zhao Xian had asked Lady Lu about the ladies she knew who were of good character and virtue. The guest of honor invited to Lu Zhaoying this time was related to the Lu family.
After Lu Zhaoying's coming-of-age ceremony, Madam Lu did not rush to leave Jin'an, but instead went home with her eldest son and daughter-in-law. Although Lord Lu had been demoted, their son remained in Jin'an.
After the guests left, the mansion quieted down, and the Jiang family returned to peace.
In late November, the Emperor suddenly issued an edict to establish the Sixth Prince as the Crown Prince.
At the same time, Jiang Liangxu was summoned to the palace that same day and appointed as the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor.
When the servants returned, Zhao Xian pulled the blanket around herself closer. "My husband was very prescient."
No wonder I wasn't in a hurry when I was just relaxing at home.
"Please don't laugh at me, Madam." Jiang Liangxu sat down beside her with a wry smile. There were plenty of highly respected ministers in the court, and the task of instructing the Crown Prince should not have fallen to him.
"That's great news, why aren't you happy?"
It's better for Jiang Liangxu to be the Crown Prince's tutor than for Jiang Wei to become a ruthless and powerful minister for the sake of his family, burdened with heavy responsibilities at a young age, as depicted in the book.
Furthermore, with him as their father providing support, Jiang Wei and Jiang Heng had an easier time in officialdom.
Jiang Liangxu opened the pastries he had bought, took out a piece and handed it to Zhao Xian: "It's rare to have a few days of leisure, and it's gone so quickly."
"In that case, it's a loss."
"That's right."
The two recognized each other at a glance and laughed.
This is similar to the mentality of working people: they worry when they don't have a job, and they are annoyed when they do have a job.
Jiang Liangxu became the Crown Prince's tutor and became busy again. When he took his first day off after resuming his post, Zhao Xian was already able to stand up and walk.
"The New Year is almost here, is Dad still staying at Huguo Temple?"
Zhao Xian vaguely remembered hearing that the old man had returned, but since he wasn't home, she hadn't thought to ask about it. It was only when Li Lianniang came to ask her whether she was taking the old man back to the mansion for the New Year or just sending him New Year's gifts to Huguo Temple that she learned about the matter.
Li Lianniang came to ask her for advice, but Zhao Xian was still puzzled. Huguo Temple was not far from Jin'an, so why was the old man staying there and not coming back?
Upon hearing this, Jiang Liangxu thought for a moment and said, "I happen to have a day off tomorrow, so why don't we go together to pick up the old man?"
"Sure."
The couple did not invite their children, but only took their guards and servants. They left the mansion early the next morning and headed to Huguo Temple.
When the carriage came to a stop, Jiang Liangxu reached out to help Zhao Xian down from the carriage.
Listening to the temple bells, Zhao Xian looked up at the tallest spire of Huguo Temple. The last time she came here was when the Empress Dowager led the way to pray for the people. At that time, she was full of worries, but she also wanted to leave these responsibilities behind.
He even regarded 'himself' as an obstacle to returning home, and told a monk to let him bear the consequences.
My thoughts drifted along with the sound of the temple bell, and a slightly familiar voice reached my ears.
"This humble monk, Lingkong, is here to await Lord Jiang and Madam Jiang on the orders of my master."
Zhao Xian turned her head and immediately noticed the bewitching red mole between the monk's eyebrows. The Buddhist prayer beads hanging from his tiger's mouth were the same as when she saw him last year, and even the kindness and compassion in his eyes had not changed in the slightest.
Jiang Liangxu placed the hand warmer in Zhao Xian's hand and nodded slightly to Ling Kong: "I'll trouble Master Ling Kong to lead the way."
Looking at the increasingly familiar place, Zhao Xian wasn't too surprised. Lingkong and Huineng were master and disciple, so it wasn't strange that they lived in the same place.
She remembered that she had wandered around this bamboo forest for a long time last time, but this time, with Lingkong leading the way, she entered the bamboo forest in no time. The appearance of the bamboo forest was different from the small house she had seen last time. Instead, there was a pavilion and several plum trees.
The old man was playing chess with a monk, while Zhao Zhi was brewing tea under the pavilion.
The battle on the chessboard continued, and none of them spoke. Zhao Zhi pointed to the stool, and Jiang Liangxu helped Zhao Xian sit down by the fire.
Zhao Zhi poured hot tea for the two of them and said, "This tea was brewed with fresh snow this morning. Please have a taste."
Zhao Xian took a sip of tea, "Third Brother's tea-making skills have improved again."
When they first met, Jiang Liangxu was the one who always made tea for the old man. After they got married, Jiang Liangxu stayed behind to study for the imperial examination, while the old man continued to travel. When Zhao Zhi left with him, he only knew how to boil water.
When we met again later, he was the one who had been doing the work, and the tea he brewed was different each time.
Zhao Zhi smiled and said, "It's all about practice."
Holding a cup of hot tea in her hand on a winter's day, she felt warm all over. Watching Zhao Zhi's skillful tea-making technique, Zhao Xian asked the question that had been bothering her all the way, "How long have Third Brother and Grandpa been back? Why...why haven't they gone back to the manor yet?"
Zhao Zhi paused as he poured the tea, and subconsciously glanced at Jiang Liangxu.
Jiang Liangxu peeled a roasted chestnut for Zhao Xian and said in a calm tone, "The old man and Master Huineng were close friends. He had two great hobbies in life: painting and visiting friends. Master Huineng has been traveling for many years, and the two rarely meet. They probably forgot about returning home."
Zhao Zhi nodded upon hearing this and said, "Yes, we've only been back for a few days. Our original plan was to go back to our residence, but we heard on the way that Master Huineng had returned from his travels and that your condition had improved and you had regained consciousness. We were close to Huguo Temple at the time, so we came here first."
Ling Kong's gaze swept over the three faces before finally settling on Zhao Xian's.
Noticing Ling Kong's gaze, Zhao Xian looked over. Last year, she thought she had time-traveled. At twenty-four, she had already entered society and was full of hard work, being promised a bright future by her boss. She also had a youthful mindset and was full of hope and expectation for everything.
When they met again, she had aged ten years and her mindset was different from before. The answer she had been searching for back then had lost its meaning.
Even though she made baseless accusations last year and made Ling Kong bear the consequences, Zhao Xian was not embarrassed. Perhaps she had grown old and her skin had thickened with age.
He even nodded slightly to Lingkong.
Lingkong no longer saw that contradiction in her. "It seems that Madam Jiang has already found the answer."
Zhao Xian pursed her lips, and in the end just smiled without saying anything.
Before long, the game between the old master Jiang Shuomao and Master Huineng ended, and Zhao Zhi promptly served them hot tea, reminding them that Zhao Xian and Jiang Liangxu had arrived.
"How did you lose so much weight? How are you going to support your wife..." The old man's gaze fell on Zhao Xian's face, his brows furrowed. He wanted to scold his son, but when he saw that his son had also lost a lot of weight, the words caught in his throat.
His lips parted slightly, and he changed the subject, "The amulets from Huguo Temple are quite effective. Could you please ask for two to protect you?"
It's only been a short time since we last met, and the couple has both lost a lot of weight. Is the Jiang family about to fall into ruin?
Zhao Xian raised her hand to cover her mouth and nose with a handkerchief to keep out the cold wind, and said while suppressing her cough, "It's good that you've lost weight. The New Year is coming soon, so it's a good excuse to eat and drink well and take care of yourself. You also need to ask for these peace charms. There are so many people in the family, two charms are not enough, right, Father?"
Seeing that she could still laugh and joke, the old man was relieved and nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, yes, my daughter-in-law is right."
Jiang Shuomao exchanged a glance with his son. Seeing that his daughter-in-law had no reaction, he acted as a mediator and said to Zhao Xian, "This is Master Huineng, a highly accomplished monk."
Master Huineng spoke calmly, exuding a simple charm honed by time. “I cannot accept such praise. I am but a monk. It is said that I once met Madam Jiang.”
Zhao Xian's breathing became heavier. "Master, is the path to the next life clear?"
The 'Road to the Next Life' was something Meng Yingniang prayed for at every temple and Taoist monastery she saw after her death. She also prayed to Master Huineng on her journey, and his answer was that she should be sincere for three years.
Meng Yingniang had a terrible time in ancient times. All she wanted was for her friends to go back to the era when they had family and friends.
Master Huineng's eyes were calm, and his voice was like a meditative Zen: "If a lady's heart is sincere, then she will find clarity."
Zhao Xian withdrew her gaze and looked at the old man, "Dad, it's almost Chinese New Year, let's go home. You haven't seen your great-grandson yet."
Meng Yingniang's matter is too long ago; it's a thing of the past for her. Her sincerity back then and her hope for her return were genuine, but her current indifference is also genuine.
Zhao Xian didn't know how it would end, and she probably never would.
Even though Huineng insisted that Meng Yingniang had gone back, she still had to wonder if his statement was true or false.
Right and wrong, truth and falsehood, Zhao Xian no longer wanted, thought, or sought them.
At that time, Master Huineng asked her a question, saying that she only had one chance and she really wanted to use it on her friend.
Were we too saddened and too determined back then? Do we regret it?
I had no regrets before, so why should I regret them now?
Therefore, she had nothing left to ask or ask for.
Jiang Liangxu gripped Zhao Xian's hand tightly and looked at his father, "Let's go back. No temple is as comfortable as home."
On the way back, Zhao Xian coughed from time to time, perhaps because she had caught a chill. Jiang Liangxu gave her some medicine and poured her some warm pear juice to soothe her throat. He remained silent throughout but was very diligent in his actions.
Once the coughing subsided, Zhao Xian teased, "Dad is getting on in years, so don't bother him too much."
"He's troublesome enough on his own, so let me cause trouble."
Zhao Xian just looked at him like that, "Then let him have a home he can't go back to."
Jiang Liangxu opened his mouth, knowing that what he had done had been seen through, "...I was just afraid that Madam would have regrets."
Master Huineng did not intend to stay long upon his return and planned to continue his travels with his disciple Lingkong. However, Zhao Xian was still ill at the time, and although Jiang Liangxu was a court official, he could not forcibly detain the master of Huguo Temple. Fortunately, he received a letter from the old man and asked him to keep Master Huineng occupied.
--
The twelfth lunar month is the month that marks the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year.
As the year draws to a close, the household becomes increasingly busy. Xiao Ping'an and Jiang Shurui's 100-day celebration is scheduled for after the new year, which avoids clashing with Lunar New Year's Eve.
Since being injured during the autumn hunt, Zhao Xian has recovered from her illness, but she has developed a chronic condition and is more sensitive to the cold than in previous years. She burns more charcoal in the house than in previous years and spends most of her time indoors, rarely venturing out.
The Imperial College had closed its doors for the holiday as early as the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, and Zhao Zhi's son, Zhao Wenyao, returned to the Jiang family.
On New Year's Eve, outside the Jiang family's warm pavilion, children's laughter filled the air as Zhao Wenyao and Jiang Shuxiu played in the snow in the yard.
The old man had a desk set up for him, where he could paint quietly without being disturbed. Jiang Liangxu and Jiang Wei played chess, while Jiang Heng and Lu Zhaoying whispered to each other. Li Lianniang would occasionally glance at her sleeping baby son in his swaddling clothes. Cui Tingyue had recently become obsessed with practicing Shu embroidery.
Zhao Xian looked out the window at the children running and playing outside. "When Xiu'er turns three, I'll find her a martial arts teacher. If a girl has martial arts skills, she won't be easily bullied when she grows up."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wei suddenly looked up and said, "From now on, we can choose a maid who knows martial arts. Xiu'er is already very strong-willed. If she learns martial arts, it will be difficult for her to find a husband in the future."
"You, as a father, can't even support your own daughter?" Zhao Xian looked at Jiang Wei calmly, but what she was thinking about was the fate of Jiang Shuxiu in the book who didn't live past the age of marriage. She didn't know if she would be able to see Xiu'er grow up. In the end, it's better to rely on yourself than to ask others for help.
Li Lianniang shook her head at Jiang Wei, then turned to Zhao Xian, "Mother and Xiu'er have the same idea. Xiu'er said the other day that she wanted her second uncle to find her a martial arts teacher. At the time, I thought that she was a girl and could not learn martial arts, so I did not let her go to find her second brother. Now it seems that she should listen to her mother. We will find a martial arts teacher for Xiu'er when she is three years old."
Li Lianniang thought more deeply. She felt that her mother-in-law hadn't brought this up for no reason. She wondered if it was related to her mother-in-law's injury during the autumn hunt, but it certainly wasn't to harm Xiu'er.
Jiang Wei frowned; he still did not approve of this unorthodox behavior.
Jiang Heng became interested. "Speaking of which, I used to teach Yingying a few moves. Brother, women can also learn martial arts. I remember when I was on duty at the yamen, I met a young master. He looked respectable, but when he got drunk, he would beat his wife and mother. He accidentally killed his first wife. Later, he married another woman. His second wife had learned martial arts from her uncle who was a镖师 (bodyguard/escort) when she was young. She was beaten up by that man a few times, and after that, she never dared to get drunk again, and she also dared not lay a hand on his wife."
Li Lianniang frowned. "A man with poor drinking manners is not a good man."
She glanced at the giggling little dumpling outside the window, and knew she would definitely choose a good match for Xiu-jie in the future.
Jiang Heng peeled a tangerine that the palace had bestowed upon Lu Zhaoying a couple of days ago. "It's true that he has a bad drinking habit, but there are so many colleagues who drink with him, and I've never seen him get drunk and fight with anyone."
The last sentence is quite interesting. It's not that he has a bad drinking habit, but that he has a bad character. He knows that fighting with his colleagues will not bring him any benefit, so he only bullies those who are weaker than him.
Li Lianniang clenched her fists involuntarily, and immediately made a decision, "Let them learn. After the New Year, I will send someone to inquire and select two maids to learn from Xiu'er from a young age."
A servant announced that the family banquet was ready, and everyone moved on.
Zhao Xian walked at the very back, looking at everyone's faces, wondering if she had missed anyone.
With a bang, the first firework exploded.
Then, fireworks exploded one after another in the sky, dyeing the night with colorful hues, accompanied by the crackling sound of firecrackers, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.
Noticing someone standing behind her, she turned her head and saw Jiang Liangxu. He said in a gentle voice, "Madam, what are your wishes for the new year?"
Zhao Xian countered, "What are your wishes, my husband?"
Jiang Liangxu lowered his head and met Zhao Xian's eyes. "Yes, just like in previous years, my first wish is for a peaceful world, my second wish is for a harmonious family, and my third wish is for our black hair to turn white and for us to be of one heart for many years."
Looking at her playful family, Zhao Xian seemed to have nothing more to add. "Then I wish that all of our wishes may be fulfilled and that our paths may be smooth."
-----------------------
Author's Note: The main story ends here. I always felt it should end in tragedy, so I restrained myself and cut a small part to put in the epilogue.
I want to apologize to everyone. I'm really sorry that this book has been delayed and not updated.
I had a detailed outline and went through the writing process several times, but towards the end, I suddenly lost the will to express myself. It was like I couldn't figure things out or make a decision (the romance was so bad I couldn't write it well). I'm not worthy of serialization [crack][crack][crack]
The bonus chapter will depict the family of four's life in modern times (updated January 18th).
As for whether other characters will recall their past lives, that depends on whether I want to write about it. I can't guarantee it. I'm the type who gets enthusiastic for only three minutes. My peak of enthusiasm is before a book reaches 200,000 words. I'm overly excited, and after that, I start to get irritable. This also leads to frequent breaks in updates. For my next book, I will try to control the backlog of manuscripts and release it only after it's finished. I don't deserve to be serialized.
If all goes well, I'll first draft a short story called "My Brother-in-Law Has the Face of His Deceased Husband" before I start writing my next book. The full text should not exceed 200,000 words, and the short version should be around 100,000 to 200,000 words. I finished the outline a long time ago, and I've only worked on the beginning, but I haven't finished writing it yet.
If anything unexpected happens, I'll update "Grandma's So Busy!!!" first.
Because I'm terrible at writing emotional stories, even with a complete outline, I'll probably still get stuck.
Thank you again, and I apologize again.
I've organized a giveaway! Wishing everyone good luck, incredible fortune in 2026, and may all your wishes come true, with wealth flowing in every day! [Go for it!] [Go for it!] [Go for it!] [Go for it!]
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