Chapter 325 Extra: Common People Song Kaishan (7)
Song Zhimian and Song Yaoqing arranged to meet at Chunbuwan.
When Song Yaoqing was in the capital, he often came to Chunbuwan for tea. Back then, he was still the young master of a noble family in the capital, dressed in fine clothes and riding a spirited horse, envied by many...
And now? The former young master of the Marquis's mansion has been on the battlefield and is much more composed than before.
"Zhimian!" Song Yaoqing stood up immediately upon seeing Song Zhimian walk in.
Song Zhimian nodded, took off the veil she was wearing, and sat down opposite Song Yaoqing.
"When did you return to the capital, brother?" Song Zhimian asked softly.
Song Yaoqing was taken aback for a moment before saying softly, "I came back the day before yesterday and have been staying in the courtyard in the suburbs of Beijing. I only had someone deliver your message to you yesterday. I didn't expect you to still be willing to see me."
Song Zhimian smiled and didn't say anything, but poured Song Yaoqing a cup of tea.
The two remained silent. Song Zhimian knew that Song Yaoqing must have come to see her for something, but she didn't speak; she wanted to wait for Song Yaoqing to speak.
What Song Yaoqing wanted to ask, and what she also wanted to ask.
After a moment of silence, Song Yaoqing finally spoke, “I don’t know anything about Uncle San! I didn’t know that Uncle San died at the hands of his own people.”
Zhimian, I really don't know. It was my third uncle who brought me to the North. He made me a soldier in the Weiyuan Army step by step.
If I had known, I would have definitely avenged my third uncle.
Song Zhimian nodded, indicating that she understood.
She could guess why Song Yaoqing had been ignoring Song Kaishan all these years.
Song Zhimian vaguely remembered what Song Kaiyuan and her aunt had said: thankfully, Song Yaoqing wasn't as heartless as Song Kaishan...
"You believe me?" Song Yaoqing looked at Song Zhimian.
Song Zhimian nodded.
“I believe you! My third uncle and aunt told me before that you are not a heartless person.”
"My two cousins have also said that you are a good person, and I believe them!" Song Zhimian said softly.
Song Yaoqing's eyes immediately reddened. He thought of the first time Song Kaishan took him on an errand, and how his aunt's family had prepared a sumptuous meal for them after they returned...
But all of this was ruined by someone, and his own father, knowing the truth, actually helped to cover it up...
"I'm sorry to my third uncle and aunt's family!" Song Yaoqing said softly.
Song Zhimian didn't speak, but simply sipped the fragrant tea in front of her.
The two remained silent for a while before Song Yaoqing spoke again, "Song Kaishan... he should be gone."
My mother is probably gone too, Zhimian, can you help me look for her?
"Who are you looking for? Song Kaishan?" Song Zhimian asked in return.
Song Yaoqing shook her head.
“Song Kaishan… deserved it! I don’t care where he is.”
All I want to know is where my mother is. I know she did many bad things with Song Kaishan and deserved it, but she is still my mother, and I still want her to be laid to rest.
"After I find her, I will return to the North and never return to the capital again in this lifetime," Song Yaoqing said solemnly.
Song Zhimian remained silent for a while.
She certainly knew what Song Kaishan and Ding were like.
After returning to the capital with Xiao Huaijin, someone immediately told Song Zhimin about Song Kaishan's situation. Xiao Huaijin also knew about the things between Song Zhimin and Song Kaishan.
In order not to cause trouble for Song Zhimian, Xiao Huaijin had someone keep an eye on Song Kaishan and his wife.
Song Zhimian knew that Song Kaishan was killed by Ding, that Ding buried Song Kaishan in the courtyard, and that Ding obtained a travel permit from the village head to leave the outskirts of the capital.
Song Zhimian even knew where Ding jumped off the cliff to commit suicide.
After leaving the estate on the outskirts of Beijing, Ding headed north.
After arriving in Dongyang County, near Changshan, I heard that there was a very efficacious temple on the mountain.
Ding went up the mountain to worship Buddha. After worshipping Buddha, Ding sat on the mountain all night and then went alone to the back of the temple. On the cliff of the back mountain, she wrote the words "guilty" and then jumped off the mountain.
When the local villagers found her, she was already dead.
No one there recognized her. Her body was disposed of at the mortuary at the foot of the mountain, and she was placed in a thin coffin and buried in a grave next to the mortuary.
"Go and take a look at the mortuary at the foot of Wangzi Mountain on the outskirts of Dongyang County in Changshan!" Song Zhimian said softly.
Song Yaoqing remembered those words, then stood up and bowed to Song Zhimin.
Before leaving, he took out a small wooden box and placed it on the table.
"As your elder brother, I have nothing to give you as a wedding gift. This is a jade pendant that my third uncle gave me when we were in the north. He said it would bring peace and safety."
Now I give this to you, hoping you will live a peaceful and harmonious life!
After putting down the box, Song Yaoqing turned and left the private room.
Song Zhimin called out to Song Yaoqing as he left the private room.
"Wait a minute, I heard that you can stay longer this time. Actually, you can wait two more days."
Zhiqing will be back in two days. You should go to Dongyang County with her!
Song Yaoqing nodded, bowed deeply to Song Zhimin, and left.
After Song Yaoqing left, Xiao Huaijin slowly walked out of the next private room and entered the private room where Song Zhimian was.
"He's alright, he hasn't forgotten his roots!" Xiao Huaijin said.
“Yes! He hasn’t forgotten his roots! He said he will never return to the capital!” Song Zhimian said.
Xiao Huaijin nodded, picked up Song Zhimin's teacup, and took a sip of tea.
"Alright, let's go home! I've had some fresh tea brought over; I'm sure you'll like it!"
Also, my eldest sister said she's taking Shiwei to Jiangnan for a visit, and asked if we wanted to go along...
...
Two days later, Song Zhijing arrived at the courtyard where Song Kaishan and his wife lived in the suburbs of Beijing. The siblings, who had not seen each other for many years, did not burst into tears upon meeting.
After explaining their respective situations, the two left the outskirts of Beijing.
Following Song Zhimian's instructions, the two of them went to Dongyang County in Changshan and found the temple. At the foot of the mountain where the temple was located, they also found the charitable estate.
The people at the mortuary knew who Song Yaoqing and Song Zhiqing were looking for as soon as they asked.
"The coffin was funded by the charity, and the lady also had a package containing a few clothes, but no valuables."
We buried her in the cemetery managed by the masters on the mountain. If you want to move it, just let the masters on the mountain know.
After seeing the grave where Ding was buried, Song Yaoqing and Song Zhiqing simply knelt down, burned paper money, and kowtowed.
“This place is very good. It’s also good for Mother to listen to the masters’ lectures here,” Song Zhijing said.
"Yes, it's quite nice here. It's quiet. Mother must have liked it when she chose this place." Song Yaoqing shared the same sentiment.
The two erected a memorial tablet for Ding, donated some incense money to the temple on the mountain, and also gave a sum of money to the people at the charitable institution, asking them to take care of her.
After paying their respects to Lady Ding, Song Yaoqing returned to the north, while Song Zhiqing traveled south back to Suzhou.
Neither of them returned to the capital.
As for Song Kaishan, who was buried in the courtyard of a manor outside Beijing, no one thought of him, and no one paid his respects.
He truly lived up to Song Zhimian's curse; he was abandoned by everyone, died without a burial place, and became a lonely ghost with no one to mourn him...
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