Chapter 126: The Death of Grand Master Zong
Li Yueyao noticed Li Huaiyu's movements and asked, "Why are you so nervous?"
"I'm not nervous."
Li Huaiyu lowered his head and ate his food again.
Feng Shenyu saw this and said, "He knows more about the Zong family than we do. After all, he almost became the grandson-in-law of the old Taishi."
Li Huaiyu looked up and glared at Feng Shenyu, then continued eating.
Li Yueyao heard this and said:
"I don't know much about the Zong family. I only know that there is a brilliant Erlang in their family, and it seems that he ran away from home."
"Well, Grand Master Zong originally had high expectations for him, but he happens to be a man who prefers beauty to power.
Back then, for the sake of a woman, he abandoned his family and wandered around the world.
In a fit of rage, the Grand Master Zong threatened to sever all ties with him."
This was the first time Li Yueyao heard of this.
"Doesn't the old Grand Tutor have three sons?"
"The eldest brother is Zong Feilin's father. He is a loyal and honest man, but not suitable for being an official. He went to Nanshan Academy to become a teacher.
The third brother is a playboy and is not capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility.
When it came to the grandchildren's generation, the sons had inherited the loyal and honest character, but the girls were all very outstanding.
The most outstanding one is Zong Feilin, who is both civil and martial, riding a white horse and wearing a red dress, and wielding a silver spear as fast as a shooting star chasing the moon.
Having said that, Feng Shenyu suddenly stopped talking, and he and Li Yueyao both looked at Li Huaiyu.
Li Huaiyu had a blank expression on his face and just kept eating.
Li Yueyao asked again, "Did Zong Feilin marry Sanlang from the Huai family?"
"Yes, Huai Jia Sanlang and Huai Xiujing went to the border." Feng Shenyu replied.
The joints of Li Huaiyu's hand holding the chopsticks were white, as if the rice in the bowl was his enemy.
"What if the old Grand Tutor is not in good health, will they come back to attend the funeral?" Li Yueyao asked deliberately.
Feng Shenyu: "That depends on your Majesty's will. After all, foreign generals are not allowed to enter the capital without an imperial decree.
However, if Huai Xiujin doesn't come back, Zong Feilin can come back on her own, after all, she is the concubine."
Li Huaiyu suddenly put down his chopsticks, looked at the two of them expressionlessly and said:
"Now that you two are happy, please stop opening my scars."
Li Yueyao heard this and said, "I'm telling you in a roundabout way that Zong Feilin is coming back, but you still don't appreciate it."
Li Huaiyu followed up with a question: "When will she be back? How did you know?"
Feng Shenyu saw his concern and said solemnly:
“The old Grand Tutor is seriously ill, and a few days ago, Zong Jian ordered his descendants who are away to return home as soon as possible.
So I guess that Master Zong might not be doing well, and I predict that Zong Feilin will be back."
After hearing this, Li Huaiyu said "Oh" listlessly.
As soon as the three of them finished their meal, Fu Shou came in from outside and reported:
"Your Highness, it seems that the old Grand Tutor Zong is not well. His Majesty has sent the entire Imperial Hospital to the Zong family."
When Li Huaiyu heard this, he stood up and ran out.
Li Yueyao and Feng Shenyu also followed him out.
After refusing the grand reception offered by the Zong Mansion, the two of them went to see the Zong Grand Tutor accompanied by the Zong family's eldest brother, Zong Jian.
Lanterns were lit everywhere in the yard, and the direct descendants of the clan standing outside the house were all looking inside with concern.
When everyone saw Li Yueyao coming, they bowed and saluted:
"Greetings to Her Royal Highness the Grand Princess of Jinyang, and to the Right Prime Minister."
"No need for formalities." Li Yueyao said.
The two of them went straight in. The room was dimly lit by candlelight and shrouded in twilight, just like an old man lying on his bed at the end of his life.
When everyone in the Imperial Hospital saw Li Yueyao coming, they all made way for her.
Li Yueyao stepped forward to see the old Grand Tutor of the clan. His eyes were tightly closed, his chest was heaving slightly, and his face was flushed.
After chatting with the director of the Imperial Hospital for a few words, he went forward to take the pulse of the old Grand Tutor Zong.
After a while, he sighed.
Looking at Zong Jian beside him, he shook his head.
Zong Jian's tears immediately came down.
After Li Yueyao and Feng Shenyu came out, Zong Jian stayed beside them carefully and saw them off respectfully.
When they reached the courtyard, Li Yueyao said, "You should go back. Don't see me off. The old master can't leave without someone by his side right now."
"Thank you, Your Highness, and the Right Prime Minister, for visiting my father today. My family was in a state of panic, and I apologize for my inadequate hospitality."
Li Yueyao didn't say anything, Fengshenyu said: "Go."
After Zong Jian saluted, he hurried to the inner courtyard.
After Zong Jian came back, he looked around the yard and asked, "Where's the third brother? Hasn't he come back yet?"
Madam Zong Jian shook her head, and the Third Madam quickly replied, "We've sent someone to look for him."
Zong Jian's eyes instantly became sharp and fierce.
Without saying a word, he turned around and took his eldest son and Li Huaiyu into the room.
After a while, all the doctors in the room came out.
When the people in the yard saw the imperial physician come out, they immediately became panicked.
Inside the room, the old master Zong, who was lying on the bed, closed his eyes and whispered:
"Ling'er..."
Zong Jian reached out and took the hand of the old master Zong and said, "Father... Second brother... Second brother..."
The old master called out again: "Ling'er..."
Li Huaiyu suddenly reached out from the side, took the hand of Master Zong and said:
"I'm Ling'er, I'm back."
When Grand Tutor Zong heard this, the corners of his mouth moved slightly, as if he was smiling.
After a while, he said, "Come back...good..."
Zong Jian listened beside him, suppressed his tears and said softly:
"Father, my second brother is here. He's back."
Grand Tutor Zong moved his hand and tightly grasped Li Huaiyu's hand. His body suddenly stiffened and stretched.
This action lasted no more than ten breaths before his hands suddenly relaxed again, and then his entire body went limp...
Li Huaiyu saw that Master Zong's hand loosened and looked at him in surprise.
Zong Jian was holding his other hand, so he naturally felt it as well. He walked forward tremblingly and sniffed to smell its breath.
"Father……"
Zong Jian's sorrowful voice echoed throughout the room.
When the people outside heard it, they hurriedly pushed the door open and rushed in.
Then, everyone in the room cried out in grief.
Li Yueyao and Feng Shenyu had just walked out of the gate of the clan mansion and had not yet had time to get into the car when they heard crying coming from inside the mansion.
The two of them felt a sinking feeling in their hearts.
At this moment, a man suddenly rushed in from the door, reeking of alcohol and staggering, as if he did not see Li Yueyao and the others.
He walked into the gate with unsteady steps. After hearing the crying, his legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground, holding onto the door.
Seeing this, the people nearby rushed forward to help the man up, shouting, "Sanlangjun, be careful."
The two then realized that this was the third son of the Zong family, Zong Heng.
It looked like she had just returned from a brothel, reeking of alcohol and cosmetics, enough to make anyone fall flat on their face.
The two of them got on the carriage, and Li Yueyao said:
"How could the third son of this clan be so absurd?"
Feng Shenyu said, "I heard that he is the youngest child, and the old lady of the Zong family dotes on him quite a bit, so he has developed such a temperament."
When the Grand Tutor Zong Lao passed away, the emperor personally paid his respects and suspended court for three days as a sign of mourning.
During these three days, Li Huaiyu was busy running around with the people from the Zong family and did not go home.
When Prince Cheng found out, he just sighed and said that Li Huaiyu went to help on his behalf.
Finally, on the fourth day, Li Huaiyu saw the person he had been thinking about, Zong Feilin.
After riding back all the way from the northern border, Zong Feilin could hardly stand after dismounting at the gate of the mansion.
It was her elder brother Zong Hui who carried her all the way back to the mansion.
Li Huaiyu was helping to arrange the mourners in the Intermediate Court, and saw Zong Hui carrying someone on his back from a distance.
The man was wearing long boots unique to the north, dressed like a man, with a soft whip exposed at his waist.
Li Huaiyu knew at first sight that this person was Zong Feilin.
So he stopped what he was doing and looked at the man intently.
When Zong Hui walked past him, Li Huaiyu saw Zong Feilin's haggard cheeks and red eyes from crying.
The last time they met was when she and Huai Xiujing went to the border together. He secretly went to the Ten-Li Pavilion to see them off.
From afar, I saw Zong Feilin, wearing red clothes and riding a white horse, holding a silver spear and a soft whip, looking heroic.
When we met again six years later, her eyes were red from crying.
Li Huaiyu's heart seemed to be grabbed by an invisible big hand in an instant.
It hurts so much that I can hardly breathe...
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