Chapter 52 The Little Mermaid Chooses to Stay
Lu'e swallowed back the question she was about to ask when she saw the fear on Rong Yin's face. She had never seen such an expression on Rong Yin's face before.
Like a bird with broken wings, the moment it falls from the sky, it has foreseen its impending death.
Fear, helplessness and sadness.
Influenced by Rong Yin, Lu'e also started to panic. She did not tell anyone else to do this, but turned around and ran towards Yu's study as fast as she could.
Why, why did it have to be today, why did it have to be now, even if it happened when Your Majesty was with the master?
Because Zong Zheng Xiao always bullies Rong Yin, Lu'e doesn't like him very much, but Lu'e knows that Rong Yin cares about Zong Zheng Xiao more than anyone else.
So she couldn't let Rong Yin down. If Rong Yin wanted to see Zong Zheng Xiao, then she would bring Zong Zheng Xiao back to see Rong Yin.
Lu'e held up her skirt and ran forward desperately, as if she was completely tireless.
When the palace servants on the road saw her, they could only see her back before they could even greet her.
"What's wrong with Aunt Lu'e?" the palace maid asked the person next to her in confusion.
There are many rules in the palace, one of which is that you cannot travel fast unless something big happens.
Thinking of this, the palace servants looked at each other, and felt something was not right.
Lu'e was a palace maid in the Silver Mermaid Garden. The only person in the Silver Mermaid Garden who was worthy of her losing her composure like this was probably the mermaid who was the apple of everyone's eye.
The moment she saw Si Xi guarding the door, Lu'e's heart almost jumped out of her throat. She climbed up the stairs with a flushed face. If Si Xi hadn't stepped forward to support her in time, she would have almost fallen down at the door.
"Go and tell His Majesty that something has happened to the master!" After shouting this, Lu'e was so tired that she knelt on the ground and began to breathe heavily.
The last time Rong Yin fell ill, when the eunuch came to inform him, his level of anxiety was not even one-tenth of what he is now.
So Si Xi reacted immediately and thought that this time it might be more than just an illness.
He no longer cared about Lu'e and quickly ran to the study. At this time, Zong Zhengxiao had just sent away a few ministers who came to discuss matters and was preparing to pack up and return to Yinjiao Garden.
I don't know why today, but Zong Zheng Xiao always feels uneasy, as if something bad is going to happen next.
This made him miss Rong Yin very much and he wanted to see him immediately.
But just as he was about to go out, Si Xi came in.
Si Xi didn't bother to greet him this time. He started shouting as soon as he entered the door: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Go to the Silver Shark Garden quickly! Something big has happened!"
When Zong Zheng Xiao heard this, he felt as if his heart was pierced by needles several times, and the pain was so severe that he could not help but frown.
He walked towards Si Xiying and grabbed his shoulders: "What happened?"
Si Xi: "No, I don't know. Lu'e came in person and it looks like the situation is not good."
Zong Zhengxiao said no more and ran out quickly. After seeing Lu'e kneeling at the door, he did not stop and went straight to Yinjiao Garden.
Si Xi came out and found that he could not catch up with Zong Zheng Xiao, so he looked at the sweaty Lu E and asked anxiously, "What happened to the young master?"
Lu'e's voice was choked with sobs: "It seems that the master is dying..."
Si Xi was shocked: "Impossible! Wasn't he fine when we left this morning?"
"I don't know, I don't know..." Lu'e shook her head. She seemed to have sensed something and tears kept falling.
Si Xi wanted to ask for more details, but looking at Lu'e's expression, he was afraid that he would not be able to explain it clearly.
"Hey, this, this, oops!"
Si Xi had no choice but to help Lu'e up and hurriedly catch up with Zong Zheng Xiao.
There was some chaos in the Silver Shark Garden. Lu'e was not the only one who heard Rong Yin's words. The other palace servants looked at Rong Yin with a dazed look on his face and were so panicked that they didn't know what to do. They could only stay by Rong Yin's side foolishly.
Rong Yin seemed not to notice their reaction at all. He didn't move after Lu'e left.
Not sure if it was because he was scared by himself or for some other reason, Rong Yin just felt his whole body go limp and he couldn't exert any strength at all.
His eyes were wide open, and a feeling of panic spread throughout his body.
Facing death again, he was able to remain calm last time when he was swept away by the flood, but he couldn't do it this time because he had someone he cared about, and he knew that person cared about him too.
Rong Yin wondered, if he died now, what would Zong Zheng Xiao do?
I haven't even had time to finish writing my farewell letter...
Just as Rong Yin was feeling regretful, he heard hurried footsteps. He raised his head and a familiar figure appeared in his sight.
The two men stared at each other from a distance. Rong Yin suddenly gathered all his strength and propped himself up. He wanted to call Zong Zheng Xiao's name, but he couldn't utter a word.
He saw Zong Zheng Xiao coming towards him, so he also stretched out his hand.
But things did not go as planned. At the moment when their hands were about to touch, Rong Yin's consciousness was pulled out of his body and he fell forward uncontrollably.
Rong Yin was unwilling to give in. It was just one step away, clearly just one step away.
Before being swallowed by the darkness, Rong Yin saw Zong Zheng Xiao hugging him.
"Rong Yin!"
"Ayin!"
Zong Zheng Xiao was calling his name. Rong Yin wanted to respond, but he was powerless. He could only let his eyelids close little by little until he could no longer see Zong Zheng Xiao's desperate expression.
…
In the Yinjiao Garden, all the imperial physicians who could be called by name were kneeling in the courtyard, trembling, their faces ashen.
In such a large garden, there was no movement at all. It seemed that even the insects in the garden were frightened by the heavy atmosphere and dared not make a single sound.
The last imperial physician who was to take the patient's pulse came out. Under the expectant gazes of the other imperial physicians, he staggered to the side and knelt down with a thud.
Upon seeing this, the light in the eyes of the imperial doctors dimmed.
This is already the fifth day. Five days ago, they were all summoned here by an urgent order from the emperor. One by one, they took turns to treat the mermaid who had fainted from the emperor's illness. The emperor wanted to know why the mermaid was in a coma and how to wake him up.
Mermaids are different from humans. Before, only an old doctor had treated mermaids, but she used the same methods she used for humans.
Everyone followed suit and started to imitate the old doctor.
But after looking at it for a while, it seemed that there was nothing wrong with this mermaid. She just fell asleep. As for why she didn't wake up, they didn't know. There had never been such a precedent before.
After discussion, the imperial doctors adopted some gentle and harmless methods to wake her up, but to no avail. The mermaid kept her eyes closed with a serene expression and showed no intention of waking up at all.
If the mermaid had not still had a pulse and breathing, they would have suspected that the emperor was holding a corpse.
The mermaid didn't wake up, but the emperor didn't get angry. He just asked the imperial doctors to come to Silver Mermaid Garden every day and take turns to treat the patient.
Of course, they were not kneeling because Zong Zheng Xiao asked them to, because Zong Zheng Xiao had no time to pay attention to them, his attention was all on the merman.
The imperial doctors knelt down voluntarily. On the one hand, they were ashamed of their poor medical skills. It could be said that the Imperial Hospital, which gathered the best doctors in the world, could not even find out the reason why the mermaid was comatose.
On the other hand, they were also afraid. Even though Zong Zheng Xiao didn't want to punish them now, if the merman couldn't wake up or died accidentally, then they, the useless doctors, would be obvious targets.
Losing your job is a small matter, but if you lose your life because of it, it would be irreparable.
Therefore, if they punished themselves before the emperor got angry, the emperor might spare their lives because of their self-awareness.
As night fell, Eunuch Sixi walked out of the house and said expressionlessly to the imperial doctors kneeling on the ground, "His Majesty has ordered that all the imperial doctors go back to rest and come back tomorrow. If any imperial doctor gets sick from kneeling and delays treating the young master, don't blame His Majesty for being rude."
Before Si Xi finished his words, the imperial doctors were so frightened that they all crawled up. Some of them knelt for too long and almost fell down.
Si Xi asked the palace maids to send the imperial physician back, and he did not turn around and go back into the house until their backs disappeared at the garden gate.
Inside the room, Zong Zhengxiao was sitting on the bed holding Rong Yin in his arms. He lowered his eyes and stared at Rong Yin's face, his body as stiff as a statue, motionless.
Si Xi lowered his head and walked to the side to wait, quietly wiping away his tears.
By the time he and Lu'e arrived at the Silver Shark Garden that day, everything was already too late.
The palace maids knelt and cried. Rong Yin fell in Zong Zhengxiao's arms, and it was unknown whether she was alive or dead. Zong Zhengxiao kept calling Rong Yin's name with a panicked and desperate look on his face.
Later, everyone found out that Rong Yin was just in a coma and not dead, and they were relieved. However, Zong Zheng Xiao saw what Rong Yin had written on the dwarf paper before he fell into a coma.
Except for Zong Zhengxiao, no one knew what was written on it. But after reading the contents on the paper, the little hope that had just ignited in Zong Zhengxiao's eyes was completely extinguished.
"Why! Why did you hide this from me! Why didn't you tell me before? Why on earth is this happening?!"
Zong Zhengxiao clutched the piece of paper and questioned Rong Yin like a madman, but Rong Yin only responded with silence.
Zong Zhengxiao cried.
That was the first time that Si Xi saw the emperor cry. Zong Zheng Xiao, who used to be either scheming or gloomy and irritable in his eyes, showed his most vulnerable side in front of everyone without any scruples.
"Rong Yin, how can you be so cruel that you didn't even give me a chance to say goodbye? Are you trying to force me to hate you?"
Zong Zhengxiao's tears rolled down and dripped onto Rong Yin's face in his arms, as if Rong Yin was crying too.
His crying lasted for a long time, mixed with complaints and longing for Rong Yin, but more of it was endless regret and reluctance.
In fact, he noticed that Rong Yin's mood was obviously not right some time before the accident, but he did not pursue the matter further and believed Rong Yin's excuse.
He clearly had the ability to hear Rong Yin's thoughts, but he didn't even know what Rong Yin was thinking.
He thinks he is a piece of trash, the biggest piece of trash in the world!
…
After an unknown amount of time, Rong Yin slowly opened his eyes and found himself in an endless expanse of pure white, while his body had returned to its human form before he traveled through the book.
Rong Yin quickly understood why she was here.
"Tian Dao, is that you?"
"It's me." A familiar old voice appeared, as if it came from all directions, and as if it only echoed in Rong Yin's mind.
After knowing the Heavenly Dao, Rong Yin hurriedly asked, "Isn't it less than a year? How could I die suddenly?"
"It's indeed not time yet, so you are not actually dead, you are just in a coma. I called you here in advance because I have something to tell you."
Is he just comatose? Rong Yin felt a little relieved.
He responded politely: "Please go ahead."
Tiandao: "I sent you into this world with the intention of letting you live a stable life for a year, but you had your own chance and inadvertently rewrote the ending of this book, thus changing your own destiny."
Rong Yin was a little confused: "My, destiny?"
"Yes." Tian Dao continued, "Your fate with Emperor Zong Zheng Xiao has saved this country from the turmoil of war in the future. The knowledge you spread has also improved the lives of the people in this country. Regardless of whether this is your original intention, you deserve to be called a great meritorious person."
Rong Yin felt that Tian Dao's words had a deeper meaning, so he asked tentatively, "What are these merits for?"
Tian Dao: "According to the original plan, you will die in a year and be reincarnated as a child of a well-off family, living an ordinary life."
"What about now?" Rong Yin asked.
Tian Dao: "The knowledge you spread will affect this world for nearly a thousand years. The merits you have accumulated will be enough for you to have a family background and personal abilities that everyone will envy in your next life. Roughly speaking, it will allow you to be worry-free for at least three lifetimes."
Rong Yin had never thought that what she had done just to fulfill her friendship with Zong Zhengxiao would actually give her such a generous reward.
It would be a lie to say that I'm not moved. Who doesn't want peace and happiness in every life?
"So I'm asking you now." In Rong Yin's bewildered eyes, Heaven gave him two choices, "Are you willing to go and reincarnate immediately after the one-year period is up, or do you want to stay? I know that you have a deep bond with the people in this world, but if you choose the latter, you will have to pay a price and one-third of your merits will be deducted."
Rong Yin could tell that Tiandao wanted him to choose the former.
Compared to the first time they met, Tiandao seemed to have more human emotions. Not only did he speak in a simple and easy-to-understand way, but he was also more considerate of him.
Because from personal interests, the former is indeed the best choice.
But when he thought of Zong Zhengxiao's painful expression before he fainted, the scenes of the two of them getting along in the past, Lu'e who was kind to him, and Si Xi who was always smiling, Rong Yin's heart, which had never wavered, became even firmer.
"I choose to stay." Rong Yin said without hesitation.
Tian Dao was silent for a few seconds, and did not persuade him to make a new choice. Instead, he said, "I respect your wishes."
Rong Yin breathed a sigh of relief, and her heart suddenly became clear.
Suddenly, he remembered something and asked the heavens, "Since my merits can allow me to stay, can I also exchange them for other things?"
Tian Dao seemed to have guessed his thoughts long ago, and said calmly: "What do you want to change?"
"How much merit is needed to bring someone back to life in this world?"
"You have half of your remaining merits," Tian Dao kindly reminded, "If you use your merits to exchange for someone else's life, your welfare in your next life will be greatly reduced. It will only be slightly better than the original well-off family, and it can only last for two lives. Are you sure you still want to contribute merits?"
"Sure!" Rong Yin's tone was still as firm as the last time she made her choice. "I am willing to use the remaining half of my merit to exchange for the life of the original owner of the mermaid, so that he can return home as he wishes."
Rong Yin inherited the original owner's memory, and will always remember the original owner's grief at the time of his death and his deep longing for his hometown.
Since he borrowed someone else's body, he should give something back to that person.
"You are a kind child. The death of the mermaid has nothing to do with you."
Rong Yin smiled and said, "I just want everyone to be well."
"Then it's as you wish. After the mermaid is resurrected, I will also give you a new body."
Rong Yin said, "Thank you very much."
"No need to thank me, this is what you earned through your good deeds."
After saying this, Tiandao disappeared, probably to deal with Rong Yin's request.
Rong Yin didn't know how the Heavenly Dao would operate specifically, and it was not easy to ask, so he could only wait obediently in the pure white space.
…
Zong Zhengxiao was alive, Rong Yin was also alive, but they both looked like they were already "dead".
Apart from matters related to Rong Yin, Zong Zheng Xiao no longer spoke. In his eyes, there was only Rong Yin, and he could only have room for Rong Yin.
There were no morning court sessions, no government affairs were handled, and none of the ministers were seen.
At first, they were able to cover it up with the excuse that the emperor was ill, but later the news leaked out somehow, and all the ministers knew that Zong Zhengxiao was so decadent and inactive because of the mermaid.
People from the aristocratic families and the group of meritorious officials had requested to see the emperor, but were all turned away by Si Xi.
Si Xi did this not to cover up anything for the emperor, but for the good of these court officials. No one knew what the consequences would be if they angered the emperor at this time. Si Xi was afraid that Zong Zheng Xiao would cause irreparable consequences due to his momentary anger.
Just as Si Xi was recalling what had happened in the past few days, Lu'e came in with two palace maids. The palace maids were holding food in their hands, and all of them looked frightened, probably because they were afraid of being implicated.
After they put down their things, Lu'e let them go. The two of them restrained their gratitude and excitement and left the room as quietly as possible.
Lu'e bowed to Zong Zhengxiao and said in a businesslike tone, "Your Majesty, it's time for dinner."
Zong Zhengxiao didn't react at all, as if he didn't hear it.
In the past few days, the green moth comes once every morning, noon and evening.
At first, Si Xi was afraid that she would anger Zong Zheng Xiao, and he advised her several times in private. But later, he found that Zong Zheng Xiao completely ignored her. In addition, seeing that Zong Zheng Xiao had not eaten or drunk for several days, he knew that something bad would happen if he continued like this, so he stopped trying.
Si Xi saw that Lu'e brought out the dishes that Rong Yin liked. She probably knew that Zong Zheng Xiao had no appetite at the moment, so she used this method.
Unfortunately, nothing worked. Every time they waited until the food was cold, Zong Zheng Xiao didn't even look at them.
Lu'e knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, just think of it for the sake of the master. If you fall down, what will the master do?"
Yes, in fact, Lu'e didn't care about Zong Zheng Xiao's life or death. She was just afraid that Zong Zheng Xiao would starve himself to death, which would cause chaos in the palace. By then, even if Rong Yin was still alive, no one would try their best to save him like they do now.
Si Xi could actually guess what Lu'e was thinking, but he did not blame her for her thoughts. It was just that everyone had their own priorities.
He also stepped forward and knelt with Lu'e: "Your Majesty, Lu'e is right. The young master is still waiting for you to save him. If something happens to you again, no one will take care of the young master."
Perhaps what the two said finally moved Zong Zheng Xiao, and he slowly turned his head, looked at the food on the table, then looked at the two people on the ground, and asked in a hoarse voice: "Do you think he can still wake up?
Lu'e immediately said, "Of course! The master is just asleep, he will definitely wake up!"
“Really?” Zong Zhengxiao seemed to be asking them, or perhaps asking himself. His eyes were fixed, as if his brain was no longer able to think. He said blankly, “But he said in the letter…”
What did the letter say? Lu'e and Si Xi were eager to know, but Zong Zhengxiao fell silent again.
Just as Lu'e was considering whether to risk it all and asked Zong Zhengxiao about it, Zong Zhengxiao suddenly shouted in surprise: "Rong Yin!"
At this second, Lu'e thought that Rong Yin had woken up, but when she looked over, she saw Zong Zhengxiao looking at Rong Yin with his eyes closed, his face full of disbelief.
"There's no breathing or pulse..." Zong Zhengxiao kept trying under Rong Yin's nose and neck, his voice trembling, "What's going on? Wasn't he fine just now?"
Si Xi and Lu'e were stunned. What Zong Zhengxiao meant was that Rong Yin... was gone?
Lu'e no longer cared about status, life or death, she got up and staggered over, grabbed Rong Yin's hand and pressed on his wrist.
There was no beating, total silence.
Lu'e fell limply to the ground, while Si Xi crawled out and rolled over, ordering the palace servants to call back all the imperial doctors quickly.
“Ayin! Ayin!” Zong Zhengxiao shook Rong Yin, his eyes wide open with bloodshot. He kept saying, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have mentioned that letter. Please don’t be angry with me, okay? Wake up, wake up, I beg you…”
Guilt ate away at Zong Zhengxiao's heart. Why did he always do the wrong thing? It would have been fine if he hadn't discovered Rong Yin's worries in time, but now he couldn't even keep Rong Yin's remaining soul.
After reading the letter which was like a suicide note, Zong Zhengxiao tacitly accepted that Rong Yin was dead. The reason why she had not yet breathed her last was because her soul had not yet completely left her body.
"It's all my fault, Ayin. I don't blame you anymore. I don't blame you for not telling me in advance that you would die. Please come back, please come back. I beg you..."
Zong Zhengxiao was going crazy. He hugged Rong Yin tightly and kept talking to him, even though he could feel that Rong Yin's body was getting colder and colder.
Lu'e found it difficult to understand what Zong Zhengxiao meant. She found that the imperial doctors had not returned yet, so she tiptoed out to check. At this time, the only thought in her mind was to save Rong Yin.
As soon as she left, Zong Zhengxiao and Rong Yin were the only ones left in the room.
Tears as big as beans rolled down Zong Zhengxiao's haggard face. He kept feeling Rong Yin's pulse, praying for a miracle to happen. As long as God could grant his request and let Rong Yin come back to life, he was willing to pay any price.
"Ayin, Ayin..." Zong Zhengxiao called Rong Yin's name in a hoarse voice. He wanted to hug Rong Yin tighter to warm up Rong Yin's gradually cooling body, but when he leaned over, he found nothing.
Rong Yin disappeared right under his nose.
Zong Zheng Xiao seemed to have pressed the pause button. He stared blankly at his empty arms, his pupils trembling violently. His heart seemed to be torn into pieces. The pain was so severe that he could not breathe or think anymore.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
