Chapter 1552 - 1550: Painful Farewell (Part 2)

Chapter 1550

"Mother, is there something you can’t speak of?" Lin Siyin asked in apprehension.

Xia Ruqing quickly shook her head.

"No!"

She tightened her grip on her hand and continued.

"The court affairs are busy, and staying here won’t help!"

"Besides, the Taishang Huang and I wish to live quietly!"

"Just act as if you don’t know anything!"

"After we leave, simplify everything; this is our wish, and we hope you and Chenchen can fulfill it!!"

The reason they didn’t tell Zhao Qichen directly was that they didn’t know how to begin.

Lin Siyin is a daughter-in-law, destined to stay by Chenchen’s side for life, so it’s most appropriate to tell her.

"Alright!"

Lin Siyin wiped her tears.

"I understand everything, Mother, rest assured!"

"That’s good, I feel relieved leaving this to you!" Xia Ruqing nodded in comfort.

"Then... I’ll take my leave first, Mother, enjoy your meal!"

Lin Siyin quickly stood up and left after saying that.

Xia Ruqing saw her off and hurriedly turned into the inner room.

...

"Puh!"

Before she entered, she heard this sound.

Xia Ruqing walked quickly over and took the spittoon to catch it.

Zhao Junyao coughed and spat blood, the veins on his face bulging, his eyes dim, looking extremely uncomfortable.

Tears uncontrollably streamed down Xia Ruqing’s face, but she dared not say anything.

She could only constantly hand him tea and tissues, and gently pat his back.

"Do you feel better?"

"It’s all my fault, I’m to blame!"

Why did we have to go see the snow scenery? Staying indoors would have been fine, right?

"How can it be your fault!"

"You haven’t done anything wrong," Zhao Junyao smiled at her through the blood.

If he weren’t smiling it would be better, this smile made her cry even harder.

"Don’t smile, what’s there to smile about!"

Chenchen hadn’t left yet, if he saw this, wouldn’t that add another saddened person?

Zhao Junyao gently rubbed her hair and murmured.

"Did I scare you?"

"It’s my fault!"

"No, no, I’m not afraid!"

"You must get better soon!"

If you don’t get better, let’s go quickly instead.

From her previous life, Xia Ruqing was timid, afraid of darkness, pain, cold, hunger, poverty, and death.

She’s afraid of everything, cowardly and timid.

But living through this life, meeting him, she suddenly wasn’t afraid.

"Don’t worry!"

She stared at him certainly.

"I will always be with you!"

"Always! Always!"

Zhao Junyao understood her meaning.

If he leaves, she certainly wouldn’t live alone.

But he couldn’t bear it, she was so timid, she would definitely be very scared, he couldn’t bear her fear.

He would rather leave alone, deserted.

He wanted to refuse her, but many times he opened his mouth, he had no strength to speak, could only rub her hair unwillingly.

Though her hair was no longer rough as when young, though... it was already a bit gray.

But he didn’t mind, it’s her, it’s her hair he loved the most.

...

Xia Ruqing hurriedly cleaned up the bloodstains on the ground, went outside to fetch a bowl of water for him to rinse his mouth, and personally changed his clothes.

Settling him carefully on the bed, she finally sat down and breathed out a sigh of relief.

Zhao Junyao looked at her, signaling with his eyes for her to come over.

Xia Ruqing leaned over, lifted the quilt, and lay down inside.

Beside him was burning hot, he had already been feverish for who knows how long.

Xia Ruqing’s eyes couldn’t help but moisten again.

"If it doesn’t work, call for the Imperial Physician!"

Zhao Junyao shook his head, a faint smile at his lips.

He indicated that it wasn’t necessary, reaching this point, how would calling the Imperial Physician help?

Xia Ruqing understood his meaning, so she said no more.

Just held him tightly, burying her head into his chest, letting her tears silently flow down.

...

In the side room

Zhao Qichen looked utterly shocked.

"Did Mother really say that?"

Lin Siyin nodded solemnly: "Yes!"

Zhao Qichen wasn’t excessively sad, just glanced at the thick stack of paintings beside him, his eyes contemplative.

"I understand!"

Lin Siyin worried, but couldn’t advise him much, only silently handed him a cup of tea.

After lunch.

The two sat reading under the window of the side room.

Listening to no sounds from the main room, Zhao Qichen didn’t want to disturb them.

Until laughter came again from their side that evening, he dared to knock on the door.

Thinking there were no others, Xia Ruqing personally opened the door.

Seeing Zhao Qichen, her face lit up with joy.

"Chenchen, why have you come? Come in and sit!"

"Yes!"

Zhao Qichen managed a smile, nodded, and entered.

After saluting and sitting down, Zhao Qichen expressed his intention.

"Father, I originally planned to stay with you for some days, but there’s so much work in the court..."

He hadn’t finished when Zhao Junyao waved his hand.

"It’s alright, the empire’s interests are above all, other matters are not important!"

Zhao Qichen’s eyes turned red, he nodded in pain.

"Yes!"

"Since Father and Mother’s health is still good, I’ll return to the palace tomorrow and visit again another day!"

He always felt he should be more open-minded like Mother.

Just like the saying goes: what joy in life, what fear in death.

Father and Mother aren’t afraid, as their son, what is there to fear.

But in his heart, there’s still a lingering unease about not fulfilling filial duty.

The hand on his knee seemed lost, gripping and releasing, releasing and gripping.

Perhaps sensing his anxiety.

Zhao Junyao gave Xia Ruqing a glance.

Xia Ruqing then stood up smiling.

"There’s soup cooking in the small kitchen, I need to go check it out, let you father and son chat!"

After saying this, she went out the door.

The room was left with only father and son.

Zhao Junyao struggled to rise, Zhao Qichen quickly stepped forward to assist him.

Zhao Junyao staggered up, led his son to the window.

He took a long breath and then exhaled deeply, finally pulling his son’s hand, speaking solemnly.

"Chenchen, in the future..."

"Father entrusts a lifetime’s efforts to you, you must protect it well!"

"Yes!"

Zhao Qichen choked up.

He understood clearly, Father was entrusting his final words.

"I’ve been too harsh on you since you were young!"

"When you were three, due to your tardiness in rising for school, I scolded you!"

"At five, because you couldn’t train well on the Plum Blossom Piles, couldn’t hold a proper stance, I hit your palm!"

"At eight, scolded you for not pulling the bow due to cold hands and feet in winter!"

"At twelve, because you accidentally fell off a horse, I punished you severely!"

"I remember all of it! You remember too, don’t you!"

"You must have hated me then!"

As he finished speaking, his entire being was extremely weakened.

Once tall and upright, handsome, dashing, vigorous as an emperor.

Now he couldn’t even stand steadily.

Could only lean most of his body’s weight on his son to avoid falling.

And Zhao Qichen at this moment.

A young man’s not-so-childlike shoulders can bear all weight and can also bear his father.

Yet at this moment, he was sobbing uncontrollably.

"I don’t remember! I forgot it all, Father..."