For half a month, Fang Ruoxi noticed that lamb legs were on the table at every meal. Finally, after half a month, she found Xu Qing and said, "If you want to be a chef, I will put in a good word for you with my husband."
Xu Qing clearly didn't want to, and then the roasted lamb leg disappeared from the dinner table.
Because of his sister, Empress Song, Song Zixing became the current emperor's brother-in-law. Recalling the previous emperor Liu Xiu, this status was something Song Zixing disliked.
Song Zixing was unwilling to stay in the capital and wanted to leave with his beloved wife. However, due to one matter, he stayed in the capital for more than a year. The reason was nothing more than that the current emperor had gathered the most famous doctors in the country to treat Fang Ruoxi's illness, and invited the elusive Prince Liang, Wu Qi's father, to personally come down from Tianshan to treat her condition.
Originally, Song Zixing and Fang Ruoxi intended to seek treatment from the Prince of Liang, but they fell off a cliff on the way. However, by chance, they met a kind person living in seclusion in the deep mountains who saved them and miraculously brought Fang Ruoxi, who had been unconscious, back to consciousness.
It took Fang Ruoxi three whole years to gradually recover her health in the mountains. Those were difficult yet heartwarming years.
The life in the mountains was harsh. When she woke up, she was already paralyzed. When she saw Liu Xiu shooting three arrows at her, she was heartbroken and had already decided to die. She not only met the three arrows head-on, but also did not use any internal force to resist them. Because the arrows were too powerful, after being hit, she fell like a puppet with broken strings, crashed into a boulder, broke her lumbar spine, and became paralyzed from the waist down.
Upon waking up and learning that she was paralyzed, she was filled with despair. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Wu Yi's corpse hanging on the city wall and Liu Xiu shooting arrows at her. She was constantly in a state of collapse and torment.
During that time, Song Zixing was the one who took care of her, coaxing her to eat, helping her wash up, telling her stories, and carrying her around like a wild man to see the scenery. He would hold her and tell her that from now on he would be her legs, and he would take her wherever she wanted to go.
She would never forget those years. She spent every day with Song Zixing, and it was Song Zixing who gradually rekindled her hope for the future and her will to live. He also helped her open her heart again and emerge from the shadows, relying on and trusting him wholeheartedly. She felt as if as long as he was there in the world, she would not be afraid even if she lost her hands and feet.
After recovering from his injuries, he wanted to marry her, and she readily agreed. The speed of their relationship surprised and delighted him, but he couldn't help feeling a little uneasy and uncertain.
He asked her why?
She deliberately didn't say it.
He started speculating wildly. First, he wondered if she was afraid he'd change his mind and not marry her, which was why she agreed so quickly. Seeing her scoff at this guess, he then guessed that she had finally realized he was a very sought-after man and was afraid of being snatched away by other women. Her smile was somewhat chilling.
He stopped guessing and said thoughtfully, "You agreed too readily and too quickly. I feel a little uneasy. However, no matter what, you can forget about leaving me... Don't even think about it. I said that once you fall into my hands, you can forget about leaving again. Even if you die, you will die in my hands."
Hearing this, her heart tightened. She realized how afraid this man was of losing her. Realizing her own thoughts were completely different from his, she couldn't help but chuckle. She snuggled into his arms playfully, finding that familiar and comfortable spot to rub against him, then sighed contentedly, poking his chest with her finger before saying, "There's such a man in the world who treats me so well. If I didn't cherish him, wouldn't I be a fool? Precisely because I'm not a fool, I will hold on, hold on tightly."
His eyes lit up at the words, and then, as if he had thought of something, he smiled jokingly and said, "I get it. So you were so eager to agree because you thought my proposal was too late."
Having her thoughts exposed, she felt somewhat embarrassed, but still curled her lip in disdain, grabbing his shirt and saying, "Yeah, so what? You're mine, you'll be mine for life, you're mine inside and out."
She loved him, truly loved him.
He chuckled softly, holding her tightly against his chest, letting her rest against his chest and listen to the happy, joyful beating of his heart. He also made sure she couldn't see the thin mist in his eyes. He tried to hold back, but he couldn't, and a tear slipped uncontrollably down his cheek.
He loved her, always had.
Upon learning that Wu Qi had recruited renowned doctors and asked her father to treat her infertility, Fang Ruoxi, knowing that Song Zixing didn't want to stay in the capital, said she wouldn't seek treatment. She had long since given up hope and held no expectation of a cure. However, Song Zixing unexpectedly ignored her this time and repeatedly urged her to stay and receive treatment. Faced with Song Zixing's sudden change of heart, Fang Ruoxi was very puzzled and asked him several times. Song Zixing always said he wanted to try, without revealing his true reason. Only Wu Qi and Song Zixing knew the real reason behind it all.
That day, Wu Qi met with Song Zixing in private.
Wu Qi said to Song Zixing, "You may not mind, but this has become a source of heartache for her. Don't you want to get rid of this heartache for her? You were willing to risk everything to save her back then, even if there was only a sliver of hope. Now it's just a matter of treating and recuperating her body. Why are you refusing?"
Song Zixing did not answer.
Wu Qi, however, understood perfectly and said, "Didn't you see the pardon I bestowed upon her? I want to protect her peace and happiness for the rest of her life."
"Why?" Song Zixing suddenly asked.
Wu Qi frankly stated without any attempt to hide her feelings: "There are many kinds of love, and I want to see Wu Qi happy."
Song Zixing's heart skipped a beat. He didn't use the imperial title, he called her "not much," he said he loved her... He was so frank with her.
Xu Qing was left in the capital as a leisurely imperial attendant. He never saw the emperor again throughout the year. When the eunuch summoned him to the palace for an audience, he could only hide in his room and not come out. The one who went to see the emperor was not him, but a lady dressed up as him.
Not only that, Xu Qing also discovered that three considerable silver notes would be delivered to Madam every month. No one except the young master and Madam knew who sent them; all they knew was that Madam treasured them terribly every time she saw them. One day, he overheard Madam gesturing excitedly as she showed them off to the young master, saying, "Bonus! Look, this is this year's bonus, it's really substantial! Those three shops are making a lot of money!"
But then the young master said, "Luckily he didn't let you manage it, otherwise, you might not only have missed out on these profits, but you might have even had to pay out a lot of money."
The lady didn't seem to care, only clutching the silver notes and smiling foolishly. Her appearance would make anyone frown, except for her salary, which she took for granted.
During this time, Fang Zhengyang, an elder of the Fang family, also came to the capital from Jinling and was summoned by the emperor.
Upon returning, he handed over the Fang family's weapons shop and warhorse business to the imperial court. The weapons makers and ranch laborers who had previously served the Fang family were all placed under the court's jurisdiction and paid accordingly. From then on, only the government could forge weapons in large quantities, and only the government could raise and manage warhorses in large numbers. After settling all these matters, Fang Zhengyang went off to enjoy a carefree life, traveling and sightseeing.
Fang Ruoxi understood her father's thoughts. The business of weapons and warhorses had always been frowned upon by the court. Previously, her father, being a close brother of the late emperor and operating during a chaotic era, could naturally develop and manage such businesses. But now, with peace restored, the Fang family's wealth and power aroused envy. While the Li family also attracted jealousy, their deep-rooted influence in the court, complex relationships, and extensive operations in restaurants, inns, and the vital financial institutions of the dynasty meant the court dared not act rashly. Only the Fang family's business of weapons and warhorses was a prime target for criticism. Wu Qi, a wise ruler, while not outwardly demanding the return of all of the Fang family's assets, had been secretly petitioning to confiscate their rights to forge weapons and manage warhorses.
Since she disappeared all these years ago, her father has hardly been involved in the Fang family's business. He had long intended to retire. Later, when he saw that she and Song Zixing had returned safely, he originally wanted to hand over some businesses to Song Zixing. However, knowing that Song Zixing was not interested in this business and would not accept it, he simply returned it all to Wu Qi. His only request was that everyone who had worked for the Fang family for many years be treated well.
Because of Fang Ruoxi, Wu Qi has taken good care of the Fang family. Now the Fang family has taken the initiative to hand over their business of forging weapons and operating warhorses. They readily agreed to Fang Zhengyang's request and secretly gave Fang Ruoxi a share of the profits every year.
After seeing her father off, Fang Ruoxi and Song Zixing returned to their room and were surprised to find a large number of house deeds in a square box on the table, all left to her by her father. Looking at these deeds, she suddenly realized that she was now incredibly wealthy…
A year has passed since I stayed in the capital, and it's springtime again.
Song Zixing and his beloved wife Fang Ruoxi arrived at the shore of Daming Lake and boarded a boat to Mingyue Island. Fang Ruoxi recalled the scene of watching the sunrise together many years ago, and her eyes welled up with tears.
Song Zixing suddenly asked, "What if I were the corpse hanging on the city wall back then?"
Fang Ruoxi was taken aback by his words, and said calmly, "Back then, I... didn't know." Seeing Song Zixing's darkening eyes, she continued, "I only know that if it were now, and your body were hanging on the city wall, I would also rush to snatch it without hesitation, but..."
"Just what?"
"But... I won't dodge any arrow that comes down from the city wall. I want to live and die with you."
He laughed, contentedly wrapping his arms around her. She nestled into his embrace, feeling their warmth and closeness. Suddenly, she asked, "What if I were the corpse hanging on the city wall? What would you do?"
Knowing she was deliberately being unreasonable, he simply smiled knowingly. Seeing her looking up at him, waiting for his answer, Song Zixing feigned ignorance and said, "Me?" He looked up at the sky for a long time, and seeing her gaze shift from expectation to gloom, he coughed and said, "I don't know..." Hearing this, she gritted her teeth, about to explode, and quickly added, "But..."
"But what?" She was already impatient. Then she heard him say with a light laugh, "If it were back then, I think I would have massacred the city and made them pay with their lives. If it were now..." He stopped again.
"How is it now? Tell me quickly!" She bit his shoulder, and he cried out in pain, "Ouch!" He said, "If it were now, I would first massacre the city to avenge you, then carry your body away and bury you in the most beautiful place in the world, and I would be buried beside you. I only ask that even if we are not born at the same time, we can be buried together in the same grave."
Her eyes reddened, a little touched, and then she bit him again. He grimaced for a while, completely losing his composure, rubbing his bruised shoulder, utterly bewildered, and said, "What's wrong with you lately? Haven't you had enough meat? Why do you keep biting me..."
She pouted and said, "Because you've been biting me at night lately, I'm going to get revenge."
"I was..." He couldn't continue and paused.
"What is it?" She stared wide-eyed, waiting for him to continue.
"Alright, tonight I'll let you bite back. Bite wherever you want. I won't resist." He said with a half-smile, his words dripping with ambiguity.
"Tch, who cares..."
"I like it."
"Then let me bite you now."
“Alright, if you insist, I can reluctantly do it… right now.” He smiled ambiguously, and even put on a look of resignation.
She burst out laughing and scolded, "Shameless! Go to hell!"
He said in a serious tone, "You can lose your face, but you can't die."
"Shameless indeed." She scoffed.
"Yes, reputation is more important than face, because if I die, who will be by your side? I don't ask to live to be a hundred years old, I only ask to live one day longer than you."
Why live one more day?
"I want to dress you up beautifully first, bury you with my own hands, and then dress myself up handsomely and die by your side."
“You can be really silly sometimes. You’re nothing like the Song Zixing I know.”
"I've said it before, if you were by my side, I would do the most foolish things."
"You're so cheesy."
"I think I could be even more cheesy."
"..."
Seeing her speechless expression, he chuckled.
She glanced at him sideways, then suddenly thought of something and said, "Hey?! Why don't we go find the most beautiful place in the world after I'm cured?"
“Okay.” He took her hand and readily agreed.
Six months later, Song Zixing left the capital with his beloved wife Fang Ruoxi, and their whereabouts became unknown. At that time, Fang Ruoxi was already pregnant.
Every year on the anniversary of Wu Yi's death, a bunch of white chrysanthemums would appear in front of the tomb of Prince Cheng in the imperial mausoleum. At first, the guards who were guarding the mausoleum would be in a panic when they saw this bunch of chrysanthemums appear out of nowhere, and they would strengthen their vigilance and search everywhere, suspecting that tomb robbers had sneaked in. When the emperor learned of this, he just smiled and did not ask any questions.
Years later, when the guards keeping vigil saw the same chrysanthemums appear out of nowhere at the same time, they mysteriously told the new guards that it was the return of King Cheng's spirit, and that they should not disturb him or take the bouquet of chrysanthemums. As a result, among the thousands of people in the entire imperial mausoleum, no one dared to take that bouquet of bright and beautiful white chrysanthemums.
Every year on this day, the emperor would visit the imperial mausoleum, gazing at the bouquet of chrysanthemums, lost in thought for half a day. People say that the emperor and Prince Cheng were brothers, and that every year on this day, the emperor would think of Prince Cheng.
Many years ago, when Princess Wu Duoduo married into the royal family, the Daming Prefecture in the capital was renamed the Princess's Mansion. It is said that in recent years, an uninhabited courtyard there has been filled with all kinds of chrysanthemums.
On that day of that year, a young master sat in this courtyard, amidst the blooming chrysanthemums, sipping wine and reading a book, looking relaxed and carefree. Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him, turned around, and saw a woman gracefully approaching.
A gentle breeze blows,
The fragrance is intoxicating...
(The End)