Jinyi Spring

Chapter 227 Reunion

Feng Chuchen and Shaoyao mainly stayed in the east courtyard, but went to the west courtyard to meet with the villagers. He gave them some pastries and sweets made by the imperial kitchen, and handed over the two hundred taels of silver bestowed by the emperor to Zhao Lizheng—Zhao Lizheng still spent the money, and Feng Changfu kept the accounts.

Hearing that the silver was a personal gift from the Emperor to thank the villagers for their care of Princess Yong'an, Zhao Lizheng and several elders were moved to tears.

Fearing that the villagers outside the courtyard would get cold, Ming Shanyue ordered people to light several bonfires outside and cook several pots of meat to share with everyone.

The entire Yao family came. Feng Chuchen privately rewarded them with two hundred taels of silver, as well as some brocade, palace flowers, and other items. He also rewarded Feng Changfu with one hundred taels of silver and palace flowers, among other things.

The Yao and Feng families were overjoyed—the money was secondary; the key was the prestige.

The Feng clan members came again, but Uncle Qian stood guard at the door, not letting them in. However, they still got to eat the meat outside the courtyard.

Escorted by Ming Shanyue and others, Shui Chuchen made a special trip to Qingwei Marsh to burn incense for the deceased.

At this moment, the plum tree was in full bloom, with dense and abundant blossoms, more so than in previous years.

Standing beneath the tree, Feng Chuchen gazed towards Jiupo Ridge. Her aunt had already passed away, becoming Shui Chuchen. And the original owner of this body…

She closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, and silently recited the Rebirth Sutra for the child once more.

After all the villagers had left, Shui Chuchen went to the west courtyard.

Feng Buji was overjoyed to finally be alone with his sister, hugging her tightly like a koala.

Ming Shanyue stood outside the courtyard gate, looking around warily, but mostly glancing at that beautiful figure.

This "little candle" was not easy to appease. Shui Chuchen coaxed him for a long time and had dinner with him before he reluctantly agreed to rest in the west courtyard tonight.

"Isn't your eldest sister afraid of catching something from Sister Hibiscus?"

Mu Jin never returned to the capital, claiming she was ill and afraid of catching the illness. Using this as a pretext, she stayed in the East Courtyard. It was under her protection that Chen Qingrui was able to safely enter and leave the basement.

Shui Chuchen smiled and said, "Since you're in good health, you still need to give Mujin acupuncture treatment. You don't want her to die from her illness, do you?"

She and Peony entered the east courtyard and then locked the door.

As night deepened, Chen Qingrui secretly glanced at Feng Buji through a crack in the door.

These days, Chen Qingrui comes out every night after dark, sleeps in the east room, and returns to the basement just before dawn. She and Mu Jin wear the same clothes, so even if someone sees her from a tree in the distance, they will only think it is Mu Jin walking around.

Shui Chuchen noticed that her mother's eyes were red and swollen, and she seemed listless. Shouldn't she be happy to see Uncle Ming? But she looked like she had been crying for a long time, the kind of crying that tears your heart apart.

Shui Chuchen understood a bit, but couldn't bear to say it aloud, and silently made the bed.

Her daughter is her closest relative and the only person in the world she can open up to.

Chen Qingrui hesitated for a moment, then spoke up, "I've made things clear with your Uncle Ming. From now on, once I'm in the west, we'll keep to ourselves. He'll protect me, and I'll live there. He... has agreed."

She pushed him away, but then cried like this.

Shui Chuchen carefully examined her mother again. She was better than when she had just left Zixia Nunnery. There was a thin layer of flesh on her cheeks, and they were no longer as sunken as before. But she was still very thin, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were like paper that had been repeatedly crumpled by the years, hiding the vicissitudes and torment of sixteen years of not seeing the light of day.

Even if she took Rongyang Pills, it would only be like a withered tree sprouting new life—her blood vessels could flow, but her vital energy would be difficult to restore. It was already a miracle that she survived; however, her body would ultimately be weaker than that of ordinary people, sensitive to wind and cold, and unable to withstand great fatigue or sorrow.

If she had stayed by her side and treated her with acupuncture every day, perhaps she could have recovered some of her strength. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible.

But at least it survived. As long as the roots are there, spring is still here.

Shui Chuchen recalled a line from a poem she had read in her past life: "If love between two people is destined to last, why should they be together day and night?" But now, her mother, who could be with the person she loved "day and night," insisted on avoiding him.

She swallowed back some of the words that were on the tip of her tongue. Her mother might understand those principles, but she couldn't let go of the knot in her heart.

She gently held her mother's hand and said softly, "Mother, you're only thirty-seven. You have a long life ahead of you. Besides, I've been helping you take care of your health, and you're feeling much better now. In the future, I'll find some good ginseng to make medicine and have someone send it to you. You'll get better and better."

Chen Qingrui shook her head, her voice lowering, "In these twenty years, I've lived a life that most people haven't lived in two lifetimes. My physical health might be able to recover, but some things... can't be recovered just by recuperating."

She paused, as if speaking to herself, "Lord Ming is such a good man, and the entire Ming family are good people. I am not worthy of him, and I cannot be a burden to them."

“Mother, everyone knows how good you are, especially Uncle Ming. Why belittle yourself?”

Chen Qingrui sighed, "You're still young, there are many things you don't understand..."

Seeing her mother's stubborn expression, Shui Chuchen didn't try to persuade her further, but simply held her hand gently. Some things can't be explained in a few words.

But she knew in her heart that Ming Changqing had been devoted to his mother his whole life, loving her unconditionally. The future was long, and he would find a way, little by little, to break down the wall in his mother's heart.

Having no emotional knots in your heart is also good for your health.

Shui Chuchen helped Chen Qingrui lie down on the bed and began to administer acupuncture to her.

She then recounted the situation in the palace.

Speaking of Emperor Jianzhang and Empress Dowager Xue, Chen Qingrui curled her lip and gave a cold smile, "They really are a mother and son, each one a better actor than the other."

When Chen Qingrui heard that Empress Dowager Xue wanted to marry Shui Chuchen to Sun Chengyu, who had an affair with her stepmother, she was so angry that she trembled.

"Empress Dowager Xue is even worse than Xue Qinghe. She not only wants to ruin you, but also wants to cripple your brother. And that man only cares about himself and the throne. You and your brother must support each other and never fall into their trap."

"Don't worry, Mother, we will. We'll find a way to visit you after Brother returns from the imperial tombs."

Chen Qingrui nodded, her expression relaxing slightly.

After the acupuncture treatment, the mother and daughter snuggled together and talked until late at night before Shui Chuchen finally fell asleep.

Chen Qingrui, however, could not sleep.

She lay on her side, gazing longingly at her daughter's sleeping face in the starlight streaming in from the window.

The girl's face glowed faintly in the hazy light, her brows relaxed, her breathing even. She reached out and very gently brushed away a stray strand of hair from her daughter's forehead, her fingertips pausing briefly on the vermilion birthmark between her eyebrows.

This girl is beautiful. She resembles her, yet she doesn't. She's more resilient, more capable, and more opinionated than her.

that's nice!

She will never be like me, a small boat adrift in the storm, her fate tossed about by the waves. She will raise her own white sail and go wherever she wants to go… (End of Chapter)