The magnolia porridge was still bubbling.
This was the last gift he left for himself.
Sitting alone on the floor, Xie Bufeng couldn't help but slowly close his eyes and imagine "what if".
If there hadn't been a coup, if there hadn't been that sneak attack.
So this morning, will I sit here face to face with Wen Qingci, drink this bowl of magnolia porridge, and then return to the way things were before
In the entire ear room, only that area had a hint of warmth.
Xie Bufeng sat on the ground, staring blankly at the purple clay pot in front of him, his light amber eyes filled with confusion.
He couldn't help but think... On countless winter nights, Wen Qingci came here to wash rice and flowers before dawn. Would he feel cold at that time like he does now
But I didn't even have the chance to say "thank you" properly.
Even the separation between the two was so hasty.
Last night, I was too anxious and wanted to keep Wen Qingci, so the words I said were not gentle.
Could it be that until the very last moment, Wen Qingci still thought that he was angry with him
Xie Bufeng was born and raised naturally. No one ever taught him how to please or speak. The words that come out of his mouth are always the same as his temperament, barbaric and stiff.
The boy was rebellious by nature and never thought of this in the past.
But at this moment, he felt extremely regretful.
The breeze carried a petal of magnolia through the window and landed next to Xie Bufeng's hand.
The gurgling sound of the magnolia porridge in the pot seemed to have become much quieter.
The young man in the dark robe finally stood up and stumbled to the purple clay pot.
Faced with this pot of magnolia porridge, he was at a loss as to what to do.
Xie Bufeng was reluctant to eat it.
Continue to keep it warm here, this pot of magnolia porridge will completely dry up in no time.
But if you freeze it outside, it will lose its fragrance in an instant.
It's just a way to delay time.
Xie Bufeng didn't know... how to leave it behind.
Just like he didn't know how long he could hug Wen Qingci.
The bells rang softly and the crows scattered.
Each blow hit Xie Bufeng's heart heavily.
A huge tremor woke him up.
The boy looked back toward the window—at this moment, there was only a little snow in the sky, floating slowly downwards.
The clouds had become much thinner, and light golden sunlight shone through the gaps in the clouds onto the earth, happening to fall on the huge magnolia tree in the yard.
The night was already over.
It’s time to wake up from the dream.
The door of the Imperial Medical Bureau courtyard, which had been closed all night, was finally pushed open.
The narrow path was crowded with people, including the personal guards who had followed Xie Bufeng in the palace coup and seized the world.
There was also Concubine Lan, who was dressed in plain clothes and holding the hand of Xie Fuyin, and the eunuch Xian who looked terrified.
His eyes slowly swept across the group of people and finally fell on the end of the path - there was a coffin parked there.
Xie Bufeng's heart ached again.
Seeing him come out, Concubine Lan said nothing, but took the little princess's hand and slowly knelt down in front of him.
Then, everyone fell to their knees.
Xie Bufeng suddenly wanted to laugh.
He wanted to break the peace that this group of people were forcibly maintaining and ask them what they wanted to do by kneeling in front of him
Then go burn that damn coffin to warn everyone who tries to force me.
But in the end, he remembered the words Wen Qingci left him.
—Cherish the person in front of you.
These words, like a spell, had been engraved into his soul that night.
In the end, it was Yu Guanlin who clasped his hands and said to him in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, this person has passed away, it is better to bury him in peace as soon as possible..."
The old doctor, who was already over seventy years old, looked much more aged overnight.
He usually spoke carefully and cautiously, for fear of accidentally offending some important person. Even his tone was carefully trained.
However, today, Yu Guanlin's voice was filled with unconcealable sadness.
Xie Bufeng glanced at everyone calmly: "Get up."
After standing up, Concubine Lan slowly turned sideways and whispered to the palace maid beside her: "Go and invite Mr. Song over."
"Yes, Lady Lan."
Not long after, a strange man in a green shirt was brought over by Ming Liu.
He stood there, clasped his hands and bowed, then said: "I, Song Junran, pay my respects to Your Majesty."
Xie Bufeng frowned and looked at him.
The man had gentle facial features and a carefree temperament, but there was a hint of dark circles under his eyes, and he looked very tired.
The salute he just performed was not standard and it was obvious that he was not from Yongdu.
Song Junran didn't beat around the bush. After he finished speaking, he paused for a few seconds and said directly, "I already know... what happened in Taishu Palace last night. I came here to take Qingci back to the Divine Doctor Valley."
His voice was slightly hoarse.
Clear words
Hearing these two overly intimate words, Xie Bufeng's brows immediately furrowed.
Eunuch Xian hurriedly reminded in a low voice: "Your Majesty, this Mr. Song in front of you is the owner of the Divine Doctor Valley and Mr. Wen's senior brother."
Xie Bufeng finally looked at him straight in the eye.
Song Junran was born in Jianghu and spoke very frankly. As a doctor, he was not very shy about life and death: "Qingci promised before his death that his body would be used for medical research after his death. As his senior brother, I should fulfill his last wish for him. And..."
There was a hint of uncontrollable sadness and hesitation in his words.
Apparently, even among the people in the Valley of Divine Doctors, not everyone is like Wen Qingci, who can calmly say, "Instead of letting the corpse rot into mud, it is better to use it for medical research, so that it can be considered a worthy death."
In fact, even in the Valley of Divine Doctors back then, no one would dissect corpses as openly as Wen Qingci.
He is there and is the most special one.
Song Junran paused for a moment, and finally said the rest of the words: "He has never liked Yongdu or Taishu Palace, and forcing him to stay here is not in line with his wishes."
After saying that, Song Junran sighed softly, his expression sad and heavy.
Eunuch Xian added softly that as the Valley Master, Song Junran would not have left the Valley of Divine Doctors.
Ever since he heard a few months ago that Wen Qingci could not leave the palace, he rushed here out of concern for his junior fellow apprentice.
Unexpectedly, in the end, I still couldn't meet my junior brother.
months ago
These words were like a needle, gently pricking Xie Bufeng.
His intuition told him that this time was a little unusual, but Xie Bufeng, who was overwhelmed by sadness and had a numb brain, had no time to think about it.
Xie Fuyin didn't understand what was going on, but the sensitive girl could still feel the sad and solemn atmosphere around her and began to sob softly.
The wind started to blow again, and the magnolia flowers continued to fall.
Song Junran continued, "Besides, I think Your Majesty would not want to leave his corpse alone—"
Having said that, even he couldn't bear to continue.
Concubine Lan sighed softly, rubbed Xie Fuyin's head, turned around and said to Xie Bufeng: "He was born in Songxiu Prefecture, I think he would never want to be buried in Yongdu."
"… Your Majesty, please let him go home."
Let him go and go home.
There was pity and kindness in Concubine Lan's tone.
But it was this voice and those four simple words that forced Xie Bufeng to be unable to say no.
He has no choice but to be selfish.
"… good."
Xie Bufeng squeezed out the word from his throat extremely stiffly.
He dismissed Wen Qing and went home.
The wind suddenly picked up, blowing the magnolias all over the sky.
But before the people guarding here could breathe a sigh of relief, they heard Xie Bufeng add before turning around: "Use the dragon boat to send him home via the Yinchuan Grand Canal."
Eunuch Xian widened his eyes and looked at Xie Bufeng with a mixture of fear and shock for a moment.
The guards around also looked at each other.
They all looked at Concubine Lan at the same time, hoping that she could persuade Xie Bufeng.
But Concubine Lan, who was dressed in plain clothes, just sighed softly and said nothing in the end.
"Dragon Boat" is the largest ship that can sail on the Yinchuan Grand Canal.
It was also the main ship during the last southern tour.
This ship has extremely high specifications and is supposed to only carry living people, not serve as a ghost ship.
Unless... Unless it was the coffin of the emperor or empress that was being transported.
The fact that Xie Bufeng carried Wen Qingci through the entire palace and stayed in the courtyard with his corpse for a night had long become a secret known to everyone in the palace.
Everyone tacitly kept this matter hidden deep in their hearts, waiting for the day when it would be covered by the dust of history.
In the end, even in unofficial history, such a story would not exist.
But who could have thought that it was Xie Bufeng himself who was unwilling to see him being forgotten.
The young man wanted Wen Qingci to be firmly tied to his own name today and in the years to come.
He doesn't want any palace secrets.
He just wants to be aboveboard.
—
After the sun rose high, everything in Taishu Palace finally got back on track.
In just two hours, ten imperial edicts were issued from the palace.
The largest painting studio opened out of the dock, waiting for the moment to set sail.
At the same time, Guangcheng Temple, far away in the suburbs of Yongdu City, also opened its doors at this time.
A row of heavily armored soldiers walked into Guangcheng Temple and opened the door of the room where Xie Guanzhi was imprisoned.
"—What are you going to do?" Xie Guanzhi looked alert. He took a step back and asked sternly, "Did the emperor send you to kill me?"
The two soldiers looked at each other, turned around and saluted Xie Guanzhi, saying, "Your Highness, the deposed emperor Xie Zhaolin has been taken to the prison. We are here on the orders of His Majesty to take you back to the palace."
Deposed Emperor Xie Zhaolin
His Majesty
Guangcheng Temple is far away from Yongdu, not to mention that Xie Guanzhi has been under confinement.
Not to mention what happened last night, he didn't even know what happened last year.
This sudden influx of huge amount of information made Xie Guanzhi's mind go blank for a few seconds.
"You mean, my father has been deposed?"
"Yes."
"Who destroyed it?" he asked impatiently.
As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Xie Guanzhi had already thought of the answer: "Is it Xie Bu... uh, I mean the eldest prince?"
The soldier replied, "Yes, Your Highness."
"Oh my God..." Xie Bufeng actually did it.
Xie Bufeng and Xie Guanzhi are both brothers and rivals.
He was tragically imprisoned, but Xie Bufeng shined brightly in the north, and even returned to Yongdu to depose their father and proclaimed himself emperor... The fate of the two people changed drastically on the Grand Canal that year and turned into two different directions.
Now, however, the time in confinement had more or less erased the sharpness from him.
Xie Guanzhi, who knew how dangerous the North was and how difficult the war was, was silent for a long time but only said one sentence: "... Wen Qingci is indeed the person who knows him best in this world."
Then I inevitably recalled the scene I saw on the canal that day.
After a moment of silence, he said, "Okay, let's go."
Xie Guanzhi, who was eager to leave Guangcheng Temple at that time, did not notice it.
When he mentioned the three words "Wen Qingci", the faces of the people around him all became strange.
"His Majesty said that you are of age. If you wish, you can return to Wangquan Garden to live."
The so-called "Wangquan Garden" is the former Jingzhao Yin Mansion - the home of Xie Guanzhi's maternal grandfather.
The interior of Wangquan Garden was extremely luxurious. After Jingzhao Yin was confiscated and exiled, it was taken back by Xie Zhaolin.
Xie Guanzhi didn't expect Xie Bufeng to be so generous and directly give Wangquanyuan to him.
Let's hear what he means... The new emperor seems to have no intention of restricting his freedom at all.
But come to think of it, Xie Bufeng would definitely not bother to do things that only their "good father" would do.
"Okay," he said without being polite to Xie Bufeng, "Then let's go directly to Wangquan Garden."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Xie Guanzhi was imprisoned here. Although he didn't know what happened in Yongdu, everything happening around Guangcheng Temple somehow reached his ears.
The moment he walked out of the temple gate, he couldn't help but look back and couldn't help but think of Wen Qingci, the only visitor when he was imprisoned here.
Later, Xie Guanzhi heard that Wen Qingci did not stay here for long that day.
Someone came and told him a piece of news, and then he left Guangcheng Temple in a hurry, without even having time to turn around and say hello to Concubine Lan.
Xie Guanzhi, who was imprisoned, usually had nothing to do, so whenever he had free time, he would think of this matter.
When I return to Taishu Palace, I must find Wen Qingci and ask him about it clearly - Xie Guanzhi thought silently.
When returning to Taishu Palace from Guangcheng Temple, we just passed the starting point of the canal.
When passing by there, Xie Guanzhi heard some noise outside the carriage.
He couldn't help but lift the car curtain and look outside.
The originally empty river surface was filled with a huge ship.
There were almost no onlookers at the dock, only some eunuchs and palace maids, who were carrying a bunch of things up and down, looking very busy.
"… Why is Long Fang here?" Xie Guanzhi couldn't help but frown, "Is Xie Bufeng also going on a southern tour?"
Why didn't he feel that his royal brother had such leisure time
When the driver heard his question, his hands froze.
But before he could figure out how to answer the prince's question, Xie Guanzhi discovered something unusual himself.
Xie Guanzhi saw that the dragon boat was hung with long white silks.
At this moment, it was swaying on the river surface with the wind.
The huge word "甸" hangs quietly on the bow of the ship.
It was black and white, and extremely heavy, pressing the bow of the ship down.
An ominous premonition suddenly arose in his heart.
"Did someone die in Yongdu?" Xie Guanzhi's voice suddenly became hoarse.
For a moment, he couldn't figure out who deserved such a grand funeral.
"Yes..." The driver finally replied, "It was Doctor Wen. He passed away."
As if he didn't believe that the person in his memory could die, Xie Guanzhi immediately raised his voice and tightly grasped the window frame: "Are you talking about Wen Qingci?"
"Your Highness, it is Doctor Wen."
Xie Guanzhi's heart fell from the abyss at this moment.
The joy and excitement of regaining freedom disappeared without a trace in an instant.
"I'm not going to Wangquan Garden anymore," the young man heard, his own voice was hoarse and unfamiliar, "I'm going back to the palace, I want to go..."
"Go, go and see him."
Xie Guanzhi couldn't say the words "see him for the last time" no matter what.
Wen Qingci's body has been placed in the coffin.
According to the customs of the Wei Dynasty, people must be buried within seven days after death.
Therefore, they must send the coffin onto the dragon boat by this evening at the latest so that they can arrive at Songxiu Mansion on time.
In one more stick of incense, it would be the time to seal the coffin as calculated by the Imperial Astronomical Observatory.
The young emperor in black stood silently beside the coffin, quietly watching the person sleeping in the magnolia flowers.
There were footsteps behind him.
Concubine Lan walked over holding little Xie Fuyin and finally stopped beside the coffin.
The little princess was wearing plain clothes. She sniffed and slowly opened her palms.
"Brother, can I give this to Mr. Wen?" She asked Xie Bufeng carefully, "I picked this myself in the fall... Mr. Wen said it was very beautiful and asked me to put it in the book."
The young man saw that what Xie Fuyin was holding in his hand were a few light purple, dried wild flowers.
"good… "
Xie Bufeng took a half step back and made way for the place.
Concubine Lan held Xie Fuyin in her arms and gently placed the flowers in her hand next to Wen Qingci.
Finally, just as the two were about to leave, Concubine Lan, who had been silent all this time, suddenly turned around and asked Xie Bufeng, "Your Majesty, please put something away too and go and keep him company."
After saying that, he slowly left.
This is a folk custom in the Wei Dynasty. Before the coffin is sealed, the deceased's relatives and friends will put their most important things into the coffin to accompany the deceased on his last journey.
The person in charge of sealing the coffin has already stood here.
Lan Fei's words reminded Xie Bufeng, and the young man looked at Wen Qingci as if he had just woken up from a dream.
He clenched his fists.
There was a sudden flash of confusion in his eyes.
Xie Bufeng didn't know what he could give to Wen Qingci.
The Imperial Observatory on the side couldn't help but remind him, "Your Majesty, it's time to seal the coffin soon—"
Before he could finish his words, he opened his eyes wide in astonishment and looked at the young emperor.
Xie Bufeng slowly raised his hand and took off the clear blue medicinal jade that was tangled in his black hair.
The black hair spread out like ink in an instant.
The young emperor just let his long hair hang loose and stood in front of Wen Qingci's coffin.
At this time, his hands were shaking.
Xie Bufeng gently picked up the medicinal jade, took a look at it, and reluctantly put it against his heart.
The warm aura that Tian Qingci felt when she stood behind him and tied his hair with medicinal jade that day seemed to have not dissipated yet.
Now, as long as Xie Bufeng closes his eyes, he can smell the familiar bitter fragrance.
The boy's lips lifted slightly.
At this time, Xie Bufeng was already the master of Taishu Palace and a wealthy emperor, but he still felt that nothing in this world belonged to him.
After going around in circles, he still has nothing.
This string of medicinal jade, which is tainted with each other's scent, is the only thing Xie Bufeng can give to Wen Qingci.
The young emperor leaned down and carefully put the string of medicinal jade, which had carried his countless thoughts and expectations, back around Wen Qingci's wrist.
He kissed Wen Qingci on the cheek for the last time.
The heavy coffin lid was pushed and closed by someone.
Block out the last ray of light.
Someone's sobbing sounded, but it kept echoing in the open space outside the Imperial Medical Bureau where the coffin was placed.
Song Junran, who was standing not far away, kept his head down.
Unlike the sadness of everyone else, his face was full of tension at this moment.
Song Junran was silently calculating the time... The pills he gave to Wen Qingci could only last for one day at most.
If I'm not mistaken, Wen Qingci must have eaten it during the palace coup.
We should still have time to take action after the coffin is on board.
Thinking of this, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Huge iron nails were nailed into the coffin.
Will Wen Qingci feel pain
Or would he be scared sleeping there alone
Xie Bufeng clenched his palms, his body was shaking uncontrollably, and his heart seemed to feel pain along with the sound of the long nails hitting the coffin.
It was as if those nails were not driving into the coffin, but into his heart.
“Bang, bang, bang—”
The clear sound of wood and iron hitting each other echoed in Taishu Palace.
"rise-"
The voice of the Imperial Observatory pierced the calm air.
A long tear rolled down my cheek in thanks for not meeting you.
As the new emperor, Xie Bufeng can no longer leave Yongdu casually.
He was even more afraid that if he followed him, he would regret it and not let Wen Qingci leave.
I had to use my reason to stay in this place.
This farewell came too suddenly.
It was like a nightmare that suddenly struck.
What is happening now is tantamount to long-term torture.
The huge coffin was placed on a carriage, which rolled across the palace road foot by foot, and met Xie Guanzhi's carriage at the moment it left Taishu Palace.
In the open space in front of the Imperial Medical Bureau, Xie Fuyin, who had been sobbing softly just now, finally couldn't help but burst into tears with a loud "wow".
The little body kept shaking, and no matter how Lan Fei tried to coax it, it wouldn't calm down.
It was as if she wanted to cry out her brother's share as well.
"Mother, will we really never see Mr. Wen again?"
"… But he also promised me that he would take me to pick cicada shells in the summer and tell me how to use them as medicine."
"Willn't he come back in the summer?"
Lan Fei's breathing was trembling uncontrollably. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't answer the question. Her arms were even trembling, and she could hardly hold the little girl in her arms. Just when Lan Fei wanted to hand her over to the nurse.
Xie Bufeng, who had been silently watching the coffin go away, suddenly came up and gently held Xie Fuyin in his arms.
The brother and sister with the same amber eyes are like puppies that were abandoned together.
Xie Fuyin sobbed and hugged Xie Bufeng's neck tightly, muttering on and on about Wen Qingci's previous promise.
Xie Bufeng just listened quietly, as if he wanted to make up for the lost time through the little girl's words.
He slowly stroked Xie Fuyin's long hair and asked softly, "Will he hold you like this too?"
Xie Fuyin's body suddenly paused. The little girl shook her head. She was dizzy from crying and said without thinking: "No, no... Mr. Wen's arm was badly injured. He couldn't hold Fuyin..."
(End of this chapter)