Xu Shichu asked for the imperial physician, so he asked a guard to ride to the Imperial Hospital on horseback.
The distant cousin's wife quickly said gratefully: "Thank you, Madam, for your help... My little lady is seriously ill and can't get better now. I couldn't concentrate on taking care of the child these days, so he caught a cold and is still not well. It would be great if an imperial physician could help..."
Xu Shichu looked at the child in Zhichun's arms. The child had a chubby face, but his complexion was pale and listless. He didn't have the energy to cry after being away from his mother's arms for a long time. He was indeed sick.
"What's the child's name? How old is he?" Xu Shichu asked.
"My son is two years and three months old this year. His birthday is the third day of April. His father named him Du Zhao." The distant cousin's wife replied quickly, and as if afraid that Xu Shichu would despise her, she hurriedly added:
"He is very well behaved, doesn't make trouble, and usually likes to laugh. He has only become quiet now that he is sick. He doesn't need anyone to take extra care of him..."
"Oh, right. Because my husband didn't have a good relationship with his family, he sold the last bit of land in the family when he went to Beijing to take the imperial examination. He was left with only a dilapidated old house. He originally planned to get a job as an official in another place after passing the imperial examination and never return to Suzhou... But he didn't expect that he was unlucky. He passed the imperial examination but didn't have the chance to be an official..."
The distant cousin took off the purse hanging from her waist, took out a few banknotes and a land deed, and said to Xu Shichu with red eyes:
"This is the only family property we have left. My husband spent a lot of money on medicine for his illness... I know this little money is not enough to raise Zhao'er to adulthood, so I only ask Madam to let him live and grow up well, at least to leave a bloodline for my husband... As for other things, I won't ask for much."
She picked up the only title deed with trembling hands: "This is the small house we live in now. Although it is a bit simple, it is our home after all... When Zhao'er grows up, please give him this title deed so that he can have a place to live..."
As she spoke, she started crying again and looked at Xu Shichu with pleading eyes.
Xu Shichu took her banknote and land deed and promised her solemnly: "Okay, I will raise him to adulthood, let him go to school, and give him the land deed when he grows up."
Although Xu Shichu looked down on this small amount of money and land deeds, only by accepting them could the woman who entrusted her son to him before her death feel at ease.
When the distant cousin's wife heard her words, her lifeless eyes lit up, and she said with gratitude: "Thank you, Madam. Madam, your kindness, my husband and I can only repay you in the next life..."
Perhaps she was finally relieved because her last wish was fulfilled. As soon as she finished speaking, she spat out a mouthful of blood and fell softly to the ground. The maids were so panicked that they hurried to help her.
Maybe it was because of the bond between mother and son, but Du Zhao, who had been very quiet before, suddenly started to cry. His cry was weak, but he stretched out his little hands and reached towards his mother with tears on his face.
The maids carried the distant cousin's wife to the couch. Xu Shichu walked to her side, felt her pulse, and looked at her face, and he knew that she was indeed in her last moments.
"Please, madam, send me back to my home now... let me be reunited with my husband..." The distant cousin's wife held Xu Shichu's hand tightly and begged.
How could Xu Shichu refuse her request, so he quickly asked someone to carry her downstairs, put her in the carriage, and rushed to her home as quickly as possible.
When they arrived at the Du family's house, they found it was indeed small and simple, but it was clean and tidy everywhere, and the layout was very warm. However, Xu Shichu and the others didn't have time to pay attention to these things at the moment.
Because there was a simple coffin placed in the main hall of the Du family, and several men who looked like scholars were mourning the deceased, they were shocked and confused when they saw so many people coming.
A man in his early thirties was shocked when he saw his distant cousin-in-law being carried back. He hurried forward and asked, "Who are you? Didn't Madam Du go to ask relatives for help? Why did you come back like this?"
Xu Shichu nodded to him and said, "I am a relative of his family. I am here to help with the funeral. My cousin's wife is seriously ill and is now on her deathbed. After she entrusted her young son to me, she just wanted to spend the last bit of time with her husband."
The man was shocked when he saw Xu Shichu's appearance. The clothes and jewelry she wore were obviously very valuable. She was also a fairy with fair skin and beautiful face. She was obviously a lady of high status. How could she be related to Du Qian (Du Zhao's father), a poor student? !
"I wonder which family the lady is from? I have never heard Brother Du talk about such an extraordinary relative before." The middle-aged man asked doubtfully.
They were classmates and good friends with Du Qian, and they knew very well about Du Jian's family background. If he had such a wealthy relative, why didn't he seek help from this relative early when he fell ill, but instead asked his wife to look for him after his death
If Mrs. Du entrusted the child to the wrong person, how could they be worthy of Brother Du? The man thought to himself.
"My dear, please rest assured. Cousin Du is the son of my aunt. Although our blood relationship is distant, we are indeed relatives. It's just that my family is in the capital, and my cousin's family is in Weicheng Suzhou. The two families are too far apart, and we have become estranged due to lack of contact for many years. It was only when my cousin's wife came to visit that I learned that my cousin's family had reached this situation." Xu Shichu avoided his identity and gave a brief introduction.
Only then did her distant cousin's classmates believe her.
In fact, if his classmates and friends did not come from poor families or had wives that were difficult to get along with, Du Qian would not have let his wife entrust their son to Xu Shichu, but to these friends instead.
Mrs. Du returned home, lay beside her husband, holding his cold hand. She looked at her son with reluctance for the last time, then slowly closed her eyes and passed away.
Xu Shichu had already prepared himself mentally. He had someone buy a double coffin and buried the couple who died young together, so that they could sleep in the same bed and die in the same coffin.
Although Du Zhao was young and didn't understand what death was, his parents closed their eyes and ignored him no matter how he cried. He seemed to understand something and cried with all his might. He was sick in the first place, and his crying was weak and hoarse, which made people feel particularly sad.
Xu Shichu held a simple funeral for the Du couple. Only Du Qian's classmates, friends and neighbors attended. She did not alarm the Prime Minister's Mansion. After all, the Du family was just her relatives.
However, he had to inform Luo Changqing about bringing Du Zhao back to the Prime Minister's Mansion. After all, this was someone else's territory, and it would not make sense to adopt a child without telling the owner of the mansion.