The New Year is getting closer and closer, and Li Qing is getting busier and busier.
If you want to do well this year, you are bound to have to pay great hardships.
Li Qing didn't want to leave any regrets this year, so he spent the whole day running between Changle Palace and Yongning Palace.
Zhu Qizhen is a bastard, but he also has feelings, and Zhu Wanqing still calls him Uncle Li. If he accepts it, he must shoulder the responsibility.
As for Zhen'er... Li Qing had no interest in her, but Zhu Jianshen was really up to date, very satisfying to him, and very worry-free for him.
Li Qing tried his best to heal Zhen'er, which could be regarded as a gift to Zhu Jianshen. Even though he always had a stern face towards Zhu Jianshen, deep down in his heart, he liked the emperor very much, not just like ordinary people.
The tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the twentieth day of the twelfth lunar month...
Finally, the New Year is here.
New Year's Eve, vigil.
Changle Palace.
The Queen Mother, the Empress, Concubine Shu, Concubine Chen, Concubine De... and Zhu Jianshen all rushed over.
Zhu Qizhen was not happy and drove Zhou and his daughters-in-law back.
He only has his precious daughter in his heart, and he doesn't want to be disturbed by others during the countdown of his life.
On the soft couch, Zhu Qi said, "Jian Shen, you can go too. Father, there is someone here to accompany you. You can go and accompany your lover."
Probably because of his deep love, Zhu Qizhen understood his son's pain very well and showed enough respect for his son's relationship.
"Go ahead and don't have any regrets."
Zhu Jianshen did not persist, but knelt down and kowtowed, "My son, please retire."
~
"Sir, give me a hand."
"Dad, it's getting dark today..."
"I just don't want to lie down if I don't go anywhere," Zhu Qizhen said with a smile, "Since it's a vigil, how can I spend it lying down?"
Zhu Wanqing nodded slowly: "My daughter will help you."
"I'll do it." Li Qing squeezed Zhu Wanqing away.
Now, Zhu Qizhen's end is approaching, and he has no strength at all. Zhu Wanqing can't help him at all. Li Qing doesn't want to ruin the atmosphere on this festive day.
Li Qing helped him sit down at the table, and he also sat down next to him, putting a hand on him, and his energy continued to surge.
Zhu Wanqing sat down on the other side of her father, peeling melon seeds and chattering away.
"I really miss the days when Grandpa Zhang was still here. At that time, our whole family was here and you all pampered Wanqing. How happy..."
Zhu Qizhen smiled and nodded, "Yes, you were innocent and innocent back then, and your mother was still here. The old man had a bad temper, but it was quite interesting..."
Li Qing glared at him, but didn't say anything to him. He just looked at Zhu Wanqing and said, "You are so naive, you are just a spirit of a person."
"No way, Uncle Li, you don't care about children at all." Zhu Wanqing is already in her thirties, but she still acts like a child, acting coquettishly and vaguely, as if she has returned to the unruly princess she was when she was a child.
Li Qing raised his hand, but didn't put it down for a long time. Finally, he tapped her forehead and chuckled: "You were very cute and lovable back then."
"Uncle Li, you're lying." Zhu Wanqing snorted, "Do you think I'm cute? You don't dare to hit me."
"What am I afraid of?"
"You're afraid that Grandpa Zhang will beat you up." Zhu Wanqing raised her face and looked extremely arrogant, "Isn't that right, daddy?"
"That's right." Zhu Qizhen doted on his daughter.
"This kid..." Li Qing laughed, not knowing whether he was talking about Zhu Qizhen or Zhu Wanqing.
Father and daughter miss that time, so why not Li Qing?
If possible, he would like to move the timeline further back to... Lao Zhu's Hongwu Dynasty. At that time, it would be truly beautiful.
Master, lover, friends... are all still there. Although it was hard at that time and was squeezed by Lao Zhu, for him, it was the happiest time.
The three of them ate melon and fruit preserves, chatted about the good times in the past, and waited for the arrival of the new year.
'Pah~pah, pah~pah...'
Fireworks rose outside the window, lighting up the dark night sky and blooming with gorgeous fireworks.
In an instant, the flavor of the new year became stronger...
"Zhen'er, look..."
…
'Dong~dong~dong...'
The bell is ringing...
Zhu Qizhen looked delighted and murmured softly, "It's another new year."
Yes, it’s a new year again. In the blink of an eye, it’s been Chenghua’s twenty-three years... Li Qing sighed.
"Sir, Wanqing." Zhu Qizhen called.
The two of them looked at him intently.
Zhu Qizhen smiled, "I'm a little tired and want to take a nap."
"father……"
"Go to sleep." Li Qing nodded and said warmly, "Have a sweet dream."
"Um…."
Zhu Qizhen glanced at his daughter again, slowly closed his eyes, his face was peaceful...
Zhu Wanqing stopped talking, lowered her head, and kept peeling the melon seeds. The plate was full, and she didn't stop. After peeling the melon seeds, she peeled the peanuts...
Its daybreak.
Zhu Wanqing stopped. She had nothing left to peel.
"Uncle Li."
"Um."
"Daddy, he...slept so soundly this time." She smiled with a flat mouth, as if she wanted to prove something.
Li Qing nodded, "Yes, I slept soundly."
Zhu Wanqing was silent for a moment, "It's almost time to take medicine. Do you want to wake dad up?"
"Let him sleep well." Li Qing picked him up from the soft chair and put him back on the couch. He turned around and said, "You have stayed up all night, go and rest."
"My niece is not sleepy. She will give her father some medicine soon."
"go to sleep."
"Niece doesn't..."
Zhu Wanqing stopped talking halfway through her words.
Li Qing retracted his hand, carried her to the side hall, put her on the couch, covered her with a quilt, and then returned to Changle Palace.
"Someone's coming."
The little eunuchs on duty came in and said respectfully: "The miracle doctor has given orders."
Li Qing said calmly: "Go quickly and report to the Emperor that the Supreme Emperor has passed away."
"ah?"
The pupils of the four little eunuchs were shocked, and then their expressions changed drastically. In an instant, they started crying...
"The Supreme Emperor has passed away~"
The piercing screams spread far, far away...
~
Zhu Wanqing woke up quietly, but found herself in the west wing of Lianjiatun'er courtyard.
"Wanqing, you're awake, have something to eat."
"Brother Hong." Zhu Wanqing's empty eyes became more focused, "When did you come?"
Li Hong said softly: "I came here in the twelfth lunar month of last year, Wanqing, please have something to eat, you have been sleeping all day and all night."
"Has it been so long..." Zhu Wanqing hurriedly opened the quilt. On a snowy day, she was wearing only socks on her feet and was about to rush out.
"Wanqing, where are you going?" Li Hong, with quick eyes and quick hands, hugged her and held her tightly in his arms without letting go.
"Brother Hong, let me go, let me go, Li Hong..."
"Wanqing, why are you doing this?" Li Hong said sadly and helplessly, "My father-in-law would be so worried if he saw you like this."
"I just don't let him see it." Zhu Wanqing said urgently, "Dad is so seriously ill, how can I not serve beside the bed? Please let me go."
Li Hong said hoarsely: "Wanqing, my father-in-law passed away. Can you cheer up?"
"Nonsense, you're talking nonsense." Zhu Wanqing was like an angry tigress, struggling desperately and biting.
Li Hong hugged her tightly and said sadly: "Wanqing... just cry, it will be fine if you just cry."
"Why should I cry?" Zhu Wanqing's beautiful eyes were on fire, "Let me go quickly, or I will bite you again."
"Then you bite." Li Hong refused to let go.
"Brother Hong, dad is just asleep. Just let me go. He...he doesn't have much time." Zhu Wanqing stamped her feet anxiously, "Please."
Li Hong's eyes were red, "My father-in-law...is really gone."
"I don't believe it, I want to see it with my own eyes."
"you……"
"Let her go." Li Qing came in under the snow.
"Godfather..."
Li Qing raised his hand to stop him and said to Zhu Wanqing, "Put on your shoes and cloak. I will take you there."
Then, he said to Li Hong: "You come too, get ready quickly, we will leave soon."
~
The mourning hall is located in Qianqing Palace.
This is where the emperor's coffin rests after his death.
As soon as Zhu Wanqing entered the palace gate, her eyes were filled with pity, and her cries kept coming from afar.
Li Hong looked at his beloved wife worriedly, fearing that she would lose control of her emotions and collapse from sadness.
However, to his surprise, his beloved wife was surprisingly calm and seemed...not sad at all.
"Wanqing."
"What's wrong?"
Li Hong hesitated to speak and became even more worried.
Not long after, the three of them rushed to the Qianqing Palace.
As a minister, Li Hong mourned in front of the palace.
However, Li Qing and Zhu Wanqing went to mourn without proper status. On the surface, they were not members of the officialdom or the royal family. They could only mourn at home and were not qualified to mourn here.
If it weren't for Zhu Jianshen's jade plaque, Li Qing wouldn't be able to get in.
The two of them did not approach the mourning procession.
Li Qing asked: "Do you want to go over and mourn? If you want, Uncle Li will find a way."
Zhu Wanqing stared at it for a long time and shook her head: "No, Uncle Li, let's go back."
"okay."
…
On the twenty-seventh day after the coffin was laid, Zhu Qizhen was buried in Yuling Mausoleum, buried with his little money. A certain queen mother had the intention to do evil, but did not have the courage.
Zhu Jianshen supported the coffin all the way, and under Li Qing's operation, Zhu Wanqing was also in the funeral procession.
Seeing her father and mother buried together with her own eyes, she seemed relieved. She didn't cry or make a fuss, she was very calm.
only,
After returning to the small courtyard, she suddenly collapsed emotionally, "I don't have a father anymore, I don't have a mother anymore..."
She cried until she vomited...
As winter turned to spring, Zhen'er's condition seemed to be getting better, which gave Zhu Jianshen hope. However, the real situation was exactly the opposite.
However, Zhen'er is really full of desire to survive.
She wanted to live, but she was not willing to die. Even though her health was in bad shape, she persisted.
Although there is a reason for Li Qing's superb medical skills, the more reason is that Zhen'er doesn't want to die. She is very cooperative with the treatment. As long as she can survive, she can endure any hardship.
Zhen'er was nearly riddled with holes by Li Qing, but she didn't care. The pain tortured her very much, but she didn't give up...
Li Qing was surprised.
However, manpower cannot defy nature after all. Although Li Qing's medical skills are high enough and Zhen'er's belief in survival is strong enough, what should come will eventually come.
In the twenty-third year of Chenghua, it was summer.
Zhen'er is dead, she is finally dead.
Li Qing finally breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't that he was afraid of trouble, and it wasn't that he had any objections to Zhen'er, but... he couldn't bear to treat her anymore.
No one knew better than him how much pain Zhen'er endured.
She died in Zhu Jianshen's arms.
Zhu Jian cried deeply until he fainted...
Before he could catch his breath, Li Qing began to heal again...
