Jinyi Spring

Chapter 226 Pushing Away

Before Ming Changqing's voice had even finished, Ah Xuan's voice came again, "Even the lotus cannot compare to a beauty's makeup, Wan'er, Wan'er, little aunt..."

Chen Qingrui retreated to the edge of the earthen bed, keeping a distance from Ming Changqing, lowered her eyes, and her voice turned cold.

"Lord Ming should find a good girl. Clean, young, beautiful, and healthy, who won't be a burden to you or the Ming family. But I will make you suffer eternal damnation."

Ming Changqing said anxiously, "No way..."

Chen Qingrui interrupted him, "Yes! Listen to me. My children have already arranged my future: to live in seclusion on the western frontier. They say that's Lord Ming's territory, and I'll be safest there."

"I want to live, I want to see my grandson born, I want to see my daughter get married and have children. You just protect me and I'll just live over there. We'll keep to ourselves, that's all."

Ming Changqing's voice was hoarse, "Wan'er... Qingrui, in this life, I only recognize you."

Chen Qingrui turned around, her back to him, and said resolutely, "If you still think that way, then I won't go to the west. I'll go to Nanyue, to Penglai."

Ming Changqing had imagined their reunion a thousand times, but she never dreamed that she would react this way.

He was unwilling to give up, wanting to hold her like in his dreams, yet afraid of scaring her away and sending her to a faraway place. He also thought that there was plenty of time; once she went to Xiqing Prefecture, there would be many more days to gradually get closer to her.

He didn't insist, but instead walked to the table and sat down, pouring himself a cup of tea across a wooden table. The tea was warm, and he drank it all in one gulp.

Ah Xuan stood on the table, her little head looking at him, then at her.

She then weakly called out, "Even the lotus cannot compare to a beauty's makeup, Wan'er."

Neither of them noticed the little thing's presence. They sat across the table, one standing and the other sitting, neither of them speaking.

The candlelight burned quietly, occasionally bursting into a tiny spark with a "pop," which was particularly clear in the silent basement.

It was the liveliest time up there. Shui Chuchen had arrived at Baima Village, and the villagers were eager to see the "golden branch and jade leaf."

The sound of gongs and drums drifted in through the soil, muffled, like an echo from another world, or like the faint sorrow that could not be hidden in this reunion.

Ming Changqing smiled and softened her tone, "I saw the Crown Prince twice from afar, and I also saw Princess Yong'an once from afar. They both look like you—handsome, kind, and intelligent."

Chen Qingrui liked hearing this. She turned around, her voice becoming more relaxed, but beneath that relaxation lay a thin, untouchable shell.

"Yes, my Heng'er and Chenchen are the best children in the world. I must live well, live until Heng'er ascends the throne, then I can return to the capital to see them, to see my grandson and granddaughter..."

Ming Changqing's voice also carried a hint of joy, yet she carefully restrained herself, "There will be such a day. At that time, I will accompany you back to visit them."

He only said "accompany," which also implied protection. Chen Qingrui neither argued nor responded.

The candlelight flickered, and the two people, separated by a table, each held a warm teacup, listening to the faint noise and commotion coming from above.

All that excitement belongs to others; they only have this small basement and a moment of peace where, after twenty years, they can finally sit together and drink tea.

Sorrow, like the fragrance of tea, lingers faintly, yet is not bitter—because there is still hope. Chen Qingrui hopes for a house full of children and grandchildren, while Ming Changqing hopes to spend the rest of his life by her side, sharing the afterglow of the setting sun.

After some time, Ming Changqing looked at her and said in a low voice, "I have to go. I have a few 'tails' following me, and I can't let him notice anything amiss."

Chen Qingrui naturally knew who "he" was. She gave a soft "hmm," but her nails secretly dug into her palm.

Ming Changqing stood up. "I've already told him that I'll leave the capital at the beginning of next month." He was originally supposed to leave the capital on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, but now that he has an extra half month, it will be a good opportunity for Chen Qingrui to see her daughter and son more often.

The Crown Prince, in particular, had to stay at the imperial mausoleum until after the "forty-seven" memorial service, and could not return to the capital until the twenty-seventh day of the first lunar month. Perhaps she could see her son one last time before she left.

Chen Qingrui felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She wanted to say "thank you," but her lips trembled, and she ultimately said nothing. She simply suppressed her emotions, determined not to show any weakness in front of him.

He looked at her intently, his gaze holding a thousand unspoken words, yet remaining silent. He said nothing more, bent down to light a torch, pushed open the small door, and walked into the depths of the cave without looking back.

Ah Xuan called out again, "Even the lotus cannot compare to a beauty's makeup, Wan'er."

Then, it flew above Ming Changqing's head.

The torchlight gradually dimmed, shrinking into a tiny orange dot before being completely swallowed by the darkness.

Chen Qingrui stood still, staring at the spot where the light had disappeared, without moving.

She didn't know how long she stood there before she slowly squatted down, as if all her strength had been drained away.

She covered her face and burst into tears.

The sobs were extremely low, the shoulders trembling violently, producing a subtle yet clear sound in the silent space.

She rejected the best man in the world.

The person who cherished her most and understood her best—she pushed him away with her own hands.

It's not that I don't love him, it's that I love him to the extreme, that I love him so much that I dare not implicate him, that I would rather he marry a clean and honest girl and live a peaceful and stable life, that I love him so much that I demean myself to the dust, only wishing that he will be happy and safe for the rest of his life.

But at this moment, tears kept seeping from between her fingers, drop after drop, seeping through her withered fingers and falling onto the cold ground. Only then did she realize how much her heart ached.

It hurt like being torn in two alive.

She knew it was for his own good, and she should do it.

She wept uncontrollably, swallowing the love she had kept hidden for twenty years, the love she dared not speak, along with this heart-wrenching farewell...

Ming Changqing arrived at the cave entrance, extinguished the torch, moved the stone blocking the entrance, crawled out, and then moved the stone back to its original place.

At this moment, the setting sun cast a crimson glow, like blood.

Ming Changqing imitated a bird's call a few times. A short while later, the three people who had been watching the commotion nearby approached. As they passed the pile of rocks, Song Xian quickly slipped inside under the cover of the other two, while Ming Changqing hurried out.

The three of them descended the mountain, passed through the dense forest, rode their horses across the bridge, and galloped towards Beidingmen.

Ah Xuan flew deep into the mountains to find the antibiotic family to play with.

The bustling Baima Village, which had been lively for most of the day, gradually quieted down and was enveloped in the afterglow of the setting sun.

On this day, Feng Buji, on behalf of his sister, hosted guests in the west courtyard, with Feng Changfu's family and Zhao Lizheng's family also helping to greet them.

Only those of high status and age were allowed to enter the west courtyard of the Feng residence; the vast majority of villagers could only stand outside, completely surrounding the entire house. (End of Chapter)