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Final Chapter (2)
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Yu old madam although also missed Yu Lingxin and An’er, but seeing her frequently return to the maiden home at this time, she still was very worried, “With your manor’s situation being like that, it’s still better for you to take care of your mother-in-law and younger sister-in-law more. How is it good to have the household affairs given to your younger sister-in-law and younger brother-in-law, while you come out on your own? There’s plenty of time to return to the maiden family in the future. Ling girl, you’re not someone this unperceptive of the situation!”
However, Yu Lingxin just smiled, “It’s fine. Cong’er and Ying’er have both grown up now. On the matters at home, letting them practice more is also good.”
Aside from this, she didn’t say anything else. Even if Yu old madam and Yu Bocheng both urged her twice, Yu Lingxin still pretended to not hear, still returning to her maiden home again twice. Just, the time spent over was much shorter.
On the other hand, she seemingly increasingly liked embroidery and needlework. When not leaving the marquis manor, Yu Lingxin practically had all her free time used on needlework. Aside from when holding An’er, or during the evening, when waiting for the military report, she would just be doing needlework.
The big and small clothes for An’er, for her grandmother, her father, for her mother-in-law, for Xun Ying, for Xun Cong, and also one for Ming Jinrou.
In the ten plus days, cutting and trimming, the needles flying, the seams running, she worked to the point where her eyes all somewhat went blurry. The servant girls by her side were all apprehensive watching her. Although they don’t know where the young madam’s great interest came from, but they’ve ultimately served close by Yu Lingxin for that long, so roughly able to sense something. Under Yu Lingxin’s seemingly calm appearance, she should be worried about Xun Che to the point where she was already about to go crazy. Perhaps forcibly letting her own hands be busy to distract herself, this torment from waiting can dilute a little.
By the middle of the second month, the northwest’s military report suddenly changed from one report a day to two report a day. Clearly, the change and urgency of the situation was different from before again. And probably because this matter truly involved some military secrets, the crown prince also stopped giving the Xun family a secret copy of the news. But, everyday, he would still let someone come over to briefly report, telling Yu Lingxin: “Xun Che is well.”
Yu Lingxin didn’t let anyone ask more or find out more. Her heart had already gradually sank into a bottomless pit. She even felt that perhaps one day, that daily report will just stop.
And by that time, she should also be on her way.
Before that, it was better for her to first have what she should do and can do all fully taken care of. Regardless whether it’s instructing the younger siblings again about the matters at home, or doing what she can to leave a few mementos for her family, all in all, it was just doing however much she can.
Just, Yu Lingxin didn’t expect that the news of Xun Che’s wellbeing would actually sever that quickly.
It was about seven days. On the twenty-first of the seventh month, she waited from the first moment of sunset all the way until the lanterns were lit, then waited until the sky completely turned dark, yet still didn’t hear the servants report that the crown prince’s messenger had come to deliver the letter.
Instead, the next morning after an entire night of sleeplessness, the rumors outside entered her ears————The northwest’s strategic town, Qingsang, suddenly encountered a surprise attack, the large fire burning the city walls. All the generals and officers in the city have most likely met with disaster!
Yu Lingxin pursed her lips and then blinked. Afterwards, she finally lightly nodded her head, “I understand.”
However, this kind of ordinary calmness was even more scary than any kind of reaction. Xun Ying immediately just cried. The people by her side also hurriedly urged, but in Yu Lingxin’s ears, it was all blank.
Very soon, the crown princess, Ming Jinrou, personally rushed to the Wen’an Marquis Manor. But, what she said, and what Ming Huayue said, Yu Lingxin felt that she seemingly understood, yet also seemingly didn’t understand.
Her entire heart was thoroughly gone.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
There was that moment, where she even recalled Li Consort’s reaction after the palace rebellion thoroughly failed. Li Consort’s daze and sluggishness at the time, the emptiness and despair in her eyes, Yu Lingxin had all saw back then.
At the time, she’d also felt that she’d understood. Failing palace rebellion will result in the execution of the entire clan, getting hacked into pieces. Li Consort had lost everything, getting consigned to eternal damnation, so for a moment, just became possessed.
What about her now?
Yu Lingxin didn’t know whether or not her feelings in this moment were similar to Li Consort’s at the time. Just, she didn’t get sentenced of a crime, nor in danger. She still has her son, her father, her grandmother, and also her younger siblings, having many many things.
But, thinking again, she felt that she was still the same as Li Consort.
Because if she loses Xun Che, it will be equal to losing the entire world.
“Sister Huijun, sister Huijun!” And at this time, Ming Jinrou who’d repeatedly called out to her several times was truly at her wit’s end, so just directly shook her shoulders, “It’s still not certain whether it’s really that serious! Older cousin might not be in Qingsang!”
Yu Lingxin still calmly nodded her head, “En, might not be there, but also might be there.”
Ming Jinrou was helpless. However, these words, she truly was unable to deny, so could only clench her teeth and say, “All in all, don’t get worked up first. The situation in the northwest currently is even more chaotic. The military reports might be delayed for a few days, but just keep waiting. Older sister Cheng sent a letter saying that in another five days, she will send someone back to the capital. When time comes, we will be able to ask clearly. Don’t be anxious, be steady, alright?”
“Five days? Ok.” Yu Lingxin nodded, yet still didn’t cry. In fact, she didn’t even have the slightest impulse to cry.
And these five days were probably the slowest yet also the quickest five days of her life.
Yu Lingxin didn’t do needlework anymore. The people by her side simply didn’t dare to let her go touch needles, scissors, and such sharp objects. Xun Ying and Xun Cong even voluntarily brought over the household affairs to ask her. Some of the things that they can handle on their own, they would also bring over to ask her, especially liking to carry An’er over to ask.
And she would just answer one by one, calmly and quietly, carefully and meticulously, even instructing Xun Cong and Xun Ying a few more words, letting them properly take care of mother in the future, and also nicely take care of themselves.
As for the shock and fear in Xun Cong and Xun Ying’s eyes, Yu Lingxin was already powerless to think about too much. If she were to stop talking, then in front of her eyes, it would just be Xun Che’s voice and face, regardless whether it’s him painfully struggling on the sickbed in the past life, or all the loving affection and sweetness in this life, from reuniting to marrying, then to now. Just thinking about him, it would just be half a day.
But, her tears still didn’t come. In fact, at a certain point, Yu Lingxin would also wonder, why didn’t she cry?
However, all the random thoughts eventually will reach an end. Five days very quickly went by. The increasingly thin and pale Yu Lingxin went to Qingyu Pavilion’s study again in the evening, sitting in Xun Che’s usual position, quietly waiting.
What should come will eventually come.
Fortunately, this time, she didn’t have to wait until the sun set in the west and the sky turn pitch black. When the xu hour[1] had just passed, she just heard the servants’ rushed footsteps outside, “Young madam, young madam! The heir, he—-he’s returned!”
“What?”
Yu Lingxin, who has been calm for an entire two months, finally started shaking all over. She didn’t even bother pinching herself to see whether or not she was dreaming. She simply got up without the slightest hesitation and rushed outwards!
Ganlu and Shuangye were both startled, hurriedly grabbing the cloak and chasing after her. How cold was the weather at the end of second month, how can young madam just rush out like this!
But, Yu Lingxin simply didn’t care. Even if this is a dream, she still want to experience once. She couldn’t wait anymore, unable to wait for another moment!
Probably because this breath had been held for truly too long, the speed in which Yu Lingxin rushed towards the main pathway of the main courtyard was so fast that Ganlu barely managed to keep up.
And the moment Yu Lingxin stopped in her tracks, it was also precisely when Xun Che, who was covered in wind and frost, just reached the main courtyard.
When the couple’s four eyes met, Yu Lingxin was already covered in warm tears, her lips trembling, completely unable to speak. And as her eyes turned, she astonishingly saw the tall figure next to Xun Che. It was actually Xun Nanheng who’d lost a lot of weight!
Father also safely returned!
“This…….really…….” Under great sorrow and great joy, before she could say the word ‘great’, her mind was just hit with a wave of strong dizziness, her entire body nearly falling onto the ground.
“Huijun!” Xun Che immediately rushed forward to support her. He was too anxious, so his strength was a bit heavy, making Yu Lingxin’s arm hurt under the squeeze.
But, it was also this kind of distinct pain that instead made Yu Lingxin even more certain that this wasn’t a dream. She immediately bursted into tears, loudly bawling like a child, not caring about anything else.
Xun Che held her, similarly filled with tears. Their family watching nearby wanted to tease them a few words, but everyone that opened their mouth, or even just attempting to open their mouth, all couldn’t help but redden in the eyes too, their tears shedding.
And after all the tears, it was naturally the time for the whole family to gather together again. Xun Nanheng and Xun Che respectively returned to their own place to change and wash up, also respectively, having the dangerousness of the situation in the northwest, the unforeseen events, and strategies all explained, under the heartbroken and worried, yet also angry and displeased, tearful eyes of their respective wife.
To put it briefly, it was just Cao Liang having colluded with the West Di’s horse bandits, having Xun Nanheng trapped in Tianying Mountain. And he indeed was once in danger for several days. But, on the third day after Xun Che arrived in the northwest, he was already able to escape.
But, during Xun Nanheng’s reorganization of the northwest this time, he actually discovered that other than Cao Liang, among the northwest’s local aristocratic families, as well as in the military, there were also people that have been colluding in secret with West Di. That’s why, after Xun Nanheng got rescued, the father and son pair just decided on this double act with one on the surface and one in the dark.
On the surface, Xun Che continuously put out news, stating that he didn’t find his father. In fact, even the crown prince and cabinet ministers all didn’t know about the Xun father and son’s plan, really thinking that he still hasn’t been found. And it was precisely because of this, the other traitors inside the northwest army ended up relaxing their guard. And in the end, in Qingsang, they led the enemies into their trap, a pincer attack from the inside and outside. Although they weren’t able to have West Di’s horse bandits wiped out in one stroke, it was still while inflicting heavy damage on the enemy, also catching a few important leaders.
This was also the true reason why Cheng Yanling needed to ‘send someone back to the capital’. This complicated cause and effect simply wasn’t able to be explained clearly in the military reports. Moreover, the further purging of spies and the remaining traitors still needed to continue.
Of course, even the crown prince and cabinet minister didn’t expect that the ones that got sent back to the capital were actually Xun Nanheng, who’d faked his death, and Xun Che, who really didn’t die.
Temporarily setting aside how Ming Huayue would sigh or grumble to Xun Nanheng, when Yu Lingxin heard these, it was not speaking for another good while.
Looking at her complexion, Xun Che carefully smiled, “The situation was complicated. I truly didn’t dare to secretly write a letter to you, hoping that you don’t be angry.”
Yu Lingxin lightly exhaled a breath. Seeing Xun Che’s face that has become quite wan and sallow from getting tempered in the bitter coldness these days, her eyes somewhat turned red again. However, it wasn’t grumbling, but full of heartache, “So, did you get hurt? Was it particularly hard?”
Xun Che couldn’t help but smile. This really was his Huijun. She was like this in the past life, still like this in this life, always like this not matter when, forever the one that cared for him the most.
“A little.” He rolled up his sleeve for her to see, “Just this place got swollen before. Now, it’s much better. Additionally, there’s also a few bruises on my leg, but nothing else.”
Yu Lingxin reached out to lightly massage for him, “Later, ask Little Imperial Physician Chi to prescribe a few external medicine for you, and nicely soak a few days of medicinal bath to recuperate. Presumably, the cold air is also heavy, don’t let it leave behind any illness.”
Xun Che smilingly nodded and then moved his body to embrace her waist, softly saying, “I’d also thought of it, so earlier, already mentioned with Little Chi, letting him prepare ten doses of medicinal bath. You should also recuperate together with me.”
“What are you thinking of now?” His familiar and warm breath was just by her ear. Even if already an old couple, the meaning in these words still made Yu Lingxin a bit embarrassed, reaching out to push him.
“Oh, right.” Xun Che suddenly thought of something, turning to ask her, “Huijun, tell me the truth, in the past few days, did you secretly make a memorial tablet for me?”
“What?” Yu Lingxin first blanked. Shortly after, she finally recalled their conversation in the past, hurriedly going to spit at him, “Pehpehpeh, what nonsense are you saying. Being your widow once is enough. Even if needing to make, it would also be a pair.”
Xun Che’s smile increasingly bloomed, seriously nodding his head, leaning in to kiss her, “You’re right, we are indeed a pair, together as a pair for all of eternity……..”
[Main Story End]
[1] 7-9pm
T/N: The next chapter is another side story, but it’s more like a follow-up to the ending.
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thank you so much for the translations!!!