On the second day of the fifth month of the first year of Yuanping, Qin Zi'an died.

On the same day, Emperor Yuanping moved back to Beijing from the Lishan Palace, and issued an edict to strike the dynasty for five days, ordering all the officials above the nine grades in Beijing to hang themselves. On the ninth day of the fifth month, the funeral ceremony was completed, and the holy driver came to Qinfu in person, supported the coffin and cried for sacrifices, and the accompanying civil and military officials all mourned.

The next day, the emperor issued a decree, Qin Zi'an Wenzhen, posthumously presented Pingguo Gong, and gave Yu Bao and advocated. Accompany the burial of the first emperor's mausoleum.

This grace was given, and the heavenly scribes were pleased, and they deeply felt the emperor's grace. Qin Zi'an's protégés are all grateful, and they are even more loyal to the new emperor from then on.

Qin Zi'an, this world-famous generation of Confucianism, the leader of scholars, the head of a hundred officials, two generations of noble eunuchs, and the elder of the four dynasties, his life with mixed reputations dissipated like smoke in the lively and solemn funeral.

The Qin Mansion, where the flow of people was shuttling, finally gradually restored the silence in the depths of the sycamore after a hundred days.

The book pavilion in the thick summer, because of the weak wind by the lake, is still slightly shady.

Qin Nanxi was filial piety, kneeling in the pavilion, carefully sorting out his father's last manuscript. Over the years, her father's manuscripts have been copied and cataloged by her. At this time, she lowered her head, and the fingers holding the pen were on the paper, but she couldn't help trembling slightly, and when she saw it, the ink words gradually blurred, and she couldn't help but silently remember her father's words many years ago:

"For those who are in high power, you can't just listen to nature and follow your own heart. There are too many things in the world that need to be exhausted. What a gentleman does, sometimes, even knows that he can't do it! It is necessary to bear the burden of the world and protect the people. Therefore, gentlemen and ladies, the heart of the most natural and sincere affection, sometimes has to be hidden behind the virtues that are beneficial to the world......"

When Situ Yi on the side heard this, he didn't feel a cramp in his heart. When his mentor and father-in-law Qin Zi'an was dying, he solemnly kowtowed to him on the day of his entrustment. However, in the future, he does not know whether he will be able to hide the "most natural and sincere heart behind the virtues that benefit the world". But the man promised a lot of money, not to mention the dying entrustment of his mentor and father-in-law, and in the long road ahead, he could only "do it knowing that he couldn't do it" to repay his deep gratitude.

Swallowing his sudden surging thoughts, he put down the scroll in his hand, hugged Qin Nanxi's shoulder, gently wiped away the tears on her face, and comforted her in a low voice: "Nanxi, mourn." Daddy, his old man, has been calm and calm all his life, has the world in his heart, and has never put his life and death in his heart. If you say that your father still has pain in his heart, he can only miss you. He is an old man with a soul, and he knows that you are still so sad, but he can't feel at ease. ”

Qin Nanxi listened, couldn't help it anymore, dropped the pen in his hand with a click, turned around and threw himself into Situ Yi's arms, and cried bitterly. For nearly 100 days, she had never dried up a single day of tears. Little did she know that her father had spent her entire life feeling guilty about her separation as a child.

Situ Yi caressed her shoulders and back, and just as she didn't know how to comfort and persuade her, she saw a filial servant flash out at the door of the library, and replied with a wailing voice, saying that the emperor had another gift and was about to arrive at the house.

Qin Nanxi tried her best to restrain her sadness, got up to wipe away her tears, and went with Situ Yi to thank her.

On the second door, the brother and sister-in-law who are filial to him are already waiting aside. Qin Nanfu was already weak, and he had worked hard inside and outside for 100 days, and he was full of sadness, and his whole person was already thin and out of shape. At this time, with a sallow face, he stood stiff under the thick summer sun, as if he would be sunburned by the strong sun at any time.

Xiao Luomei beside him, on her pale little face, the two tear stains were still very fresh. She's also lost a lot of weight. The thin body bones, covered in plain white filial piety clothes, live like a person cut out of paper. She was sure to be by her husband's side, looking at his sallow face from time to time, her eyes full of concern and distress. Husband and wife are of the same heart, such a major event, she bears the sadness of her father-in-law's death, and also has a thoughtfulness and distress for her husband, in fact, it is even more sad.

The one who came to announce the decree was still the head of the internal supervision around Emperor Yuanping, Zhang Gonggong, Zhang Zhong.

After all, Qin Mansion is hot now, and the people kneeling in front of him are Dingguo Company Tuyi, Wen'an Hou Qin Nanfu. Even if he had face, Zhang Zhong didn't dare to be big in front of the two.

After announcing the decree, when everyone would kowtow and thank Enbi, Zhang Zhong hurriedly leaned over and helped the two of them to get up. Behind him, a group of children also came together.

"There is Lao Zhang's father-in-law!" Qin Nanfu owes himself to the old inner prison, even if he is just polite, he is also gentle and elegant. Qin Nanfu is like this, no matter the ups and downs, he is always unfazed, but he has the legacy of his father's favor and humiliation.

Seeing this, Zhang Zhong hurriedly said: "Your Excellency is polite, the saint is worried about the house." Before the miscellaneous family trip, the saint still earnestly instructed the two adults to mourn and take care of their health. ”

"Thank you, Holy Lord!" The two bowed and bowed at the same time, thanking each other in unison. After saluting, seeing that Zhang Zhong had no intention of turning back, Qin Nanfu had to raise his hand to invite him into the hall.

That Zhang Zhong bowed in thanks, stopped staggering slightly, turned around and pointed to one of the many imperial gifts, and said: "The Holy Lord cares about the mansion, and cares about the two lords and two ladies. This morning, I made Biling cake with the imperial kitchen. This Biling cake is sweet and soft, and it is the most suitable for the summer. As he spoke, Zhang Zhong turned around, looked sideways at Xiao Luomei and Qin Nanxi, who were standing side by side behind him, lowered his eyebrows and said respectfully: "The Holy Lord instructs, please two adults and two ladies, be sure to take care of your health!" ”

Zhang Zhong is an old inner eunuch and a proud person in front of the emperor, so he would not have been so confused, but he said the saint's casual instructions very solemnly twice.

Situ Yi and Qin Nanxi didn't know what to do, but they felt a little surprised.

Qin Nanfu's body was indifferent, and there was no trace of emotion in the corners of his slightly sad eyebrows and lips.

Mama Wu behind Xiao Luomei changed her face when she heard this, and she couldn't help but look at Qin Nanfu who was not far away, and lowered her head to help Xiao Luomei get up with her hands, unable to resist trembling slightly.

Xiao Luomei was very indifferent, her eyelashes were deep, her face was calm, and she got up and replied thoughtfully: "Concubine Xie Lord Longen." ”

Zhang Zhong glanced at her deeply, then turned around, accompanied by Qin Nanfu and Situ Yi, and entered the inner hall.

The crowd walked away, only Xiao Luomei slowed down and turned to the back hall. Zhang Zhong is the inner supervisor of the palace, since he is not in a hurry to leave, he must have something to say to Qin Nanfu and Situ Yi. As the head of the house, she has to instruct the kitchen to be more careful.

"Miss, this, this Biling cake...... Holy is ......" Mama Wu helped Xiao Luomei to turn to the back hall, her hands on her arms were still trembling, but she didn't dare to say more. Others don't know, but she knows that this Biling cake is a water chestnut dim sum created by Xiao Luomei many years ago, and at that time, Emperor Yuanping was still the king of Changping County.

"It's just a snack, a gift from the emperor, just worship it carefully." Xiao Luomei's expression was as usual, her steps were steady, and she slowly walked to the back kitchen.

"Miss...... This snack was originally created by the young lady for the Holy One, and this thing ......"

"Mama" Xiao Luomei stopped her steps, interrupted her words and said lightly: "The things given by the emperor, the cup of water and grains of millet, are all great graces." This is the glory of the Qin family and the honor of Xianggong. Only by being cautious in words and deeds and maintaining the reputation and glory of the Qin family is what I should do. Mama is my most intimate and caring person, why is this confused? ”

Mama Wu was slightly stunned, and bowed down to apologize, "Yes, it's the slave who is confused." ”

Xiao Luomei held her with both hands and said in a low voice, "Why does Mama have to be like this." How could I not know Mama's intentions? It's just that over the years, others don't know, haven't you seen it? Xiao Luomei was halfway through her words, and a pair of starry eyes looked at her old grandmother. She knew that there were some words that the old lady could understand without her explanation.

Six or seven years before and after she married into Qinfu, there were three or four ups and downs of Qin Nanfu during this period. However, no matter what the circumstances are, Qin Nanfu is as considerate and loving as ever to her. Even if she has nothing to say so far, Qin Nanfu has not been harsh, and has never mentioned anything like taking a concubine and asking for a child.

Such deep affection, she has changed from full gratitude at the beginning to deep respect and love.

And those grievances and attachments from many years ago have long been dispersed with the wind. Even the last trace of unwillingness in her heart quietly dissipated on the night when Situ Linlang died in childbirth.

No one knew him better than she did. She knew that as the prince of Changping, he couldn't return to his wife Situ Linlang when he was on the line of death. It's just that in his heart, there are more important things. And those things are more important than the happiness and life of any woman.

Just like at the beginning, when he was still the king of Changping County, he knew that his father wanted to promise himself to Qin Nanfu, but he didn't stop him at all. In his heart, there is always a great thing that is more important than everything, and no one can compare with it.

It was Situ Linlang's sad and sad eyes when he was dying, and her seemingly inexhaustible blood, that washed away the last trace of nostalgia and unwillingness in her heart, and also washed his coldness and coldness through and could not be hidden.

Since that night, there has been nothing left between her and him, and nothing else.

Mama Wu raised her head, stared at Xiao Luomei's clear and calm eyes, and nodded. If this is really the fate, it will naturally be better, but in the bottom of her heart, this old lady vaguely feels a little uneasy and even ominous.