Jinting Han people

Chapter 33 Burden (4k)

For the Western Jin Dynasty, the third and fourth years of the Taikang reign were truly turbulent. A mixture of good news and sad news left no room for respite.

First, good news came from various parts of the empire's borders.

First, Yangzhou Governor Zhou Jun submitted a memorial, claiming that three years after moving to Moling, he had finally pacified all the rebel forces in the former Eastern Wu territory.
Then came the victory report from Liaodong: General Yan Xun of Anbei had severely defeated Murong She and returned to Changli, beheading tens of thousands of people.

Finally, there was the report from General Du Yu, the Zhennan General, saying that he had painstakingly managed Jingzhou for several years and had finally dug a canal thousands of miles long from Yangkou to Lingling and Guiyang, allowing the Xia River to directly connect with the Yuan and Xiang Rivers. This not only solved the flood drainage problem of the Yangtze River, but also improved the water transport between the north and south of Jingzhou.

Upon hearing this, the government and the people were naturally delighted, saying that the country was thriving, demonstrating a clear political system and nurturing talent, and that future generations would surely call it a well-governed era. However, everyone was still shrouded in the shadow of factional strife, and no one knew when it would end.

At the same time, many founding fathers also died of illness.

In the first month of the third year of the Taikang reign, Chen Qian, Duke of Gaoping, was buried. In the fourth month, Jia Chong, Duke of Lu, passed away. By the first month of the fourth year of the Taikang reign, the former Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, the Minister of Rites, and the New Minister Bo Shantao had also died of illness. By this point, all eight founding ministers of the Western Jin Dynasty had passed away, and the court was almost devoid of any significant figures of comparable political power. For a time, the emperor frequently attended funerals, the people wore mourning clothes, and countless people wailed and offered condolences, as if the capital had been covered in snow year-round.

But amidst the grief, many people are also secretly happy. After all, the death of this old generation of people also means the emergence of a new generation of people.

But these have nothing to do with Liu Xian for the time being. He is now only immersed in the grief of his mother's serious illness.

That day, when Duke Anle went berserk, his wife, Zhang Ximiao, suffered a miscarriage and was briefly on the verge of death. If Liu Yao hadn't spent a fortune to invite the renowned physician Huangfu Hui to see her, she would have died that very day. Even so, it couldn't be said that she had been saved.

In Huangfu Hui's private words, he was still too late. His wife not only lost blood, but also contracted an epidemic disease. Even if he used all his life knowledge, he was powerless to save her. He could only delay the disease. As for how long he could delay it, he could only do his best and leave the rest to fate.

After hearing the news, Liu Xian was struck by lightning. Faced with such a thing, what could he, a twelve-year-old child, do?

That night, he frantically flipped through the books left by Chen Shou, hoping to find the legendary elixir that could bring the dead back to life. However, his teacher had told him during their first meeting that there were many things in life that mortals could neither understand nor solve. In the end, Liu Xian could only lie vacantly among the books, gazing out the window at the night sky. The stars were shining brightly, but he had a distinct feeling that there was no star in the sky that belonged to him.

Three days later, Xiao Ruan Gong arrived excitedly as agreed, only to be shocked to find a gloomy atmosphere in the mansion. After careful inquiry, he learned the whole story. By then, An Le Gong had disappeared, and Zhang Ximiao was bedridden. Who could he approach to discuss the marriage?
Liu Yao, the older brother of Anle Gong, immediately offered to take over as head of the family and agree to the marriage on Liu Xian's behalf. However, Liu Xian was tempted to refuse. He said to Liu Yao, "Uncle, the reason the Lord abused Mother is because of this marriage. How can I agree to it when things have gotten so bad? I don't know how much gossip will circulate once the news gets out. Forget it."

When Liu Xian said this, his tone was calm and his expression was composed, as if this matter had nothing to do with his own future and happiness, but was entirely for the sake of the Duke's family. The elders in the family could only secretly praise him, thinking that after not seeing him for a few years, Bi Ji had become so sensible and knew how to think about the family.

But in reality, Liu Xian's heart was filled with endless regret. He regretted not going with his mother to see his father, and at the same time, he hated his father for committing such a brutal act. But he hated himself even more for having seen things coming, yet still allowing things to develop to this point. This made it impossible for him to forgive himself, and he couldn't believe he could ever find happiness. Since that was the case, he decided not to implicate others.

But after hearing this reply, Mr. Ruan immediately understood his student's thoughts and earnestly advised him:

"Alas, Huai Chong, I taught you a long time ago that life is full of uncontrollable accidents like this.

"It's like trying to catch fish with a short net. If you miss by a hair's breadth, you think you'll definitely catch it next time if you pay more attention. But what happens? The fish that slipped away has already drifted down the river, never to return, and the next fish you try to catch is a completely different one."

"You can't catch a lost fish again, nor can you use the experience of the last time to prepare for the next one. All you can do is concentrate and do your best to catch every fish you encounter. But even so, there will still be many empty nets. My advice to you is to forget the fish you missed, otherwise you will miss more."

In the future, when he encountered regrets and adversities, Liu Xian would often recall these words of Little Ruan Gong and benefit greatly from them. But at the moment, he found it difficult to listen and just shook his head stubbornly. This was quite normal: sad people often only think about their own feelings and find it difficult to appreciate the intentions of others. This was true for Anle Gong, and so was Liu Xian.

If things had ended like this, Liu Xian might have followed in his father's footsteps, leading a life so tragic that it was beyond words. But fortunately, everything was not yet irreversible, and there were still people who could save it all.

When Xiao Ruan Gong was about to leave Anle Gong Mansion, Zhang Ximiao woke up from his coma.

When Ah Chun hurried over to report the news, Liu Xian ignored all etiquette and immediately rushed to his mother's hospital room. Little Ruan Gong hesitated for a moment, then slowly followed. He had a premonition that this was a very important day for his disciple, and he probably needed to be a witness.

Upon hearing the news that his mother had woken up, Liu Xian's heart leaped with anxiety. Huangfu Hui had said it would take at least five days for his mother to wake up, but she had woken up in just three. Didn't that mean the doctor had misjudged her? Perhaps her condition wasn't that bad, and there was still a chance of recovery? As long as his mother was safe and sound, he was willing to give everything he had...

But as he walked through the corridor and the willow grove and reached the door, his body began to tremble slightly. What if his mother truly couldn't recover? How would he face her? And how would he face his father? Liu Xian took a deep breath, forcing himself to act like a man, shoving away the uneasiness in his body before striding towards the ward.

"Is it to ward off disease?" A clear voice came from behind the screen.

"Mother, it's me."

"Come to the pillow."

Liu Xian felt nervous for a moment and walked respectfully to the pillow, "Is mother okay?"

Zhang Ximiao did not answer immediately. She just said in a calm voice, "What a nice day! Look over there." Liu Xian looked out the window and saw the pink peach buds glowing in the bright sunshine of early spring, which also made Ximiao's skin look as white as ice and snow.

Xi Miao murmured, "Just lying here, I've become the sun, the peach blossom. How wonderful!" The peach blossom branches reflected in the window still had three yellow leaves, which had not yet fallen. "Spring passes, it's midsummer, and autumn ends, it turns to winter. God's power is truly great."

"Mother, how is your health?"

"My winter is coming to an end, you see?"

"how come?!"

"But I must leave some seeds for you, while you are still in spring."

Zhang Ximiao's eyes were a little dazed. A smile betrayed the bone-chilling coldness of winter. "I really want to celebrate your wedding in person, but it's still years away... I'm sick."

"Mom, I'm here."

"I heard from Ah Chun that the master is still missing, right?"

"Yes."

"Your teacher is here today, but you want to refuse this marriage, right?"

"Yes." Zhang Ximiao struggled to reach out from under the cold quilt, held her son's hand, and shook it vigorously, saying, "I don't allow you to do this, do you understand?"

After feeling the cold temperature of his mother's hand, Liu Xian was startled at first, then he held back his tears and nodded, "I understand."

But Zhang Ximiao shook her head and said, "No, you don't understand. You don't understand your father, your mother, or how you should approach your own life. You're only eleven years old, how could you possibly understand? There are many things that you might not understand even if you've experienced them yourself. You can't understand them now."

Zhang Ximiao held Liu Xian's hand tightly and said word by word, "So, Biji, I hope you will remember what I said, whether you understand it or not. You must achieve the goal I set for you. Can you promise me?"

Liu Xian nodded.

"This marriage must be completed. No matter what happens, no matter what others say, even if you die, it must be completed. This is a chance for happiness and success that you have earned yourself. Don't let it slip away no matter what."

"Yes!"

"Also, don't resent your father."

Hearing this, Liu Xian was stunned for a moment. He wanted to agree to his mother directly, but his father's red eyes and the tragic scene of his mother lying in a pool of blood appeared in front of him. His throat suddenly felt like it was cast by molten iron, and he couldn't say the word "yes" for a long time.

Zhang Ximiao sighed softly. She didn't blame Liu Xian. Instead, she stroked the back of the child's hand with her fingers and said again, "I know you hate him now, but he is your father and you don't understand him. There is really no need for you to hate him..."

"But..." Liu Xian looked at his mother's gentle eyes and couldn't help himself. "No matter what the reason, he shouldn't do this to you! He did this, I... I want to cut him into pieces!"

"Don't talk nonsense like that!" Zhang Ximiao struggled hard, followed by a coughing fit, which scared Liu Xian so much that he became flustered. It took a long time for his mother to calm down.

"Don't say such nonsense." Zhang Ximiao said this and gently closed his eyes. "What are you talking about? You're even more cruel than your father. Be a man of integrity and don't say such cowardly and impossible things. If you become such a person in the future, I won't be able to rest in peace even in my grave."

"Yes." Liu Xian couldn't refute and could only lower his head and say yes.

Neither of them spoke again, and the room fell silent. Liu Xian stared at his mother, and seemed to be able to hear the breathing and heartbeat of both mother and son. He wished that this moment would last forever, but soon, this illusion was broken. The sound of little Ruan Gong's wooden clogs came from outside the door.

Little Ruan Gong said from outside the door: "Huai Chong, can I come in?"

Before Liu Xian could answer, Zhang Ximiao opened her eyes and said, "Please ask your teacher to come in!"

Liu Xian quickly stood up and led the teacher at the door in. He then arranged a seat for the teacher in front of the screen and waited for the conversation between the two.

Little Ruan Gong didn't waste any words and went straight to the point and asked, "Madam, I'm here to discuss Huai Chong's marriage. What is your opinion..."

Zhang Ximiao didn't hesitate at all and replied directly, "I'll follow Mr. Ruan's arrangements. Thank you for your hard work."

Little Ruan Gong nodded and said, "Okay."

Zhang Ximiao turned around again and, with a manly, resolute gaze, addressed Liu Xian, who was standing by the screen. "Biji, from now on, no matter what Little Ruan Gong teaches or says, you must follow his instructions. He's like your father, and his bloodline is like your brother. Do you understand?"

The meaning of this statement was clear: Liu Xian was demanding that Ruan Xian become his adoptive father. However, this was actually a very excessive request. Not only did Ruan Xian have to be responsible for Liu Xian, a person with no relationship, but he also wanted Liu Xian to promise that he would be responsible for the future of the Ruan family in Chenliu. In short, it was a blood pact between the two families.

This turn of events caught Liu Xian off guard. Having just experienced such a tragic change, his mind was still reeling when his mother asked him to shoulder such a heavy responsibility. For a moment, he was filled with confusion. Liu Xian quickly glanced at his teacher, seeking his opinion. Little Ruan Gong smiled, winking at Liu Xian and twirling his beard, saying, "A prodigy like Huai Chong, I've long considered him my own child."

"Thank you very much."

"I'm the."

After saying this, Mr. Ruan stood up, bowed to the screen, turned around and left in a natural and graceful manner.

Zhang Ximiao and Xiao Ruan Gong had never met each other. The images of both parties were known through Liu Xian's retelling, but at this moment, they seemed to have a tacit understanding, as if they had known each other for a long time. There was no greeting or farewell. In just a few words, they had an exchange that was enough to change the fate of the two families.

After this exchange, Zhang Ximiao closed her eyes again and breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if a burden had been lifted from her body. When she opened her eyes again, her previously unbelievable fortitude had completely vanished.

She waved again, took Liu Xian's arm, and asked with a smile, "Is it strange? Why did I arrange it this way?"

"Mother is taking care of me..."

"Of course not. You are sensible enough to take care of yourself. You don't really need anyone else to take care of you. If I ask Mr. Ruan to do this for you, I will actually be adding to your burden."

"burden……"

"Yes, a burden. In the past, you only needed to be a good child in my eyes and be responsible for me, but I didn't ask much of you. But from now on, you will be responsible for yourself. Not only for yourself, but also for the Duke's Mansion, for Xiao Ruan Gong, for Juancheng Gong, and in the future, you will be responsible for more people."

"When you were born, I wanted you to live a carefree life, so I named you Bi Ji." Zhang Ximiao caressed her son's face tenderly and proudly, explaining, "But in front of your father, I finally realized a truth: the heavier the burden in life, the better. Endurance and burdens can help people grow up quickly... It was because he had no burdens since childhood that he suddenly collapsed when a heavy burden came."

At this point, Xi Miao's eyes flickered with nostalgia. She slowed her speech and said to Liu Xian, "Remember what I told you before you came here? I told you not to hate your father. I also told you what happened in Chengdu twenty years ago."

Liu Xian was in awe of his mother. He had never known she had such a wise side. He could only repeat, "Yes."

"That was a very cruel period, a burden no mortal could bear. It completely crushed your father, so I didn't want to mention it until now. But today, I don't want you to hate him. He made mistakes, but he wasn't born like this. Do you understand?"

Liu Xian looked at his mother without saying a word, waiting for her next words.

"Then let me start from the beginning..." Zhang Ximiao looked at the peach buds outside the window, and for a moment he seemed to hear the partridges calling in Chengdu.

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(End of this chapter)