Chapter 1554 - 1552: Painful Farewell 4

Chapter 1552

The palace secretly prepared.

The two outside the palace, however, were carefree as immortals.

As the weather gradually warmed, Zhao Junyao’s health unexpectedly improved a bit.

Seeing the day’s weather was clear, with gentle breezes, warm sunshine, and a soft wind blowing.

Not to mention how lively it was with flowers in bloom and green willows in the countryside.

Even the flowers and plants in the backyard of this courtyard were incredibly vibrant.

Xia Ruqing happily said.

"Since your health has improved a bit, why don’t we sit in the courtyard?"

"We can’t go out, but getting some fresh air is also good! Your face is too pale, and you ought to bask in the sun!"

Zhao Junyao narrowed his eyes and glanced outside the window, curling his lips into a smile.

"You want to go out?"

"Is your health better?"

Xia Ruqing pursed her lips.

"I’m fine, the important thing is you!"

"You need to take good care, strive to accompany me to see the snow again, and I won’t ask for anything more!"

Zhao Junyao glared at her.

"Is that all you’re asking for?"

"I can definitely do that!"

"You said it!" Xia Ruqing pointed at him, looking earnest.

"I’m waiting for it. If you don’t achieve it, I’ll chase you down and give you a good punishment!"

"Alright, alright! Madam, you have the final say!"

Zhao Junyao couldn’t help but laugh and cry.

"Let’s go, I’ll take you out for a walk, to save your pitiful expression from making me feel heartbroken!"

Xia Ruqing lightly punched him twice.

"When do I look pitiful? Stop talking nonsense!"

Zhao Junyao deftly dodged and turned to pinch her nose.

"I am not talking nonsense!"

"You often have tears in your eyes; you mustn’t do that anymore!"

Xia Ruqing muttered a few words softly, supporting him as they walked out.

"Given your lack of strength, let’s not bother with carriages or horses. We’ll just wander around the nearby alleyways and chat with a few elderly neighbors."

Romance and beauty are not meals; those spring flowers and autumn moons, let’s just forget them. The most critical thing now is preserving life.

Zhao Junyao: "..."

...

Spring rushed past and it was summer.

Despite the hot weather, both their bodies were weaker than ever.

The air was hot, yet they felt cool.

The sun was harsh, yet their room stayed refreshingly cool.

The scorching heat was overpowering, but they had palm fans and reed mats which provided some relief.

Thus, there was no need to set up ice basins, only relying on a common reed mat, a gauze canopy, and a palm fan to smoothly get through the summer.

"I never thought there were such good things among the common people!"

"I think this works better than the palace’s ice basins!"

Zhao Junyao praised while fanning with a palm fan.

Xia Ruqing rolled her eyes at him.

"You have such little insight; didn’t know about these things?"

"Even if you didn’t know before, we’ve left the palace so many times that you should have seen them!"

Zhao Junyao was puzzled.

"How would I know about such things?"

Whenever he left the palace, it was for major matters, not to worry about these trivial details.

"True!"

Xia Ruqing smiled again.

"I was just saying it randomly!"

"Let me tell you, when I was a child, everyone in my family used these to get through the summer!"

Though not the coolest, it was the most comfortable.

"Unlike the palace’s ice basins, too close makes the hands and feet freezing, too far makes it ineffective. Those embroidered fans look pretty, but they let the wind through and aren’t cool!"

"And in the summer, staying frequently in rooms with ice basins, suddenly going outside feels even worse, and the cold-to-heat transition easily makes one ill!"

"So, this is the best!"

"Through the seasons, each year, people have to experience it all once!"

Zhao Junyao pondered for a long while, feeling it very reasonable, then smiled.

"You have so many tricks in mind!"

Xia Ruqing argued with him again.

"In this hot summer, since we can’t go out, if I don’t speak more, and get your spirit up, you’ll become even lazier!"

Zhao Junyao knew she meant well.

He gently squeezed her hand but said nothing more.

...

Autumn arrived in the blink of an eye.

Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, the nights are cooler, maple leaves are red, making the entire Capital City more lively than in midsummer.

Even the alley where they currently lived was bustling with people coming and going every day.

Xia Ruqing looked outside with some yearning and a bitter smile.

"I really want to go out and see!"

Zi Ning comforted her.

"Madam, your body is not well, the outside is cold, you mustn’t go!"

Xia Ruqing bitterly smiled.

"I know!"

"Husband has been unconscious for two days now, I... even if I go out, it would be alone, wouldn’t it be better to stay here?"

"I should look at him more, accompany him more!"

While speaking, her eyes reddened, about to cry.

She remembered Zhao Junyao didn’t like her crying, so held back her tears.

She looked down at him, her voice trembling.

"You must be suffering!"

"How I wish I could bear the pain for you! But your years of toil... I... can’t even do that!"

"Master, you should get up, watching over him like this isn’t a solution!"

Zi Ning helped her up and settled her on the nearby soft couch to rest.

"Your health isn’t good either. Don’t wait for Taishang Huang to wake up, and you collapse. Have a good rest!"

Xia Ruqing powerlessly nodded.

"It’s all I can do!"

She closed her eyes, suddenly remembered something, and asked.

"Where’s Zi Yue?"

"Is Zi Yue’s cold better? I haven’t seen her in four or five days, what’s going on?"

Xia Ruqing seemed worried.

Since summer, Zi Yue had often seemed lacking in energy.

However, she had been an old sister for many years, and a minor illness or pain wasn’t a big deal.

She didn’t take it to heart.

But it’s been four or five days now, and she still hadn’t seen her, even if the cold was serious it should have recovered!

In her memory, Zi Yue was never the kind to be delicate.

"What’s going on? Have her come to give me a report!"

Zi Ning’s expression was a bit unnatural, but she still replied.

"Don’t worry, Master, rest first, I’ll go check on her and bring her to kowtow to you in the afternoon!"

Xia Ruqing closed her eyes and nodded.

"I understand!"

Zi Ning breathed a sigh of relief, tucked her in and turned to leave.

...

Afternoon, Xia Ruqing woke from her nap and found the room empty.

She was somewhat surprised. Typically, Zi Yue Zi Ning were around, but now neither was here?

"Someone!"

"Zi Ning? Zi Ning?"

After calling for a long while, there was finally a response from outside.

"Master! Please calm down, I came late!"

Zi Ning rushed in hurriedly.

"What happened? It’s rare to see you so flustered, did something happen?"

"By the way, where’s Zi Yue?"

Xia Ruqing struggled to get up while asking.

Zi Ning paused for a moment, then suddenly knelt down with a thud, crying all over her face and said.

"Master!"

"Zi Yue... is gone!"

Xia Ruqing was momentarily confused.

"Gone where? Where did she go?"

Zi Ning started crying bitterly on the ground, and only then did she gradually understand.

Her expression stiffened, her gaze gradually became vacant, after a long time, with Zi Ning’s continued urging, she finally regained clarity.

"She... really... is gone?"

"Yes!"