Chapter 1555 - 1553: If There Is a Next Life (Part 1)

Chapter 1553

Regarding Zi Yue’s passing, Xia Ruqing felt as if her heart was being cut.

Several times she nearly fainted from crying, but she kept murmuring.

"It’s all my fault! It’s all my fault!"

"I harmed her, I didn’t care for her. She was beside me every day, yet I didn’t notice her illness!"

"I’m not a competent mistress, I’ve failed her!"

Despite being called mistress and servant, their relationship had long surpassed such, more akin to family.

The person who stayed with her the longest besides Zhao Junyao was Zi Yue.

From the beginning as mistress and servant, to later becoming sisters, and now beyond sisters, like family or even her right hand.

She never thought that she would one day lose her.

Like losing a limb, it was simply unimaginable.

Yet...

As unbelievable as it might be, the day came, despite her having long forgotten it would.

"Mistress!"

Zi Ning comforted her as she lay by the bed.

"Mistress, you needn’t be saddened. Sister Zi Yue did not intentionally keep secrets from you!"

Xia Ruqing’s tears suddenly stopped.

"She didn’t intentionally hide it from me, then why didn’t she tell me?"

"There was absolutely no sign of illness, wasn’t there?"

She recalled the last time she saw Zi Yue, noticing neither a hint of abnormality nor extra word spoken.

Everything seemed exactly the same as usual, she couldn’t detect anything wrong.

"What happened exactly? Speak quickly!"

After her repeated inquiries, Zi Ning finally revealed the truth.

It turned out.

Half a year ago, Zi Yue already felt unwell.

But, with both mistresses’ health being poor and many tasks at hand, she didn’t pay attention.

Later, during a winter cold snap, she fell sick, unable to endure, she called upon a doctor.

Nothing was reassuring at this examination.

The Imperial Physician shook his head with a sigh as he told her.

It was an old ailment accumulated over the years, now exposed due to aging.

This illness, once discovered, had little hope of being cured. It required careful management, avoiding excitement, best not to experience emotional swings, to remain safe.

But she was a living person with emotions, how could she avoid emotional fluctuations?

So...

"Recently, as Mistress and Taishang Huang’s health worsened, Sister Zi Yue worried, hence she fell critically ill!"

"Previously, she endured sickness with medicine. Unexpectedly, this time, she couldn’t hold on!"

Xia Ruqing listened to Zi Ning’s account with swollen eyes.

After much questioning, they found Zi Yue’s illness resembled modern heart diseases.

Nowadays there are various treatments, surgery, medication, heart bypass, and more.

But in ancient times... such illnesses were akin to waiting for death.

"Why did she develop this illness?"

Heart disease is normally congenital, could it be acquired?

Zi Ning hesitated slightly before answering.

"Sister Zi Yue previously had heart aches but they were faint and we didn’t pay attention, little did we know..."

She broke into tears before finishing.

Xia Ruqing froze, her mind filled with sighs, unsure of what to do.

She wiped her tears and got up from bed, forcing herself to speak.

"Regardless, she spent her life by my side, I must not neglect her posthumous honors!"

She knew, ancient people truly valued this.

Zi Ning expressed gratitude through tears.

"Mistress’s kindness, I thank you on behalf of Sister Zi Yue!"

Xia Ruqing said nothing, collapsing weakly back down.

After a while, she murmured.

"You may leave, I’ll lie down for a while!"

"Yes!"

Zi Ning acknowledged and withdrew.

...

After Zi Yue’s funeral, autumn was nearly over.

It was very elaborate.

The highest standards of palace maid status were used, buried in the Imperial Mausoleum.

Although she could not have a tomb to herself, it was the best she could do for her.

She even secretly left a testament to eventually move her tomb to her own crypt.

It was as if she became an ancient person, leaving herself a mark according to their customs.

Xia Ruqing no longer distinguished between festivals, or reunions.

During leisure, she only kept Zi Ning by her side, watching her silently while apologizing in her heart.

Zi Ning also felt discouraged but soon regained herself to care for her well.

Moreover, she didn’t know what Mistress was thinking.

In Xia Ruqing’s mind it was crystal clear.

Truth be told, she felt guilty, intending to find marriage prospects for Zi Yue and Zi Su back in the day.

But later Zi Su died unexpectedly, Zi Yue lost her desire, vowed not to leave the palace.

Of course, the primary reason was the constant disturbances around her, having no opportunity.

That matter lay abandoned.

When she remembered it, everything was too late.

She thought.

If she could be more diligent, think a bit more.

Would their life have been different?

But now it’s too late for anything.

"Forget it!"

She closed her eyes, heart aching like being cut.

"Zi Yue, Zi Su, soon I’ll come to apologize to you!"

Zi Ning felt a bit worried.

"Mistress, don’t overthink, it’s better to rest!"

Xia Ruqing turned her head, silently gestured.

"I understand! You may leave now!"

...

Autumn quickly passed, winter arrived as expected.

The once lush and vibrant courtyard now appeared particularly desolate under the gloomy sky covered with dark clouds.

The cold wind swept away the last leaf outside on the branches, sparing none on the ground.

They swirled, tracing irregular paths under the north wind until they floated away, never to be seen.

Winter, truly and genuinely, had come.

Outside was desolate, but inside remained warm as spring.

Xia Ruqing lay in bed, suddenly smiling at the person inside.

"Zhao Junyao, you said you would do it!"

"Once it snows, the plum blossoms will bloom, will you accompany me to admire them?"

Zhao Junyao appeared withered and sallow.

Yet he mustered his spirits, gazing at her with the most gentle eyes, agreeing.

"Yes!"

"When it snows, I’ll surely be with you!"

Xia Ruqing was delighted.

"Alright, this is our last time admiring the snow this lifetime!"

"After the snow, I will have no regrets, what about you?"

She gently asked beside his ear.

Zhao Junyao answered with his last bit of strength.

"None at all!"

"My only regret is not being able to watch over you from heaven, live another ten or twenty years!"

"You’re too compromised following me!"

Xia Ruqing hugged him, lightly shaking her head.

"You’re not compromising!"

"You fool, for spoiling me so? I’ve become attached to you!"

"In the next life, I’ll find you again!"

"This time, before I find you, you’re not allowed to marry another woman!"

"Yes!"

Zhao Junyao tightly held her hand, solemnly promised.