Chapter Twenty-Five Burial

  Xu Mingjin dragged his heavy body and came to his younger brother Mingxuan's room, only to unexpectedly see Zeyang also there.

  Ze Gongzi nodded to Xu Mingjin, taking it as a greeting. Xu Mingjin hastily returned the courtesy and rushed to the bedside. As soon as Xu Mingxuan saw her, he threw himself at her, "Sister! You've finally come to see me!" He was tearful, but he just clung tightly to Xu Mingjin like an abandoned little dog.

  "Mingxuan, don't worry, you'll be fine. Your sister is always here with you!" Xu Mingjin gently comforted Xu Mingxuan, patting his back softly. He finally calmed down.

  "Sister, is my face ruined? Am I going to become a ugly freak from now on?" Xu Mingjin asked anxiously.

  "I swear, sister, I will definitely cure the wound on your face. You will become a handsome man that everyone praises!" Xu Mingjin said solemnly, word by word.

  With Xu Mingjin's solemn promise, a smile finally appeared on Xu Mingxuan's face after he woke up, although the smile still had two strings of tears hanging from it. Xu Mingjin felt heartbroken and held back her tears, saying: "Mingxuan, mother is gone, from now on you are the only family I have left in this world, you must take good care of yourself, we siblings must live well to show those people!"

  Xu Mingxuan was stunned, then burst into loud wailing. Zé Gōngzǐ hastily reached out and touched him, and he fell asleep. Xu Mingjin looked at Zé Gōngzǐ in confusion, thinking that crying was a way to vent one's emotions, and that it would make one feel better afterwards. She didn't understand why he had done that.

  Just as she was about to ask, she heard him say: "Now is the best time for his facial wound to heal. I used the secret medicine I brought with me, so there won't be any scarring. But he always cries like this, and tears have corrosive properties that aren't good for healing wounds. So try not to let him cry. I just pressed his sleep acupoint; after a few hours, he'll wake up again. At that time, you must persuade him not to cry."

  Xu Mingjin listened to his words and finally put her mind at ease, but she still asked suspiciously: "The wound on my brother's face, can your medicine really make him not leave a scar?"

  Zē Gōngzǐ nodded.

  "Thank you, you've helped me so much, I really don't know how to repay you." Xu Mingjin was truly grateful this time, he had saved her and her brother, as well as her maidservants and the likes of Madame Xi. Although her mother had been killed, she would not let the culprit go unpunished!

  Ze Gongzi said indifferently: "I think we are at least friends."

  Xu Mingjin smiled upon hearing this.

  "Zhe Gongzi, I want to go see my mother." After a moment, the smile on Xu Mingjin's face subsided again.

  "I'll take you there," said Zhe Gongzi, and he led the way out.

  He changed into a white mourning attire, and Xu Mingjin followed behind him. Along the way, they saw servants coming and going everywhere. Each person who saw Ze Gongzi bowed respectfully: "Greetings to Young Master." He nodded slightly and continued walking forward. Xu Mingjin thought to herself: What is his true identity? How does he have that kind of miraculous healing medicine that leaves no scars? This is his private estate, the Qi family's pharmacy in Liu City belongs to him, and the Qi family's pharmacy in the capital also belongs to him. He has so many hidden guards... Xu Mingjin recalled a letter from her uncle Fan Dichen, which mentioned that when the clan leader's wife saw the jade pendant Ze Gongzi gave her, she blurted out: "How did you get the crown prince's jade pendant?" Could it be that he is the crown prince? If so, why was he being pursued by Princess Pingxi at the White Cloud Temple?

  Xu Mingjin had many doubts about Ze Gongzi in her heart, but she knew that now was not the right time to ask them.

  As soon as they entered, the entire hall was filled with white lanterns and streamers, where Madam Fan's coffin was placed. Xu Mingjin's tears burst forth, and the servants and attendants kneeling in front of the coffin, all dressed in mourning attire, stood up and bowed: "Greetings, young master, greetings, Miss Xu." Zhe Gongzi waved his hand, and they all retreated.

  "If you want to cry, then go ahead and cry!" Zé Gōngzǐ said softly.

  Xu Mingjin didn't hear anything, she walked step by step towards the coffin where Madame Fan's body was placed. This road is so long, she thought, why does it still feel like the coffin is far, far away? The road seemed to have no end. Xu Mingjin seemed to see Madame Fan sitting in front of the mourning hall with a smile on her face, beckoning her to come and eat... Suddenly, a hand grabbed her, and the illusion in front of Xu Mingjin disappeared. She found herself already standing in front of the mourning hall, one more step and she would have bumped into it. Turning her head, she saw that it was Zhe Gongzi who had grabbed her.

  Zhe Gongzi saw that she had already woken up and let go of her hand. "This first incense, you come to offer it!" Zhe Gongzi said.

  Xu Mingjin nodded, indeed she should be the first to offer incense.

  With a reverent bow, he lit the incense and inserted it into the censer. Xu Mingjin retreated and knelt down on the prayer mat in front of the memorial hall.

  Zai Gongzi finished burning incense on Xu Mingjin's grave and then went to burn another stick of incense. After that, he took a look at Xu Mingjin who was still kneeling there, and silently backed out.

  For three consecutive days, Xu Mingjin knelt in front of the memorial hall of Mrs. Fan, not eating or drinking, and was exhausted after leaving the memorial hall. This time, it was Xu Mingxuan's turn to visit her. After three days of rest, Xu Mingxuan had largely recovered from his injuries, and the wounds on his face had begun to scab over. He heard that as long as he didn't cry, there would be no scars left behind, so he changed his previous violent temper and began to recover to his former self. The servants who attended to him all breathed a sigh of relief. Even Chun Xing and the others were more excited than Xu Mingxuan himself when they saw the change in him, because now that he was better, Miss wouldn't be so exhausted.

  So, Xuming Jin woke up from the bed and saw Xuming Xuan with a bandage on his forehead. He blinked at Xuming Xuan and said, "Why aren't you taking good care of your injury? What are you doing here?"

  "Sister, I've gone to Mother's memorial hall." These were Xu Mingxuan's first words.

  Xu Mingjin's tears were about to well up again, she forcibly held them back and slowly said: "You're not allowed to cry, do you understand?"

  Xu Mingxuan looked at her like this and also held back his tears, saying: "Sister, don't worry, I won't cry!"

  Chun Xing, who was watching from the side, suddenly burst into loud wailing. Qiu Yun patted Chun Xing's shoulder and said, "Be quiet, don't disturb Miss and Young Master!" But she herself was also in tears, and all the maidservants in the room were crying too. Xu Mingjin waved his hand and chased them all away.

  "Sister, Ze Gongzi said that Mother's funeral will be held the day after tomorrow." Xu Mingxuan said, holding back tears.

  Xu Mingjin nodded, it's better to rest in peace as soon as possible. Where will he be buried?

  Back mountain.

  Xu Mingjin had no objection, probably the mother of Liu Cheng was unwilling to go back? In the capital, she did not want her mother to return to that dark place even after death, so let's bury her here! The mountains and rivers are beautiful, and Mother will definitely like it. As for the father who Mother cannot put down, Xu Mingjin vowed that one day, she would bring back the body of Xu Ruoyi after his death and bury him with Mother together. He could only be buried with Mother together!

  On the day of Madam Fan's burial, Fan Yicheng suddenly rushed over, and Xu Mingjin was shocked. She hadn't sent him a message to inform him of this matter, had she?

  "It was I who wrote to inform him." said Zijun.

  Xu Mingjin looked at Fan Yicheng with a sorrowful gaze, but the words of blame couldn't be spoken. She hadn't told Fan Yicheng about this matter, not wanting to add another person's heartache, however, she had overlooked one thing - her mother was Fan Yicheng's sister, he had the right to see his sister for the last time. She also had no reason to stop him.

  Fan Yicheng silently lit an incense stick in front of the coffin that was already prepared for burial, then he respectfully kowtowed. Finally, he requested to open the coffin.

  Xu Mingjin also wanted to take another look at her mother, she knew that opening the coffin would be unlucky, but Fan Yicheng was already in tears, he said with a choked voice: "I haven't seen my sister for thirteen years, back then she was just a fifteen-year-old girl, I didn't think that it would be our last farewell when we were still alive, can I take another look at her? I haven't even seen what she looks like now!"

  Everyone fell silent and acquiesced in Fan Yicheng's actions.

  The moment the coffin was opened, not only Fan Yicheng, but also Xu Mingjin and Xu Mingxuan, rushed to the front of the coffin in a flurry. They stared blankly, gazed, and wept, their greedy eyes unwilling to move away for a long time.

  Madam Fan lay inside, her expression serene. The blood that had flowed from her face and body had been wiped clean by the maid, and she was dressed in her favorite trailing water sleeve hundred-fold phoenix tail skirt, lying there as if asleep.

  Fan Yicheng's rough palm grasped the edge of the coffin tightly, gazing at Fan Furen lying inside. His expression was filled with sorrow, nostalgia, longing, and reluctance. The multitude of emotions made him appear as if he were silently protesting. Perhaps he was lamenting why Fan Furen had left so early, without even seeing her one last time. Or perhaps he was reminiscing about their sibling affection in childhood. Or maybe he was marveling at how the passage of time had transformed Fan Furen into what she looked like today. But most of all, it was sorrow - his only sister in this world had left him.

  They waited until the manager of the other courtyard urged them, and several people reluctantly took a last look at Lady Fan. The coffin lid blocked everyone's line of sight with a loud bang, and Xu Mingjin watched as Lady Fan was slowly covered by the coffin lid. His nose turned sour, and tears flowed out again for the nth time in these days. Xu Mingxuan had been holding back, he couldn't cry, his only mother had passed away, but he had to take care of his face, not even a single sob could be allowed, this situation made his heart ache more than anyone else's. Because he would feel ashamed, as a son, he couldn't even fulfill the last filial piety!

  After burying Lady Fan, everyone returned to another courtyard.

  "Uncle, you've traveled such a long way, rest for a while first!" Xu Mingjin said.

  Fan Yicheng shook his head, just about to say no need, but he thought of the events that had transpired and looked at Xu Mingjin's exhausted face, so he changed his tone: "Alright, you get some rest."