A year later, the Ying Family held a simple feast for Song Qing Lian"s birthday in the Ying Mansion.
In order for the whole family to enjoy themselves at ease, the servants were all instructed to withdraw after serving up the dishes of food. Song Qing Lian sat on the main seat as her sons paid their respects and performed ceremonial greetings. After receiving extravagant gifts from her two daughters-in-law, she looked at the belly of her second daughter-in-law who was about time to give birth and she was unable to control the smile on her face.
If it is asked whether there is any regret in Song Qing Lian"s life, then it would be her Elder Daughter-in-law, Hua Ming Zi"s deteriorating health.
During this past year, the health of Hua Ming Zi was declining with each pa.s.sing day. Initially, she just could not run or jump but now she is gradually losing the ability to walk.
She knew that Ying Yan Long has been refining a new medicine called the "Phoenix" Pill. It is said that this medicine can disperse poison, stabilize the qi and prolong life, but after all, this "Phoenix" Pill is a new medicine. It is said that this medicine is very strong and is not suitable for her. Only G.o.d knows how long it would take to make adjustments to the composition of ingredients for this "Phoenix" Pill and how long could Hua Ming Zi be able to hold on.
"Mother, let"s eat. Otherwise, the food will go cold and we will not be able to savor the best of Yu Weizi*." Ying Xue Wen said as he supported his Mother to the table to sit down and then he walked back to help his wife.
(Yu Weizi is the name of a Chinese medicine derived from a fruit. It is beneficial for blood circulation and regulating the liver.)
Ying Yan Long used a wheelchair to push Hua Ming Zi to the table.
"Why is it that the dishes are all the food that I and Ying Ying like to eat?" Hua Ming Zi said as she looked at the dishes on the table with a smile.
"It is Mother"s orders. You should know that Mother cares more for her daughters-in-law and it is several times more than she cares for her own two sons." Ying Xue Wen pretended to sigh with sorrow and it attracted bursts of laughter.
Ying Yan Long lowered his head to help Hua Ming Zi pulled up the blanket to cover her legs and his chest was filled with heart-breaking pain. Even after consuming the Ying Family"s excellent medicines, her body was still weakening. Every time after Doctor Qu had taken her pulse, he would not say much but only the words - "take good care".
Even though they had "taken good care" of her but half a month ago, Hua Ming Zi started to lose the strength to walk. Therefore, he had commissioned a wheelchair for her.
Although she could still talk and laugh and quietly pushed her wheelchair around the residence, her daily sleeping time was getting longer and longer. Sometimes when he looked at her sleeping face, he could not help but test for her breathing and was afraid that she would just slip away without him realizing.......
"Thank you, Mother. I really have the good fortune to taste this." Hua Ming Zi looked up and smiled at her Mother-in-law.
"If you like this, you should eat more." Song Qing Lian immediately lifted up the dish to rearrange the spread of food and place the dish in front of Hua Ming Zi. Then she also picked up some food for her Second Daughter-in-law.
Ying Xue Wen nodded repeatedly and helped his pregnant wife to pick out all the food that makes her feel queasy and uncomfortable.
"I didn"t expect our Xue Wen will learn to love someone so dearly." Song Qing Lian said with a smile.
"Mother, it is because I had taught well." Qian Ying Ying"s face was full of smiles.
"It is I who recommended a good husband to you. I found you one with a handsome face and with capability as well." Hua Ming Zi put in a few words.
"Yes, yes, yes! The two of you are really awesome!" Ying Xue Wen poured a cup of wine for his Elder Brother and then poured a cup for himself. He lifted up his cup and toasted to his brother. "Elder Brother, let the two of us losers, drink a toast."
"Let this Elder Brother give you a toast with this cup of wine. During this period of time, you have performed very well. If you want to take over the Ying Family"s business, you are welcome anytime." Ying Yan Long nodded his head at his younger brother and held up his cup for a toast.
His hand holding the wine jug trembled and Ying Xue Wen"s eyes turned red.
"Why are you crying? Elder Brother is praising you." Qian Ying Ying patted her husband"s shoulder.
"Thank you, Elder Brother." Ying Xue Wen tilted back his head to drink the cup of wine. After clearing his throat, he said. "I want to wait for matters concerning the new shops of the Hua Ji Restaurants to be settled first. Steward You is now training the new Steward Fu and after he is able to work on his own, I will come back to see how I can a.s.sist you. I don"t understand anything about medicine but I can at least be able to help with running the business."
Ying Yan Long nodded with approval and said to him. "Alright, this arrangement is very good."
Then Ying Yan Long handed a bowl of tofu soup to Hua Ming Zi and looked at her until she had finished half a bowl. Recently, her appet.i.te has been very poor and he had to always watch over her before she will eat a bit more.
After Hua Ming Zi put down the soup spoon, she looked at Qian Ying Ying and said. "You look better when you are pregnant compared to the time when you were not pregnant. I know G.o.d had sent you to help the Ying Family increase their descendants by giving them more grandchildren." After Hua Ming Zi had finished speaking, she drank a few mouthfuls of tofu soup that Ying Yang Long fed her.
"Elder Sister must think having a child is as simple as drinking soup. The whole day I have to carry this big belly.......it"s really quite heavy." Qian Ying Ying looked at the thin body of Hua Ming Zi and actually felt very sad but she still managed to squeeze out a smile and pretended as if it was nothing. "Elder Sister knows Elder Brother dotes on her, so you always say things to bully me."
"Don"t say I treat you badly. Elder Sister will gift you something so good that even with thousands of gold taels, you will not be able to buy." Hua Ming Zi pulled out a purse and held it in her hand.
Inside the purse was the white jade bracelet that she could not wear any longer since she had grown too thin. "This white jade bracelet can save lives. As long as the Emperor is still in power, you can take this white jade bracelet to the East Street p.a.w.nshop located on the outskirts of the Imperial City to look for a person named Jin Fu Lai. Of course, it is best if you don"t have to use it. Having peace is a blessing."
"Is this........" Ying Xue Wen looked at his Elder Brother.
Ying Yan Long nodded and said. "That time, your Elder Sister-in-law took this white jade bracelet and begged the Emperor to give me a chance to redress the wrong done to me."
"So it turned out to be so. I thought Elder Sister-in-law could perform miracles and in the palace, there was nothing she could not do." Ying Xue Wen stared curiously at the white jade bracelet.
"That time, I didn"t want to say much lest it complicated matters." Hua Ming Zi said with a smile and did not want to mention the reason for doing this. She wanted to give this gift away because she felt that her time is soon to end.
"Fortunately, the Emperor is wise. The Luo Family and the Ninth w.a.n.g-ye are already imprisoned for plotting a rebellion. Luo Ji Cai, that b.a.s.t.a.r.d was also given the punishment of dismemberment by five horses*........" When Qian Ying Ying thought of that man, she could not help but want to slap on the table.
(Dismemberment by five horses is a cruel method of punishment meted out on a living person. The person"s four limbs and head are tied to five horses and when all five horses run simultaneously in five different directions, the person is torn apart into pieces.)
"You have a child in your belly. Don"t talk about this kind of b.l.o.o.d.y matter." Song Qing Lian said.
Qian Ying Ying nodded obediently.
"Ying Ying, come over." Hua Ming Zi looked at her and gave her a nod.
"This is so valuable. I don"t think it is right for me to take it." Qian Ying Ying looked towards her husband.
"Since Elder Sister-in-law wants you to have it, then you should take it." Ying Xue Wen nodded at his wife. Looking at his Elder Sister-in-law"s serious expression and the heartache in his Elder Brother"s gaze, he knew it was the wish of his Elder Sister-in-law.
Hua Ming Zi pulled the white jade bracelet from the purse and handed it to Qian Ying Ying. At that moment, a sudden wave of dizziness swept over her brain and her body slid to the side while the white jade bracelet also slipped out of her hand.
"Be careful!" Immediately Ying Yan Long supported Hua Ming Zi"s body.
Ying Xue Wen flew forward and wanted to save the falling bracelet........
*Pa!*
The jade bracelet fell to the ground and broke into two.
Feeling frightened Qian Ying Ying"s face turned pale and unconsciously she shrank.
When Song Qing Lian saw the situation, she went forward to hug her Second Daughter-in-law. "It"s alright. It"s alright. Shattered is peace*."
(The actual words for "Shattered is peace" is "At every age is peace" which is an auspicious wish for peace to someone. The pinyin for "Shattered" and "Age" is similar, so SQL twisted the word to make the situation auspicious. To the Chinese, if something breaks, it is an omen of bad luck or bad fortune especially if it happened during a happy occasion.)
"What is the matter?" Ying Yan Long hugged Hua Ming Zi"s shoulders and his heart skipped.
Hua Ming Zi tried to open her eyes and wanted to speak but she could not muster enough strength. When she saw the anxious look on his face, her heart jolted with pain.
It does not matter if she leaves, but the problem is that she is reluctant to leave him all alone.......
"Someone come! Hurry! Summon the Doctor in the Mansion and send someone to the palace for Doctor Qu! " Ying Xue Wen shouted towards the door of the dining hall.
"I......I"m fine.......didn"t sleep well last night......." Hua Ming Zi"s speech came out intermittently. This is not the first time she suddenly had an attack of dizziness but this is the first time, she did not have enough strength to sit up straight.
Ying Yan Long picked up Hua Ming Zi and strode to the window to let her sit down. Immediately, he took out a medicinal pill and fed it into her mouth.