Chapter 20
As the dawn approached, the rain finally stopped, and the Yulin Guards also brought back Zhao Heng's grandmother.
Zhao Heng knelt in the courtyard, soaked through, looking as desolate as a water ghost, her black hair hanging down on both sides of her face, covering her expression. As more and more Yulin Guards returned, she slowly raised her head.
The Yulin Guards acted quickly and found a coffin at the White Horse Temple so she wouldn't have to come back in the rain.
Zhao Heng's eyes were stinging, and she tried to stand up by holding onto the water-soaked floor with her hands. She fell back into the mud, but Li Wenjian stepped forward and supported her hand, saying in a deep voice, "Lean on me."
Zhao Heng did not refuse, gripping his arm tightly. The mud stained his robe, leaving dirty marks. Li Wenjian held her hand back, squeezing it tightly in his palm.
She leaned on his hand, using his strength to the fullest to struggle to stand up from the ground, staggering towards the coffin. She covered her hand on the coffin, slowly closing her eyes. Her hand rested on the black coffin, her lips trembling, but she did not say a word.
Li Wenjian's eyes were deep as he stared at Zhao Heng, her face as pale as paper, devoid of any color.
"Zhao Heng," he began, "please accept my condolences..."
"Your Highness, please return to the palace," Zhao Heng interrupted him.
Li Wenjian fell silent, looking at her with lowered eyes.
After a moment, Zhao Heng took a deep breath, suppressing the heart-wrenching pain, and said in a calm tone, "My courtyard is simple. I need to take care of my grandmother's affairs. I fear I may delay Your Highness."
Her voice trembled with unrestrained emotion.
Li Wenjian did not say anything and turned to leave.
With his status, he could not focus on anything here.
Before leaving, he instructed Jian Ning, "Take a team of men and handle the matters."
Jian Ning nodded in agreement.
Li Wenjian got into the carriage, catching a glimpse of the palm print on his sleeve. Through the drizzling rain curtain, he saw her still standing by the coffin, looking lifeless and pitiful.
The day fully brightened, and the small village slowly woke up.
Many in the village had not slept all night, including Aunt Lin.
The Yulin Guards were truly horrifying, and after returning home late at night, her grandson had cried for most of the night, impossible to soothe.
She was afraid that the child's cries would disturb the cold-faced killers next door, so she got up and walked around the house with her grandson in her arms.
The commotion caused by the Zhao family was so great that it left her heart pounding with fear.
As the day approached, another team of men and horses arrived.
She heard the sound of hooves and peeked through the window into the darkness, seeing a line of torches winding from the village to the Zhao family's residence.
With so many people, their breath should have been louder than thunder, but the black armored guards made no sound as they swiftly slipped into the dark corners of the village and lurked in secret.
The grandeur of the scene was awe-inspiring.
The villagers had never seen such a sight before and couldn't help but feel anxious, wondering about the identity of these people. Why did the disappearance of Zhao family's aunt stir up so many terrifying black-armored soldiers?
"Oh, it's Aheng!" Aunt Lin suddenly tapped the man sleeping next to her.
The man rolled over and grumbled, "Why are you being so wild in the middle of the night?"
He kicked the blanket, turned his face away, and fell back asleep.
Aunt Lin watched the line of torches outside, suddenly remembering the young girl from the Zhao family and doubting her own assumptions. Little Aheng was a very filial child, but... she was not very pleasant to look at.
Her face was often swollen, with frequent red sores on her cheeks that oozed pus. Despite being washed clean, the mixture of pus and blood on her face did not give off an attractive appearance...
After she entered the palace, there was no news of her for several years, causing Zhao family's aunt to fall ill several times over the matter.
Finally, after a few years, Aheng contacted the family again, sending a young man to take care of Zhao family's aunt, provide medical treatment, and help with house repairs and yard maintenance.
Last time, Zhao family's aunt even said she made pancakes for Aheng to send to the palace.
The stunning face of the cold-faced killer and the memory of Aheng from last night intertwined in Aunt Lin's mind, leaving her bewildered.
As the day broke and the rain stopped, her grandson in her arms finally fell asleep, but Aunt Lin felt no drowsiness. Setting down the sleeping child, she quietly left the house and entered the Zhao family's courtyard.
The unnecessary people had already left, leaving only about a dozen black-armored guards in the courtyard, next to a terrifying black coffin.
Whispers filled the air, all talking about the loss of Zhao family's aunt.
The young girl, eyes red and tears streaming down her face, trembled as she cried, wet and forlorn like a water ghost.
After living next to each other for decades, the loss of the aunt caused a pang in Aunt Lin's heart, and seeing the young girl crying in pain, she couldn't hold back her tears and wept as well.
"Aheng." Aunt Lin heard Zhao Heng's crying and felt something welling up in her throat. Before she could even process it, she had already spoken out. In reality, she wasn't sure if this person was Aheng, but couldn't hold back the words.
Zhao Heng turned back at the sound, looking at the woman standing outside the courtyard.
Aunt Lin wiped the tears from her eyes, no longer afraid of the armored guards, and walked over to Zhao Heng, "You are Aheng, right?"
Zhao Heng lowered her eyes and nodded gently.
"Good child, you have finally come back," Aunt Lin glanced at the pitch-black coffin, her nose stinging with sorrow, and held Zhao Heng's hand, "This was unexpected, don't be sad."
Zhao Heng croaked out, "Mmm."
"I have been unfilial, never letting her enjoy a day of blessing."
At this thought, a wave of intense grief washed over her.
"She has been living comfortably all these years, all thanks to you," Aunt Lin faltered, being a commoner, she couldn't find the right words, she wiped her eyes, "Your grandmother loved you the most, seeing you like this would only unsettle her spirit."
Zhao Heng nodded vigorously, trying to hold back tears, but they continued to flow from her eyes.
The courtyard was filled with black-armored soldiers, making Aunt Lin feel uneasy all over. After comforting Zhao Heng for a few moments, she was about to leave.
"Aunt Lin," Zhao Hong suddenly called out.
Aunt Lin turned around, asking, "What is it?"
Zhao Heng struggled to hold back her tears, saying, "Everything happened so suddenly, and we are not prepared at home. I want to borrow a few chairs from Aunt Lin's house."
"Alright," Aunt Lin replied and was about to go back to fetch them, "I will bring them for you."
Zhao Hong said, "I'll come with Aunt Lin to get them."
Aunt Lin was about to refuse, but Zhao Heng had already stepped forward. Seeing her soaked clothes, tightly clinging to her body like willow branches, covered in mud, she said, "Alright, let's go to my house to freshen up and change clothes."
Zhao Heng nodded, not refusing, and followed Aunt Lin back inside.
Just a few steps out, she lowered her voice and asked Aunt Lin, "Yesterday, I remember you mentioned that before my grandmother went to the White Horse Temple, a nun came to our house to pray for blessings?"
Aunt Lin looked troubled, "Aheng, this is not your fault, don't dwell on it."
Zhao Heng looked earnestly at Aunt Lin, "Is it because the nun said I was in danger, and my grandmother went to the temple to alleviate the curse for me, is that right?"
Aunt Lin sighed, "She didn't specifically mention it, she just said your family might be facing some troubles or misfortunes."
Unconsciously, Zhao Hong clenched her fists, causing pain where her nails had broken off.
"It's not your fault, your grandmother is just too concerned about you," Aunt Lin sighed, pondering on the nun's abilities to predict one's fate, wondering if she truly could foresee someone's fortune.
Feeling uncomfortable, even the warm spring breeze felt cold as a blade on Zhao Heng's face.
"I understand," Zhao Heng gently bit her lip and asked Aunt Lin, "If someone asks about this, would you promise not to tell anyone?"
Confused, Aunt Lin thought for a moment. Zhao Heng was probably afraid of gossip spreading about her. She was not one to spread rumors, so she nodded, "Alright, I won't bring it up again."
The Zhao family had no close relatives. Even if the villagers wanted to offer condolences, they were intimidated by the sight of the busy black-armored soldiers in the courtyard.
Things were handled very simply.
Jian Ning found someone to clean up for her grandmother.
Zhao Heng refused and quietly walked to the well, fetched a bucket of water, and softly said, "I'll do it myself."
Jian Ning hesitated for a moment and persuaded, "Miss, the old lady fell off a cliff..."
Her appearance was completely disfigured from the fall, even someone like him who was used to military life couldn't help but feel a sense of fear. And she was a delicate young woman.
"It's okay." Zhao Heng looked at him, her gaze showing determination. "She's my relative. Would you be afraid of your own relative?"
Jian Ning nodded and ordered the guards to turn away.
Even though she knew her grandmother's appearance would not be pleasant, when the coffin was opened, her true appearance appeared before them. Zhao Heng was momentarily dazzled by the bright light.
The unattended body was covered in blood, with broken bones. Zhao Heng's heart was twisted with pain, and her body swayed, almost unable to stand.
Seeing this, Jian Ning stepped forward, but he was surprised when Zhao Heng raised his hand and shook his head, "General, I'm fine."
Jian Ning paused, he had never seen such a strong-willed girl before.
Zhao Heng stood for a long time, then summoned the strength to take out a handkerchief, dampened it with water, and bent down to wash her grandmother's face.
The blood and dirt were difficult to clean. She was extremely gentle, meticulously cleaning every inch of her body, from the blood-stained forehead to the dusty fingers, making sure she left without a single speck of dirt.
Her grandmother's face appeared, and Zhao Heng looked at her in a daze, enduring immense grief, trembling as she pressed against her chest for the last time.
The warm embrace that had comforted her on countless cold nights now felt icy cold.
The large, rough hands were stiff and cold, no longer warm as before.
She leaned on her for a long time, tears streaming down her face.
It wasn't until Jian Ning reminded her that it was time to close the coffin that she reluctantly stood up, lit incense, placed it in front of the coffin, and then knelt on the cushion in front of the coffin, bowing deeply.
With each bow, she prayed for her grandmother to reach the pure land in the afterlife, to thank her for the years of care and love, and assured her that she would live well and long.
"I will live well and enjoy a long, peaceful life. If there is an afterlife, perhaps our special relationship as grandparents and grandchild can continue there."
The wind blew the scattered hair around her face, and Jian Ning saw her lonely figure kneeling in front of the coffin, looking melancholy.
Zhao Heng knelt in silence for a while, stood up, and walked silently into the house.
It was nearing sunset, the wind rustling softly.
The guards silently lifted the grandmother's body out of the courtyard.
Although only a day had passed, Zhao Heng felt like it had been a lifetime.
Her physical strength was waning, and coupled with the fact that she hadn't slept in a day and a night, her entire being felt like it was being churned upside down.
Zhao Heng felt like she couldn't walk any further. She gripped the bamboo handrail of the steps with all her might, trying her utmost not to collapse.
In a daze, she thought she heard Jian Ning calling her name.
But when she turned her head, she was met with an impenetrable darkness, unable to see anything.