489 Five Days (Part 2)
After being instructed, the coachman didn’t leave immediately. He could not help but look at Liu Sanniang.
She stood there with General Black sitting by her feet. It was nearly impossible for anyone to not see such a giant black dog. The coachman asked. “Madam, this girl has been waiting outside the mansion for a long time.”
Madam Xu gritted her teeth and asked in a low voice. “Do you work for her or me? I said to go to Jingen Temple. Don’t you understand?”
The coachman’s heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly pulled the reins. “Giddyup…”
The coachman was just a servant. It was not his place to tell his master what to do. He thought that perhaps Liu Sanniang was here to help the young master who had been struggling with a life and death situation for a long time.
However, Madam Xu was unwilling to even talk to Liu Sanniang. Recently, a lot of things happened in the mansion and many servants had been dismissed. The atmosphere in the mansion was heavy. Everyone was walking on thin ice. It would not be good if he lost his job because of this.
Seeing that the carriage was getting further and further away, Liu Sanniang retracted her gaze and reached out to touch General Black’s head. “We can go home now.”
Chu Yan had told her to save those who wanted to be saved. As for those who didn’t want to be saved, she would chant the scriptures for them.
General Black insisted on bringing her here, so she came. As long as Madam Xu believed her, she would be willing to help. She would only give up when that trace of life was completely extinguished.
Madam Xu saw her and knew her reason for coming, but she chose to turn a blind eye.
Liu Sanniang led General Black back.
When Madam Xu arrived at Jingen Temple, she first offered incense. She knelt under the Buddha statue and prayed silently.
After the incense was offered, the novice monk said to her, “Madam Xu, our abbot invites you over.”
Madam Xu was stunned. “Master Yuan Hui invites me? What is it for?”
The novice monk shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Madam Xu was puzzled. However, she came with the wish to see Yuan Hui. It was a good thing that Yuan Hui had taken the initiative to see her.
She followed the novice monk to the room. The monk opened the door but did not follow her in. Yuan Hui was waiting for her inside.
Madam Xu walked in, and the novice monk left after closing the door quietly.
Madam Xu looked at Yuan Hui, who was chanting scriptures. When he heard footsteps, he stopped and opened his eyes to look at Madam Xu. “Madam is here. Please take a seat.”
Madam Xu sat down, feeling a little nervous. She looked at Yuan Hui. “Master, is there anything I can help with?”
Yuan Hui asked slowly. “How is Young Master Xu doing?”
Madam Xu almost couldn’t hold back her tears. She shook her head. “Not good.”
Yuan Hui sighed and looked away. “I can see it too. Why do you have to try so hard, Madam? It’s a torture for Young Master Xu and yourself.”
Madam Xu’s eyes reddened and she choked. “Master, please save my son.”
Yuan Hui shook his head. “Madam, you’re asking for too much. Your son’s time is up, and his fate with you is over. Madam, you have to learn to let go. If you seek too much, it will only bring you more suffering. Young Master Xu has been tortured and is in extreme pain. Madam, why are you so persistent?”
Tears streamed down Madam Xu’s face. She felt suffocated. “Is there really no other way?”
Yuan Hui shook his head. “Let go when you should.”
Madam Xu wiped her tears. “I’ll remember what you said. If there’s really nothing I can do, I won’t force it.”
Yuan Hui seemed to take pity on her. “It’s not a bad thing for you to let go, Madam. This talisman has the effect of calming your mind. I’ll give it to you. I hope it can help you get through this difficult time and walk out of your suffering.”
Madam Xu took it with trembling hands. “Thank you, Master. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave first.”
Yuan Hui said it euphemistically, but Madam Xu understood what he meant. He was saying that her son was bound to die, and that everything she did would be in vain. Life and death were predestined.
Madam Xu could not stop her tears as she left Jingen Temple in a daze.
When she got into the carriage, tears streamed down her face. She clenched her fists and pressed them tightly against her chest. How could she accept this outcome? Just thinking about it made her wish she was dead.
How could she possibly get through the pain of losing her son.
When she returned home, the entire Duke Xu’s Mansion seemed to be shrouded in dark clouds. The servants looked at Madam Xu’s dejected and disheveled appearance and became even more careful.
They all knew that if Young Master Xu could not make it, Madam Xu would probably go with him.
Madam Xu called the old butler over and asked weakly. “How’s Lin?”
The old butler replied. “Young Master keeps saying that he is hungry, but you instructed us not to send food to him, so we didn’t.”
Madam Xu lowered her voice. “That’s good. You must remember to follow my instructions. If anyone dares to disobey, I’ll take his life.”
The old butler shivered and nodded repeatedly.
Madam Xu waved her hand. “You can leave. Don’t disturb me. There’s no need to prepare food for the next few days. I will be fasting.”
If her son could not eat, she would not eat either. If her son died, she did not want to live either. There was no point in living anymore.
Madam Xu leaned against the bed, tears flowing from the corners of her eyes and soaking her pillow. In her life, she had only shed tears for two men: Duke Xu and Xu Lin.
These two men were her life.
God had taken one away, and the second one was about to be taken away too.
In a daze, Madam Xu heard someone calling her. She opened her eyes and looked at the man sitting on the edge of the bed with a dazed expression. She muttered. “Husband, is that you?”
The man still looked the same as when he was young. When he died, he was a handsome young man. Even now, he had not changed. Madam Xu could not help but reach out to touch her cheek. She was old, and this made her feel embarrassed to face her husband.
The man sighed. “Nian Ran, it’s been hard on you.”
The man’s tone was filled with heartache. He reached out and caressed Madam Xu’s cheek. He was as gentle as before.
Madam Xu sobbed. “Husband, I’ve let you down…”
The man hugged her gently and said, “I know that you’ve suffered. Lin’s death is irreversible. Don’t be so hard on yourself. I never blamed you. My heart aches for you, Nian Ran.”
Madam Xu sobbed softly, as if she was about to cry out all her grievances. She grabbed the man’s clothes. “I can’t bring myself to, I can’t bring myself to…”