Chapter 303

The eleventh year of Jiahe, the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, Yangling Marquis Mansion.

In the room filled with the smell of medicine, Xueliu knelt in front of the bed, her bright little face full of tears.

On the bed, the old man, who was exhausted, reluctantly pulled Xueliu's hand, and his low voice was full of nostalgia, "Xue'er, grandpa's body can't hold on anymore, and the future of Yangling Marquis Mansion depends on you."

Xueliu cried and shook her head, "Grandfather, please don't leave me, Xue'er can't live without grandpa."

Yangling Marquis raised his hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and said in a faint tone, "People will always die. Grandfather can watch Xue'er grow up, and he is already very satisfied."

After saying that, Yangling Marquis struggled to sit up, but it was extremely difficult. Xueliu got up and helped him, and Yangling Marquis was able to lean against the head of the bed panting.

"Xue'er, take out the things under grandpa's pillow."

Xueliu agreed, took away the pillow, and saw a golden hairpin underneath.

Xue Liu put the hairpin in the hands of Yang Ling Hou, and the latter's cloudy eyes suddenly became clear, and then he held the hairpin tightly in his hand.

"This is a token of love between your grandmother and me, and it is also the proof of our long-agreed meeting. After I die, you must bury this hairpin with me, so that your grandmother can recognize me, understand?"

Xue Liu choked and nodded, "Grandfather, rest assured, Xue'er will do it."

Looking at Xue Liu's tearful appearance, Yang Ling Hou's eyes rose with an indelible heartache.

Yang Ling Hou went to the border when he was young, and he was able to return after fighting for many years. The woman he loved most was the one he brought back from the border.

In order to give his sweetheart a name, he ignored the complaints of his original wife and gave his beloved woman the status of a co-wife. Later, his wife died of depression, and he promoted his beloved woman to his second wife regardless of rumors.

Perhaps even the heavens could not bear to see what he did, as the woman he loved died within three years of becoming his legal wife.

After the death of his beloved woman, Yangling Hou was depressed for a long time, until Xueliu was born, and then he got a little better.

Later, Yangling Hou put all his energy on Xueliu, bringing her to his side and raising her personally, and this raising lasted for twelve years.

His fingers kept stroking the tassels falling from the step-shaking, and Yangling Hou whispered: "Your father is not smart, and your mother is also from a small family, so from the beginning I knew that the future of Yangling Hou Mansion could not be relied on by them, but my Xueer is only twelve years old now..."

Yangling Hou was really reluctant to hand over the heavy responsibility of Yangling Hou Mansion to Xueliu so early, but in the entire Yangling Hou Mansion, there was no one else who could take on this heavy responsibility except Xueliu.

"Ahem..."

Under grief, Yangling Hou coughed up two mouthfuls of blood. Xue Liu panicked and turned around to go out to call a doctor, but was stopped by Yangling Hou, "No need, I know my body well, go call your father and mother over, see them for the last time, and I can leave with peace of mind."

Xue Liu paused, but still responded with a trembling voice.

Not long after, Mu Linyuan and his wife pushed the door open, their faces were full of anxiety, not pretending, but from the heart.

Because the entire Yangling Hou Mansion depends on Yangling Hou, if Yangling Hou is gone, their leisurely days will be over.

"Dad, don't scare me, if you are not feeling well, your son will go to the palace to ask the imperial physician to come for you."

Yangling Hou shook his head and said, "I am old, and it is time for me to go down to accompany your mother."

Mu Linyuan's face turned pale, "Dad, your son can't live without you!"

Yangling Hou did not respond, but stretched out his hand to Mu Linyuan.

Mu Linyuan understood and quickly placed his hand on the palm of Yangling Marquis. The next moment, he could feel the strength of Yangling Marquis's clenched hand from his fingertips.

"Ayuan, when Dad is gone, you will be the new Yangling Marquis. Dad knows that you don't understand the intrigues in the court, but since you are my son, this day is destined to come.

But don't be afraid. Dad has fought for the Great Chu for many years and has made great achievements. As long as you don't make a big mistake, His Majesty will turn a blind eye.

As for the future of the family and those things that you don't know how to solve, you must listen to Xue'er's advice. Xue'er is smart and can help you in many things, understand?"

After saying so many words, Yangling Marquis's breathing became more and more rapid, as if he would die in the next moment.

Mu Linyuan nodded in response, "Don't worry, Dad. I've remembered what you said."

After taking a long breath, Yanglinghou let go of Mu Linyuan's hand and grabbed Xueliu's instead. There was obviously more love in his voice, "Xue'er, my dear granddaughter, grandpa can't accompany you in the future. You must take good care of yourself, understand?"

Xueliu cried and responded, "Grandfather, don't worry, Xue'er knows everything. Xue'er will grow up quickly and let our Yanglinghou Mansion regain its former glory."

Xueliu grew up with Yanglinghou, so she knew best what he couldn't let go of in his heart.

Hearing this, Yanglinghou couldn't help but have a bitter look on his face. His Xue'er was just too sensible.

Just then, the door was pushed open again, and Mu Ziqian, who was hurriedly picked up from the school by Mu Linyuan, was pushed in by the servant with a puzzled look on his face. Lin hurriedly pulled him and pulled him in front of Yanglinghou.

"Qian'er, call grandpa!"

Mu Ziqian didn't understand why, but he still obeyed.

Marquis Yangling smiled. Although Mu Ziqian's temperament was probably like Mu Linyuan's, Marquis Yangling was still very happy about this grandson, because he was the only male heir of their Mu family.

Using all his strength to raise his hand and touch Mu Ziqian's head, Marquis Yangling finally couldn't hold on any longer, spit out a mouthful of blood, and then fainted.

Everyone in the room was in a mess, and they hurriedly asked someone to call a doctor, but the response they got was the same: prepare for the funeral.

Mu Linyuan and his wife panicked all of a sudden, and felt that their world had fallen. Mu Ziqian huddled in the corner, and only Xue Liu sat in front of Marquis Yangling's bed with an indifferent look, silently accompanying him for the last journey.

In the evening, Marquis Yangling died completely in his sleep.

Mu Linyuan and Lin were busy asking the servants to change clothes for Marquis Yangling and clean up the mourning hall, while Xue Liu stood not far away with her lips pursed, watching her grandfather who had raised her being tossed back and forth by the servants.

After the servants finally dressed the Marquis of Yangling, Xueliu took a few steps forward, put her small hand on the cold back of the Marquis of Yangling, and tightened his clenched fist a little bit. Her choked voice was filled with some sadness, "Grandfather, hold the hairpin tightly, take this to find grandma, Yangling Marquis's mansion, Xue'er will take good care of it for you."

Looking at Xueliu's straight back, Mu Linyuan and Lin looked at each other subconsciously, only to feel that this daughter was mature and a little strange.

When the Marquis of Yangling was sent to the mourning hall, it was already the end of the Xu hour, and the winter wind was cold and biting, and it hurt when it blew on people's bodies.

Worried about Xueliu's young age, Lin took two steps forward and held her in her arms. Xueliu's body stiffened, and she felt that this embrace was particularly warm.

Because she was afraid that Lin would not be able to take good care of Xueliu, Xueliu was taken to Yangling Marquis's own yard as soon as she was born. In the following twelve years, although the mother and daughter met and talked, they were always not close enough.

That was the unfamiliarity caused by too little contact since childhood.

Lin's voice was very gentle, "Xue'er, it's too cold, go back to your room and sleep first, Grandfather has father and mother here."

Xue Liu shook her head and struggled out of Lin's arms. Her slightly pale face was full of steadiness that was inconsistent with her age, "No, I want to see Grandfather off for the last time."

Seeing Xue Liu's insistence, Mu Linyuan and Lin stopped persuading her, but asked someone to send her another cloak.

There were two ever-burning lamps burning in front of the coffin, and Xue Liu knelt in front of the ever-burning lamps, constantly adding paper money to the brazier in front of her.

"Grandfather, you are over there, have you found Grandma?"

Xue Liu's voice was very soft, and it was blown away by the whistling cold wind as soon as she spoke.

"Grandfather, my mother just hugged Xueer, and that embrace was so warm, but Xueer still likes grandpa to hug me and tell me stories about the battlefield. Now, Xueer can't hear them anymore..."

"Grandfather, when you settle down with grandma over there, don't forget to report safety to Xueer in her dream, okay? Otherwise, Xueer will be worried..."

Xue Liu kept muttering to herself all night. When Mu Linyuan came from a distance rubbing his aching temple the next morning, he saw Xue Liu still kneeling straight in front of the coffin.

The flames of paper money in the brazier never went out all night.

Looking at Xue Liu's blurred eyes, Mu Linyuan instantly sobered up a lot, stepped forward to support Xue Liu's slightly shaking body, raised his hand to her forehead, and felt a burning sensation.

Mu Linyuan quickly picked up Xue Liu and asked the servant behind him to find a doctor.

Hearing the noise at the door, Lin hurriedly took two steps and caught up with Mu Linyuan's back.

When the doctor came, Xueliu's forehead was already scalding.

Lin quickly asked Zhang to get ice water, and then she personally took an ice handkerchief and put it on Xueliu's forehead again and again to cool her down. Lin was full of indebtedness for this daughter who was taken away from her since birth.

In the dream, Xueliu saw her grandfather whom she had been thinking about all the time.

Next to her grandfather, there was a young and beautiful woman standing, and the two were holding hands, so Xueliu immediately guessed that the woman was her grandmother, the sweetheart that her grandfather had been thinking about for more than ten years.

Grandfather told her that he was very happy that he could finally stay with his grandmother, and he also wanted Xueliu to return to reality earlier, but Xueliu didn't want to, so she stayed with them for six days.

After six days, Xueliu suddenly saw the figures of his grandparents fade away, and they told him that they were leaving and would never appear again.

Xueliu was full of panic, but she watched the two completely disappear in front of her.

The next moment, an overwhelming feeling of dizziness came, and Xue Liu felt that her consciousness was blurring, and finally she fell into darkness.

When she opened her eyes, she met a pair of bloodshot eyes.

Deep in her eyes, she could not hide her worry.

Seeing that Xue Liu finally woke up, Lin quickly raised her hand to her forehead. Seeing that the high fever had subsided, she asked with concern: "Are you still uncomfortable?"

Xue Liu shook her head and asked hoarsely: "Where is grandpa?"

Lin was startled, and a hint of loss flashed in her eyes, but she still responded to Xue Liu: "He is still in the mourning hall, but he will be buried soon. Get up and I will take you to see grandpa for the last time."

Lin knew what Xue Liu was worried about, and she didn't want her to have any regrets.

Xue Liu got up, and Lin put on a thick coat and cloak for her, and then took her out.

In the mourning hall, Mu Linyuan was just about to have someone nail the coffin, and then heard Xue Liu's anxious voice from not far away, "Wait!"

Mu Linyuan turned around and saw Xue Liu, who was wearing a thick cotton coat, running towards him. Maybe she was running too fast, and beads of sweat had already appeared on her forehead.

"Let me see my grandfather again!"

Mu Linyuan nodded and asked the servants to open the coffin. Xue Liu walked forward and saw that her grandfather, who had loved her the most, was lying in the coffin with his eyes closed, without any sign of life.

Looking at her grandfather's face, Xue Liu solemnly promised in her heart: Grandfather, don't worry, Xue'er will definitely restore the former glory of Yangling Marquis' Mansion!