Chapter 489 – Extra: I Miss Home

Chapter 489 - Extra: I Miss Home

Parting is an inevitable aspect of life.

Yun Li always felt that she should be the one to leave first.

Yet, it was Yincha who took the first step ahead.

In Yun Li's fifty-eighth year, spring arrived, and Yincha could no longer endure.

That year, after the carriage accident, Yincha had indeed sustained lasting consequences. Despite her organs healing, she was never quite the same as before.

After that, Yun Li had actually stopped assigning her any tasks.

Still, in the end, she couldn't withstand the burden.

"Don't be sad, Madam. It has been a joy serving you and accompanying you on all these journeys. If there's a next life, I hope to still be by your side," Yincha said with a smile.

"Next life? If we have one, let's both be born as humans again and become sisters," Yun Li wiped away Yincha's tears. "I won't speak of empty promises. Go in peace. We will all remember you. Zhi'er will see you off."

Qiyi nodded through her tears, "Auntie, don't worry, I'll be here for you."

Qiyi was like a reed child, insisting on taking the Qi surname alongside Yun Li.

Yinchá's face was abnormally flushed. She gazed at everyone, lacking the strength to speak, so she smiled and said, "I... I want to return to the capital. In the future, I'll... follow Lady as well."

Yun Li nodded, "Alright, all of you will follow me in the future. I'll remember that."

Yinchá had nothing more to say. She smiled at her again, held her hand, and slowly closed her eyes.

The fact that she had never been married or had children didn't mean she hadn't lived a good life.

Despite being a servant since childhood, she had met a benevolent master. In the palace for decades, she had not even received a single lash.

Who wouldn't envy those who served the Empress?

In these years following the Empress outside, she had seen sights she would never have seen in a lifetime and tasted delicacies beyond her wildest dreams.

It was already very good; she was content.

Each of the sisters treated Qiqi as their own child, and Qiqi, being both sensible and clever, willingly took on this significant responsibility. If an uncle were needed to support the family in the face of their aunts' passing, he would do so without hesitation.

After sending Yinchá back to the capital, he accompanied her into the Imperial Mausoleum, to the specially designated area for them.

Each master was allowed to bring a few attendants; it was a mark of honor. Yunli reserved four spots: for Zhifu, Yinchá, Juyu, and Lüwei.

Eunuchs were not entitled to such privileges, but Yunli made arrangements for them anyway. They were endlessly grateful.

In this era, people prepared for their afterlife well in advance.

Eventually, Yunli refused to pen his own letters, entrusting the task to Qiqi.

They had traversed many lands together.

Yun Li's health was still robust. Her current desire was to explore the places they had yet to set foot in.

It wasn't until she turned sixty-one that she finally paused amidst the misty rain of southern China.

The scenery was picturesque, and she made her home beside a lake.

At sixty-one, Yun Li appeared to be no more than forty years old.

In contrast, Chen Jing's hair was entirely white.

He had joined the military in his youth and had braved the sandy winds of the northwest, leaving him with numerous ailments.

Now, residing amidst the misty south, it seemed as if all his health issues had resurfaced.

Within just a few months, he could no longer rise from bed.

"Let's return to the capital. I'll take you to see the imperial physicians."

Chen Jing shook his head. "I've been dreaming of my mother lately. Perhaps my time has come."

Yun Li looked at him. "You're so much younger than me. How can it be your turn already?"

Chen Jing smiled. "Isn't it better for me to go before you? You know my life. My mother was a courtesan. Despite my father's love for her, we still lived in disgrace. As a child, I could only rely on his favor to be safe. After leaving the capital, I abandoned my identity and joined the military, just going with the flow. It seems I never had any true desires in this life."

"I only ever wanted to be by your side. That wish has long been fulfilled. Now that I'm going, what's wrong with that?"

Yun Li sighed. "I'm only sixty-one this year, yet I have to send you all away one by one."

"Please don't be sad. Didn't you always say that we can't decide how long we live, but we can decide how wide our path is? After I'm gone, ask Zhi'er to write a book about me. Write about my life. I've always told him stories from the army, and he's clever enough to remember them."

Yun Li gazed at him and softly sighed. "Should I send you back to the capital?"

"No need. Take me to the northwest instead, where my mother's grave is." He smiled. "I've seen that trunk of yours; it's filled with things for men."

"Haha, it belonged to the previous emperor, right? I imagine my mother was the same. She was timid and often bullied. Whenever she was upset or saddened, she would take out my father's belongings. Before she knew it, she had collected a large trunk full. Being buried with those items is like being buried with my father. I want to go back and find them."

"If you'll also grieve for me, I'll be content. Seeing all of you cared for is a good thing, a truly good thing."

You must be referring to his mother and Yun Li, right?

Yun Li didn't say anything more, for he had already lapsed into unconsciousness.

He truly couldn't endure any longer. Even with the imperial physician's hurried arrival, the diagnosis was grim: at most, he had one month left.

Despite constant care day and night, he passed away peacefully one evening.

In accordance with his last wish, Yun Li sent him back to the northwest to be buried alongside his mother.

Of course, Yun Li was devastated; how could she not be after losing her friend?

The following autumn, after bidding Chen Jing farewell, Yun Li suddenly announced, "Let's return to the capital. I miss home."

Thus, they all accompanied her back.

She left the Crowned Crane outside the palace, settling her affairs and establishing a household.

The palace remained unchanged. Upon her return, both Little Nine and Ruan were overjoyed.

In the Jade Channel Palace, it seemed as if nothing had changed at all.

Everyone was doing well, which made Yun Li very content.

One day, Xiao Jiu came to have a chat with Yun Li. She mentioned the words He Jinli had spoken to her before his passing.

Yun Li chuckled softly. "Your father and I… could be considered a fated yet troublesome encounter."

"Chen Jing… were you… sad?" Xiao Jiu asked cautiously.

"How could I not be sad after losing Fucaiyuan? Let alone a person?" Yun Li said with a smile. "I respected him. In truth, he didn't occupy much space in my heart. He was just a latecomer. But perhaps he held me in high regard. Perhaps during these few years of our companionship, I lived up to his expectations; at least, he wasn't disappointed in me."

"Mother… I'm glad you're not sad," Xiao Jiu said.

"I am content and not sad. Let me tell you an interesting story. I'm almost done with my travelogue, can you guess what happened? Zhi'er has suddenly stopped writing. He grew up away from the capital and isn't familiar with it…"

Xiao Jiu laughed too. "Isn't that easy to solve? Just give him some money, let him eat and play, and he'll eventually find inspiration."

"That's exactly what I did. Anyway, this boy doesn't seem like he'd make a good official," Yun Li chuckled.

There was no estrangement between mother and son, despite their years of infrequent interaction. They conversed late into the night until the Empress hurried over, worriedly asking, "Your Majesty, isn't Mother tired? What if you exhaust Her?"