Farewell Flower Festival

After the coronation ceremony, Mu Tianyuan summoned Mu Tianling into the palace alone.

After Eunuch De led Mu Tianling to the imperial study, Mu Tianyuan opened the sandalwood box in front of him and said that it contained another will of Emperor Mu. Eunuch De picked up the box and walked to Mu Tianling.

"This is what your father left for you." Mu Tianyuan said.

Mu Tianling looked at the will in the box with a complicated expression, a little bit of disbelief, and more of confusion and puzzlement.

"Take a look." Mu Tianyuan said.

Mu Tianling raised his hand to take the will, then paused and confirmed again, "Did my father leave it to me?" Mu Tianyuan nodded, "It was written by my father himself."

Mu Tianling picked up the will, opened it and saw what was written on it. He couldn't help but be moved. The shackles that he had been carrying in his heart for many years seemed to be opened with a click. Mu Tianyuan glanced at him and said that the will would be issued at the morning court tomorrow.

Mu Tianling folded the will again and put it back into the box, then bowed to express his gratitude.

Neither of them spoke anymore, and the atmosphere in the imperial study was silent for a while.

After all, the estrangement of more than ten years cannot be eliminated overnight.

Mu Tianling said that he had something else to report. Mu Tianyuan asked what it was. Mu Tianling recounted the causes and consequences of the fire in the general's mansion that year, hoping that Mu Tianyuan could issue another imperial decree to restore Liu Lei's official position and allow Shen Ming, Captain Yu and Xu Ru to return to the general's mansion.

Mu Tianyuan felt a little embarrassed about Mu Tianling's request, because these two matters were not mentioned in the Emperor Mu's will, and he did not dare to make a decision rashly. He still had to ask Prime Minister Shang to come to the palace to discuss it, and then let Eunuch De send someone to pick up Prime Minister Shang.

Before his death, Emperor Mu advised him to listen more to Prime Minister Shang's advice and not to act arbitrarily, so whenever he encountered something he couldn't make up his mind about, Mu Tianyuan would discuss it with Prime Minister Shang.

After Eunuch De left, the atmosphere in the imperial study became even more silent.

Mu Tianyuan couldn't find a topic to talk to Mu Tianling for a moment, so he picked up the memorial at hand and started reading.

Mu Tianling also looked a little uncomfortable and had nothing to say.

Before Eunuch De came back, the time spent in the imperial study could be measured as "days passing like years". After Eunuch De came back, he was very considerate and took Mu Tianling downstairs to rest first.

After Mu Tianling left with Eunuch De, Mu Tianyuan felt relieved. He picked up the teacup and took a sip, then another sip. He felt a little worried and didn't know how to get along with Mu Tianling in the future.

After Eunuch De came back, he carefully poured another cup of tea for Mu Tianyuan and said, "The imperial physician went to check the Queen's pulse a few days ago and said that everything is fine and that she will be able to give birth to a prince for the Emperor next year."

After hearing this, Mu Tianyuan's worries immediately disappeared and he began to think about what name to give the child.

After Prime Minister Shang entered the palace, he and Mu Tianling came to the imperial study. After some discussion, Mu Tianyuan wanted to promote Liu Lei, Shen Ming and Yu the captain.

At the morning court the next day, Mu Tianyuan asked Eunuch De to read out another last will left by Emperor Mu in public.

The will rehabilitated Xu Hai, saying that all the events that happened back then were framed by Zhao Zhong. A temple was built for Xu Hai, and he was worshipped and offered incense.

Afterwards, Liu Lei, Shen Ming, Captain Yu and Xu Ru went to the palace to meet the emperor.

Shen Ming changed his name back to Xu Ming, and Captain Yu changed his name back to Xu Hao.

The General's Mansion was returned to the three brothers and sisters. Xu Ming inherited Xu Hai's title, Xu Hao was promoted to Tianwu Guard, and Liu Lei was promoted to General of Cavalry and was given another mansion to live in.

On the day they returned to the general's mansion, the three siblings had extremely complicated emotions, some excited and some heavy, some happy at the same time, some melancholy at the fact that things had changed and some people had changed, some joy at reviving the family business, and some the greatest regret that their parents were no longer around.

Xu Ming encouraged Xu Ru and Xu Hao to look forward and live well, so that their parents would rest in peace in their graves.

Mu Tianling and Chao Yan brought people to help clean up, and Eunuch Wu found a team of craftsmen to repair the courtyard that was previously burned by the fire. When the repairs were completed, the general's mansion held a banquet for guests. Most of the ministers and their families in the court were present, but Liu Lei was not there.

The three siblings were worried, so they went there that night.

When the three saw Liu Lei, he was so ill that he couldn't get out of bed.

Seeing her adoptive father who had raised her with great difficulty now so weak and haggard, Xu Ru couldn't help but tear up. Xu Hao was so worried that he wanted to find a doctor. Liu Lei stopped him, saying that the doctor had already seen him and that he didn't have much time left. He comforted the two siblings not to be sad, as this day would come.

Xu Ru cried sadly, wiped her eyes, and said that there were many good doctors in the world and she would definitely be cured.

At this time, the housekeeper of the mansion came in with a bowl of medicine. Liu Lei didn't want to drink it, so he asked the housekeeper to put it aside. Xu Ru brought the medicine over, asked Xu Hao to help Liu Lei up, and fed him the medicine personally. Liu Lei couldn't resist the brother and sister, so he drank the medicine.

Xu Ming signaled to the butler, brought the butler out, and asked what had happened.

The housekeeper hesitated for a moment and said that one night a few days ago, he heard a quarrel in the study, and then saw a man slamming the door and leaving angrily. When he walked to the door of the study, he saw Liu Lei spitting blood on the ground and falling to the ground. He immediately asked someone to call a doctor. After taking Liu Lei's pulse, the doctor said that it was a heart attack caused by anger and the situation was not optimistic.

The butler described the other person's appearance and age, and Xu Ming roughly knew who he was.

The next day, Xu Ming arranged for someone to spread the news that General Liu Lei was critically ill. In the evening, a figure sneaked into the mansion and was caught by Xu Ming.

The other party was none other than Zhou Hua.

After Zhao Zhong's death, Zhou Hua changed back to his original name, Liu Hua.

Xu Ming questioned him about what he had said to his father in the study that night, which made him so angry that he vomited blood? !

Liu Hua sneered: "That's his retribution."

On the second night after Liu Lei and his two siblings entered the palace to meet the emperor, Liu Hua sneaked into the mansion and confronted Liu Lei face to face, asking him why he had abandoned him and his mother? !

After Liu Lei confirmed that Liu Hua was his son, excitement and guilt overwhelmed him like a flood. In the past ten years, he had not had a good night's sleep. Whenever it was late at night and everyone was asleep, the guilt he felt towards the mother and son was like a thousand ants gnawing at his heart.

Liu Hua didn't want to listen to his excuses, he just wanted to ask him a question: if he were allowed to vote again, what would he choose?

The answer Liu Lei gave was the one Liu Hua least wanted to hear.

Even if he had the chance to vote again, his father would make the same choice.

"You have lived well these years, but do you know how I have been through these years?" Liu Hua sneered, "I have lived worse than a dog. In order to survive, I forced myself to learn how to kill, how to be ruthless, and how to become an obedient dog. Only in this way can I become a useful chess piece and not be abandoned at any time."

Xu Ming did not persuade him to let go of his hatred. He just said, "Uncle Liu's days are numbered. You don't have to forgive him, but if you want to hate someone, just hate me. Maybe you don't know that before leaving the capital, Uncle Liu went back to look for you and your mother, but at that time you and your mother were taken away by Zhao Zhong's men."

Liu Hua was silent for a moment, then sneered, "So what? If he had not gone to the general's mansion but came to save me and my mother, I wouldn't have lived a life worse than a dog all these years."

"Uncle Liu will risk his life for the sake of righteousness, and he can also sacrifice his life for his wife and children. There is no importance of either, there is only a choice. If you choose one, you will bear the lifelong suffering of the other, and you will never forgive yourself for a moment in your heart." After saying this, Xu Ming turned around and said, "Whether to meet or not is your choice. Once the person is gone, you will never have the chance to make a choice again." After saying this, he left.

Liu Hua stayed where he was. The last two sentences were like a stone thrown into the water, causing ripples in his heart.