บท 12: Nie Shaoqing 1
18 years later, the bamboo courtyard of Duke Shenxiu Mansion.
A maid dashed out of a two-story wooden building carrying a bowl of bloodied silk handkerchiefs. She ran into the small building just beside the outer house a short distance away from the building.
A slim older man with wrinkled skin and gray thin hair sat on the rickety seat by the furnace. The room was hot and smoky.
Sweat pooled on the maid's forehead. The need to fan her face increased as she got closer to the furnace. The old man stood as she got in and quickly lifted the thick white scarf over his nose.
He glanced down at the bloody handkerchief-filled iron bowl and sighed. "Another set", he shook his head, "his coughs are getting too serious", he grabbed the thick rag beside his seat.
He held onto the hot handle of the furnace door before taking the basin from her and throwing in all the bloody handkerchiefs.
He tsked, "what a waste of high-quality silk, I heard the doctor was call in a few minutes a_" He paused as her face fell. He shut the furnace and stepped away from the hot space, tears rolled down her eyes as he looked up.
"Xiuyi, What is wrong with our fifth young master", he asked softly.
She sniffed, "the Imperial doctor wasn't allowed to go into the room and personally check on the fifth young master. Big madam just asked us to describe young master's symptoms because she feared that the young master's sickness was easily contactable".
The Furnace keeper, Old man He frowned, "big madam is something, isn't it enough that she delayed calling the Imperial doctor when our young master got sick?
Now she is completely cutting off all medical help", he swore and shook his head, "what did the Imperial doctor say when the fifth young master's symptoms were reported"
"The imperial physician...." her lips shook as she remembered the young Imperial physician's words, he wiped her tears away with her sleeves.
"He said our young master's sickness has gotten too serious. Since he is coughing out blood more frequently, he does not have long to live".
"What!" He glanced at the furnace, he remembered that he had begun guarding the furnace more frequently during the past five days.
Each day the number of contaminated silk handkerchiefs he had gotten rid off increased as the day went.
Today's batch was the worse so far, he sighed. "Coughing out blood this frequently is not a good sign, Xiuyi. You should try to make the young master more comfortable" he said audibly but within his mind, he completed the sentence, 'he might not survive the night'.
Xiuyi nodded and wiped both cheeks. She pulled up the scarf wrapped around her neck until it covered her nose mask before picking up the bowl, "I should get going, in case he needs anything".
The old man nodded and watched her leave, when he was such she was out of sight he stood and walked to the box by the wall and took out a small tin of dry ink and paper. He penned a quick note to his older brother at Wanzhau.
*******"
In the bedroom on the first floor of the two the main pavilion of the bamboo courtyard.
Although all the windows were shut and all the general fireplaces were lit, the frail man lying on the bed shivered.
The layers of clothes he wore and leg warmers placed on his bed beside him did not seem to reduce the chill he felt to his bone.
He used the fresh handkerchief, Xiuyi had placed next to him before leaving to cover his nose and mouth as he sneezed.
He gasped on seeing the tight lump of blood that had escaped his lips, "I haven't got much time" He whispered. Nie Shaoqing carefully turned to his side and called in his attendant, "Deming".
"Young master", Deming who was bent over the burners, adding more coal, dropped the basket of coal in his hand and rushed to his master's side. His eyes softened as they met his master's pale face, "Young master".
Nie Shaoqing glanced up at his attendant, "help me up, Deming".
Deming stepped forward and holding both of his master's arms, gently helped him up. He stepped back as his master leaned by the wall.
"Deming, Thanks for taking care of me and keeping me company", he smiled sadly.
Deming felt a lump in his throat, "don't talk like that young master. Sister Xi went out to find another doctor, we will unfailingly find a cure to your illness".
Nie Shaoqing shook his head, "I don't have much time, get the mantra and bowl".
Deming's expression fell, "that? Young master, do you have to do this?"
"Yes, there must be no delay."
Deming balled up his fist but went into the side room and brought over the brown pages prayer book, a small offering bowl and candle.
He immediately set up the altar and helped his master out of the bed. He helped his master kneel in front of the altar and knelt beside him.
"He might not know how much things have changed since he died. Deming, you are to assist him"
"....." Deming bit his lips gently, he was prepared to talk his master out of this sacrifice but stopped at the sight of his Master's tired eye and instead nodded.
"it is for the best", Nie Shaoqing replied with a smile.
*******
the Imperial palace of Lianxi, Western Liang.
Xiang Ziwei jerked awake, he looked around him and unlike the precious times, he did not wake up in his bedroom but in a garden. This was an abnormality, he looked around and he was seated under a tree.
"Where am I?" his legs felt stiff from staying in one position. Xiang Ziwei stretched his legs before holding the tree trunk for support as he stood.
He stepped over the intertwined visible roots of the tree until he stood in the white stone pathway.
He immediately recognized where he was as he caught sight of the small peach plantation threatened out around him.
This was the popular peach garden that was a short distance away from the Peach pavilion, which served as the official banquet hall.
There was no banquet held during the days leading to his death, he couldn't understand why he was there.
After continuously releasing his death for years, he had gotten familiar with every detail. He had no idea how long he has been stuck in a loop, he has stopped counting when he discovered that there was no end.
No matter what he had done in the beginning in a bid to change his fate, he still ended up dead. After he had died the sixth time, he gave up trying and just went with whatever happened.
Over the years Xiang Ziwei only had his anger for company, he looked around as he walked through the familiar pathway.
The first thing he noticed was that there was certain wetness in the air. His eye narrowed as he quickly remembered that he had died in the winter.
The green vegetation surrounding him made him feel out of place, he stood at a spot and looked around. There wasn't a single snow in sight, he turned to the right as lightning struck.
The man from years earlier appeared at the same spot the thunderstruck.
The man grinned at him and said, "Ziwei, it is time to make a decision".
"What decision, I don't know_" he was cut short before he could continue.
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