But he truly hadn’t expected that his elder brother’s health had already deteriorated to such an extent, vomiting blood twice and fainting six times during the journey by carriage and horse.
Xiao Rongyan felt vexed and troubled, his brows tightly furrowed.
His elder brother’s health could no longer be delayed.
Xiao Rongyan thought of that physician surnamed Hong from the Bai family. He had heard that Physician Hong was the senior fellow disciple of Imperial Physician Huang from Jin’s Imperial Medical Academy, and possessed excellent medical skills…
Murong Yu smiled and grasped Xiao Rongyan’s hand, leading him toward the entrance of Lanfeng Pavilion, searching on the pillars of the pavilion’s corridors for the marks they had carved when comparing their heights as children.
“They’re still here…” Murong Yu bent down and touched those carved marks with his fingers, his mind seeming to recall scenes of their four brothers playing around their mother. Back then, A’Yan was still a drooling little baby who would always roughhouse with Third Brother, but now… of the four brothers, only the two of them remained.
“Your Majesty, please go inside and rest!” Feng Yao reminded quietly from the side. “Though it’s already March, this wind is still quite cold.”
Murong Yu tightly gripped his younger brother’s hand, straightened up, gazed at the crabapple tree in the courtyard, his throat moving slightly as he said: “A’Yan… your elder brother misses Mother.”
Hearing Murong Yu suddenly mention Empress Ji, Feng Yao’s eyes reddened, and he lowered his gaze without another word.
A gentle smile appeared on Murong Yu’s sickly pale face: “Uncle Feng, brew some tea for me and A’Yan. In a while… A’Yan and I will sit under the crabapple tree and drink tea.”
Though this Lanfeng Pavilion was still the same, only that crabapple tree still carried traces of Mother’s presence.
“Very well!” Feng Yao dabbed at his tears with his sleeve. “This old slave will fetch some soft cushions to place on the stone benches for Your Majesty and Young Master.”
Seeing that Feng Yao had already arranged the cushions, Xiao Rongyan was about to help Murong Yu sit down, but Murong Yu pulled Xiao Rongyan’s hand and remained standing in place.
Only after Feng Yao left did Murong Yu look at Xiao Rongyan and say, “If Mother could see that you’ve grown up and become so outstanding, Mother would surely be very gratified.”
Murong Yu didn’t want to mention their mother again in front of Uncle Feng, as speaking of Mother always made the old man very sorrowful.
“Seeing elder brother’s health improve would make Mother even happier!” Xiao Rongyan said.
Murong Yu looked at his younger brother, who had now matured with extraordinary bearing and dignity, and smiled while waving his hand: “Your elder brother’s health can only be sustained one day at a time! But you… You’re nearly thirty now. Now that Nanyan’s lost territories have been recovered, marriage matters cannot be delayed any longer! Of the three forms of unfilial conduct, having no heir is the greatest… Your elder brother came this time to ask you. Minister Meng’s daughter, Meng Zhaorong, is both talented and beautiful. Are you interested?”
“You and I, brothers, once swore before Mother’s spirit tablet to recover Great Yan’s former territories and fulfill Mother’s wish for unifying the realm. Now we’ve only just recovered Nanyan, the capital city hasn’t been retaken, and Jin still watches us like a tiger eyeing its prey…” Xiao Rongyan’s eyes grew deeper. “With the great enterprise unfinished, how dare I speak of marriage?”
“Great buildings require more than timber from a single hill, and achievements of peace require more than one person’s strategy.” Murong Yu paused in his steps, his smiling eyes gazing at his younger brother as he said softly: “Mother’s grand aspiration is an extremely long and difficult path! Perhaps it will require several generations working together with one heart to achieve! Now with various states vying for supremacy, entrenched in confrontation, your elder brother and you in this lifetime… may never see the day of unification. That’s precisely why we must marry and leave behind descendants… leave behind heirs to complete such great undertakings. A’Yan… this path concerns too many people’s lives – it must be walked steadily, not rushed.”
“This path is difficult and treacherous. If we, because of its difficulty… leave this matter to future generations, and if our descendants all think likewise, when will there truly be peace under heaven… elder brother?” Xiao Rongyan’s warm, mellow voice spoke slowly. “Once, a woman said to A’Yan that only through the unification of the realm can lasting peace for all generations be returned to the people. A’Yan deeply agrees with this.”
Murong Yu’s pupils moved slightly. A woman? A woman possessed such insight?
“Now, in this chaotic age with rising winds and surging clouds, the various states only seek to compete for supremacy and dominate their regions! For their interests, they start conflicts and ignite wars, leaving barely one in ten people alive!” Xiao Rongyan looked at his elder brother and bowed deeply. “A’Yan has been fortunate to receive protection and teaching from Mother and elder brother. Born in chaotic times yet without worry for food and clothing, able to study and establish aspirations, I wish to… establish a heart for heaven and earth, establish a destiny for the people, continue the lost teachings of past sages, and open lasting peace for all generations, unwavering until death!”
Looking at his determined younger brother, Murong Yu felt that A’Yan’s aspirations and ambitions, A’Yan’s breadth of mind and character, were too much like Mother’s.
But he was the elder brother, and an elder brother was like a father. Now that Mother was gone… he had to shoulder the responsibility of caring for his younger brother! He couldn’t let him sacrifice his lifelong happiness for the sake of the great enterprise.
Murong Yu helped Xiao Rongyan to his feet and squeezed his hand: “Your elder brother must see you married before he can face Mother in the afterlife and give her a proper account! Otherwise… Mother will blame your elder brother for letting Great Yan’s affairs delay your lifelong happiness, and she’ll probably take a cane to your elder brother! If you’re not satisfied with Meng Zhaorong, then choose another! A’Yan, is there someone in your heart?”
Like that woman who told A’Yan that only through unification of the realm could lasting peace for all generations be returned to the people.
For some reason, the image of that composed and tranquil woman with resolute, deep eyes floated into Xiao Rongyan’s mind. Her stunning beauty was brilliant and captivating. Though frail and sickly with a thin frame, she stood straight as a pine or cypress, proud as frost and snow, with an aura of noble righteousness.
Murong Yu’s brows and eyes showed a smile: “So there is a girl who has captured your heart? Tell your elder brother about her – which Kingdom and which family is this young lady from?”
A girl who could say that only through the unification of the realm could lasting peace for all generations be returned to the people must possess learning and bearing that could only be cultivated by a distinguished family.
In Xiao Rongyan’s usually calm and deep eyes, there seemed to be a trace of a gentle smile, and his sharply defined features also appeared softer: “Elder brother, A’Yan knows what’s in his heart. If someday A’Yan is fortunate enough to win her favor… it won’t be too late to inform elder brother then.”
Murong Yu nodded: “Don’t keep your elder brother waiting too long.”
Xiao Rongyan’s hand holding the jade cicada tightened, recalling Bai Qingyan’s resistance that day, and he lowered his eyes with a slight smile.
“March twenty-eighth is the emperor’s birthday.” Murong Yu gazed at the crabapple tree in the courtyard. “This time, Great Yan took advantage of Jin’s entanglement with Western Liang to swiftly recover Nanyan with lightning speed. Jin’s emperor must be quite displeased in his heart. Now that the peace treaty between Western Liang and Jin has been signed, I fear Jin and Western Liang might free up their hands to deal with Great Yan.”
“I think that’s unlikely.” Xiao Rongyan accompanied Murong Yu as they walked slowly. “In the Nanjiang battle, Western Liang lost over a hundred thousand elite soldiers, and with Western Liang’s Empress ascending the throne, various factions in Western Liang are stirring restlessly. They don’t have the energy to deal with Great Yan again. Jin has also suffered greatly, and Jin’s emperor isn’t particularly magnanimous – he won’t forget the grudge of Nanyan and Western Liang’s invasion of Jin! Moreover, Great Yan’s destruction of Nanyan… was only to restore Great Yan’s legitimate rule, and the people rejoiced. Even if the various states wished to move troops against Great Yan, they would be without just cause for war.”