Chapter 733: Meeting in Another World (1/2)
The one hundred and twenty-one year old Imperial Prince Xu had hair that turned completely white but he still looked to be around his sixties to seventies. His stature was still as tall and lofty as before, but it was no longer as ramrod straight as it was in his youth. In those days, no one could fight against him, but now he could only quietly lay on his bed with his phoenix eyes half closed as he breathed weakly. The imperial physicians were helpless at this point, so his children and grandchildren were all squeezed into this room with heavy expressions and mournful looks.
Sitting next to him in the armchair was the a hundred and fourteen year old Yu Xiaocao. Although her hair had turned completely white, her skin was still fair and exquisite with fine wrinkles deposited throughout. The signs of age added a bit of maturity and loveliness to her.
Imperial Prince Xu and his wife had lived long lives and both of them had entered their hundreds with hale and healthy bodies. In the west side of the capital, people could often see a tall and lofty figure with a slender and short figure strolling idly on the streets. Their hands were always linked together as they slowly walked around. They looked like a picture that would never fade.
In the capital, Imperial Prince Xu and Princess Consort Xu had become legendary figures. The commoners told stories about them, while the literati wrote them down. It was widely known throughout the public that they had a constant and ceaseless romance. The stories about their great and grand feats were also well known and added to their mystical lives.
Imperial Prince Xu only had Princess Consort Xu as his woman in his lifetime. Some claimed that he was afraid of his wife and didn’t even dare to glance at other women; others claimed that Princess Consort Xu had bespelled him, which was why he had no interest. There were even some who said that Imperial Prince Xu truly loved his wife down to his bones, which was the true reason why he had never had any interest in other women...
Regardless, no matter what people said or claimed, none of it influenced the married couple. At the age of sixty, Imperial Prince Xu had finally freed himself of all of his duties and had gone off with his wife to travel the country to sightsee. The two of them had set foot into every crook and cranny in the Great Ming Empire and left footprints everywhere.
Imperial Prince Xu had even fulfilled a promise he made in his youth. At the age of sixty-five, he had taken his wife to sail the oceans to head to the west so that they could travel and expand their horizons. Princess Consort Xu had even become sworn sisters with one of the queens in a small country. Imperial Prince Xu had even fought against some man-eating people in one of the areas there and beat them until they kneeled and begged for forgiveness. He was truly an old but extremely vigorous man.
Imperial Prince Xu had celebrated his one hundred and twentieth birthday in a grand celebration, which had coincided with Princess Consort Xu’s one hundred and tenth birthday. Despite the many years that had passed, their feelings and emotions for each other had not been diluted. Instead, their relationship was like a pot of good wine, becoming more and more fragrant as the years passed by.
Everyone believed that they would both be like Peng Zu[1] and become living auspicious icons. However, Imperial Prince Xu fell down one day soon after he reached one hundred and twenty-one years old. He didn’t have any illnesses or injuries. His body was finally reaching its end. At first, he began to sleep longer. Sometimes, he’d be chatting with you for one minute and the next minute he’d be fast asleep. Now, he spent over seventeen to eighteen hours a day asleep in his bed. The times when he was awake and alert became shorter and shorter.
Although Yu Xiaocao had long prepared herself or this, she still couldn’t help but feel distressed that this imposing man, who had held up the sky for her and was a great hero, was past his prime and about to go. At the same, she also felt somewhat terrified. She was someone who had experienced a previous life before and didn’t know whether she’d have the luck to encounter him in the next one...she hoped that when she was in front of Grandmother Meng, she would be able to keep her memories from this life while drinking the soup of oblivion. That way, in her next life, she’d be able to find his shadow in the crowds of others.
“He’s awake! Great Paternal Grandmother, Great Paternal Grandfather is awake!” The person who spoke up was the thirty year old grandson of Zhu Yunxuan.
Yu Xiaocao blinked away the mist in her eyes and smiled gently as she sidled closer to husband. She grasped his hand and quietly asked, “Husband, are you hungry ah? Do you want me to make a bowl of noodles for you?”
Zhu Junyang pulled on her hand tightly and lightly shook his head. His muddy phoenix eyes became as bright as when she first met him. He slowly replied, “Help me sit up…”
With the help of her great-grandsons, Yu Xiaocao helped him sit up and put two pillows behind him as support so he could lean against them. She had already asked the little divine stone and knew that her man’s time was to come in the next few days. The fact that he was suddenly so clear-headed meant that it was probably his last wind.
She sat at the bedside and gently leaned her head against his shoulder as she lightly laughed, “Old man, your shoulder is too bony and it hurts for me to lean against it. When you get better, you need to eat more, otherwise, it’s not comfortable for me to do this.”
“Alright, alright, alright! I’ll make sure to eat more and become nice and fat to become the perfect pillow for you!” Zhu Junyang’s deep voice was still as melodious as before and she still hadn’t heard enough of it in this lifetime.
“Great Maternal Grandmother, there’s a young maiden outside who says she’s an old friend. She wants to greet you.” This was Zhu Yunxin’s youngest granddaughter. She didn't look like her paternal family and, instead, her face was about seventy to eighty percent similar to Xiaocao’s. This was why she was her grandmother’s favorite.
When the young maiden who claimed to be an old friend was invited in, Yu Xiaocao stared at her for a long time. It was only after the young girl revealed a faded embroidered orchid pouch that she finally found the figure of this young girl in her memories. She was the little dragon girl that she had once encountered in the ocean. She would have never expected that she’d be able to cross between dimensions and come here to find her.
The little dragon girl stared at Xiaocao’s face for a long time before she finally sighed, “Mortals’ lives are so short. Fortunately, I was hardworking and you are long-lived. Otherwise, the two of us would never get the chance to see each other again in this lifetime. I have finally fulfilled a dream of mine by being able to see you. Unfortunately, you are no longer that cute and adorable young maiden who spent time talking and playing with me.”
“Thank you for taking the time to find me at a time that is most important for me. Little dragon girl, I hope you will continue to work hard on cultivation and become an immortal soon.” Yu Xiaocao sincerely blessed the other girl.
The little dragon girl nodded and said, “I will. Then...we’ll meet again in the future!” After she finished, a light breeze blew by and she disappeared from Imperial Prince Xu’s courtyard.
All of the descendents of Imperial Prince Xu weren’t very surprised by the sight that had just occurred before them. In their hearts, their mother (grandmother, great-grandmother) wasn’t someone from the ordinary world. Otherwise, how else would she have so many legendary adventures?
When Yu Xiaocao was talking to the little dragon girl, Zhu Junyang never took her gaze away from her. After she left, he spoke to the already ninety years old Zhu Yunxuan, “I want to spend some time alone with your lady mother.”
“Lord Father…” Zhu Yunxuan looked at his lord father, who he had always chased after and worshiped. His voice was choked with emotion.
Zhu Junyang looked at his three children and slowly said, “You are all good people and didn’t disappoint either of us. I am very relieved about you all…”
The elderly eighty-five year old Zhu Yunxin immediately began crying like a child when she heard this, “Lord Father, you need to live well. If you go, I’ll become a fatherless child. If your son-in-law decides to bully me, there will be no one to support me anymore. Wah wah wah wah!”
When her sons and grandsons heard this, they all were dumbfounded. It was clearly she who was bullying their father (grandfather), alright? Didn’t she have a conscience anymore?
“Silly child, there is no feast under the heavens that doesn’t end! You all go out, I want to speak to your lady mother alone. I want to use the last bit of remaining time I have with her!” Zhu Junyang looked at Xiaocao with a gaze that still showed how much he loved and adored her.
Zhu Yunxuan stopped his younger sister from saying more and took everyone out of the room, leaving only the old couple by themselves.
“Do you regret marrying me ah? I’m older than you by seven years. If you had married someone who was about the same age as you, he would be able to spend a few more years with you. I really hate myself for coming out earlier than you.” Zhu Junyang also knew that his life had come to an end and was only filled with worry and love for Xiaocao.
“You ah, stop going on flights of fancy. Marrying you was the best decision of my life. If I could repeat this again, I would still choose to marry you. If you weren’t there, where would I go to find someone who loved me to the heavens like you did?” Yu Xiaocao picked up an ivory comb and began to slowly help him comb his hair.
Zhu Junyang chuckled, “When I’m gone, you need to live well and be happy. Please don’t be sad. You know that I can't stand it when you’re sad or upset. Otherwise, I won’t be able to be at peace in the underworld.”
“Alright, I won’t be sad! You can scout out what it’s like down there first, and I’ll follow you later.” Yu Xiaocao talked as if death was only another ordinary topic. There wasn’t a hint of sadness in her voice, as if she was just saying, ‘the weather is nice today’.
“When I’m gone, you’re not allowed to hook up with another old man. Those old men aren’t as good-looking as me and they’re also stubborn to boot! There’s likely no one like me who can handle your temper.” Zhu Junyang’s jealousy was still sky high.
“Mhm, I will only be yours. Just like you will only be mine.” Yu Xiaocao promised.
Zhu Junyang was satisfied by this but was still a bit worried, “If you feel worried, you can call over Little Guozi’s youngest granddaughter over to spend time with you. If any of our children or their spouses are not filial to you, burn some incense to tell me. I’ll make sure to give them bad dreams at night…”
The two of them chatted idly for a bit. Zhu Junyang suddenly fell silent and just as Yu Xiaocao thought he had fallen asleep again, he opened his mouth to say, “Cao’er, can you tell me what it’s like in your world ah?”
Yu Xiaocao knew that he had already guessed that she wasn’t from this world. What made her feel gratitude was that he had never asked her out of his own curiosity. Furthermore, he even always helped her to disguise herself, as he was afraid other people might find out.
Yu Xiaocao simply outlined a few bits and pieces about her previous life. Zhu Junyang silently listened and sighed at the end, “There are cars that don’t require horses to pull them, planes that can fly in the area, and boats that can go underwater...too good! Do you think that if you didn’t come here that there’d be someone in your world who was supposed to be me?”
“Perhaps ah! However, in that world, I was already thirty years old and hadn’t met you then. Just what were you trying to do by arriving so late?” Yu Xiaocao lightly laughed and pinched her husband’s cheek.
“Therefore, in this lifetime, I made sure to show up early by your side, so I could guard you as you grew up and for the rest.” Zhu Junyang had a premonition that his end was coming and suddenly tightened his grip around her hand as his voice became weaker, “Do you think we will be able to find each other in our next lives and be together as well?”
Yu Xiaocao suddenly picked up his hand and bit down hard, leaving teeth marks with blood. She smiled with tears in her eyes, “We will! Just look, I already gave you a marking. So in all the lives to come, you better not try to escape.”
Zhu Junyang lowered his head to look at the mark and slowly laughed…
Yu Xiaocao felt that the hand in hers abruptly became heavy. Tears rolled down her face. She helped her husband change into his favorite martial attire and took out the pillows supporting his back, allowing him to lie down completely. Finally, she crawled onto the bed and lay down next to him and felt her life slowly slip away...
The sound of weeping swept through Imperial Prince Xu’s Estate. That day, they had lost both parents at the same time…
In the year 2018, in a hospital ward in Xu City in the Su Prefecture, a voice cried out in surprise, “Awake! Older Sister, you’ve finally woken up!”
“Older Brother, Older Brother! Older Sister woke up! Look, her hands are moving and her eyelids are trembling…”
“Quick, quickly call the doctor!!”
Yu Xiaocao slowly opened her eyes and noticed that there were white walls all around her and a bright incandescent light in the ceiling. Next to her were all sorts of medical equipment...was this...a hospital? A modern hospital? Did she come back and not die?