NFBE Chapter 213 The Death of Lord Changping and Lady Hu (Part 4)
Chapter 213 The Death of Lord Changping and Lady Hu (Part 4)
Looking into Hu Hai's bright, clear eyes, as radiant as stars, filled with helplessness and sorrow, Li Xin felt a surge of pity. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and then said gently, "His Majesty has never considered abandoning you. On the contrary, he places great hopes on you, expecting you to grow into a resolute, courageous, and upright man. When that time comes, His Majesty will personally come to welcome you back to the palace for a reunion!"
Upon hearing this, Hu Hai's sobs gradually subsided. He blinked his swollen, red eyes and asked expectantly, "Is this true?"
Li Xin's eyes flickered slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and answered decisively, "Absolutely true!"
Hu Hai wiped away his tears with his sleeve and said, forcing back his grief, "Alright, I won't cry anymore. Let's quickly give Mother a proper burial! General Li, could you teach me martial arts in the future?"
Li Xin was slightly taken aback and asked with some surprise, "Why do you suddenly want to learn martial arts?"
Hu Hai clenched his fists and nodded firmly, replying, "Because I want to learn martial arts. Only by becoming stronger can I become a true man and avenge my mother. When I become a mighty general like you one day, will my father be willing to take me back to Qin to reunite with him?"
Looking at the determined-looking child before him, Li Xin felt a surge of indescribable emotion, but he still nodded with difficulty and replied, "Yes, as long as you study martial arts diligently, you will surely achieve great things in the future, and the King will definitely take you back to reunite with him."
A glint flashed in Hu Hai's eyes, and he said, "General Li, please put me down first. I want to go and see my mother in person."
Li Xin quickly advised, "Wait a little while. It's not too late to go see them after the servants have finished getting ready!"
However, Hu Hai shook his head vigorously and said firmly, "No, I must see my mother's current appearance with my own eyes. Only in this way can I remember this moment forever, constantly remind myself not to forget the hatred, and seek justice for my mother as soon as possible."
Hearing Hu Hai's words, Li Xin's heart tightened, and he quickly continued to comfort him: "You are still so young. If you see such a tragic scene, you will probably be haunted by nightmares at night. Moreover, I believe that even if your mother knew in the afterlife, she would not want you to witness such a tragic scene."
Hu Hai blinked his big, bright eyes, his little head darting around in his head for a few moments before he nodded and said, "Okay."
Seeing that Hu Hai agreed so easily, Li Xin's tense nerves finally relaxed a little, and he let out a long sigh of relief. Immediately afterwards, Li Xin ordered people to properly prepare and arrange for Lady Hu's body.
At the same time, deep in his heart, Li Xin silently murmured to Hu Hai: "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, child."
Not far from them, Li You stood quietly, having heard everything Li Xin said to Hu Hai. Several times, Li You opened his mouth as if to say something to stop or warn him, but at the crucial moment, he swallowed back the words that were about to come out, and in the end, he said nothing.
In truth, Li You was filled with doubts about the young Hu Hai before him. He couldn't understand why the high and mighty king would send such a young Hu Hai to this remote Baga Island. Moreover, Hu Hai was so young; what could he possibly do to displease the king so much? Although he couldn't figure out the reason no matter how hard he tried, Li You knew one thing—since the king had decided to send Hu Hai here, he had no intention of letting him return to the palace.
Li Xin is deceiving Hu Hai like this. If Hu Hai were to one day discover the truth and learn that his mother was murdered by Li Xin, the consequences would be unimaginable! Just imagining that scenario sent a chill down Li You's spine, and he couldn't help but feel a cold sweat for Li Xin's future fate. After all, no matter what, Hu Hai is still the king's own flesh and blood. Even if he never has the chance to return to the palace, his noble status will never change. If the truth were to come out one day, Li Xin would likely face utter destruction.
Li Xin stood quietly to the side, patiently waiting for the maids to properly prepare Madam Hu's body. Once everything was settled, he gently took Hu Hai's small hand and slowly walked into the room.
Hu Ji lay there peacefully, her eyes closed, as if in a deep sleep. Upon seeing his mother's remains, Hu Hai's tears flowed like a burst dam. He cried out and rushed to Hu Ji's body, wailing, "Mother, rest in peace! I swear, I will avenge you!" His young yet resolute voice echoed in the room, heartbreaking to witness.
Hu Hai murmured to himself before Hu Ji's corpse, pouring out his endless grief and longing. Li Xin silently withdrew from the room and stood quietly outside. At this moment, his heart was filled with remorse and self-reproach. Recalling the scene of killing Hu Ji, he couldn't help but reflect on whether his actions had been too cruel. After all, Hu Ji was just a weak and powerless woman, completely defenseless. Now that Lord Changping was dead, she had lost her greatest support and, in principle, no longer posed any threat. But why had he insisted on killing her? What use was further regret now?
Thinking of this, Li Xin secretly resolved to treat Hu Hai well in the future and do his best to make up for his mistakes. At the same time, he silently prayed that the king would accept Hu Hai back to the palace as soon as possible, so that this poor child could return to his father's embrace.
Not long after, Hu Hai came out of the house. His eyes were red and swollen from crying, and his once bright eyes were now bloodshot. He raised his head, looked at Li Xin, and said in a choked voice, "General Li, please help me bury my mother in a beautiful place with clear waters and lush mountains! Let her rest in peace in that beautiful place."
Li Xin nodded heavily and replied, "Okay, I will definitely do as you say."
In the following period, people began to prepare for the funeral of Lord Changping. They first prepared a grand cremation ceremony to bid farewell to this once illustrious figure.
A large amount of timber was piled into a tall bonfire, standing like a small hill. Soldiers carefully placed Changping Jun's body on it and dressed him in a clean, fine set of clothes. Through the skillful hands of craftsmen, Changping Jun's head was temporarily stitched up, restoring it to some semblance of its original appearance.
With everything ready, the lighting ceremony officially began. The instant the blazing fire ignited, the flames leaped and danced, seemingly threatening to engulf the entire world. Li Xin and Li You, standing to the side, silently watched this scene. They exchanged a glance, nodded knowingly, and simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief. For them, the departure of Lord Changping signified the end of a potentially turbulent period. While they couldn't help feeling some regret and sorrow, they felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
Meanwhile, arrangements for Hu Ji's funeral were proceeding smoothly. After a search, Hu Hai finally found a suitable burial site on a scenic hill. The location offered a panoramic view of the vast, boundless sea, a truly breathtaking sight.
Young Hu Hai stood alone at the head of the funeral procession, his innocent face revealing sorrow and reluctance. Despite his young age, he seemed to already understand the weight of life and death. Hu Ji's tomb was simple and unadorned, without excessive ornamentation or grand architecture.
A gentle breeze blew by, bringing a touch of coolness. The funeral procession gradually dispersed, leaving only Hu Hai standing there quietly, gazing at Hu Ji's tombstone, reluctant to leave for a long time.