Will

She beat the two children on their shoulders, filled with both heartache and anger. "You two are my children, yet you only remember his kindness in siring you, and forget my nurturing. Your eldest uncle is still lying there, and he's already interrogating me about whether your uncle is dead, and if I'm willing to be buried with him..."

Hearing this, Zhu Zihou and Zhu Zifang felt even more heartbroken. Tears and snot streamed down their faces. They turned and kowtowed to Zhu Youjue, begging him to stop causing trouble.

Zhu Youjue truly felt that these two children he had were worse than a piece of roasted pork. At least roasted pork could be eaten, but what could these two be good for?

As they were arguing, the butler rushed in, his eyes shining, and shouted, "Princess Consort, the Chief Clerk is back! The Chief Clerk is back—"

Everyone fell silent.

Princess Zhou raised her tear-streaked face and asked anxiously, "Did the Chief Clerk return alone?"

The butler panted and replied hurriedly, "No, there are officials from the Ministry of Rites and eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial with him."

Princess Zhou couldn't help but cover her chest and mutter, "May you live infinitely—"

Was it going to happen?

She quickly said to Zhu Zijin, "Quick, go and welcome them."

Zhu Zijin acknowledged her and immediately ran out.

Princess Zhou wiped away her tears and pulled Zhu Zihou and Zhu Zifang up, one by one. "Quick, go and help your elder brother."

Zhu Zihou and Zhu Zifang wiped their faces and quickly chased after him.

Zhu Zijin had been confined to the countryside for many years and lacked much education. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to handle the officials from the Ministry of Rites and the eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Zhu Youjue's chest heaved as he suppressed the myriad thoughts in his heart. He gave Princess Zhou a deep look before following them away.

Princess Zhou stayed by the main house door, nervously clutching Nanny Qin's hand, waiting for news from the front courtyard.

Xuan Miao, on the other hand, swept her gaze around the mansion and said, "Prince Zhou's end is near."

Tao Ji and Pan Yun said nothing. Although they had been prepared, they couldn't help but feel a little sad.

This Prince Zhou was a rare good and generous person.

The vast majority of the assets Pan Yun possessed now came from him.

Soon, a servant came to report, "Princess Consort, the Eldest Young Master has received an Imperial Decree in the front courtyard. His Majesty has enfeoffed the Eldest Young Master as Heir. The Chief Clerk quietly told me that the name on the Imperial Genealogy has also been changed. The Eldest Young Master is now under the Prince and Princess Consort's names."

Princess Zhou breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help but chant her prayer again.

Soon, someone from the front formally sent a servant to report, "The angels delivering the decree wish to pay their respects to His Highness."

Upon hearing this, the Princess Consort quickly looked at Tao Ji.

Tao Ji took out his portable needle bag, indicating that there was no problem.

The officials from the Ministry of Rites and the eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial were not just there to deliver an Imperial Decree; they also represented the imperial court and the Emperor in visiting Prince Zhou. They would report in detail upon their return.

Zhu Youjue followed them and finally entered the main house to see Zhu Youdun.

Zhu Youdun was lying down. Apart from his slightly pale complexion, there wasn't much difference from the last time they met.

However, in the eyes of the officials from the Ministry of Rites and the eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial, this Prince Zhou was excessively thin, his face pale, looking like he was on his last breath.

The two confirmed that the Chief Clerk had not lied; Prince Zhou was indeed gravely ill and beyond cure. They sighed inwardly but also felt relieved. What they disliked and feared the most were feudal lords causing trouble and spouting nonsense.

The officials and eunuchs immediately changed their expressions, looking at Prince Zhou with grief, and asked if they could speak with him to personally convey the Emperor's will.

Prince Zhou had chosen to feign unconsciousness precisely for this day. Therefore, Princess Zhou did not hesitate and asked Tao Ji to come forward to administer acupuncture to Prince Zhou.

Tao Ji first felt Prince Zhou's pulse, had medicine and various foods that the Prince liked prepared, and then began to insert the needles.

With this needle inserted, Prince Zhou would be lucid for the last time upon waking. If he slept again, it would be eternal slumber.

The Princess Consort knew this as well, so she had the entire Prince Zhou's Mansion notified, including all the ladies and any stewards who might be called. They waited outside.

As Tao Ji inserted the final needle and gently twisted it, the Prince Zhou on the bed's eyelids twitched. He slowly opened his eyes.

The eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial looked at Tao Ji in surprise, never expecting that there was such a skilled physician in the common folk who could actually induce a coma to avoid death.

Prince Zhou stared for a while before regaining his senses. The Princess Consort looked at him with concern and whispered, "Your Highness, His Majesty has sent people to see you."

Prince Zhou's spirits lifted. Had the imperial court reached a conclusion?

He opened his mouth to speak, but only a faint sound came out.

Tao Ji slowly removed the needles from his body one by one and said, "Give His Highness some water."

He then stepped aside.

Zhu Zijin immediately brought a bowl of water, gently helped Prince Zhou up, and fed him a few sips.

Seeing how carefully he was feeding him, the official from the Ministry of Rites nodded secretly. He probably knew how to write when he was later enfeoffed as Prince Zhou.

After drinking some water, Prince Zhou finally spoke in a voice everyone could hear: "Is His Majesty well?"

The eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial quickly replied, "His Majesty is well. Your Highness, you must take care of yourself. Before coming, His Majesty was mentioning that if he has time in the future, he would invite you to the capital for a gathering."

Prince Zhou only listened. Since he was awake, it meant he would only live until today.

This was his last day. Prince Zhou did not want to waste any time. Every moment now was precious to him. The more useless words he spoke, the less time he had to live. So, he directly asked, "Has His Majesty granted my request?"

Facing someone who was about to die, everyone couldn't help but soften their hearts. Therefore, the officials from the Ministry of Rites and the eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial did not quibble and directly showed the Imperial Decree to Prince Zhou.

Prince Zhou was both happy and regretful. "His Majesty's grace allows me to reunite with my son before my death, allowing my lineage as Prince Zhou to continue."

Prince Zhou asked Zhu Zijin to kowtow to the north to thank the Emperor.

Zhu Zijin complied, kowtowing three times towards the north with great sincerity.

Only then did Prince Zhou ask, "Is this the only imperial decree? This King requests that the martyrdom sacrifice within the mansion be exempted..."

The officials and eunuchs exchanged glances. Although the Emperor had agreed before they left and was already drafting the decree, such matters were not finalized unless they were written down and sealed with the imperial jade seal.

Neither of them could give Prince Zhou a promise, only saying that the Emperor cared about Prince Zhou and wished to act according to his will.

Prince Zhou understood immediately. The Emperor had agreed, but someone in the court had not, which was why the imperial decree could not be written.

Prince Zhou gritted his teeth, guessing that someone from the imperial clan had objected.

He harbored no resentment, only a bitter smile. His gaze, however, involuntarily searched the room for Pan Yun.

Pan Yun stood behind the curtain, silently observing everything.

She was young, and her clothes were a common grayish-blue, so she did not attract attention. Standing there, most people would not notice her, and even if they did, they would mistake her for a maid from the mansion carrying a cat.

Seeing Prince Zhou's gaze sweep through the crowd, she quietly shifted, stepping out from behind the curtain with half her body visible, allowing Prince Zhou to see her.

She nodded slightly at him, signaling him not to rush, that there was still room for maneuver.

Prince Zhou temporarily set the matter aside and began to attend to his final arrangements.

Seeing Zhu Youjue, he called out, "Fourth Brother has also come."

Zhu Youjue lowered his head sadly, "Elder Brother..."

Prince Zhou sighed, "There's no need to be sad. Everyone faces this day eventually. Among us brothers, you and I were the closest. After I'm gone, please look after Zijin."

Zhu Youjue choked out his assent.

Prince Zhou looked at Zhu Zihou and Zhu Zifang, beckoning them over.

The two brothers immediately knelt by the bed with Zhu Zijin.

Prince Zhou felt his spirits improving, even finding the strength to hold the hands of the three children, placing them together and patting them. "After I'm gone, you three brothers must help and support each other. Zijin, you are the eldest, so please look after them more in the future."

Zhu Zijin agreed.

"Your eldest brother has suffered a lot. If he makes mistakes or is inconsiderate in the future, you should remind him, so that you don't become estranged."

Zhu Zihou and Zhu Zifang nodded repeatedly, tears streaming down their faces.

Prince Zhou laughed, "Why are you crying? I am already very content to have lived this long. Zihou, you are good at making friends, generous and forthright, which is a good thing, but you are also too soft-hearted. Don't trust people too easily in the future, and drink less alcohol; it harms the body~"

Zhu Zihou tearfully agreed.

"Zifang, since you are interested in medicine, you will continue to live in Prince Zhou's Mansion to study. The texts and manuscripts left by your grandfather need you to carry them forward. Your father, uncles, and I are all useless; none of us can inherit your grandfather's legacy."

Prince Zhou looked at Zhu Zijin.

Zhu Zijin stated that since his brother would live there, everything would remain as usual, and he would find ways to procure whatever his brother needed for his studies.

Prince Zhou was very pleased. Holding the hands of the three, he said, "Good, good. I hope you three brothers can always be fraternal and respectful, and not like us old folks."

Prince Zhou's voice trailed off with melancholy.

After finishing these instructions, he looked at the Princess Consort.

The Princess Consort wiped the tears from her eyes, stepped forward, and sat by the bedside, holding his outstretched hand.

They had not spoken for a long time, simply gazing at each other in silence.

After a while, Prince Zhou sighed, "Princess Consort, I have wronged you. I have made you suffer grievances all my life."

Consort Gong shed tears and shook her head, "Your Highness has treated me very well. I have no regrets."

Prince Zhou couldn't help but tighten his grip on her hand. "The mansion will be entrusted to you from now on. As for Madam Shi and the others..."

Consort Gong clasped his hand tightly in return, "Your Highness, rest assured. No matter the outcome, I will take good care of them."

If they could not escape the martyrdom sacrifice, she would send them off properly. If they were fortunate enough to escape it, she would still treat them well.

The couple exchanged a look and both sighed.

Life was too bitter. They had both witnessed martyrdom sacrifices firsthand.

Their thirteenth brother, Zhu Youxuan, had died of illness at the young age of twenty. At that time, Zhu Youdun and Princess Consort Gong had assisted with the funeral arrangements.

His wife, Madam Zhang, had committed suicide as a martyr, and her concubines and servants who followed her were directly executed to accompany her. Zhu Youdun shuddered every time he remembered it.

How could people be treated like livestock, their lives decided so casually?

Even livestock were only put to death when they were useful, which was making the best use of things and not betraying the Heavenly Dao's gift of life.

But what was the meaning of martyrdom sacrifice?

Zhu Youdun admitted that he was timid and cowardly. He only dared to request exemption from martyrdom sacrifice for his own household, not to propose abolishing the ancestral custom.

Consort Gong, as his confidante, naturally knew these things. Therefore, she would do her best to address his greatest concerns, though she could not guarantee the extent to which she could succeed.

The Ministry of Rites and the Directorate of Ceremonial witnessed Zhu Youdun making his final arrangements. These matters would be reported later and possibly recorded in the registers of the Imperial Clan Court.

Prince Zhou's spirits continued to improve. Not only did he get up to eat his favorite foods, but he also took a stroll in the courtyard and basked in the sun for a while.

Taking advantage of this moment, Prince Zhou summoned Pan Yun to speak with him. "I have entrusted the matter of exempting the martyrdom sacrifice to you. You must keep your word."

"Don't worry, if I don't work hard, you can come find me later."

Prince Zhou couldn't help but laugh, "If I'm already dead, how can I come back?"

"The spirit of a person lives on after death. As long as you wish to return, you will surely be able to."

Prince Zhou: "Alright, then I'll be watching you."

The ten lucky numbers for this chapter are those ending in 6. The screenshot is proof, and the deadline for submitting screenshots is when the next chapter is updated. Add "Jian Zou Pian Feng De Da Ming" to your screenshot to claim your prize.