Ling Zhaowu had quieted down and closed his eyes. Both the acupuncture treatment and the pill that Mr. Mu had given him had served to help him calm down and fall asleep, because this was the only way to have Ling Zhaowu stop digging deep into his memories.
Ji Yin put down Mr. Mu, who was too anxious to adjust his robes, took the medicine chest and fished out the needles again.
…
Two hours later, Mr. Mu walked outside and said wearily, “Since this place was familiar to him, the stimulus he was exposed to this time was more intense than any of the previous ones. In a day or two, after his condition stabilizes, I’ll administer the drug to him and then perform acupuncture on him. Right now I need to go and get some sleep, and then I’ll start making preparations.”
Everybody felt a sense of relief. After solemnly expressing his gratitude to Mr. Mu, Ling Zhaowen personally led him to a guest room to rest.
“Fortunately Mr. Mu is with us. I didn’t expect that the painting on the screen wall would stimulate my father’s mind so dramatically,” said Ling Zhang in a deep voice.
Ling Xingzhong, who seemed to have aged a couple of years in the last few moments, explained, “That painting was finished not long after your birth. To your father, it’s the work of all three members of his family.”
This was the first time that Ling Zhang had heard about this story behind that painting on the screen wall. During the past so many years, he had never paid any special attention to that painting.
Ji Yin flicked a glance at Ling Zhaowu who was sleeping inside, inwardly sighing. It had been lucky of his daughter to have met a man so infatuated with her, but pity…
“I’m really sorry, In-law. This is the first time that you’ve come to visit us, but we failed to receive you with due ceremonial.”
At the sight of Ji Yin, Ling Xingzhong subdued his grief. This in-law of his was too young – so young that he virtually seemed to be his son’s age. Ling Xingzhong felt that this was somewhat unreal, a faraway expression on his face.
Ji Yin said, “That doesn’t matter. Currently, treating Zhaowu’s illness is the most important thing. We’ll have a lot of time to get to know each other after he recovers.”
Seeing Ling Xingzhong’s tired face, Ling Zhang also said, “Grandfather, how about I walk you back to your room to have some rest? The rest of us will keep a close watch on my father.”
Ling Xingzhong shook his head, rose from his seat and headed towards the bedroom. “I want to check on him one more time.”
Ling Zhang looked at Ji Yin, who said, “I’ll be having a walk in the courtyard. You may go.”
Ling Zhang gave a nod, followed Ling Xingzhong into the bedroom, moved a chair to the bedside and helped him sit down.
The very sight of thin, pasty-faced Ling Zhaowu lying in bed made Ling Xingzhong’s heart ache. “Your father has been lying like this for over ten years?”
Ling Zhang replied, “Back in that year, my father was severely wounded. The leader of the Millennium Pavilion saved his life by reviving his cardiac meridian but was unable to help him make a quick recovery. He could only use medication to nurse his wounds. In addition, at that time there was probably something troubling my father’s mind, something he couldn’t let go, so he’d been in a coma for many years, and Mr. Mu had been taking care of his health for the duration. He unblocked my father’s meridians on a regular basis, keeping him alive.”
Ling Xingzhong inclined his head. After quite a long time, he said, “In the past, I was actually very angry with those people, and I had some complaints against your mother as well, believing that they were the reason why my son lost his mind, ran away from home and remained missing for over ten years. For a time I even thought he was dead. But now, I don’t blame them any more. I’m grateful to them for saving your father’s life and allowing us to be reunited with him.”
Ling Zhang consoled him, “Everything’s going to be fine.”
Ling Xingzhong patted his hand and said no more, gazing at Ling Zhaowu.
Ling Zhang twisted his head aside to look in the direction of the courtyard. Given his maternal grandfather’s powerful internal energy, he definitely had overheard this conversation.
Ling Xingzhong sat there for quite a while. It was not until he was unable to sit there any longer that he rose to his feet. When he stood up, he staggered owing to the partially blocked blood supply to his legs. Fortunately Ling Zhang was supporting him, but he was still startled and hurriedly said, “Grandfather, let me slowly walk you back to your chambers to have some rest. My father is ill. I can’t afford to let anything happen to you.”
It was a few moments before Ling Xingzhong felt better and sighed, “I’m a useless geriatric now.”
Ling Zhang felt another twinge of sorrow at this remark.
He slowly guided Ling Xingzhong back to his courtyard house, used a wet towel to wipe his face and hands clean, helped him take off his overgarment and lie down in a deck chair. Seeing him resting, Ling Zhang let out a sigh of relief.
“You should go back to keep an eye on your father. Don’t worry about me. I have Lao Li keeping me company,” said Ling Xingzhong.
Butler Li said, “Young Master, I’ll be here watching over Old Master Ling. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”
Ling Zhang was indeed concerned about his father’s condition, so he gave Butler Li some instructions and then left. Originally he had wanted to consult with his elders about a lot of things after returning home, but now was not the right time to talk about those matters, so he had no choice but to wait until another day.
After entering his own courtyard house, Ling Zhang walked up to Ji Yin. “Maternal Grandfather, my paternal grandfather meant no offence when he said the first half of his words just now.”
Ji Yin smiled, “You worry that I might take offence?”
Ling Zhang nodded, looking at him earnestly.
Ji Yin softly let out sigh. “It’s okay. I’ve some time ago anticipated all this. If I were him, I would have grudges as well. Besides, your paternal grandfather could only complain when he couldn’t find us; I would have gone much farther than that if I were in his shoes. So his reaction struck me as exceptionally understandable. You may rest assured that your maternal grandfather is not that weak in the mind.”
Ling Zhang made no more remarks after hearing this.
Ling Zhaowu slept for over four hours and awoke at noon. Ling Zhang and Ling Maomao were watching over him at the bedside.
Ling Maomao had sharp eyes and was the first to notice Ling Zhaowu wake up. Pleasantly surprised, he called, “Big Brother, uncle woke up.”
With Ling Zhaowu awaking, the mood in the residence lightened significantly, though he forgot about everything as usual and was resistant to and scared of this alien environment.
As Ling Zhang was someone familiar to him and Ling Maomao was a child, Ling Zhaowu followed at their heels at all times, as though frightened of being abandoned in this strange place.
“Don’t be afraid, Father. I’m not going to leave.”
“This is where I live. How about I show you around? I’ve been living in this place since childhood. There are a lot of stories I’d like to share with you. Are you interested?”
Ling Zhaowu nodded vigorously. “Yes!”
Ling Zhang heaved a sigh of relief. From the moment Ling Zhaowu had woken up, he’d been observing him all along, fearing that something in this courtyard house might cause Ling Zhaowu to lose control of himself again. Fortunately nothing had happened. However, this was probably because this house was not very familiar to Ling Zhaowu, and he barely had any memories of it.
Ling Zhang collected his thoughts and, along with Ling Maomao, took Ling Zhaowu for a walk around the courtyard at a gentle pace.
At first Ling Maomao had been astonished by Ling Zhaowu’s behavior, but gradually he had become used to it, and now he could converse with Ling Zhaowu in a normal manner. “Uncle, those bamboos were grown by my big brother. When I was younger, I went to that bamboo grove to play very often. I also dug bamboo shoots there.”
Ling Zhaowu’s attention was immediately attracted. He followed them into the bamboo grove behind Ling Zhang’s house. It was from the Green Bamboo Mansion next door that Ling Zhang had transplanted these bamboos. Behind the Green Bamboo Mansion was a much larger bamboo grove. It covered a wide area. Ling Zhaowu’s eyes brightened at the sight of it. “Zhang’er!”
Knowing what he wanted, Ling Zhang, along with Ling Maomao, took him out of his courtyard house, through a winding passageway, and into the Green Bamboo Mansion next door.
The interesting part was that Ling Zhaowen had been following them all along, a nervous look on his face, as though ready to take action at any moment in case his big brother had another seizure.
What his uncle was doing struck Ling Zhang as somewhat poignant. He waved at his uncle and said, “Uncle, come and join us.”
Ling Zhaowen hurried over immediately, but he didn’t get too close, staying a couple of paces away from Ling Zhaowu. Having been seeing his face all the time for two days, Ling Zhaowu had become familiar with him and was not resistant to him approaching.
The four of them entered the bamboo grove behind the Green Bamboo Mansion. Ling Zhaowu and Ling Maomao crouched down to look for bamboo shoots, while Ling Zhang and Ling Zhaowen were standing there watching.
“What a silly boy. This is not the season for bamboo shoots,” Ling Zhaowen teased his son.
Ling Zhang remarked, “Maomao is just trying to make my father happy.”
Ling Zhaowen said, “Have you received any messages from Marshal Yuwen?”
The smile fading slightly from his face, Ling Zhang shook his head. “No.”
Ling Zhaowen asked him, “What’s going on exactly? Horrible news has been coming in from the capital city every few days lately. It seems that the situation there is chaotic.”
As what Yuwen Tong planned to do would turn this country upside down, Ling Zhang didn’t dare tell Ling Zhaowen the truth and just said, “It’s just there’s a lot to attend to, so he went back to help. After all, so many members of the Yuwen family are in the capital city, and they need a decision-maker.”
Ling Zhaowen sighed, “He’s just ceded half of his military powers. I’m afraid things will… will be quite tough for him in the future.”
Ling Zhaowen had been too worried about Ling Zhaowu to care about anything else since he’d met them two days ago, but he had hunches about some matters. “I want you to be honest with me. What’s His Majesty’s take on the Yuwen family exactly?”
Ling Zhang kept silent. Ling Zhaowen’s brows furrowed. “Is it very tricky?”
After a few moments’ silence, Ling Zhang chose to confide a small part of it in the knowledge that his uncle was now the pillar of the Ling family. “It is tricky, but… we’re working on it. To settle this matter was the very reason why Yuwen Tong went back to the capital city this time.”
“Settle? How? And how big is this trouble exactly?” Ling Zhaowen had an intuition that Ling Zhang was keeping the key part back from him.
“Even if the emperor doesn’t take action to eliminate the Yuwen family right away, he will do it in a year or two,” observed Ling Zhang.
His frown instantaneously deepening, Ling Zhaowen looked at him and demanded, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Even if you’d told me just before leaving for the Millennium Pavilion, I would’ve figured out a way to–”
“To break off my engagement to Yuwen Tong?” Ling Zhang stared at him.
Ling Zhaowen averted his gaze. “This could lead to the extermination of our whole family, and I cannot watch you walking towards the edge of a precipice.”
Ling Zhang said, “Uncle, I’m not going to abandon him. I know that if I marry him and his plan turns out to be unsuccessful, our family will be incriminated, which is why I’ve arranged an escape route for our family already – if we fail in the capital city, you are to leave Tanyang immediately with my father and grandfather and all the others and then go to South Xinjiang by boat.”
Ling Zhaowen looked at him in astonishment. “You…”
Then he lowered his voice and said, “What are you two up to? Do you by any chance want to–”
Ling Zhang interrupted him, “Uncle, we can’t sit awaiting our doom. Actually, no matter whether I marry Yuwen Tong or not, after all that’s happened, the emperor has long since regarded our family as no less of an enemy than the Yuwen family is, and under no circumstances would he spare us, so we might as well make a last-ditch effort with all our might.”
Ling Zhaowen was shocked and it was quite a while before he came to himself. “We need to have a good long talk about it after Mr. Mu administers the drug to your father and performs acupuncture on him in a day or two.”
“Okay,” Ling Zhang answered. Another talk about this matter was a must.
Ling Zhaowu had been crouching looking for bamboo shoots for quite some time, but he hadn’t found a single one so far. Annoyed, he rose to his feet. “I don’t want to do this any more.”
Somewhat worried, Ling Maomao looked at him, fearing that he would feel it very boring to stay at home. “Uncle, how about we go and see my big brother’s drawings? He draws beautifully. I can also take you to see Ada, our dog. He’s been suffering from loss of appetite over the past few days and doesn’t feel like walking. I don’t know what’s wrong with him.”
Ling Zhaowu’s attention was diverted away. “See drawings. See Ada.”
Face creasing into a smile, Ling Maomao took Ling Zhaowu’s hand and said, “Well, let’s go then.”
