Chapter 184 - 185: Powerless
The Old Madam struggled to see the young woman’s face clearly.
But her vision was a constant blur, and she couldn’t see a thing clearly.
Hua Qingqing gripped her hand tightly and said through her tears.
"Grandmother, I’ve been a terrible granddaughter. You’re so ill, and I wasn’t here by your side to take care of you."
Tears streamed down her cheeks, splashing onto the back of the Old Madam’s hand.
The Old Madam’s fingers twitched, then slowly, very slowly, they closed around her hand.
It was a silent comfort.
As if telling her not to cry, not to blame herself.
But this only made Hua Qingqing cry harder.
She even forgot she was pregnant, collapsing onto the Old Madam’s arm and sobbing uncontrollably.
Just then, the steward rushed in.
"Reporting to Mr. Bo and Madam, someone from the Imperial Hospital is here. They say they’ve come on the Saint’s orders to examine the Old Madam."
Hua Dingzong said quickly, "Quickly, show them in!"
’He never would have imagined the Emperor would actually send an Imperial Physician over.’
’While this wasn’t a major affair, it meant the Emperor still remembered the Zhong’an Bo Mansion.’
’This in itself was an immense honor!’
Although Hua Dingzong himself held the title of Elder Zhong’an, he had no substantive post. The rest of the family was also just living off past glories, unable to secure opportunities to serve as officials in the imperial court.
As a result, the entire Zhong’an Bo Mansion had faded into obscurity.
If Hua Qingqing hadn’t entered the palace and become a Concubine, the Emperor would have likely forgotten that a man like Elder Zhong’an even existed in the capital.
Hua Dingzong was secretly delighted. ’My eldest daughter is truly lucky. She soared to a high perch in a single leap, and now the whole family can bask in her glory.’
When the Imperial Physician arrived, Hua Qingqing quickly wiped away her tears and stood up to make room for him.
Once the examination was over, the Imperial Physician waved to Elder Zhong’an, motioning for him to speak outside.
The two men left the room and began speaking in low voices on the veranda.
A moment later, Hua Dingzong returned to the room, his steps heavy.
The moment Hua Qingqing and Hua Manman saw his expression, they knew the situation was dire.
Madam He asked, "What did the Imperial Physician say?"
Hua Dingzong said with a heavy heart.
"The Imperial Physician said Mother’s illness is already very severe and that medicine can no longer help.
He can only try using acupuncture to see if it can help alleviate some of her pain.
He told us to prepare for the worst."
Hua Qingqing swayed and nearly collapsed, but fortunately, Hua Manman, who was standing beside her, quickly reached out and steadied her.
Madam He’s eyes grew red as well.
Although she and the Old Madam had never been particularly close, the Old Madam had also never gone out of her way to treat her harshly.
Having lived under the same roof for so many years, they had long since grown accustomed to each other’s presence.
Now, upon suddenly hearing that the Old Madam wasn’t going to make it, Madam He couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness.
The Imperial Physician came in to perform acupuncture on the Old Madam.
After the acupuncture was finished, the Old Madam was indeed much more lucid and was even able to speak.
The Imperial Physician didn’t say it outright, but everyone knew what it meant.
This was the Old Madam’s final burst of lucidity.
The entire family, young and old, gathered around the bed, unable to hide the sorrow on their faces.
When the Old Madam saw Hua Qingqing, her expression instantly brightened.
Her voice trembling, she called out a name.
"Qingqing... My granddaughter..."
Hua Qingqing fought back tears and nodded vigorously. "It’s me, I’m back!"
The Old Madam smiled, looking very happy.
"Wonderful. I get to see you one last time before I go."
Hua Qingqing said frantically, "You’re not going anywhere! You’re going to live to be a hundred. I’ll come back to visit you often from now on, so you absolutely can’t go!"
The Old Madam sighed. "I don’t want to go, either. I can’t stop worrying about you."
Hua Qingqing gripped her hand tightly. "Grandmother, I need you. I really need you!"
She had lost her mother at a young age, and her grandmother had raised her ever since.
All those years together had forged an incredibly deep bond between them.
But now.
Her grandmother was about to leave her.
Hua Qingqing felt as if her whole world were about to collapse. Tears welled up uncontrollably, sliding slowly down her cheeks.
Hua Dingzong also spoke, his voice thick with tears.
"We all need you."
The Old Madam looked at her son, then at Madam He and the three children she had borne, her gaze finally coming to rest on Hua Manman.
She spoke weakly.
"Thank you."
Hua Manman knew what she was thanking her for and returned a smile.
The Old Madam ordered someone to retrieve a wooden box she had hidden in a secret compartment.
The box was exquisitely crafted, its surface carved with lifelike peonies and fastened with a small bronze lock.
The Old Madam had someone fetch a key from beneath her pillow and open the bronze lock.
In front of everyone, Hua Dingzong opened the wooden box, revealing neatly stacked silver notes and land deeds inside.
The Old Madam said slowly.
"This is what I’ve saved over many years. Now that my time is up, I can’t take this money with me to the grave.
Leave all the silver notes inside to Qingqing. She lives in the palace and must never be short of Silver."
Hua Dingzong felt a sharp pang of regret, but he didn’t dare voice any objection.
The Old Madam caught her breath and continued.
"Among the land deeds, there are four shops, three hundred mu of farmland, and one estate.
Hua Bowen and Hua Borong will each take two shops. The two of you can decide amongst yourselves how to divide them.
The three hundred mu of farmland will go to Hua Dingzong.
I know the three of you—father and sons—are not skilled at managing these affairs, so entrust the deeds to Madam He.
In the future, when Hua Bowen and Hua Borong are married, Madam He can then return the deeds to the brothers."
Since they were her own sons, the Old Madam had no fear that Madam He would simply usurp the deeds for herself.
Hua Dingzong and Madam He both nodded in agreement, and Hua Borong and Hua Bowen naturally had no objections either.
The Old Madam continued.
"As for the final estate, let it go to Manman.
The estate supports quite a few people. Manman, if you don’t mind, you can keep them on.
If you want to use the estate for something else, you can also dismiss them all. The decision is yours."
Hua Manman didn’t know where the estate was or what it looked like, but since the Old Madam had decreed it, she accepted.
"I understand, Grandmother. Thank you."
Madam He, however, was quite astonished.
She knew the Old Madam did indeed have an estate, and a very large one at that.
She had originally assumed the estate would be left to Mr. Bo, who was, after all, the Old Madam’s only son.
She never expected it would be left to Manman instead.
A wave of gratitude washed over Madam He.
Neither the farmland nor the shops were as valuable as the estate.
An estate came with not only land but also people.
The land could produce grain to sell for money, and the people would be at Manman’s disposal.
Having settled her final affairs, the Old Madam’s strength seemed to evaporate, and her mind began to drift again.
One moment she would call out Qingqing’s name, the next, her son’s.
Hua Dingzong pleaded with the Imperial Physician to try and treat her again.
The Imperial Physician just shook his head, indicating that there was nothing more he could do.
...
Another late update, my apologies~