The Marquise: I Earn My Own Worship

"Panpan."

Fang Youlang's eyes were bloodshot, and his fingers were covered in blood from being burned by the still-hot black charcoal.

The charcoal ash mixed with blood formed a mess.

"Panpan."

Kang Ge'er raised his voice.

Fang Youlang heard a voice from the chaos.

She looked back with tears in her eyes, her messy hair tangled in her face.

"Grandma and Yu Ge'er are still inside."

It felt like something exploded in his head, and Kang Ge'er staggered a few steps and knelt down.

"boom!"

There was a sudden earthquake, and a blackened beam in the middle of the ruins collapsed.

Faced with this sudden earthquake, everyone present was so shocked that they didn't say a word.

At this time, the guard closest to Song Shengfu's hiding place shouted: "There's movement here!"

"Earthquake, it's an earthquake!"

Two voices sounded at the same time, and there was no time to determine where the earthquake came from.

Kang Ge'er and Fang Youlang hurried towards that direction in two steps.

"and after?"

"Later, your father pried open the stone slab outside and rescued us."

"But Great-grandmother, why is the ground shaking? If it doesn't, will Father and Mother be unable to find us?"

Yu Ge'er asked questions curiously.

"The earthquake was caused by someone setting off gunpowder... cough cough..."

Song Shengfu covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief and couldn't stop coughing.

In that fire, she inhaled so much smoke that it hurt her lungs.

Especially when interacting with people in hot and cold environments, the cough becomes more severe.

"Great-grandmother, are you feeling better?"

Yu Ge'er walked up and patted Song Shengfu's back with his little hands. Looking at this child who looked so much like Kang Ge'er, Song Shengfu felt so soft in her heart.

"Be good, Yu'er. Great-grandmother is fine."

After the fire, she was in a coma for four or five days.

After waking up, almost everything was settled.

After Taishu Chen died, she took the last remaining people and blew up the late emperor's tomb.

The late emperor's mausoleum is located in a Feng Shui treasure land surrounded by three mountains fifty miles away from the palace.

A lot of black powder was placed on the main peak. The earthquake was caused by the sliding of half of the main peak, causing a landslide.

It really came true what she said, that the late emperor would never rest in peace whether he was alive or dead.

In the end, the King of Chu did not find Taishu Chen's body.

Maybe she lit the fuse herself, or maybe she finally found a place to rest.

Her story ends here.

Queen Zhu waited until Yu Gu came back. She died only when she knelt before her bed and called out "Grandmother, Grandmother!" and "Grandson is back."

Before the King of Chu could recover from the good news of finding Yu Gu, he fainted from anger over the previous emperor's burial in the imperial mausoleum.

After waking up, he learned that this was the last great gift given to him by Taishu Chen. The King of Chu was like a mute swallowing coptis, unable to express his grievances.

What to say?

If there is an earthquake, people will inevitably panic and there will be some nonsense rumors.

But we can't say that the remnants of the anti-Chu forces used black gunpowder to blow themselves up, as this would undermine the dignity of the royal family.

If this were to be spread out, wouldn’t everyone be able to imitate it? The King of Chu had already begun to worry about whether he would be able to rest in peace after his death.

In order to discuss solutions and handle the queen's funeral, the Emperor of Chu endured his physical discomfort and worked hard every day.

After experiencing the ups and downs, Yu Gu has also grown a lot.

He began to show no emotion on his face, and increasingly assumed the majesty of an emperor.

Everything seems to have been settled.

When returning to the capital again, many people couldn't help but sigh that things and people have changed.

A new emperor has new ministers. The Emperor of Chu was old and looked frail, so he tried his best to support new ministers to assist the young emperor.

The court's favorites changed their direction again.

Song Shengfu lay on the bed, looking at her children kneeling below, feeling a sense of relief.

"We are related in this life. Seeing what you have achieved now, I have nothing to worry about."

"Mother, it is you sons who are unfilial and tire you out from all the hard work for us."

Duan Jing'an has managed to hold on until now despite his frail body.

Song Shengfu coughed twice before continuing, "There's just one thing I hope you'll keep in mind."

All the people kneeling in front of the bed lowered their hands and eyes.

"In everything, excess is as bad as deficiency. When you are successful, don't be arrogant and lose your mind, and when you are frustrated, don't be dejected. There is a way to win and a way to lose. I hope you will remember the lessons of your predecessors. From now on, the way for the rise and fall of the Duan family will be passed down by you."

"The son/daughter-in-law remembers the mother's teachings."

"The grandson/granddaughter-in-law remembers the grandmother's teachings."

After Song Shengfu said this, she passed away amid the crying of her children and grandchildren.

Madam Duan's funeral was rather frugal, yet mourners came one after another.

Those high-ranking officials and nobles who were related to the emperor came early to attend the funeral, and female students and teachers near the capital also rushed to pay their respects.

Many common people and students far away from home, upon hearing the news of Madam Duan's death, spontaneously knelt in front of their homes to pay tribute.

"Mom, who are we offering paper money to?"

A little girl knelt beside her mother, asking her questions in a confused manner, her hands moving without stopping for a moment as her mother did.

The yellow paper was blown into the air by the hot brazier. After the woman reverently threw the last piece of yellow paper into the brazier, she stopped her daughter from leaning against her.

With tears in her eyes, she touched the little ball on her daughter's head.

"Sisi, remember this old lady is our great benefactor. You must remember her name for the rest of your life."

"Old lady? What's her name?"

"Her, her name is Song Shengfu."

——End of text