One Lifetime Is Never Enough

1.103 Accompanying You Forever, Once More

The other person who had been ailing lately was the Mother of the Nation - the Empress herself.

In her grief for losing her eldest son, she had been refusing to see anyone, even the Emperor himself.

At times when he forced his way into her Inner Palace, she was staring blankly outside the window, fresh trails of tears not yet dried on her cheeks.

Her expression was harrowing, her cheeks were sunken.

The Emperor decided to abdicate roughly one year after the Crown Prince's death.

He had lost his eldest son, and he certainly did not want to lose his Empress.

As soon as he announced his decision to his ministers, he wrote an edict, elevating the Second Prince to be the new Crown Prince.

Second Prince - now Crown Prince Zhang JunLi was to be the next Emperor.

He disbanded his harem, sending his concubines and his other children to independent estates around Da Lang and many of the Empire's smaller towns, making sure they had enough compensation to live the remaining of their lives in comfort.

Whether they really did live their lives in comfort later on, was outside his control.

Almost at the same time when he announced his impending abdication, JingHan returned to Da Lang, accompanied by a small band of Jing warriors.

He brought little JingXiang along and turned up at Ji clan's estate.

This time, he begged for Ji SongLi to take JingXiang into the clan.

The Northern Plains was no longer a suitable place for JingXiang to grow up. There was no more family left for the little boy who had become just a shadow of his past cheerful self.

The Northern Plains' kingdom was too full of his memories of his parents, causing JingXiang to be unable to sleep, smile, and laugh. He hardly ate either. No songs or coaxing could ever emit joy from the little boy anymore.

When JingHan and JingXiang arrived at the Ji clan's estate, the previously chubby little boy was little more than skin and bones.

Ji SongLi accepted JingHan's request.

From then on, JingXiang was also called Ji Xiang, and Ji SongLi put him on the Ji clan's direct lineage, adopting him as his own son.

Every day, the pair of father and son would chat to the sky - relaying messages to the wind, hoping it would carry their words to Ji Xiang's real parents.

Also everyday, they would sit together, in front of the sole mound at SongLi's backyard.

Ji Xiang was the only other person allowed to access the backyard, where he would talk about anything and everything to his now-step mother - his beloved Aunt YuLan.

Ji Xiang's two eagles stayed with him, accompanying him to adulthood.

As Ji Xiang slowly grew up showered with love from the Ji family, he finally learnt. to smile once more. However, he could not help but to feel forlorn for his step father.

His grandmothers - Wu JianRui and Hai FenChu, but in particular the latter - spoiled Ji Xiang to no end, never leaving him wanting for nothing.

It was as if she was using him as a replacement for the daughter she had lost. But Ji Xiang learnt to understand everyone's grief and was more than happy to always accompany her. After all, it was also his own painful memory. In their past grief, and their attempt to move on, they could only be understanding towards each other and comfort each other's healing hearts.