"I will depart for Nanming tomorrow."
Seeing Feng Jinrui enter, Feng Yexuan put down his book and looked at him.
"You stay at home and take good care of Mother. Her health... is not good. Don't make her angry."
Feng Yexuan did not want to say the words "time is short."
Mother had lived a life of unbearable suffering. As a son, his greatest wish was to allow her to enjoy her twilight years.
But Mother's body had become so critically ill, this wish would ultimately be in vain.
He could only ensure that Mother lived her days contentedly while she was still alive.
Otherwise, if Mother were to pass away, he would never forgive himself.
Feng Jinrui's palm, hidden in his sleeve, instinctively tightened.
Mother's health...
"Brother, actually, Mother..."
Feng Jinrui opened his mouth, wanting to speak but stopping, the words caught in his throat, unsure how to utter them.
Feng Yexuan seemed not to notice his unease. He got off the bed, walked behind the desk, and opened a hidden compartment.
From within, he took out a book.
"When the Ninth Prince left, he gave me two books, one the Vajra Sutra, and the other the Marrow Cleansing Scripture."
He handed the book in his hand to Feng Jinrui.
"I gave the Marrow Cleansing Scripture to her. This Vajra Sutra is suitable for you."
"Brother!" Feng Jinrui's heart sank, and suddenly, he felt a surge of panic. "Brother, I... I don't want it."
For some reason, he suddenly had a very bad premonition.
The two scriptures might not amount to much.
But these two scriptures were given to him by the Ninth Prince, and his elder brother had always cherished them.
Now, both scriptures were to be given to them... his heart felt inexplicably uneasy.
"Brother, are you really going to the Nanming Imperial City?"
"I haven't seen Master in a long time. It would be good to visit him while I'm at it."
Master had lived a lonely life. Although he was the Emperor, he didn't even have a friend by his side.
And he, busy with matters on the battlefield over the years, had no time to accompany him.
Was Master still playing chess alone, drinking tea alone, and admiring the moon alone, just like before?
A chill suddenly swept through Feng Yexuan's heart.
A lifetime of loneliness... how desolate it must be.
"Brother..." Feng Jinrui's nose felt a sting.
He didn't know why he felt so sad.
In short, his heart felt very uncomfortable.
"Brother, actually Mother's health..."
Suddenly, footsteps were heard from outside.
And Hua Rong's coughing.
Feng Jinrui's slender body immediately stiffened.
"Xuan'er, are you still resting?" Hua Rong's voice reached them before she arrived at the door. "If you're not resting, come out and walk with Mother."
Feng Jinrui lowered his head and stepped aside.
Feng Yexuan looked at him and said helplessly, "The suffering Mother endured in the past is unimaginable. She doesn't dislike you, but... because of that person, she can't let go of her resentment towards you for the time being."
"Give her a little more time, and she will completely accept you."
He strode towards the door.
Feng Jinrui looked at the Vajra Sutra in his hand, then at his brother's still perfect and handsome, but increasingly lonely back, his palm clenching tightly.
If he told his brother everything he had heard, would his brother feel any better?
But if he ruined all of Mother's plans, would Mother hate him even more, and be even less likely to accept him?
The Vajra Sutra trembled slightly in his hand.
His heart was also trembling.
Why did he feel so uneasy about his brother going to Nanming?
Could it be that some danger awaited his brother in Nanming?
Should he, or should he not, tell his brother the true situation of their mother?