Hua Xiong had not finished speaking when Su Wanqing covered her face and wept, overcome with grief.
Mu Cheng smiled and said, "I have always turned misfortune into fortune. With proper recuperation, I will surely recover."
"The condensed blood gathers within and does not disperse, the bodily fluids are sluggish and seeping, clinging and refusing to leave, and thus accumulations form... You truly should recuperate well."
As Hua Xiong finished speaking, Mu Cheng began to cough violently.
Liang Xiao peered closely at the handkerchief. Seeing blood in the phlegm, his heart gave a jolt.
Bloody phlegm, chest tightness, shortness of breath, poor appetite, fatigue, emaciation...
These symptoms bore a striking resemblance to lung cancer.
Due to their respect for the deceased, ancient people rarely dissected corpses, and thus research into cancer was limited.
Liang Xiao was not a medical professional and could only make judgments based on his own knowledge. He could not systematically explain modern medical knowledge to Hua Xiong, who had already shown remarkable insight in recognizing the symptoms of lung cancer.
An incurable disease...
At this moment, Liang Xiao finally understood. Mu Cheng seemed to have realized that his time was likely running out, and was thus urgently arranging his affairs.
The Li family, the Chess Sage, the Yue family... For all those who had shown kindness to Mu Cheng or remained loyal to the imperial court, Mu Cheng wished to prepare a safe haven for them, lest they be persecuted by the new emperor.
As for Cheng Qing, a Right Chancellor who supported the imperial court and was adept at navigating all factions, he would not face immediate danger; at worst, he would retire to his hometown.
"Uncle, you should engage in appropriate exercise, take more walks, and maintain a positive and optimistic mindset..."
Liang Xiao could only offer suitable advice to Mu Cheng based on his understanding of lung cancer.
Both for public and private reasons, he could not stand idly by.
Mu Cheng simply agreed with a smile.
Liang Xiao then said, "Uncle, the matters you wish to entrust to me, we can discuss them now. As for the matter of the Zhenbei Marquis, I will attend to it later."
Mu Cheng shook his head. "With my full assistance, if you cannot even handle one Zhenbei Marquis, how can I believe you are capable of helping me?"
Liang Xiao remained silent.
After Liang Xiao and the other departed, Mu Cheng began to comfort Su Wanqing, who was still weeping.
"Your Majesty, your concubine..."
Before Su Wanqing could speak, Mu Cheng interrupted her.
"No need to say more, I understand your feelings. You are Su Wanqing, and you are my Consort Su. Beyond that, you are nothing else."
Sensing Mu Cheng's comfort, Su Wanqing simply nodded with tears in her eyes. They understood each other without the need for words.
"Marquis Anguo, this Emperor of Great Liang's lifespan is likely limited to... at most five years, and at least a year or two."
In the carriage, Hua Xiong's face was grave.
Liang Xiao merely nodded and sighed.
He owed Mu Cheng a favor, and Mu Cheng was his father's sworn brother. Yet, he was powerless to stop Mu Cheng's health from deteriorating day by day.
Now, his duty was to consider how to protect Qin Feng's family and Su Wanqing and her son in the future.
If all went as expected, chaos would engulf Great Liang after Mu Cheng's death.
At that time, everyone would likely be like rootless duckweed.
However, what truly pressed him was the matter of Zuo Wuji.
No matter what Mu Cheng entrusted him with, he had to give his utmost effort.
Having lost his father in his youth, his uncle Liang Dingguo, who had doted on him, had also tragically died at Helan Mountain. Mu Cheng had made him feel the warmth of paternal care once again.
Zuo Wuji, currently at the Yue residence, also received news that the Li family and the Chess Sage would be returning to visit Great Gan as part of an envoy, and his brow furrowed.
He had witnessed Mu Cheng cough, and once even spat blood.
At this moment, Zuo Wuji had a sudden realization: Mu Cheng was not merely helping Liang Xiao suppress him; was he genuinely concerned about not being able to protect these loyal families if he died too soon?
Upon understanding this, Zuo Wuji felt consumed by inner turmoil.
Seek refuge with Liang Xiao? Absolutely not!
Seek refuge with the aristocratic families? He believed Mu Cheng had no reason to betray him. Even if the aristocratic families were friendly with him in the short term, they would surely not spare him in the future. They would likely devour his military power and assets, and then abandon him.
"First, I must firmly control the fifty thousand Zhenbei Army. Then, I will gauge Qin Feng's attitude. Perhaps I can form an alliance with him!" Zuo Wuji decided, his mind suddenly clear.
To him, among all the civil and military officials, only Qin Feng was truly reliable.
At this time, Qin Feng was still at the Zhenguo Marquis's residence, his brow deeply furrowed.
He and Zhi Rou were acutely aware of Mu Cheng's condition. Whether Mu Cheng could live for another three to five years was uncertain.
"Father Emperor wants you to remain impartial and steady. We must first ensure the safety of Consort Su and her son," Zhi Rou sighed.
Qin Feng merely nodded silently, his heart heavy and filled with unwillingness.
To him, Mu Cheng was a loving father. They had worked tirelessly together to expand the territory of Great Liang. Would the future of Great Liang truly disintegrate with Mu Cheng's departure?
The entire Li family was busy making arrangements, searching for buyers for their land and preparing to accept the imperial decree to travel to Great Gan.
The Chess Sage, accompanied by Li Xin, also arrived at the Li family residence to understand the situation.
The family head, Li You, looked at the Chess Sage and smiled bitterly. "Esteemed relative by marriage, isn't the scale of this return visit too exaggerated? The Li family has over a hundred members in our clan alone..."
Li Xin quickly said, "If we are to go, so be it! Our family is loyal to His Majesty, and His Majesty will surely not let us suffer!"
"Look at how happy you are!" Li Shiheng couldn't help but glare at Li Xin. "You are happy, oh, you have another chance to see Marquis Anguo... Have you considered that by going, our family will essentially abandon our roots in Great Liang? Whether His Majesty allows us to stay in Great Gan or return to Great Liang, we will have to start all over again!"
Li Xin then blushed and lowered her head, not daring to respond.
Her grandfather and father held important positions in the court. With this mission, even if they could retain their official posts, they would have no opportunity to cultivate their official connections for the time being.
The Chess Sage also sighed, "This old woman feels that it is because of Marquis Anguo that His Majesty is so kind to him. It is likely to compensate for the regrets concerning the King of the North."
Everyone felt a sense of helplessness.
Few people enjoyed being uprooted from their homeland, let alone such prominent aristocratic families.
However, Liang Xiao had truly earned their respect, especially after learning about his understanding of chess and his skill in the game.
They believed that since Liang Xiao could treat Zhuo Yun, who had obstinately caused him embarrassment, with kindness, he would surely treat the Li family with kindness as well!
News of the Li family selling their land and pre-selling their properties quickly spread throughout the city, attracting the attention of major aristocratic families.
Yan Liu convened a meeting overnight with many, including the Dong family, to discuss the matter.
"It's good that the Li family is leaving; they will be one less stumbling block in the future! But the truly difficult ones to deal with are Qin Feng and Yue Da Liang!" Dong Chen's face was grim, clearly in a very bad mood.
During Liang Xiao's stay in Great Liang, they had been cautious, fearing the same fate as the aristocratic families of Great Gan.
Even gods and Buddhas have their tempers, let alone the proud aristocratic families of Great Liang who were accustomed to their lofty status!
Yan Liu smiled enigmatically. "Qin Xun is currently drafting some damaging information about Qin Feng. He was once Qin Feng's page and can serve as a witness, making the content more persuasive. He discovered that Qin Feng had secretly hidden a considerable amount of gold, all buried in the ground beneath the treasury. Once the foolish Emperor dies and the new Emperor ascends the throne, you all understand."