Liang Xiao said without hesitation, "I have returned from the divine realm, but it is all the people of Da Qian, including you and me, who have truly saved this land, not me alone. As long as the spirit of this land is passed down through generations, even without me, there will surely be another sage in the future to lead the people of this land to create a new world, divide the land among the people, lead by example, and treat everyone as fairly as possible..."
"Is this the beautiful scene you saw from the divine realm? It truly makes one long for it..." Zhuo Zifang exclaimed.
"Lord Zhuo, this land will continue to develop in the future, even surpassing the divine realm!" Liang Xiao declared resolutely.
"Of course, it is because of you, Liang Xiao, that I have such deep conviction," Zhuo Zifang said with a smile, then suddenly burst into tears like a child.
"Do you know what my feelings were when I first read 'Who among men has not died since ancient times, yet their loyal hearts will shine in history,' and then 'Heaven and Earth possess a righteous spirit, endowed with diverse forms'?"
"Lord Zhuo is finally willing to tell me," Liang Xiao sighed.
"You could have guessed it more or less," Zhuo Zifang mumbled to himself as he spoke.
"It was an unprecedented shock, a surprise that I could believe without a doubt. I then recalled 'How can the common folk live on foraging firewood and thatch,' and at that moment, I foresaw that someone would finally be able to save this land..."
"However, I was so afraid that you would be a mere flash in the pan, very afraid... I feared you would later become mediocre, or perhaps give up due to the immense pressure of public opinion. Therefore, from that moment on, I was determined to make you understand that no matter what the world did to you, there would be someone who trusted you unconditionally, supported you, and gave you their all to the best of their ability..."
"That's why I believed that Xiao Yun would also fall in love with you, understand you, and that you could bring her happiness. But my actions neglected her feelings, leading to her extreme resistance, and now there is no longer any possibility between you. She has her own resolve... But even if time could go back, I would still try to bring you two together, just not so hastily."
The more Liang Xiao listened, the more grief-stricken he became. He vowed, "I understand her feelings. At the very least, I will find an opportunity to request, after her passing, that she be buried in my Liang family's ancestral grave as my wife. No matter when she changes her mind, even in her twilight years, I, Liang Xiao, am still willing to marry her, treating her as I treat Qingxue and the others. How about that?"
"As long as you feel it is appropriate, but neither you nor I should force her any longer," Zhuo Zifang said with relief.
Liang Xiao immediately agreed.
The old and the young finally felt a burden lifted.
"Thank you, Liang Xiao," Zhuo Zifang finally smiled through his tears.
"It is I who should thank you, Lord Zhuo. Without your introduction, without your praise to Shuang'er, my path ahead would have been exceptionally difficult."
"Everything you possess today is due to your own abilities. I thank you, both for myself and for this land," Zhuo Zifang sighed.
Liang Xiao nodded silently, deeply moved.
The elder before him, on the verge of death, still thought of him and the common people.
Zhuo Zifang mused, "Liang Xiao, after I die, will my soul also take a journey to the divine realm? I truly wish to see it..."
Liang Xiao replied, "Perhaps it will... But I hope even more that if humans truly have souls and reincarnate, then in the future, the reincarnated Lord Zhuo and I will see our land prosper and become the world we both dreamed of!"
Zhuo Zifang's eyes lit up. "Yes! Why should I envy the divine realm? Where you are is the divine realm... I only regret being born a few decades earlier, and not being able to accompany you for longer."
Hearing him speak so much about himself, Liang Xiao felt even more sorrowful but managed to calm himself and agree.
"The future of Da Qian is left to you young people."
"Perhaps, after a thousand or a hundred years, we will meet again. By then, I hope we will be of the same age, drinking together, and truly enjoying a prosperous and peaceful era. Just as you said, the people will have free education, healthcare, and housing. A family of five can easily support themselves with just one working member, and even have surplus wealth, and no one will have to worry about being trampled upon..."
Liang Xiao responded earnestly to every word Zhuo Zifang spoke, watching a satisfied smile bloom on his emaciated face.
"Liang Xiao, it's a bit cold outside," Zhuo Zifang murmured.
Liang Xiao was startled and immediately covered Zhuo Zifang with the quilt and closed the window.
"Liang Xiao, in the future, take care of your health, don't overwork yourself, and get plenty of rest."
"I will live to be a hundred years old, Lord Zhuo."
"That's good," Zhuo Zifang nodded slightly.
After a long silence, everyone received Liang Xiao's notification and entered to visit.
"This old official thanks Your Majesty," Zhuo Zifang said gratefully.
Xiao Qing said mournfully, "It is I who should be thanking you. It was you who brought him before me, and it was you who made me trust him implicitly... All the people of Da Qian should thank you! I understand that even at your final moment, you would not forget propriety. But I sincerely hope you can cast aside restraint and have a good talk with him."
After Zhuo Zifang thanked her, he gripped Liang Xiao's hand and, after a moment of hesitation, instructed, "My only request is that after I am gone, you must not be sad for too long. You must smile again quickly, because meeting Liang Xiao in this life has made me truly content. Liang Xiao, I know this is difficult, but I still hope you can send me off with smiles... Smile, smile..."
Everyone tried to smile, watching as Zhuo Zifang's eyes slowly closed.
"Da Qian shall not perish, the Qian clan shall live forever..."
Under the sorrowful gaze of everyone, Zhuo Zifang murmured these final words, his hand, which had been held by Liang Xiao, slipped from Liang Xiao's grasp, and he was still.
"Lord Zhuo?" Liang Xiao cried urgently.
"Lord Zhuo!"
"Lord Zhuo... Lord Zhuo..."
Liang Xiao knelt by Zhuo Zifang's bedside, calling out repeatedly until he collapsed into heartbroken sobs.
"Amitabha..." Hong Xiu, his former comrade-in-arms, recited scriptures for Zhuo Zifang at the scene.
This elder, who had shared laughter and jokes with him, had finally passed away.
On this day, the entire Zhuo residence was engulfed in grief, and the people of the capital spontaneously held a funeral procession for Zhuo Zifang.
"By the Mandate of Heaven, Emperor decrees: The late Minister of Personnel, Marquis Zhuo Gongzi Fang, possessed great integrity from a young age, unmoved by wealth or poverty, praise or slander, joy or sorrow, yet he harbored grand ambitions for the empire. With the talent of a royal advisor and the bearing of a renowned general, he served with utmost loyalty and dedication, doing all that was possible. Thus, he was promoted from a minor official to a remonstrance minister, offering sharp and honest counsel, proposing wise reforms. Though his position could be dismissed, his righteousness was unyielding, and he paved the way for upright individuals throughout the land.
Later, he aided the southern regions during disaster, defended the western borders against rebels, assisted in governance, and advised on state affairs. With grand strategies and far-reaching plans, guided by benevolence and righteousness, he pondered day and night, submitting detailed and earnest proposals. His aspiration was to benefit all under heaven and subdue the barbarian lands, ensuring the foundation of Da Qian would be unshakeable for ten thousand generations.
Upon hearing of the passing of this venerable sage, the entire nation is in mourning. The deceased has ascended to the divine realm; the living should find solace and adapt. In accordance with ritual laws, I decree his posthumous title to be 'Wenzheng,' and he shall be posthumously honored as Grand Tutor and Marquis of the State of Zhen. His family shall be bestowed with ten thousand taels of gold in recognition of his merits. Respect this decree."