Yi Qing took off Baozi's clothes and covered him with the quilt. Then she lay down beside him fully dressed and stroked his head. "Go to sleep quickly."
"Mother, I'm scared."
"Yeah, what are you scared of?"
Baozi looked at Yi Qing with his bright black eyes, his look showing lingering fear. "Mother, if I had died today, would I never have seen you again?"
Yi Qing didn't expect him to ask this question. Meeting his innocent eyes, she replied after a while, "Yes."
"Yi Qing! Don't scare him. He's still a child!" Xiao Tian disapproved.
"Death is an unavoidable issue," Yi Qing said calmly.
She reached out and stroked Baozi's head. "Once you're dead, you won't see anyone again. So we should live well and cherish our own lives. Do you understand?"
Baozi nodded half - understandably.
"Mother will protect you well, and you'll protect mother when you grow up," Yi Qing said softly, her voice like the gurgling spring water in a deserted mountain. "No matter what difficulties you encounter in the future, even if you're despised, insulted, or blamed by thousands of people... you should understand that your life belongs to you. Death is the easiest choice, but only those who choose to live a difficult life can have the last laugh."
Baozi thought for a while and then said, "Is it like my father?"
Xiao Tian was stunned, and then heard Baozi say clearly, "It's like my father. Even though he wasn't accepted by the world, he still became a hero and finally died on the battlefield. Just as mother said, he died heroically, his death being as weighty as Mount Tai. Right?"
"Right," Yi Qing said, gratified. "This is another issue about life and death. Life is important, but there are always some things more important than life. Such as faith and responsibility..."
"Mother, what are faith and responsibility?"
"Faith and responsibility... Well, your father was a general. Defending the territory and the people of the world was his faith and responsibility. Every inch of the country's land was won with blood. To protect the Central Plains and the country, he could only advance, not retreat, even if it meant death. And for mother, as a doctor, when many innocent people are facing illness and death, no matter how dangerous it is, mother has to rush forward. This is mother's faith and responsibility."
"Mother, then you're my faith and responsibility," Baozi said loudly. "I'll protect mother. It's more important than protecting my own life."
Yi Qing didn't expect him to say this. She hugged him tightly. "Good. Thank you, son. Actually, mother hopes that you'll always value your own life no matter what. Protect yourself for those who love you. But when you decide to risk your life for faith and responsibility, don't worry about mother. Mother will support your choice."
These words were still a bit too profound for Baozi, so he nodded half - understandably. "I'll listen to mother. I'll listen to whatever mother says."
Yi Qing couldn't help but smile.
Hearing the mother - son conversation, Xiao Tian was deeply touched.
Everyone praised Baozi as a young genius, but they didn't know that there was such a perceptive and profound mother guiding him.
The Yi Qing in his impression was aggressive, sharp, calm, and inhumane. However, this scene of the mother - son bedside talk made him have a new understanding of Yi Qing.
— She could be so soft, delicate, gentle, and equal. But behind this gentleness, there was the clearest and calmest advice — sacrificing one's life for righteousness should be like this.
Xiao Tian suddenly envied Baozi very much. He also understood why, even though Baozi had lacked a father since childhood, he could still grow up to be so excellent and kind - hearted.
Maternal love was a permanent lack in Xiao Tian's life.
Once he thought that this lack no longer existed when he became independent. But tonight, Yi Qing made him realize that it was a permanent lack that could never be made up for.
"Xiao Tian?" Yi Qing called out but got no response, so she called out again.
"Yeah." This time Xiao Tian finally answered.
Yi Qing waited for a long time but didn't see him move. She rolled her eyes and repeated, "Put out the candle. Baozi is asleep."
"Yeah." Xiao Tian blew out the candle and lay down fully dressed. The hot - water bag at his feet continuously sent out heat, making him feel a bit hot and restless.
I don't know how long it had passed when Yi Qing slowly said, "Xiao Tian, are you asleep?"
"No."
"Who do you think would have tried to harm Baozi? Who are we standing in the way of?" Yi Qing couldn't help asking.
"I don't have any clues either," Xiao Tian said truthfully. "But I think there seems to be some connection between the fire and the incident of Baozi's horse running wild."
It turned out that he wasn't the only one who had this feeling.
"Let's wait until Xu Maozhi comes," Xiao Tian said after a while.
"Yeah. Go to sleep early."
Listening to the even breathing sounds of Yi Qing and Baozi, Xiao Tian was in a turmoil. It was a long time before he finally managed to fall asleep.
The next day, when Xu Maozhi came, Xiao Tian went to greet him. He led Xu Maozhi and the people behind him to the ruins of the burned - down study. "Thank you, Lord Xu."
Xu Maozhi had a serious face and rarely smiled, so he had the nickname of "Black - faced Xu" usually.
Although he wasn't very old, he looked older, about thirty or forty years old.
Maybe because there was no woman to take care of things in the mansion, he was wearing a half - worn official robe with the cuffs almost frayed, and his stubble was blue, looking extremely old - fashioned.
Xiao Tian wasn't a person who judged people by their appearance, so he was very polite to Xu Maozhi.
Xu Maozhi wasn't polite either. He had an air of arrogance as if there was no one else around. He waved his hand, and two strong mastiffs he brought immediately stepped forward and circled around the ruins.
And his more than a dozen subordinates began to methodically check the surroundings.
"Has anyone touched the place after the fire?" Xu Maozhi asked.
"No," Xiao Tian said with a bit of pride. "Madam said it would affect your investigation, so she had it sealed off."
"She has some insight," Xu Maozhi said, crossing his arms. He seemed to glance at Xiao Tian casually. "Guard Xiao, what's your name again?"
Xiao Tian was a bit speechless. He had already introduced himself just now.
But he still patiently said it again.
"Xiao Tian. It's a good name," Xu Maozhi said. "How many years have you been with General Xiao?"
Xiao Tian lowered his eyes. "I've been with the general since I was a child."
"Then where were you when General Xiao died on the battlefield?"
This question easily made people feel the hidden malice in it.
Xiao Tian couldn't help but look up at Xu Maozhi. "What do you mean, Lord Xu?"
"Nothing. Just making small talk," Xu Maozhi said, his eyes sharp.
Xiao Tian said, "I was always by the general's side."
"Really? Then I'm very curious. What was the scene when General Xiao died? Where were you at that time?"
"What do you mean!" Xiao Tian's face darkened.
Xu Maozhi sneered. "I suspect you're related to General Xiao's death."
Hearing that Xu Maozhi had come, Yi Qing had just brought her maid out and came here when she heard Xu Maozhi's words. She immediately said loudly, "I suspect Lord Xu is just a fame - seeker."