After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times

Chapter 1159 - 1141: Departure

Zhao Hanzhang saw the three people, released Fu Tinghan’s hand, and warmly greeted them, "Your health isn’t good, the sunset is almost gone, why are you still outside in the wind?"

Fu Zhi looked at the sunset on the horizon and said, "Today’s sunset is so beautiful, it would be a pity not to see it."

Moreover, watching it one day means one less day to see it, who knows if I can see it tomorrow?

Fu Zhi looked at the clouds in the sky, his eyes full of reluctance.

Zhao Hanzhang turned her head to look for a while, and when the sunset completely dispersed, she said, "Let’s go back."

Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan squatted in the courtyard to wash their hands, cleaned the dirt from their nails, washed their feet, and even carefully brushed off the mud from their shoes. Fu Zhi watched with a smile, while Princess Hongnong looked stunned.

Fu Xuan was in a daze, he always seemed to be in his own world, even his father couldn’t enter.

As night fell, Fu Zhi lay on the bed contentedly, and said to his grandson who brought the quilt to lay at the foot of the bed, "No need to stay up, go back and have a good sleep tonight."

Fu Tinghan insisted on sleeping at the foot of the bed.

Fu Zhi gently patted his head and smiled, "You, just like your father, are stubborn."

Fu Tinghan sat cross-legged on the quilt and asked him, "Grandfather, do you have no other wishes?"

Fu Zhi shook his head gently, "The people I needed to see, I have seen; the words I needed to say, I have said. What worries me most is the people’s livelihood, but seeing you and Hanzhang, I know there is no need to worry."

He smiled with Fu Tinghan, "Although I am well-versed in ’Laozi’ and ’Zhouyi’, I have spent my life striving too hard, seeing the country fragmented, people’s lives difficult, my heart burning like fire, always at unrest. But now, I can finally say ’let nature take its course’ with peace of mind."

Fu Tinghan was stunned and asked softly, "Is it because of Hanzhang?"

Fu Zhi smiled and nodded.

In her, he saw hope for the nation, hope for the people.

No matter if the country’s name changes in the future, as long as Zhao Hanzhang remains unchanged, all the people can live ever better with hope in their hearts.

Fu Zhi fell asleep peacefully, and in twenty days, the spring wheat could be harvested, followed by soybeans, and then rice. Yongzhou was no longer a barren land, the people had seeds to plant, and wouldn’t face marauders and bandits during harvest, having to pay only half as land rent, the rest they could keep. Perhaps this year they could have a good year?

Last year, they suffered too much, and even in the past few years, they suffered too much and so many left. After this year, those wandering outside should return?

Yongzhou was exempt from more taxes than other provinces.

It doesn’t matter if they don’t return, as long as the people inside Yongzhou can settle down, with new children being born, it will eventually thrive again...

In his sleep, Fu Tinghan woke with a start, it seemed like he hadn’t heard Fu Zhi turn over for a long time, he listened carefully, and it seemed like there was no breathing.

The thought flashed, and he hurriedly got up with trembling hands to check for breathing, nothing!

In a panic, Fu Tinghan hurriedly reached for his neck, it was still warm, but there was no heartbeat at all.

He quickly kicked off the quilt, climbed onto the bed, shouted "Hanzhang" to the outside, then lifted his quilt and, with trembling hands, undid his clothes and began performing CPR.

Upon hearing the noise, Zhao Hanzhang sat up from the bed, kicked off the quilt, and ran over, not even wearing shoes.

Seeing Fu Tinghan kneeling on the bed performing CPR on Fu Zhi, while having people call the Imperial Physician, she stepped forward to help, but when she felt Fu Zhi’s cold and stiff hands, she knew it was useless.

Zhao Hanzhang’s face turned very bleak, she knew there wasn’t much time left, but didn’t expect it to be so fast.

Suppressing the bitterness in her heart and the choke in her throat, she grabbed Fu Tinghan’s arm and said, "It’s no use, come down."

Fu Tinghan’s hands kept pressing, gasping as he said, "I’ll try again, his body was still warm, I felt it just now."

Zhao Hanzhang did not stop Fu Tinghan, everyone at the post station was awake, Princess Hongnong and Fu Xuan ran over, seeing Fu Tinghan pressing and hitting Fu Zhi, their faces changed dramatically, "What are you doing, Dalang?"

Princess Hongnong rushed forward to stop him, Zhao Hanzhang held back her tears, reached out to stop her and said, "Ting Han is saving Grandfather."

Seeing the Imperial Physician arriving urgently, she stepped aside to let the Imperial Physician approach.

The Imperial Physician was used to this kind of rescue method, now it was also a necessary skill for the officials in the Imperial Hospital.

But...no matter how miraculous it is, it can only possibly save someone whose heartbeat has just stopped. As soon as the Imperial Physician touched Fu Zhi’s hand and pulse, he stopped Fu Tinghan from pressing further, saying softly, "Governor Fu has already passed."

Seeing Fu Tinghan persevere, he could only say, "It’s been a while."

Fu Tinghan stopped, panting, staring blankly at the person lying on the bed, muttering, "But I just felt his neck was warm, really warm, I didn’t feel wrong."

The Imperial Physician said nothing, just sighed.

Fu Tinghan and Zhao Hanzhang both knew medical principles; they just couldn’t accept it for a moment, so they didn’t think about it.

The Imperial Physician’s sigh brought Fu Tinghan back to his senses, and he slowly got off the bed.

Zhao Hanzhang supported him, and the two retreated to the side.

Princess Hongnong couldn’t hold back and cried out, kneeling in front of the bed, crying uncontrollably.

On the other hand, Fu Xuan remained calm, turning to Si Bo who had arrived, saying, "Bring father’s shroud."

Si Bo wiped his tears and went to search.

Tears silently dripped onto the back of Fu Tinghan’s hand, he turned his head away, not wanting people to see his eyes, yet he still went to comfort Princess Hongnong, "Grandfather passed very peacefully."

The Imperial Physician also said, "Yes, Governor Fu had a peaceful expression, even smiling, he didn’t suffer when he left."

Princess Hongnong felt a bit better at heart.

She didn’t quite like Fu Xuan, but greatly respected Fu Zhi as a father-in-law. In her life, her father wasn’t like a father, her mother wasn’t like a mother, her husband wasn’t like a husband, her son wasn’t like a son—only her father-in-law always took care of her like a father.

One could say that Princess Hongnong was the most unable to accept Fu Zhi’s passing.

Even though everyone was already psychologically prepared, she still couldn’t quite accept it.

Princess Hongnong knelt in front of the bed and cried for a long time. In the end, Zhao Hanzhang helped her out because Fu Xuan and Fu Tinghan needed to change Fu Zhi into his shroud.

Zhao Hanzhang arranged Princess Hongnong to sit on a chair, then went to prepare for the funeral.

Fu Zhi had a coffin. When he went to Chang’an to express his resolve to stay and suffer with the people, he had a coffin carried into Chang’an.

Because of this, when he entered Chang’an, he immediately won the people’s hearts, and even Prince Nanyang did not dare openly oppose him.

This time, when Princess Hongnong and Fu Xuan went to fetch him, fearing something might happen to him on the road, they brought the coffin along, and that coffin belonged to Fu Zhi, having accompanied him for so many years, it indeed held sentiment.

Zhao Hanzhang had the coffin carried over and prepared the items needed inside. Once she stopped to think, she truly realized that Fu Zhi was really gone.