Life will eventually end........and Hua Guang Ren pa.s.sed away peacefully in his sleep.

Hua Ming Zi looked at the smile on his face when he finally took his last breath and the tears swirled in her eyes but she did not let the tears slip down.  Because she knew that from now on......if she has any sufferings in her heart, if she wants to be pampered, there would be no one whom she could lean on.  She needed to straighten her back and walk on alone. 

Therefore, she washed her face, put on her veil and walked out to the main hall to start dealing with the matters relating to her Father's funeral.

Being busy was a good thing for Hua Ming Zi because there was no time for her to feel sad.  She completed the funeral of her Father within ten days.  The funeral was simple but grand and only relatives were invited without the attendance of business a.s.sociates.  She did not see Ying Yan Long again but she would always think of him even when she was busy.  After all, these few days, Ying Yan Long had sent his people over with various herbs and precious medicines and he even sent Doctor Qu over to Hua Mansion to take her pulse.

This day, after her Father was buried in the family burial grounds, everyone returned to the main hall of Hua Mansion.  Hua Ming Zi who had not spoken a word, allowed her uncles and relatives to recommend young talents or recommended themselves to her.  They also discussed that as a woman, it was inappropriate for her to appear in public and the discussions touched on various other matters.

Hua Ming Zi became impatient after listening to the talk among them and threw out a few words.  "I will only listen to the words of those who had helped me and my Father during the time my Father had the crisis."

Suddenly there was complete silence and when they noticed that no one sided with her, the relatives once again attacked her again, saying that she was arrogant and did not know what was good for her..........   It made her so angry that she dropped a sentence. 

"I will be getting married soon.  Everyone can leave now."  Then she turned around and left.

According to the customs of Dongyan, if the parents pa.s.s away, the children will have to get married within forty-nine days, otherwise, they will have to wait until three years later.

(This custom is still being practiced at present but the time frame to get married is 100 days, instead of 49 days and the custom covers for both parents and grandparents' pa.s.sing away.)

In 49 days, she has to be someone's wife.  Although she could not imagine how this matter can be done, it is something she has to do because she wants her Father to be at peace in  Heaven.  She had promised him she would get married and promised him she would have children to carry on the family line. 

Now that all her Father's matters are settled, she does not want to delay since it is not her character.

"Cui Yu, prepare a bath.  Cui Xuan, tell Steward Wu to send a Note to the Ying Family and say that I will be paying them a visit a sichen later."

She wanted to propose marriage to Ying Yan Long's younger brother and the wedding is to be be held within 49 days.

An afternoon in Autumn is always refres.h.i.+ng and pleasant.  In the west wing of the Ying Mansion, in Qingxin Courtyard, a faint tea fragrance floated in the air.  In the pavilion beside the pond, Ying Xue Wen was preparing tea for his Mother. 

"Mother........do you feel that Elder Brother is acting a bit weird recently?"  Ying Xue Wen poured the amber tea from the pot into the jade teacup and waited for the tea to cool down a little before placing the teacup beside his Mother. 

"Your Elder Brother is normally silent and doesn't speak a lot."  Song Qing Lian said.

"No, it's not that.  Whenever he looks at me, he has that murderous look in his eyes."  Ying Xue Wen s.h.i.+vered and unconsciously hugged his arms.  "I feel my scalp tingles every time he looks at me.  But recently even though I had not left the house, he still glares at me.  What does it mean?"

Song Qing Lian burst into laughter and patted her son's head.  "You don't do any serious work all day long and your Elder Brother is worried for you.  So naturally, he will look harshly at you."

"What do you mean I don't do any serious work?  I keep you company every day."  Ying Xue Wen poured himself a cup of tea and took a sip of the tea with a fragrance of honey.  "This is certainly a good tea."

"That's because you are forbidden to go out by your Brother otherwise, will you find time to accompany Mother?  With those red-powder confidants of yours around, you already don't have enough time to spare."  A flash of helplessness flashed across Song Qing Lian's face.  "You, ah........even if you want to play, there is also a limit."

"Yes, I love to play but I am not stupid.  I know those red-powder confidants* only want money so they work as red-powder confidants.  It's not that I don't want to do anything but it is just that Elder Brother's medicine is too complicated and I'm not as patient and as smart as he is.  I'm also looking for something I want to do."  Ying Xue Wen put down the jade teacup and his handsome eyebrows knotted together.

(Red-powder confidants are the ladies that work in the entertainment houses.)

"Did your Elder Brother mention about your marriage with Hua Ming Zi again?" Asked Song Qing Lian.

"Shsssh.......lower your voice!  In case, Elder Brother hears you mention this and remembers this matter, then it will spell misfortune for me."

Ying Xue Wen widened his eyes, lowered his voice and worriedly looked left and right.

When Song Qing Lian saw his fearful face, she could not help but laugh loudly and said.  "What is not good about Hua Dangjia?  It's not easy for a woman to set up a business and make a name for herself."

"I know it's not easy.  But the woman's wrist is so powerful and most probably she has a green face with fangs, tiger's arms, and bear's waist........."   Ying Xue Wen immediately stopped talking when his Mother threw him a stern glance.

"Can beauty be consumed as food?   If Hua Dangjia did not have the talent and ability, the Hua Family would have collapsed long ago.  Our Ying Family depends on your Elder Brother to carry on this family business, so we should even be more appreciative of Hua Dangjia."

When Ying Xue Wen heard his Mother, his eyes instantly became red.  He lowered his head and for a long time, he did not speak.  "I know that everything in the family depends on my Elder Brother.  I can't do anything well and I am just a parasite.  However, my wife is the person I will have to face for the rest of my life.  Can't I even say something?"

Song Qing Lian let out a sigh and stroked his head.  "You know your Elder Brother's character.  If he thinks that the decision made by others is not as good as his, no one can persuade him.  If you don't want him to decide on your marriage, then you have to find something you can do well and do something long-term.  Don't make him worry about you.  Otherwise, if I and your Elder Brother, both of us leave a step ahead of you, who will protect you for the rest of your life?" 

When Ying Xue Wen heard this, his eyes became even redder but he absolutely refused to think about this, so he grabbed hold of his Mother's arm and said in a pampered voice.  "In any case, Mother and Elder Brother will be with me for the rest of my life.  Even if the sky is to collapse there will still be Elder Brother." 

Song Qing Lian looked at his smiling face and instantly her face turned cold.

That year, when she gave birth to her younger son, she almost died during childbirth.  Although after nursing back to health, she did not have any problem, her younger son, Xue Wen, who was brought up by his grandparents, was already spoilt rotten.  She finally understood the painstaking effort of Ying Yan Long.  Initially, she had hoped Xue Wen would show some mental development, but now it looks hopeless.  Thinking about this, there is only one way to protect him.

"Go and inform your Elder Brother that I agree with the marriage between you and Hua Ming Zi.  Tell him to send someone to propose marriage as soon as possible."  Song Qing Lian said.

"Mother!"  Ying Xue Wen immediately stood up and his face turned pale.

"Go."  Song Qing Lian said softly.

"I don't want!"  Ying Xue Wen shouted loudly.

"If you don't go, then in future, don't call me Mother!"  She turned her face away and did not look at him.

"Mother!"  He became anxious and with red eyes, he pulled his Mother's sleeve.

"I don't have a child who is disobedient!"  She stood up and walked into the house.

"You hate me!  You are partial to Elder Brother!  It's just because I am useless, ignorant and incompetent!"  After he shouted those words, he turned and left Qingxin Courtyard.

It is not that he had not tried to work hard.  He had even challenged those medical books and the herbal records but those drawings and medicine names.......he could not even remember a single word.  He had tried to memorize the names and then when he went to the next name, he had forgotten the first one.  He did not just work hard once, but he had spent numerous days and nights to memorize those records but he really could not remember them.......really, really could not remember them!