Chu Qingmeng had been taking her medicine on time lately; she wanted to get well quickly so she could see him off to war. Time flew by, and soon it was the eve of their departure. Concubine Liu emerged from the ancestral hall, babbling with reluctance to part. For the rest of her days, she asked for nothing more than the safety and peace of her three sons; she no longer had the energy to care about anything else. Yet now two of her sons were heading to the battlefield, and her heart was ill at ease. She had prepared everything she could possibly think of for them to take along. All day long she fussed over them with endless instructions, so it was only by evening that the two men managed to slip away to bid farewell to Chu Qingmeng and Mu Lingxue.
Chu Qingmeng's injuries had healed a great deal. Since morning, she had been sitting in the veranda waiting for Mo Liujin. Chunhe and Xiazhi took turns trying to persuade her to go back inside, but Chu Qingmeng was unmoved. She felt that only the cold could keep her mind clear, for her heart was in a state of utter panic. All day she had only drunk some water and could not stomach a single bite of food.
Finally, just before dinner, Mo Liujin arrived. Seeing her sitting out in the veranda, he hurried forward in two strides, helped her to her feet, and brought her inside to the daybed. Frowning, he asked, "On such a cold day, why were you sitting outside?"
Chapter 57