Chapter 388 Battle
As expected, we were delayed on the road and it took six days to arrive instead of three days' journey.
The Concubine Chen saved the emperor's life, so the emperor made a big fuss and posted a notice to look for her. Now that he has returned to the capital, he must give her enough honor.
If Chen Ji and Old Tutor Lin had not stopped him, the emperor would have gone out of the palace to greet him himself.
So on this day, led by the Minister of Rites, the Right Prime Minister and others, all the officials went to the city gate to welcome the Concubine Chen.
Civil and military officials were waiting outside the city gate. They saw the funeral procession coming from afar. Leading the procession were a dozen or so horsemen wearing plain white mourning clothes. The coffin behind them was not visible.
How could it be so big...
Didn’t the Emperor only send the eldest son of the Minister of War and the Left Vice Minister of Justice to welcome him?
Apart from these two people who can ride horses, who else can ride horses and walk in front?
The Right Prime Minister and Prince Teng were of high status. They stood in front and saw Young Master Ling and Prince Yuzhang riding on horseback. The Right Prime Minister frowned slightly and Prince Teng's eyes almost popped out.
Prince Yong and Duke Weiguo also thought they were seeing things.
Isn't that their son?
Several ministers' faces turned green.
A few days ago, their son told them excitedly that the Prince of Jingbei had received an errand and needed to leave the capital for three to five days, so he needed some help. It was only because the Prince of Yuzhang was close to them that he called them to help, so they hurried to pack their luggage.
Normally, these ministers would detain his son and not allow him to leave the capital at will. Now, his son was leaving the capital with the Prince of Jingbei and the Prince of Yuzhang. They were all non-official people, so he thought it would not be a big deal and was just for fun, so he did not take it seriously.
The result was to go to welcome the coffin of Concubine Chen...
Is it necessary to send so many people to welcome a concubine who is not even registered yet?
Even if the Empress Dowager passed away in the temporary palace, there wouldn't be such a grand ceremony to welcome her back to the capital!
The Minister of Rites' head was buzzing.
The funerals of court officials and concubines in the harem are strictly regulated, and one must remember not to overstep their bounds.
But in the face of this situation, the Minister of Rites didn't know whether he had overstepped the line or not.
Speaking of breaking the rules, although the scene looks shocking, these people are all non-official and are within the rules.
But if you say they didn't cross the line, none of these young masters from aristocratic families have a low status. They are either princes or dukes. Their status is enough to represent the family.
In the eyes of the Minister of Rites, there are only two words to describe how this matter was done:
Outrageous.
What's even more outrageous is that when the son brought the coffin of Concubine Chen back to the capital on horseback, his fathers had to kneel down to greet him.
Although the one I welcomed was not my own son, it felt so strange.
Not to mention that the Right Prime Minister and Prince Teng were feeling uncomfortable, even Young Master Ling and Prince Yuzhang who were sitting on horseback were feeling very uneasy.
It's over.
He'll definitely be severely beaten when he gets home.
All the officials knelt to welcome the Concubine Chen. After they stood up and made way, Xie Jingyu and Pei Huaijin were able to enter the city.
Um.
Riding at the front of the team were Xie Jingyu and Pei Huaijin.
It would be fine if Xie Jingyu walked in front, as this task was originally assigned to him, but how could Fourth Young Master Pei walk side by side with Prince Jingbei? In terms of status, those behind him were more qualified than him.
When they found Pei Huaijin wearing sackcloth, their eyes popped out of their sockets in shock.
Wear linen and wear filial piety.
This is what my son wears.
Neither son-in-law nor grandson needs it.
Looking at Pei Huaijin again, his eyebrows and eyes are somewhat similar to the emperor. The emperor also dreamed that Concubine Chen gave birth to a pair of children for him. Could it be that Old Master Pei’s grandson is a prince?
All the officials looked at each other, their hearts in turmoil.
The line was so long that it made the Minister of Rites feel overwhelmed.
Led by Xie Jingyu and Pei Huaijin, a dozen young masters from aristocratic families followed behind, then came the coffin of Concubine Chen, and behind them were the escorting officers and soldiers, a total of several hundred people.
Not to mention the Empress Dowager, even if the Emperor passed away, it would not be much of a scene.
Um.
Zhao Ang and the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice escorted the coffin of Concubine Chen back to the capital. The ceremony was carried out in accordance with the regulations for the imperial concubine and was quite grand.
Zhao Ang knew that Concubine Chen was Shen Wan's biological mother, Xie Jingyu's mother-in-law, and someone the emperor cared about. The more grand her funeral was, the better. However, the Imperial Concubine was the limit of his courage, and he could not have any more.
But after Xie Jingyu and his men arrived, they led the way, and there were not enough officers and soldiers following behind, so the road seemed top-heavy. The Prince of Yuzhang asked so many people to follow him, so he couldn't just not let anyone see him off when he arrived.
In addition, there were many twists and turns on the road, so Xie Jingyu made up his mind and used the token of the Jingbei Palace to mobilize two hundred officers and soldiers to escort him.
Since they are escorting someone, they must wear mourning clothes, and then the scene will be scary.
Xie Jingyu is only responsible to the emperor, as for the others...
Ignorance is no crime.
These regulations and etiquette fall under the purview of the Ministry of Rites. It's normal that they don't understand them. Besides, they don't hold any official positions. They just have more people.
More importantly, the law does not hold everyone responsible.
Even though there are only a dozen of them, the power behind them is enough to rival half of the imperial court.
Duke Song, the Left Prime Minister and others were dissatisfied, but they could only endure it.
Most of the ministers were waiting at the city gate to welcome him, while a small number, such as Shen Ji and Old Tutor Lin, were waiting with the emperor in the palace.
Pei Huaijin was seen wearing a linen robe and riding on a horse, walking in front.
The emperor's eyes turned red.
Chen Ji frowned, and after Xie Jingyu and the others dismounted, he asked, "Why did you let Huai Jin wear this outfit?"
Although it is necessary, it will alert the enemy too much.
In Shen Ji's eyes, wearing mourning clothes was far less important than Pei Huaijin's safety.
What Shen Ji asked was also what the emperor wanted to know.
Xie Jingyu replied, "When I was buying mourning clothes, I got one mixed in. I was in a hurry to return to the capital, so I didn't buy a new one. The emperor sent Huai Jin and me to meet him. He happened to be wearing sackcloth, so we just let him walk in front, pretending to be a filial son."
No one had specially arranged this matter, and Xie Jingyu could have asked someone else to replace it, but things just happened to happen like this, and Xie Jingyu couldn't bear to stop it, so he chose to let nature take its course.
All officials, "..."
The ministers who had previously guessed whether Pei Huaijin was the prince were more speechless than each other.
I don't understand why the emperor gave such a task to the Prince of Jingbei.
This is way too casual and outrageous.
Can you wear mourning clothes casually?
If anyone could be a filial son, there would be no need to attach so much importance to offspring and incense.
More importantly, people in mourning may have bad luck for three years.
It's so moldy that even drinking water gets stuck in your teeth.
Old Master Pei’s grandson was already unlucky enough, and now he has to deal with something like this. Why doesn’t the Prince of Jingbei wear it himself? Isn’t this bullying?
However, not all people who wear mourning clothes will have bad luck. If someone has good luck after wearing mourning clothes, his luck will soar to the sky and be unstoppable.
Originally, his son left the capital to welcome the coffin of Concubine Chen, but he made such a big fuss and slapped Empress Song in the face. Everyone was very angry, but with the contrast of Pei Huaijin, their anger subsided a little.
At least his son is not as stupid as the Fourth Young Master Pei.
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