On the fifth day of the third month of the forty-seventh year of the Qianlong reign, the Qianlong Emperor passed away in the Hall of Mental Cultivation at the age of seventy-two.
Compared to his recorded age in history, Hongli passed away rather early this time.
However, this is quite normal. After all, Emperor Qianlong was prone to all sorts of self-destructive behavior in his later years, and no one could stop him. It would be strange if he lived to such an advanced age in history.
Chen Yuwei sat on the couch, listening to the heartbreaking cries of everyone around her, and tears streamed down her face involuntarily.
Like a conditioned reflex, Chen Yuwei had been waiting for this day for far too long.
When that day finally arrived, she felt a strange sense of loss.
The system sharply criticized this, saying that those who haven't experienced much hardship are speaking without a care in the world.
Chen Yuwei: ...
Alright, the system wasn't wrong. Hongli died too easily, without causing any trouble for her, which made Chen Yuwei, who was already prepared, feel much more at ease.
Despite this, Chen Yuwei felt more excited than sad.
After all, Hongli can only be considered a passerby in Chen Yuwei's mission career.
What's past is past, and it has no impact on Chen Yuwei.
Since she's unlikely to meet Hongli anyway, Chen Yuwei is already grateful that he has a place in her heart. The most likely scenario is that the memory of completing the mission will be sealed in her mind, and she'll occasionally recall it in her spare time. However, this is unlikely to happen.
"Your Majesty, the palace and the court still depend on you. You must take care of your health."
Seeing that her master was crying so sadly, Xingkui had no choice but to speak up and quietly comfort her.
Chen Yuwei looked at Xingkui through teary eyes, and finally nodded, "I understand. Have you informed Yonghu and the others? How is the Imperial Household Department doing?"
The funeral rites for emperors were far more elaborate than those for other members of the imperial harem.
Moreover, there is the new emperor's enthronement ceremony to follow, and if nothing unexpected happens, the court and the harem will be busy with these two events this month.
Of course, the dead cannot compare to the living. Chen Yuwei didn't need to explain too much; the Imperial Household Department knew exactly where to focus their efforts.
"Your Majesty, everything is ready. Now we await the ministers to retrieve the imperial edict of succession left by the Emperor from behind the 'Upright and Bright' plaque and read it aloud to the public."
Xingkui's words reminded Chen Yuwei, and she didn't care that there were still tears on her face. "Go, invite all the ministers to come and discuss this matter immediately. A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. This matter must be handled well."
Everything else can be postponed, but the imperial edict for the coronation must be finalized.
However, since the Emperor could not choose anyone else besides Mianjin, Chen Yuwei was able to remain calm.
Soon, Xingkui brought the minister who had been weeping at the door to Chen Yuwei.
Chen Yuwei didn't say anything, but she mentioned the Emperor twice while crying. Some shrewd courtiers immediately understood that this was an insinuation about her ascension to the throne.
What are we waiting for? We definitely have to announce it on the spot.
Instruct Gao Yu to lead a group to the Golden Palace where the emperor held court and retrieve the imperial edict from behind the plaque bearing the inscription "Upright and Just".
When Yonghu and several other princes, princesses, and grandsons arrived outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
The imperial edict was opened, and the name of the new emperor was read aloud.
Mianjin
Hongli bypassed his own son and chose a grandson of the emperor who was a younger generation younger.
This approach was somewhat unexpected for the entire Qing Dynasty.
But what could he do? Hongli's sons each had their own problems and were all disappointing.
Upon hearing this, the court officials quickly kowtowed to Mianjin, who was about to ascend the throne.
Others, including royal relatives such as Yong-ho, also bowed in greeting.
Anyway, the imperial edict has been issued and the Emperor himself has gone, so what else can they do? They should just accept their fate and act like cowards.
Of course, some people were dissatisfied, and even Yonghu, a close uncle, felt uncomfortable hearing it out of the blue.
This is a normal human reaction. It's not about jealousy or envy, but it's true that you'll feel a momentary, normal stirring in your heart.
With the imperial edict announced, it was time for the Imperial Household Department to take center stage.
Overwhelmed with grief, Chen Yuwei was helped back to Yikun Palace by Xingkui to rest.
It's not quite accurate to say it's a rest; it's a temporary recuperation. Chen Yuwei still needs to help with the Emperor's funeral arrangements.
"Alright, Mother is fine. You should leave the palace now, as you have to get up early tomorrow."
There are too many people and too much attention in the palace lately, so it's not appropriate for your mother to have you stay here.
Wu Yunzhu returned with Chen Yuwei. Unlike Yonghu and the others, who were not allowed to enter the harem, Wu Yunzhu, as a female member of the family, had no such restrictions.
Besides, her mother is so heartbroken, so as her daughter, she should definitely comfort her.
"Mother, don't worry, I know what I'm doing. The prince consort is waiting at the palace gate and will be leaving soon."
Seeing Chen Yuwei sit down, Wu Yunzhu quickly brought over the brewed tea.
Chen Yuwei's eyes reddened, and she told Wu Yunzhu to sit down and stop busying herself.
"Aren't you tired? There are so many court officials and members of the royal family in the Hall of Mental Cultivation today."
Chen Yuwei was, after all, an elder and the highest-ranking person in the harem, so she could hide in her room and rest for a while.
But Wuyunzhu and the others couldn't do that; they had to stand or kneel the whole time, and they couldn't help but shed big tears.
Let me tell you, this one day alone was incredibly tough, not to mention the next two weeks.
Wuyunzhu rubbed her arm. "Mother, we'll get through this period."
They are all pampered masters who have never suffered much hardship, how could they not be tired?
However, hope lies ahead, and Wu Yunzhu can now put her mind at ease.
At least the one who sat on the throne was her own nephew. Regardless of blood relations, just based on their many years of getting along, Wuyunzhu felt that Mianjin's ascension to the throne would be more beneficial to her than that of others.
Wu Yunzhu was not greedy, and she also planned to return half of her business with the prince consort to the new emperor, Mianjin, as a source of private funds.
How can an emperor live without money? Wouldn't he live a miserable life?
Hehe, just saying whatever comes to mind, Wu Yunzhu isn't thinking about her father who doesn't need to lie down right now. The carefree girl is already planning for the future benefits of the princess's mansion.
After listening, Chen Yuwei thought Wu Yunzhu's idea was good, but whether it was business or money, it was best to maintain a balance, not too much or too little.
Even with family members, you can't be too lenient, otherwise you'll be the one who gets hurt.
Chen Yuwei touched Wuyunzhu's arm and said, "Your business is done with the Prince Consort."
Now that your father, the Emperor, has passed away, Mianjin is ultimately just your nephew.
As for how to get along from here on out, you should leave that to the prince consort; he understands it better than you do.
It wasn't that Chen Yuwei didn't trust Wu Yunzhu; it was that Wu Yunzhu was Mianjin's elder, and her words and actions unconsciously carried an aura of authority befitting an elder.
Under normal circumstances (before Mianjin ascended the throne), this would not have been a problem, and Mianjin would not have thought much about it.
However, changes in status and position often lead to vastly different thoughts among people.
Chen Yuwei cannot deny that Mianjin was a well-behaved child who knew how to repay kindness.
But who can guarantee that Mianjin will still be the same person after ascending the throne? And what kind of attitude should Mianjin's father and mother adopt in the future?
Human nature is unpredictable; never gamble on it.
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