Chapter 333 Another Note
Li Nanke gasped and blurted out, "Weren't there nannies and palace maids guarding the Consort closely? Didn't they notice the fire?"
Zisu shook her head.
"This is all the information I have. I don't know the specifics of how the fire started. There are many officials standing at the palace gate."
When I returned, I saw the women of the Wang family rushing into the palace; I know nothing else.
Li Nanke sent Zisu back to guard the palace gate.
"If you see Erfeng, be sure to pass on a message saying that I will be waiting for him at Yunqi Tower at noon."
Zisu left.
Li Nanke stood under the corridor and looked northwest. Thick smoke still lingered in the direction of the palace, and there were faint signs of fire.
Song Yi tied the cloak around her neck, and looked in the direction of the palace as well, her eyes red, and said, "This is truly a sudden and unexpected disaster."
How could the Imperial Concubine suddenly become mentally impaired? And how could the fire start so suddenly?
The Imperial Concubine was due to give birth in just half a month, wasn't she? And yet she was burned alive like this, a double tragedy, alas…
Song Yi was prone to tears, and she couldn't help but shed some as she spoke.
Li Nanke listened silently, subconsciously pulling her cloak tighter, but still felt unable to block the cold wind blowing in.
Cold that penetrates the bone marrow.
A sudden and unexpected disaster?
She doesn't think so!
The Imperial Concubine wasn't stupid at all; she was just pretending! Otherwise, she wouldn't have sent herself a little note asking for help.
The only reason the Imperial Concubine would resort to such a secretive method to seek help is that she witnessed something extremely shocking and hidden that night in the artificial hill of the Imperial Garden!
The imperial concubine had just sent a note during the day when her palace caught fire that night, and she was burned alive, along with her unborn child!
Could it be that someone discovered the Imperial Concubine was passing notes to him?
Li Nanke was filled with doubt and unease.
Wiping away her tears, Song Yi suddenly remembered Li Nanke's visit to the palace during the day and asked in a panic, "You just visited the Imperial Concubine during the day. His Majesty... His Majesty won't blame you for this, will he?"
Although she felt sorry for the concubine's fate, as a mother, she was more worried about her daughter being implicated.
Li Nanke was afraid of frightening his mother, so he deliberately concealed the note and shook his head.
"When I met with the Imperial Concubine, there were always nannies and maids around. Mother, don't worry, His Majesty won't blame me."
Song Yi patted her chest, her pale face softening slightly.
She muttered to herself, "That's good, that's good. It's late, let's go to sleep. You'll sleep with your mother tonight."
That being said, the mother and daughter barely slept a wink all night.
Li Nanke got up just as dawn was breaking.
Li Mu had already returned from the palace gate. As soon as she entered, she asked Song Yi to find her a plain-colored dress to wear over her court robes.
"The Imperial Concubine and the unborn prince are both gone. His Majesty was so grief-stricken that he vomited a large mouthful of blood."
The emperor announced that the Consort's body would lie in state for seven days and be buried with the rites due to an empress. All civil and military officials were required to pay their respects, and wives of officials of the fourth rank and above were to enter the palace to keep vigil.
As Li Mu spoke, he changed into his court robes, then took the white garment that Song Yi handed him and put it on over his clothes.
He instructed, "Yiyi, you and Ke'er should change your clothes quickly, we'll be going to the palace to keep vigil soon."
After saying that, he gave a few more instructions and hurriedly left.
Song Yi immediately told Tao Mama to lead the stewardess to put away all the red lanterns and red curtains in the house.
"Since it is being buried with the rites due to an empress, it is a national mourning period. I'm afraid there will be no banquets or gatherings for the next three months. Let's pack up all the festive items."
He then instructed Ziyu to find all the plain-colored clothes and have the servants change into them.
"Ke'er, don't just stand there. Go back to your courtyard and change into plain clothes. Take off all your gold and silver jewelry."
Song Yi was extremely busy, but she still remembered to give Li Nanke some instructions.
Li Nanke agreed and returned to his courtyard.
Zisu just came back from outside.
“This servant guarded the palace gate for most of the night, but did not see Erfeng or the other people from the Xuan Prince’s mansion. The prince is probably still in the palace.”
Li Nanke nodded to indicate that he understood.
She also had to go to the palace to keep vigil, and since Shen Cong was in the palace, she would definitely be able to see him.
"Sister Zisu, go and call Master Nangong over, and have her come with me to the palace to keep vigil."
With Nangong Qiang around, it was much easier to exchange messages with Shen Cong in the palace.
Li Nanke changed into a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), styled her hair in two buns, and struggled a bit when choosing a hairband.
A box full of headbands, almost all of them red.
She couldn't wear red while keeping vigil, so she picked and chose and found the only black hairband.
Two thumb-sized pearls dangled from the ends of the headband, so it wasn't too ugly.
Li Nanke looked at himself in the mirror before getting up.
At this moment, Nangong Qiang arrived, having specially changed into a black outfit.
After Li Nanke and Song Yi met up, they entered the palace together.
The entire palace was draped in plain white curtains, and the palace maids and eunuchs were all dressed in mourning clothes, creating a somber and oppressive atmosphere.
Because the Imperial Concubine's palace had been burned to ruins, His Majesty ordered that her coffin be placed in the Funing Palace.
When Li Nanke and Song Yi entered, there were already many noblewomen standing in the Funing Palace.
The coffin made of Phoebe zhennan wood was placed in the center of the hall. The noblewomen knelt around the coffin, their faces half-covered, and made low sobbing sounds.
The Wang family members knelt closest to the coffin, weeping the most bitterly.
Li Nanke immediately spotted Wang Tongyun kneeling behind Madam Wang.
Wang Tongyun's face was pale, and her eyes were swollen like peaches.
Upon seeing her, Wang Tongyun's tears fell even more rapidly.
Li Nanke knew that she and Consort Wang had the deepest affection, and she was heartbroken by Consort Wang's passing.
"What are you standing there for, Ke'er? Kneel down now."
Li Nanke moved her foot, about to go over, but Song Yi tugged at her skirt.
The eunuchs had already arranged their positions according to the rank of the ladies-in-waiting. Song Yi had just knelt down when she saw Li Nanke still standing there in a daze, so she quickly tugged at her daughter.
Li Nanke came to her senses and knelt down as well.
The sounds of weeping rose and fell all around her. She remembered the appearance of Consort Wang, and tears streamed down her face.
About half an hour later, the people around him stood up in a rustling sound.
It turned out that the eunuchs came to ask the ladies of the court to take turns resting in the side hall for a while before continuing to kneel in mourning.
The ladies who arrived early all got up and went to the side hall, leaving the hall nearly half empty.
As the imperial concubine's maternal family, the Wang family would certainly not rest.
Li Nanke quietly shifted his knees and moved closer to Wang Tongyun.
He gently tugged at Wang Tongyun's skirt and whispered, "Tongyun..."
As soon as she opened her mouth, Wang Tongyun turned around and grabbed her hand, then, using her sleeve as a cover, slipped something into her hand.
It was something slightly damp, with a faint smell of burning.
Wang Tongyun hugged her, rested her head on her shoulder, and cried her heart out.
A low voice, mixed with her sobs, reached her ears.
"I found this note in my aunt's hand. I can't go out, so please keep it safe for me, Ke'er."
Li Nanke froze.
Another note...
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