At this moment, Daji was immersed in deep guilt and self-blame. The death of Queen Jiang deeply shocked her, and the push that Queen Jiang made before she was in danger had pushed down the dam that had been built in her heart for thousands of years. Her emotions were washed out like a flood, which shattered her mind and made her seem like she was going crazy. At this moment, all she wanted to do was stay with Queen Jiang, and no one could separate her from Queen Jiang.
After Daji pushed King Zhou away, she embraced Queen Jiang again, just like before, and sat there blankly, muttering to herself.
At this moment, the palace was filled with people, and all the civil and military officials were present, but no one dared to go forward to disturb them. Even Yin Hong and Yin Jiao, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, were stopped by King Zhou. The two cried and tried to snatch their mother's body from Daji's hands, but Daji drove them away. Daji's appearance terrified the two of them, so they sat quietly beside King Zhou, crying from time to time.
Three hours had passed since nightfall, and everyone stood there motionless, not because they didn't want to move, but because they dared not. The death of Queen Jiang was a momentous event that shook the entire court and the country. However, the body of Queen Jiang remained firmly in Daji's grasp, leaving everyone no choice but to remain silent until Daji recovered enough to retrieve the body and conduct the funeral. Since the events of that morning, none of those present had eaten; their stomachs were growling with hunger. But mindful of the current situation, no one dared utter a single complaint, fearing the wrath of the crowd.
However, Daji seemed to be in great spirits. Since the incident that morning, she had been crying non-stop, her voice had long since become hoarse, and she had shed countless tears. During this time, she had also fought with the guards several times in a frenzy over the body of Empress Jiang. Like everyone else present, she had not eaten anything. But what surprised everyone was that this frail woman had lasted longer than them.
Ultimately, Daji suffered too much mental trauma and her spirit was severely depleted. Two hours later, she collapsed and fell into a coma.
King Zhou, who had been watching the situation closely, quickly ordered his men to separate Daji and Queen Jiang's bodies after Daji fainted. Seeing Daji's distress and noticing that his ministers were not in the mood to discuss important matters, he ordered them to return home and resume their court discussions the next morning. He then summoned a dozen or so imperial physicians to treat the unconscious Daji, and stayed by her side all night.
The courtiers had nothing to say, as today's events had dealt them a heavy blow. They were deeply moved by the death of Queen Jiang and the relationship between Daji and Queen Jiang. Even Shang Rong, who was usually very strict with King Zhou, had nothing to say. Besides, they hadn't eaten for a day and were indeed starting to feel the strain.
The twenty-seven ministers, enraged, pursued and killed members of the Chan Sect.
On the second day, before dawn, the courtiers set off for the royal palace. In the past, they might not have been so eager, but the queen's death yesterday had shaken the court and the country, so everyone arrived early today.
King Zhou was unusually quiet today. When the court officials arrived, they found him already seated. Ministers like Shang Rong and Bigan were pleased to see this, as this was the first time King Zhou had been so enthusiastic about attending court since the temple ceremony. They wondered if Queen Jiang's death had spurred the king to regain his former fighting spirit. If so, it would be a good thing.
The appointed time had arrived. The ministers first paid their respects to King Zhou, then stood still, waiting for him to speak.
King Zhou glanced at the assembled ministers below. Stimulated by the death of Queen Jiang yesterday, he regained his senses. Seeing that Daji was still asleep this morning, he left, as there were many important matters waiting for him to attend to at court.
"Queen Jiang was assassinated yesterday and unfortunately passed away," King Zhou said slowly. His relationship with Queen Jiang over the years was naturally quite deep.
The assembled officials fell silent upon hearing this.
King Zhou then said, "Queen Jiang was virtuous and kind during her lifetime, managing the concubines in the harem. Her virtuous reputation was known throughout the land. Now that she has passed away, a national mourning should be held." He paused, then summoned the official in charge of rites and music, and said to him, "This matter is entrusted to you. Do not fail to do it well. Queen Jiang was frugal and disliked waste. Her funeral should not be too extravagant, but it must be solemn and dignified." The official bowed and agreed.
Shang Rong stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, Empress Jiang's name is known throughout the land. This time, she was assassinated by a villain, which is a national vendetta. We must capture the traitor to apprehend the people of the land." Bi Gan and others also stepped forward to agree.
Jiang Huanchu, the father of Queen Jiang and Marquis of Dongbo, also stepped forward with tears streaming down his face and said, "I beg Your Majesty to uphold justice for this old minister." After saying this, he wiped away his tears with his sleeve.
King Zhou said, "I have investigated yesterday's events. The mastermind is Yun Zhongzi, a Qi cultivator from Zhongnan Mountain. This thief is a member of the Chan Sect. A few days ago, he said that Yun Zhongzi came to the palace to pay his respects, claiming that there was a demon causing trouble in the palace. He offered me a wooden sword to hang in my bedchamber to suppress the evil. I didn't say anything else and confidently hung the sword in my bedchamber. As a result, nothing happened for three days, and I forgot about it. Yesterday, when Queen Jiang and Consort Su Daji went to my bedchamber together, the sword suddenly emitted a bright golden light and killed Queen Jiang." Yesterday, because they were busy retrieving Queen Jiang's body, the ministers were unaware of what had happened. Upon hearing King Zhou's words, the court immediately erupted in uproar.
Some say that Yun Zhongzi was an imposter, not a member of the Chan Sect, but a hermit Taoist priest impersonating Yun Zhongzi to commit murder and frame others; others say that Yun Zhongzi was real, a renowned virtuous immortal, and that Queen Jiang was a demon in disguise; still others say that Yun Zhongzi was real, but Queen Jiang was not a demon, and that the demon might be Daji, and the sword had struck the wrong target. In any case, there are many different theories.
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