Chapter 850: You didn’t even use your true strength to scold me
When the team was still three hundred miles away from Kyoto, they saw flags fluttering in the wind from a long distance ahead.
The man who was scouting the road ahead hurried back and, without even dismounting, said, "General, that looks like the young prince's carriage!"
"The young prince is here!"
Xu Yu was not surprised by this.
In fact, Jiang Yubai could wait until now to come to pick him up, from which we can guess that his injury is not as minor as mentioned in the letter.
Xu Yu held the reins with one hand to control the horse's hooves that were flying into the air. He gestured backward and said solemnly, "Keep the formation and keep moving forward!"
The white flag raised a slight arc in the air, and the spiritual paper flew white along with the splashing movement.
The carriages and horses were in mourning, and the people wore sackcloth.
Every hundred meters, the person at the front would, according to custom, strike a gong tied with a white cloth and shout, "Herewith respect, the prince and princess, return to the capital!"
Bow once every ten miles, and kneel for a long time every hundred miles.
The endless team continued to move forward along the predetermined route. The shouts gradually got closer, and Jiang Yubai in the carriage slowly opened his eyes.
Mr. Xue whispered, "Young Prince, it's almost time."
The coffin has been carried here for thousands of miles, and it is time for the parents and children to come out to welcome it.
Jiang Yubai waved his hand to refuse Sang Yanyou's help, and slowly got out of the car by holding the frame.
All I could see was the sky splashed with white.
It's like the lightly falling snow in early winter, and also like an invisible knife that is constantly stabbing my heart.
The person he was waiting for finally arrived...
All the officials in the capital were ordered to follow Jiang Yubai here to welcome him. Everyone's face was filled with sadness that was difficult to tell whether it was true or false.
Even before the team carrying the coffin approached, sad sobs were heard from the crowd behind Jiang Yubai.
The cries of grief were heard one after another, and the crying seemed to be mixed with so much true emotion.
But how many of these people have actually seen the King of Lingnan?
How many of these tears that fall to the ground are real?
Jiang Yubai walked slowly forward amidst the uniform sobbing, as if he had been disciplined, even the sadness surged out, his face showing no fluctuation except for a slightly pale look.
Everyone dismounted and walked along with the coffin for the remaining distance, with Xu Yu, dressed as a filial son, walking at the front.
Even Nuonuo and Yuanbao were wearing Sun Xiao's clothes. They didn't let anyone hold them and followed Xu Yu quietly and obediently.
Xu Yu's expression was also very calm.
Xu Yu walked to the opposite side of Jiang Yubai, lifted his robe with one hand and knelt down: "Xu Yu followed the prince's order to carry the coffin here, and I have fulfilled the mission."
Jiang Yubai lowered his eyes and looked at Xu Yu quietly. After a moment, he squatted down in front of everyone, looked at Xu Yu with red eyes, and said word by word: "Brother."
"Shouldn't you hug me first at a time like this?"
Xu Yu raised his eyes and met Jiang Yubai's bloodshot eyes, breathing lightly.
Jiang Yubai twitched the corner of his mouth in a friendly manner and stretched out his hand to Xu Yu: "Get up."
"Even if I have to kneel, I should think of it as me kneeling to you. Brothers shouldn't do these fancy things. Besides, when I call you brother, I think of it as you protecting me."
"I don't have the strength to pull you up, so get up on your own and don't let me do it."
Xu Yu lowered his eyes calmly, pretending to be helped up by Jiang Yubai and took his hand.
The moment their palms touched, Xu Yu's hands were covered with a thick layer of cold sweat.
Xu Yu simply grabbed Jiang Yubai's arm calmly and said, "Come on, it's time for you to kowtow."
Jiang Yubai let most of his body weight rest on Xu Yu's shoulders, walked over, looked at the ice coffin that had not melted at all after traveling thousands of miles, and slowly knelt down.
Jiang Yubai remained in this bowed position for a long time.
The longer he knelt, the longer the ministers and officials behind him knelt.
Only Xu Yu, who was beside him, heard the suppressed and trembling voice: "Dad, Mom..."
"I'm an unfilial son. I'm here to take you home..."
The old prince's ice coffin was brought into the capital, and the old princess's cenotaph was returned to the capital. This was the first priority after the change of dynasty in Kyoto.
During the period of observing national mourning, there must be no ostentation and no indulgence in sensual pleasures.
The huge capital was silent, although the streets and alleys were filled with people who came to watch spontaneously, as well as officials and their families who were unable to join the ranks of officials for various reasons and came to the streets to welcome the spirit on their own.
Jiang Yubai held the old prince's spirit tablet, and Xu Yu held up the white banner to attract the dead souls back home.
Xu Yu always stood side by side with Jiang Yubai.
They walked into the city and into the palace.
Everything in the palace has been arranged long ago.
The national mourning period lasts for three months, and now there is only half a month left.
For the next half month, not only Jiang Yubai had to kneel in front of the coffin at all times, but all the officials in the court and their families had to kneel in front of the coffin every day according to the rules.
In the past, keeping vigil for the royal family was the most difficult job that the ministers complained about, but now it has become a good place that everyone flocks to.
The old prince is dead, and the master of this world is Jiang Yubai.
If she could show herself during the wake and catch the eye of the new emperor, I wouldn't say she would be promoted to a high position in the future, but at least she would be rich and worry-free.
However, those who came to kneel down were blocked outside Chendong Hall.
The old prince in the lead said helplessly with a look of disappointment: "This is against the rules."
"According to the rules, all officials should take turns to go into the hall to keep vigil. Otherwise, it would be disloyal, unrighteous, unfilial, and unbrotherly. So many of us are here, if we don't go in, will it be..."
"Yes, at least we should be allowed to go in and kowtow to the prince, otherwise it would be too..."
"Too what?"
“Rules are dead, but people are alive.”
Minister Wen, already immersed in tears of grief, was unable to extricate himself. Upon hearing these people's words, his eyes flashed bloodshot with dissatisfaction. He gritted his teeth and said, "Why do I have to kowtow inside the palace to be considered loyal?"
"There's such a spacious place outside Chendong Palace, who's kneecap can't fit in it?"
The speaker, unaware of the Minister's identity, scoffed at his coarse linen clothing, which lacked any trace of elegance, and said, "This isn't Lingnan; this is the Imperial City of Kyoto."
"Unlike the poor, remote countryside, the royal family has strict rules and regulations, and etiquette and propriety are paramount. We are saying these things in accordance with the rules passed down from our ancestors throughout the dynasties. These rules are..."
"Then according to the rules of Kyoto, when the emperor dies, the ministers must die for their master. Why don't you all follow the etiquette?"
The man who had been speaking so eloquently was choked and blushed. The Minister of Culture swung his sleeves and sneered, "If you really want to be so abiding by the rules, any opinions should have been expressed with the death of Emperor Yongshun in Kyoto. How do you live like this?"
"Why, are there fewer rules in remote places than in Kyoto? Kyoto is known as the century-old imperial city and the holy temple on earth, but there are fewer people in Lingnan who would die by ramming their heads into the wall and dying for the emperor?"
"If you can't find a place to hit your head against a pillar and die, then you can find a riverbank and jump down together. If that doesn't work, go up to the city gate tower and hang yourself!"
"How dare you live like this? You're so shameless! You're completely rude! You're ignoring the emperor's high regard for you. You're nothing but trash!"
Xu Yu, who happened to be walking here, saw this scene and stopped in his tracks.
Chen Jing'an, who was following Xu Yu, took a deep breath and said quietly, "It seems that Minister Wen hasn't used his true strength to scold you all the way."
"Minister Wen, please show some mercy..."
Xu Yu: “…”
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