Something went wrong with the glutinous rice balls?
Really?
Huaiyao said nonchalantly, "Tangyuan is very smart! It would never lose anyone else!"
Yuan Yao shook his head, his mouth dry: "Now is the hunting season."
The official road from Daqi to Xiqiu is surrounded by mountains on both sides. At the foot of the mountains, the people, besides farming, also go hunting in the mountains during the off-season...
I remember hearing that hunters often set traps when hunting.
Xie Zhi has already sent people to search for glutinous rice balls along the way, and has ordered hunters along the route to refrain from hunting...
But I'm still very worried!
"The journey back was so long, and there were countless hunters and traps along the way..."
The more Yuan Yao talked, the more flustered she became.
To her, Tangyuan is not just a tiger, but also family...
If anything happens to Tangyuan, she will feel guilty and blame herself for the rest of her life...
The more Yuan Yao thought about it, the more frightened she became.
Just as she was at a loss, Yun Chan's voice rang out beside her: "Yuan Yao, don't panic."
Let's wait two more days. If there's still no news about Tangyuan after two days, I'll go look for it myself, okay?
Tangyuan is very smart; she won't get into trouble so easily.
"But... what if?" Yuan Yao asked anxiously.
Yun Chan did not answer, but said, "If you are really worried, I will take you to find it in two days."
Yuan Yao: "..."
Her heart remained cold.
These past few days, she has been worrying about the Ninth Prince every day, and also has to devote all her energy to dealing with those ill-intentioned imperial relatives...
She was so tired that she forgot about the glutinous rice balls.
I wonder how Tangyuan is doing...
Back in Qianhua Palace, it drank almost half a basin of fresh milk every day and ate a lot of fresh meat. If the meat wasn't fresh and delicious enough, it would throw a tantrum...
Did it go hungry during those six days, all alone?
It's getting cold outside, will it get cold at night?
When it was in Qianhua Palace, its large bed was made of the finest cotton and plush blankets. In late autumn and early winter, palace servants would light charcoal fires for it, and when the weather got cold, it would be covered with silk brocade quilts...
Seeing Yuan Yao's anxiety, Huai Yao comforted her, "Yuan Xiaoyao, don't worry."
There's no use in being anxious.
Right now, you must first take care of the matter concerning the Ninth Prince.
If Tangyuan (glutinous rice balls) were sentient, it certainly wouldn't blame you.
Maybe it didn't come back because it ran off with the tigress!
Yuan Yao: "?"
She was stunned.
Could her glutinous rice balls have really been kidnapped by that tigress?!
no!
Tangyuan grew up in the palace; returning to the mountains would be too dangerous for it!
Yuan Yao immediately said, "Let's go, let's go find the Crown Prince first!"
If there's still no news of Tangyuan in two days, I'll personally leave the capital to find her!
Tangyuan, she's the only one left!
What if it falls into a trap? How scary would that be?
Taking a deep breath and suppressing her anxiety, Yuan Yao strode towards Yong'an Palace.
Huaiyao and Yunchan exchanged a glance and followed.
Yong'an Palace is still filled with people kneeling in mourning.
Yuan Yao lifted the hem of her skirt and hurried along.
As she entered the mourning hall, the Minister of Rites and the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review were also inside...
Yuan Yao kowtowed to the emperor and offered incense.
The Minister of Rites and the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review bowed to her and said, "Greetings, Princess."
Yuan Yao said softly, "My lord, there's no need for such formalities."
Jiang Chengyan noticed the bruises under her eyes, suppressed his heartache, and said with a stern face, "You haven't rested properly again."
"How can you continue to ruin your body like this?"
Yuan Yao knelt down with a thud.
Jiang Chengyan was stunned.
He exclaimed in surprise, "Yuan Xiaoyao, what are you doing?"
Apart from Jiang Chengyan, Huaiyao, the Minister of Rites, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, and the Empress who was kneeling to the side burning paper money were all shocked.
Those kneeling outside the hall craned their necks to look inside upon hearing the Crown Prince's voice...
The Empress quickly said, "Yao'er, if you have something to say, get up first."
As he spoke, he asked Huaiyao to help the person up.
Yuan Yao shook her head, then looked up at Jiang Chengyan: "Your Highness, last night, my father appeared to me in a dream..."
Jiang Chengyan was slightly taken aback.
Nine thousand years old?
Could it be that the Ninth Prince has awakened?
He glanced sideways at Yun Chan.
Yun Chan blinked.
She woke up!
So it seems that the Ninth Prince has something he wants Yuan Xiaoyao to see him about!
With a stern face, Jiang Chengyan followed Yuan Yao's words and asked, "What did the Ninth Prince say to you in your dream?"
Yuan Yao's eyes reddened: "Father said that he lived a life of great honor for most of the time..."
Therefore, he did not want his body to be consumed by decay and insects after his death.
He said... he asked Yao'er to beg His Highness the Crown Prince for permission to cremate his body on a chosen day and then bury his ashes beside the Emperor...
My father dedicated his life to the Emperor, to the Great Qi, and to the people.
His only wish was that His Highness the Crown Prince grant it!
After saying that, Yuan Yao kowtowed heavily.
Her voice was perfectly controlled, neither too loud nor too soft, yet loud enough for many people outside the mourning hall to hear.
Apart from those in the know, everyone else stared at Yuan Yao in shock.
Nine thousand years old... He really is nine thousand years old!
That's ruthless!
So ruthless that he didn't even leave himself a complete corpse!
Not only is he ruthless himself, but his daughter is just like him!
What's the difference between burning a body and scattering the ashes?
Upon realizing what was happening, the Minister of Rites and the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review immediately knelt down: "Your Highness, Your Highness, this is absolutely not allowed!"
The Minister of Rites' eyes reddened: "His Highness is a meritorious official of the Great Qi. He has made great contributions throughout his life. How can we burn his remains?"
After his body has been kept in state for a period of time, it will be laid to rest in the imperial mausoleum, to be with the emperor...
"If His Majesty were watching from heaven, how heartbroken he would be!"
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review bowed and said, "Your Highness, Princess, please reconsider!"
The crown prince remained silent.
Yuan Yao raised her hand and bowed to the Crown Prince: "Your Highness, since my father appeared to me in a dream, he must have already spoken with the Emperor."
My father never asked anyone for anything in his entire life.
Yao'er has never knelt before anyone before in all her life...
"I beg Your Highness to have mercy and fulfill my father's last wish!"
As she spoke, she was about to kowtow.
Jiang Chengyan quickly reached out to help her up: "I agree!"
How could he bear to let her kneel before him?
If it weren't for acting, he would have helped her up long ago...
Beside him, the Minister of Rites' eyes were red: "Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
Jiang Chengyan's tone was firm: "My mind is made up!"
After speaking, he helped Yuan Yao to her feet.
As soon as Yuan Yao regained her footing, Jiang Chengyan restrained himself and withdrew his hand.
With one hand behind his back, he asked the Minister of Rites, "Are there any suitable days recently?"
A suitable day?
A suitable day for cremation?
The Minister of Rites wiped his eyes with his sleeve before saying, "Your Highness, within the next month, only tomorrow is an auspicious day for encoffining, burial, and offering sacrifices..."
After tomorrow, it will be a month before we have to wait.
Jiang Chengyan pondered for a moment, then looked at Yuan Yao: "Then... shall we hold the cremation ceremony tomorrow?"
Yuan Yao nodded, her eyes red-rimmed: "Okay."
Jiang Chengyan sighed: "Guards, proclaim my decree: Tomorrow at dusk, all civil and military officials, as well as members of the imperial family and princes, shall pay homage to His Majesty's remains at Chenyang Gate..."
Everyone must be present!
The Minister of Rites, accompanied by an eunuch, went out the door.
Yuan Yao looked at Jiang Chengyan: "Thank you, Your Highness."
Jiang Chengyan nodded, then lowered his voice: "Once the news gets out, some people will definitely get restless."
Be vigilant tonight and tomorrow night.
“I know,” Yuan Yao nodded.
Jiang Chengyan looked at Yun Chan again, his heart aching: "Yun Chan, no matter when or where, you... must protect Yuan Xiaoyao!"
Even if you take her away in the future, you must treat her well for the rest of your life.
She... is the most esteemed little princess of the Great Qi Dynasty.
Yun Chan's voice was cold, but her expression was extremely solemn: "Don't worry, I have long regarded her as my life."
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