Xiao Yi led Chu Mingzhu back to the entrance and addressed the eagle guards at the gate.
“She is indeed my wife. She sincerely wanted to come to pay her respects and visit the princess. I will personally escort her in so as not to cause you any trouble!”
"General Xiao, please wait a moment while I go and ask the princess."
After the gatekeeper finished speaking, he quickly turned and went into the courtyard.
Although Chu Mingzhu was unhappy with Xie Yushu's arrogant attitude, she didn't say anything.
She remained glamorous and successful, while she, with all her great abilities, had lost the people she had painstakingly trained in battle, and most of the people who could protect her had also died. The manor's food, medicine, and even wine had been moved here. In the end, what was left?
Thinking of this, Chu Mingzhu felt much better.
Meanwhile, Xie Yushu, upon hearing that Chu Mingzhu insisted on coming in and even tried to persuade Xiao Yi to plead for her, said coldly.
"Since she won't give up, let her in!"
"Remove the prayer mats. Since she's so sincere, let's follow the rules and accommodate her!"
Even a fool could see that she couldn't have come to offer sacrifices with sincerity. If she had any conscience, Chu Jinyu wouldn't have been beaten so badly by her and run back to Tai'an Prefecture to find her.
Those who insist on coming in are just looking to see a joke!
But are all jokes so funny?
The person who had gone to ask for instructions had only been gone a short while when Xiao Yi came in with Chu Mingzhu, followed by Hu Ge and the others.
Upon entering, Xiao Yi saw Xie Yushu sitting upright before Xuan Yuanche's coffin, not even lifting her eyelids, so he had no choice but to take the initiative to speak.
"Princess, Mingzhu has come to pay her respects to the Prince of Xiaoyao and also to see you."
Xie Yushu said coldly
“I am fine, so there is no need for Madam Xiao to trouble herself. Since we are here to pay our respects to the Prince of Xiaoyao, Qingfeng, please get three sticks of incense for Madam Xiao.”
After saying that, he continued...
"By the way, let me tell you about the procedure for paying respects to the Prince. This is probably Madam Xiao's first time attending the Prince's memorial service, so please don't break the rules."
Upon hearing this, Qingfeng immediately took three incense sticks and gave them to Chu Mingzhu.
"According to my grandfather's rank, Madam Xiao should kneel once and kowtow three times, then kneel three times and kowtow nine times, repeating this seven times, for a total of twenty-one bows and sixty-three kowtows."
Please, Madam Xiao, perform your rites!
This wasn't meant to make things difficult for her. If it were the emperor, she would have to kneel nine times and kowtow eighty-one times!
The Empress Dowager, the Empress, and Xuanyuan Che were involved seven times.
When Xie Yushu and the others first held a collective worship ceremony, they also followed the royal etiquette in a very proper manner.
But Chu Mingzhu frowned as she listened; she really hadn't expected it to be so troublesome.
Seeing that she was hesitant to accept the incense, Qingfeng scolded her.
"How dare you! This is not a place for you to act childishly before the spirit tablet of the Prince. Disrespecting the Prince is punishable by twenty strokes of the cane according to the law!"
General Xiao, this time, out of respect for you, Madam Xiao will have her punishment waived after she has respectfully completed her offerings. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless!
Xiao Yi knew Chu Mingzhu was spoiled, but he hadn't expected her to be spoiled indiscriminately, so he immediately tried to persuade her.
"Mingzhu, didn't you come here sincerely to pay respects to the Prince?"
Let's take the incense and begin.
If you still don't know how, I'll guide you through the prayer.
After Xiao Yi finished speaking, he took the incense, bent down to offer it, and then knelt down and kowtowed three times.
Chu Mingzhu pouted and said disdainfully
"But it's the dead of winter, and the ground is so cold. Besides, this is a brand new dress. If I kneel like this, won't my clothes get dirty? I need a mat to put on!"
Chu Mingzhu didn't speak, and Xie Yushu didn't even glance at her. But because she was being unreasonable, Xie Yushu did manage to catch a glimpse of her. Seeing that she was wearing a turquoise-green jacket and an eggplant-purple skirt, and even had two jade-green hairpins in her hair, Xie Yushu immediately erupted in anger.
“At the Prince’s funeral, dressed in red and green, with painted eyebrows and hairpins, he stormed into the mourning hall, showing no respect for the Prince, yet he dared to claim to be sincerely worshipping him!”
"Guards, strip her of her clothes and headdress, and throw her out!"
Chu Mingzhu screamed when she saw Xie Yushu showing her no respect.
"Xie Yushu, how dare you!"
You just don't like me and are deliberately messing with me!
You can't stand seeing others do well, and you're despicable and shameless!
Xie Yushu was too lazy to engage in verbal sparring and simply said in a cold voice
"He who addresses a first-rank princess by her given name and insults her shall be slapped twenty times!"
"Brother Xiao Yi, look at her, she's deliberately bullying me."
Xiao Yi was stunned when he saw her clothes.
Xie Yushu didn't say anything, and Qingfeng and the other men hadn't even noticed what Chu Mingzhu was wearing. There was no one from the Ministry of Rites in charge, and Qingfeng and the others didn't understand those complicated details. Plus, they were too heartbroken to care about what Chu Mingzhu was wearing.
After Xie Yushu said that, Qingfeng was so angry that his veins bulged. It was bad enough that he didn't wear plain clothes to pay his respects, but he also put on makeup and was adorned with jewels. Who was he insulting?
He immediately stopped indulging her and swiftly slapped Chu Mingzhu several times across the face, knocking the hairpin from her hair to the ground.
He only managed to hit a few before Xiao Yi stopped him.
"Lord Qingfeng, my wife did indeed break the rules. It was my fault for not teaching her properly. I am willing to take the punishment for her. As for the rest, punish me!"
Qingfeng slapped him away.
"General Xiao, this is the Prince's mourning hall. Do you think this is your own market where you can haggle?"
Or do you think that because the prince died far from home, you can desecrate him as you please without the support of the emperor and empress dowager?
If this were in the capital, if Chu Mingzhu dared to appear at the Prince's mansion dressed like this, she would be beaten to death before she even entered the door!
"Are you trying to rebel?"
Xiao Yi was speechless upon hearing this and could only give up, looking at Chu Mingzhu with a pained expression.
"Mingzhu, this is not a place for child's play before the spirit tablet of the Prince. You were the one who made the mistake first, so you shall be punished!"
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