Beyond the lively funeral
The atmosphere in the Eastern Palace was oppressive. If Li Jiashi and Hongxi were the most devastated by Hongyang's death, and everyone else, including Yinreng, was only mildly upset, then Huashan's death was a devastating blow to the Crown Prince's family. The Crown Prince was unhappy, and the atmosphere in the entire Eastern Palace froze.
If the Crown Prince encountered any other problems, the Crown Princess would be there to offer counsel. Now that her grandfather had passed away, she herself needed counseling. It was best for everyone to stay put.
Shujia was pregnant, and she wouldn't attend a funeral unless absolutely necessary. Those who had recently passed away were either her juniors or those of lower rank. The Crown Princess was also nearing her due date, so she was forced to remain confined to the Eastern Palace. It was all right to be confined, but she wasn't in a good mood, and the pressure was even lower.
From the Crown Prince and his wife down, there were probably several younger princes. Hongxi had lost his older brother, and Hongdan had grown up. It was true that he wasn't very close to Hongyang, and it was also true that it was his own brother who had died. They were all losing interest. And Erpang, despite his young age and his primal instincts, keenly sensed that something was amiss and stayed inside, playing with the little cloth tiger's ears.
Li Jiashi was almost in tears. After so many years of caring for Hongyang, he had become a part of her life. But this little child was gone, and she didn't get to see him grow up, marry, and have children... Even with Hongxi by her side, she still hadn't recovered. Seeing this, Li Jiashi simply hid away to avoid being noticed.
The funeral of an imperial grandson is inherently simple, and Hongyang's death was considered premature, so the ceremony needed to be even simpler. Even a simple ceremony still required the necessary steps. The first step was to inform the various relatives of the death. Since the child was young, the scope of the announcement was limited, so certain close relatives still needed to be informed. For example, Kangxi, the Empress Dowager, and the child's uncles. Finally, the Imperial Household Department and the Ministry of Rites also needed to be notified—they had to be involved in the funeral.
Shujia and Yinreng calmed down and listed the matters that needed to be handled one by one: "The servants serving Hongyang must wear mourning clothes and go to the storehouse to get white cloth. See who the Ministry of Internal Affairs sends. The palace maids should not run around.", "Vacate two courtyards, I'm afraid someone will come to cause trouble.", "Hongxi and Hongdan must ask for leave from their master." and so on.
That evening, everyone in and outside the palace knew of the emperor's eldest grandson's untimely death. Kangxi wasn't particularly saddened by Hua Shan's death. Seeing the lateness of the night, he took a blank edict and began writing down his plans. Imperial edicts came in many varieties. Brocade scrolls were of course the highest quality, while those written on paper similar to a folded letter were also written in black and white, providing a more reliable source of evidence and a higher quality than oral edicts.
The imperial edict was addressed to the Ministry of Rites. Hua Shan was a Heshuo Efu (son-in-law of the emperor), a rank comparable to a duke, and his own official funeral rites were enshrined. Traditionally, the emperor would grant various honors at the funeral of anyone who displeased him. Furthermore, because Hua Shan was the grandfather of the Crown Princess, Kangxi granted him some additional privileges out of respect for his grandchildren.
"In addition to granting him the proper funeral rites, he also ordered the Imperial Academy scholars to write the epitaph."
After finishing, he rubbed his wrists. He told the chief eunuch, Zhai Lin, "This," pointing to the written instructions, "remind me to send it out tomorrow."
Zhailin murmured a response, then waved his hand. Another eunuch arrived with a tray filled with green-headed cards. He held his hands above his head, waiting for the emperor to flip a card. Kangxi stood before the tray, his hands behind his back, his gaze sliding over each card. Finally, he reached out and stopped at Hepin's green-headed card.
Immediately, someone called out Hepin's title, and the eunuch, who was very good at this, prepared to go to Hepin to announce it. At the door, he huddled with those who had come from the Eastern Palace to announce the death.
Kangxi's brows tightened, and Zhailin went to ask in person: "What's wrong?"
The eunuchs in the Eastern Palace were already red-eyed: "Our eldest prince from the Yuqing Palace is dead."
"Ah?" Zhai Lin was shocked. "When did this happen?"
"Not long ago, the masters sent a servant to report to His Majesty."
The young eunuch who went to send the notice was also dumbfounded. When encountering such a thing, should we ask Concubine He to come or ask the Emperor for instructions again?
Zhai Lin gasped, "Stand here for a moment," and then glanced at the young eunuch who was delivering the notice, giving him an approving look. He pointed at him, then at the side of the East Palace eunuch, implying, "You two wait together," and "I'll report to His Majesty for the final decision."
I hurried to the inner room and saw Kangxi sitting on the kang with his eyes closed.
"Your Majesty..."
"I've heard it all."
"this--"
"Hurry up and tell the Ministry of Internal Affairs to take care of things. Send the messenger here. I have something to ask you."
"Well. At this hour, I'm afraid only the guards are left in the Imperial Household Department. Important matters can only be handled tomorrow when the chief officer arrives. And... you turned over the card with the master."
Kangxi couldn't say that he was still in the mood, so he waved his hand and said, "Forget it."
“Yeah.”
Asking the young eunuch didn't reveal any new information. He was sent to report the news, and he wasn't always serving Hongyang, nor was he an imperial physician. He could only report what everyone knew: "He's been ill for the past two days. The imperial physician has been called, and he's taken medicine. It's an old illness, and he's used to the medicine. This afternoon, Prince Hongyang took a short rest and slept soundly. When he woke up, he..."
"Go back and tell the prince..." He paused for a moment, "Hongdan and Hongxi don't have to go to school tomorrow."
“Yeah.”
At the same time, the eunuchs of the Eastern Palace went out of the palace with badges on their waists to announce the death, and did not return until it was completely dark.
That night, many people who received the news did not sleep well. The news here was not only about Hongyang's death, but also about another piece of news: Huashan had passed away.
Actually, everyone paid more attention to Huashan than Hongyang, and Yinreng was a representative example. He had been thinking about the future situation for most of the night, and the more he thought about it, the more worried he became.
The Shi family had four vacancies, all of them excellent. The court couldn't possibly wait three years for the Shi family members to return to work. By the Chinese New Year at the latest, someone would fill these vacancies. It didn't matter who filled them; they wouldn't all be against them.
The biggest problem is that after the mourning period is over, the Shi family will return to the court. Will there be any suitable positions for them by then?
It wasn't that he was heartless; even with his son and relatives dead, he still considered his own interests. If he didn't think this through now, his entire family would be doomed. The Crown Prince had already lost the Suo Party, a decision he made after weighing the pros and cons. While the long-term benefits outweighed the risks, the short-term consequences were self-defeating. A heroic act of self-sacrifice, saving his life, but leaving him somewhat crippled.
The Crown Prince now had two main sources of support: the orthodox courtiers, his mentors, and his former subordinates; and his relatives. The Shi family was considered an external relative, the Hesheli family now only had half the power left, and then there were the newly developed good friends in the imperial clan, such as Yaerjiang'a.
The newly developed ones, with fewer members and some quality checks to be done, were not very reliable. In comparison, those with family ties were more trustworthy. Now that his two relatives had all gone into hibernation, like something out of an American TV series, Yinreng didn't trust Yinzhi not to take advantage of the situation and stir up trouble.
The unfortunate thing was that he had no solution. Yinreng hadn't been able to sleep for half the night, worried about his wife's mood swings during her eighth month of pregnancy. The crown prince, with his knowledge of obstetrics and gynecology, knew the saying, "Seven lives, eight lives." He had just lost a son and didn't want to lose another.
The others had simpler thoughts. Yinzhi, delighted, was thinking about cursing his brother more and considering how to deal with the Shi family father and son. Yinzhi, of course, was also thinking about the vacancies and was considering whether he could secure one or two of them. Of course, he also had to discuss with his wife that he must remember to visit the Crown Prince at the Eastern Palace tomorrow.
————————————————————————————————
The next day, the imperial hearing continued as usual. However, this time, as everyone waited outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, their eyes darted wildly. Everyone knew the news, and some were inevitably tempted. What a lucrative position! Who could speak before the emperor? Who should they give gifts to?
Shi Wenbing still had to come. He had already asked for leave after receiving the bad news yesterday, but he had not submitted the petition requesting to observe mourning.
Soon it was Shi Wenbing's turn. He pulled out the memorial from his sleeve, gathered his courage, and climbed the steps one by one to the Qianqing Gate. After handing in the memorial, Shi Wenbing stood aside with his hands hanging down. He noticed the hem of a golden figure beside the imperial desk. It was probably the crown prince.
Kangxi took a quick look at the memorial and thought that there was nothing new in the content, so there was no need to discuss it with others. He just approved it with a stroke of his pen!
Yinreng was feeling quite frightened.
Shi Wenbing wanted to add a little more spice to his story: "I still have three sons who must also observe the mourning period. I will submit their memorials to the chief officer for submission. I hope Your Majesty will grant your approval."
Kangxi actually said "hmm".
Seeing that Kangxi had nothing else to say, Shi Wenbing withdrew.
What followed was nothing compared to his father-in-law's decision to take his elder and younger brothers-in-law away from the battlefield. Yinreng listened with a sullen face. After everyone had come to the audience, Kangxi said to Yinreng, "You are unhappy today, so why don't you go back and take a look?"
Kangxi had been observing Yinreng. In just one night, Yinreng looked much more haggard, with an indifferent look on his face. There were many small blisters on his lips, and his movements were a little slow.
Yinreng really needed to go back and calm down, so he didn't refuse too much. He just politely said goodbye and went back.
Kangxi then gave the order: "Anyone who has presented a sign requesting an audience today should step aside. Go and bring me to the palace."
Today is the second day of the funeral. The news was announced yesterday and the mourning activities began today.
The people who came to visit the deceased's relatives were all high-ranking. Kangxi was the first to come, of course, the emperor's schedule said "comforting his son" instead of "attending his grandson's funeral."
Yinreng met him at the palace gate, and Kangxi waved his hand and said, "Let's forget about this for now."
The eunuchs surrounded the supreme father and son and walked all the way to the bedroom of Duan Ben Gong Yinreng. Kangxi did not sit in the main seat, but went directly to the east side room and sat on the kang on the south edge. He pointed to the seat on the other side of the kang table and said, "Sit down."
As a veteran bereaved son, Kangxi tried to comfort his son: "It's just that we were not destined to be together. Don't grieve in vain." Yinreng moved his lips, but ultimately sighed: "Khan Ama is right. I understand this. The child is gone. I can't bring him back. It's just that I can't stop thinking about him."
Kangxi was silent.
When you are sad, having someone to sit with you will make you feel better. After sitting quietly for a while, Yinreng said, "Khan Ama, there are many things going on in the court now. Khalkha Zasaktu Khan, the king, the Beile and others are here to pay homage. Please put state affairs first. There is nothing wrong with me here."
Kangxi pondered for a moment and said, "I'll give you a day off. Rest up. You don't have to come tomorrow. Hongxi and Hongdan don't have to go to school tomorrow. The day after tomorrow, you both have to cheer up for me."
Yinreng agreed.
Kangxi asked again, "How is the situation with the Crown Princess?"
Yinreng smiled bitterly, "I didn't intend for her to find out so soon, but the two things happened to coincide, and she got lost in the conversation, so she found out everything. She sent someone to the Shi family early this morning, and she's waiting for news now."
"Is she well?"
"Uh... I asked Hongdan and Hongtong to accompany her. She seems to be in good spirits."
Kangxi rubbed his temples. How could everything have happened at once? "That's good. You should take a good rest."
"Your son respectfully sends off Khan Ama."
——————————————————————————————————————————
Kangxi, an emperor who may not have been wholeheartedly devoted to the people but was indeed diligent in his work, comforted his son and left.
Then, people from all over the place who received the news also rushed over.
The mourners were divided into two groups. The men went to Duanjing Hall to visit the prince, and the women went to Duanyi Palace to comfort the princess.
Naturally, Yinzhi was the first to arrive at the Duanjing Hall. After a night of calm, his excitement had settled into a relative calm, and he tried hard to look mournful. He hadn't slept well the previous night, and in the morning he still had two faint dark circles under his eyes, but he looked quite serious.
Yinzhi, Yinzhen, Yinyou, Yinqi, and even Yinsi, Yin'er, and Yin'e all felt a little sorry for Hongyang. The others, like Yinlu, Yinxiang, and Yinzhen, who still lived in the palace, had more contact with Hongyang on weekdays. The Fifteenth Prince was about the same age as his nephew and had been classmates with him for a few days, so he felt even more sorry for him.
They all had a common thought: Why did he still look rather sad today? Why wasn't he gloating?
Prince Zhi has already been too excited once, and has been fucking more than half of you in his mind over and over again. He was too excited and now feels a little weak.
The light in the Duanjing Hall was quite bright, and the winter sun filtered through the window lattices, leaving long trails of light in the room. Although he was the crown prince, he couldn't be too arrogant. Seeing his brothers coming, Yinreng, though worried, still stood up to greet them. Seeing him rise, everyone took two quick steps forward and saluted.
Yinreng glanced at his elder brother and obviously noticed that he was absent-minded, but he did not point it out.
Yinzhi spoke first: "Prince, the dead cannot be brought back to life. Please accept my condolences."
"You little brats, I'm so glad you took the trouble to come here. Come, sit down."
They sat down and tea was served. After taking a few sips to soothe his throat, Yinzhi started a new topic: "When something like this happens, it's hard not to feel sad. No matter how sad your Highness is, you must take care of yourself."
"It's not like I haven't been there before, but it would be a shame to go there when I'm this big."
The Crown Prince had lost two daughters before him, and of course, daughters were not as important as sons. Among these people, quite a few had lost children in infancy, and they felt a sense of empathy.
However, since they were all men, they were more rational and didn't dwell on it too much, just saying a few words of condolence. Instead, when Yinreng mentioned that Kangxi had given him two days off, everyone started to take it seriously.
Yinzhen was more attentive and nodded, saying, "Khan Ama is wise. The Crown Prince is also... Let Hongyang worry about it for two more days." The funeral would be held the day after tomorrow. It was just in time for the funeral to be over and the holiday to end.
Yinsi thought to himself, "Two days? By the time you come back, the opportunity will be gone." During these two days, you won't have a say in the Khan's decision on who will fill the vacant position. The vacancies in the Shi family are all relatively important positions. There's no time for arguing; they need to be filled quickly.
Furthermore, if someone was in poor health or old age, everyone would know about it. A backup candidate would be prepared in advance, and the emperor would have a heads-up. But in the case of the Shi family, who were perfectly fine, who would have thought they would be vacant due to mourning? They didn't even have a backup.
Although he thought so, he would not remind Yinreng. After the fight, he and everyone else finished and went back to their respective places - they all had their assignments and still had to work.
Compared with the calmness and restraint of the Crown Prince, the sound effects of the Crown Princess are much more powerful and the content is richer.
Even before Kangxi arrived, some had already expressed their stance. The Empress Dowager and the various palace mistresses, while reluctant to come in person, had already sent envoys to offer their condolences to the Crown Prince and his wife, leveraging their convenient location. These people were received by the Crown Princess. Given her own frail health and the fact that Li Jia was Hongyang's biological mother, Shujia had two concubines attend as well.
In such a scene, Li Jia was embarrassed. She had nothing to do with it, yet she had to attend this tearful meeting. The fact that she was allowed to sit here was because the Crown Princess was showing her respect. She couldn't even protest, and had to put on a sad face.
I quietly took out a sachet filled with spices, put it under my nose and sniffed it, and tears started to flow.
The Crown Princess sat in the main seat, her eyes also red. Li Jia thought, this was probably not just because of Hongyang, the illegitimate son, but also because the Crown Princess's Mafa had also died. Sitting across from Li Jia was Li Jia, who had become somewhat numb, tears streaming down her face for days.
Li Jia swallowed a sigh and lowered her head. Just then, she saw a few scraps of the hem of the eunuch's blue-gray uniform, followed by a brown cotton cheongsam. Someone from Chengqian Palace arrived to offer condolences. The message was the Imperial Concubine's heartfelt message: "The Imperial Concubine asks the Crown Prince and Crown Princess to accept our condolences."
The Crown Princess's voice slowly said, "Thank my mother for your concern on my behalf."
If it was for the one outside the palace, the Crown Princess's thanks were justified, but if it was for the one inside the palace, the Imperial Concubine forgot to mention Li Jiashi. Li Jiashi wiped her eyes again and looked at everything in front of her with a detached attitude.
Li Jiashi was in a very awkward position at this time. Her child had died, and she was not the main person to be comforted. Li Jiashi was in a thousand thoughts, but she wanted to stay with Hongyang for a while longer and cherish this last time together.
Thinking of Hongyang, I started to feel sad again. I didn't care about the embarrassing situation and just cried silently. There was no point in caring about it. It would be easier to survive if I didn't think about these deep-seated problems.
After finally sending the people in the palace away, the visiting delegation from outside the palace came again.
Since the position of the first wife is currently vacant, the first is the third wife, followed by the fourth wife, the fifth wife, the seventh wife, and the eighth wife.
Zishang adjusted the cushions for Shujia to make her more comfortable. Shujia's belly was already quite large, making it difficult for her to move. Maintaining one position for more than five minutes caused her waist to become uncomfortable. Li Jiashi took advantage of this opportunity to pull out the sachet from her sleeve and sniff it again.
Tears flowed again, and the ladies also came into the house.
The Third Lady's eyes were red: "Don't be too sad, it's the children's affairs, the children's affairs...it all depends on God's arrangement." Shujia knew that inside and outside the palace, everyone had a secret recipe when they didn't really want to cry but had to.
As for the Third Lady, it's not as if she genuinely feels sorry for Hongyang. Hongyang's aunts had barely met him, and they had little interaction, so what was there to be sad about? Even Shujia herself was merely sad, not as sorrowful as Li Jiashi.
In comparison, the Third Lady's sadness seemed a bit more genuine. The Fourth Lady and the others only had a hint of regret on their faces.
The reason for this is that Sanfujin lost her eldest son Hongqing and eldest daughter Da Gege during the first month of this year, so she can empathize more deeply with their feelings. "When Hongqing passed away, my heart was empty. When I saw his sister, I couldn't even cry. I wanted to die. But when I wiped away my tears, I had to think about Hongsheng to take care of..."
When she cried, the only one who felt the same pain was Li Jiashi, but Li Jiashi could not hug her head and cry with the Third Lady.
The Eighth Lady was more alert at this moment. Her eyes glided over Shujia's bulging belly. She said to Shujia, "I heard outside the palace yesterday...that there was a funeral in the Plain White Banner. After asking around, I found out it was at the mansion. They say the old man passed away peacefully and didn't suffer. You shouldn't be too sad for him."
The Fourth Lady glanced at the Eighth Lady and thought to herself, "What a clever person!" The Eighth Lady started the conversation, and everyone else quickly followed suit, even the Third Lady.
Li Jiashi was in a dilemma, and she was neither going to leave nor staying. She was truly resentful at this moment, and she felt sorry for Hongyang. The person had already left, but the wives of his aunts were so indifferent.
Shujia had been exhausted for the past two days, her due date approaching, and she had already dealt with a whole group of people. Now she was too exhausted to deal with her sisters-in-law. She forced herself to stay alert and answer everyone. When she heard the Eighth Lady mention Huashan, she felt her solar plexus throbbing.
Hua Shan was a man of distinct personality, and even though she didn't interact with him as frequently as her brothers, she still left a deep impression on Shu Jia. However, the palace was different from the outside world, and sadness couldn't be shown too obviously, especially when the concubine's son also died.
The Eighth Lady hit the nail on the head, but it wasn't what Shujia needed. The remaining ounce of rationality told Shujia that she had to end this dangerous topic. Li Jiashi easily resented her, and while she wasn't afraid, she was more likely to cause trouble. The sisters-in-law then began to linger on this dangerous topic. Shujia finally spoke, her voice a little hoarse: "Please come over..."
The hand holding the handkerchief tightened, four fingers folded together, and the little finger raised. Zichang hurriedly stepped forward anxiously, as if the Crown Princess was in a critical situation: "Master, you—" Her voice was not loud, and the speed was very fast.
Shujia waved her hands weakly: "It's okay..."
Zichang looked as if she was facing a great enemy: "You were not feeling well when Prince Hongyang's bad news came yesterday..."
The ladies tactfully said goodbye, and Shujia said softly, "I'm sorry I can't get up."
The alarm is lifted.
Xiuniu walked with Zhao Guoshi to see the concubines out, and Zishang watched them leave the Duanyi Palace. When she turned around, the Crown Princess tilted her head and didn't move. Li Jiashi and Li Jiashi were both stunned. Zishang was really anxious this time and ran over: "Master, Master——"
The concubines, who had just stepped out of the doorway, heard the noise, exchanged glances, and then turned back. Xiuniu and Zhao Guoshi were also anxious, but they couldn't stop the group of concubines, so they could only follow them in. Upon entering, Zichang saw her hands shaking, hesitant to stretch them, as if she was trying to test whether the Crown Princess was still breathing?!
The ladies-in-law took a few quick steps and arrived in front of her. They saw the Crown Princess moving her lips, frowning, and shifting her body, as if she was trying to adjust to a more comfortable position.
The Crown Princess...is she asleep?
A false alarm!
Zichang rushed over and started crying, remembering not to cry too loudly: "Master, please don't be like this. Old Wu, call the imperial physician, the master is so sad that she fainted!" She reached out and stroked Shujia's brow, sobbing softly, "How can the little prince die in peace when you are like this?"
Shujia: zzzzzzzzzz~
Ladies: It is really necessary to have a good servant.
Zishang and Xiuniu worked together to help Shujia up, while Wu Mingli and other eunuchs supported her from behind, and moved the sleeping Crown Princess to the couch in the inner room. Then they came out to apologize to the other wives, who all said, "It's all our fault. We shouldn't have caused the Crown Princess to cry again."
The Crown Princess fainted from weeping, and the other wives could no longer leave, waiting together for the Imperial Physician. The Crown Prince had already received word that his wife, who was about to give birth, had fainted from weeping, and he personally supervised the process of "sending" the Imperial Physician.
The imperial physician rushed over as if being chased by a ghost. Before he could catch his breath, he met a palace maid with tears on her face. "Just now, the Crown Princess was talking to the other wives. She mentioned that the young prince had passed away and the old master had also passed away. She was so heartbroken that she actually... actually..."
Imperial Physician Khan, the Crown Princess is about to give birth! This is a very dangerous time.
After taking her pulse, he finally felt relieved. While she was feeling a bit depressed and tired, she was generally safe. The imperial physician was thankful for this diagnosis. He decisively declared that the Crown Princess was in good health and just needed some rest.
I was urged to write a prescription again.
Only after the prescription was written and the Crown Prince reviewed it, and ordered the herbs to be prepared and boiled, was the imperial physician released. The other concubines also took the opportunity to leave. Li Jiashi and Li Jiashi wanted to stay and serve, but Zhao Guoshi took the initiative and asked them to go back and rest: "The Crown Princess has already lain down. Please take care of yourselves."
This time they were really sent away. Zishang, Xiuniu, Wu Mingli and others wiped their sweat together. Zhao Guoshi said, "Hurry up and tell the prince."
"I'd better go and look after the master. The master has always been in good health, but he looks so low-spirited this time. He must be very tired and sad." Xiuniu took the initiative to take on this task.
Zichang thought for a moment and said, "I'll go with you. Let Qiao'er go to the eldest prince's coffin to take a look. Prince Hongdan and Prince Hongtong have Qingjin and the maids with them, so it's appropriate."
After the division of labor was completed, Yinreng also came in. He had been pinching the imperial physician's neck and shaking him for a long time, so long that he finally felt guilty and offered the imperial physician compensation for mental damages - he really couldn't bear the loss anymore. If shaking the imperial physician could make the imperial physician cure his wife, he was willing to pay some money.
Sitting on the bed, holding Shujia's hand, feeling the temperature slightly higher than his own, Yinreng's heart slowly returned to its place. He whispered, "Why is she a little hot?"
Xiuniu whispered, "After the master became pregnant, her firepower became stronger."
Yinreng laughed, "How foolish! It's always like this." He covered his wife tightly with the quilt again, staring at her without blinking.
Shujia "zzzzzzzz~
Xiuniu and Zishang looked at each other, and knew better than to act as a third wheel. They knelt down and bowed gently, then quietly retreated, closing the door behind them.
After coming out, he bumped into Hongxiu who was at Shifu, and the three of them had a meeting. Hongxiu listened to Zichang's retelling and said in surprise: "You did a great job just now!"
"You don't need to tell me, but I was really scared at that time!"
"Sister Xiu is right. Under normal circumstances, the master would never be like this. It must be because of sadness and hard work. She is still pregnant. We must take good care of her in the next one or two months."
Xiuniu pursed her lips and smiled: "The prince is in there, let them talk, the master will definitely feel better."
Zishang asked, "We've only just talked about this. How did you accomplish this mission? Why did you take so long?"
Hongxiu paused, and then her expression became ferocious as if a switch was pressed.
——————————————————————————————————————————
Hongxiu was sent out of the palace to Shi Mansion early in the morning. She represented Shujia and received a more formal welcome.
Hua Shan was an elderly man, a man of high status, so his funeral would take longer than Hong Yang's. Today was also a day of mourning, and Xiluo Te and Shi Wenbing had already divided the work: Shi Wenbing would lead the children and grandchildren to receive the officials, while Xiluo Te would lead the daughters-in-law to receive the guests. She also had the two daughters-in-law each assign someone to look after the grandchildren, who would also be accompanying them to meet guests, and since they were still young, it was a real worry.
In addition, personnel were assigned to clean up two courtyards to prepare for the residence of Shi Wenzhuo and his family, who would soon return to Beijing to mourn their father.
Everything is ready, the tent has been set up, and we are waiting for mourners to arrive.
The first to arrive were the Shi family's relatives, who had taken leave the day before upon hearing the news and were all here to help. Shi Wenbing asked the leader, Shi Wenying, and after learning that everyone had taken leave, each of them was given a long gown. The gowns were made of materials ranging from coarse to fine cloth, and the styles ranged from bold to delicate, following the order of the five levels of formal attire.
The Xiluo family also has some sisters-in-law and nieces to help.
The first people to arrive were all unimportant and idle people, as those with higher status had gone to court. It was at this time that Hongxiu arrived.
Wendu was serving hot soup to Xiluo: "Mother, please eat a little more, you will be busy later." Although the guests of higher status were free, they still decided to go with their husbands, so the people who were receiving the non-working people still had time to eat something.
Jueluo came in from outside: "Mother, sister-in-law, the Crown Princess sent Aunt Wang here."
Aunt Wang is Hongxiu. Her surname was Wang, so when she was a maid at home, she was naturally called by her first name. Later, when she followed the Crown Princess into the palace, she was also called by her first name for the first two years. Later, as her seniority grew, she had to avoid using the prince's name, so she was simply called Aunt Wang.
Both Xiluo and Wendu stopped and asked them to let the person in quickly.
Hongxiu came in and greeted her first before crying, "Madam! Why did the old man pass away?"
Both sides cried together. After they finally stopped crying, Xiluo Te asked, "How is the Crown Princess? She is still alive. I hope she is safe."
Hongxiu wiped her tears and said, "The Crown Princess is getting worse. I dare not ask her to move at this moment. I sent a servant to kowtow, and the Crown Prince will also send someone. It's not that you two don't want to come, it's really, really, there is a funeral in our palace."
"What?" the three women asked together.
"Brother Hongyang passed away in the afternoon yesterday."
When they heard it was Hongyang, the three of them breathed a sigh of relief. Hongxiu began to drink her tea.
Xiluo Te said: "What a pity, I have met this prince twice, he is quite handsome."
Hongxiu said, "I was born weak, and the master doesn't cherish things. He gives me whatever I want, but I still can't keep it. I'm afraid the family will be busy soon, and I'll just cause trouble here." Clapping her hands, "This is what the Crown Princess asked to bring back."
The young palace maid brought out a list. Jueluo took it personally, showed it to Xiluo, and then handed it to the housekeeper to keep aside.
"Madam, please allow me to kowtow to the old master so that I can give an explanation to the Crown Princess when I return."
Xiluo Te said: "Of course, come with me."
Before he could even get up, a number of invitations were handed to him from the front. The guests were expected to arrive shortly, but they had already sent someone to deliver the offerings and to let him know whether they were coming or not. Wendu said, "I'll take Aunt Wang with me. Mother and my younger sister-in-law can take a look at these."
Xiluotai nodded and said, "Be careful on the road."
On the way, Wendu once again expressed her concern for the Crown Princess. Hongxiu thanked her on her behalf and expressed her concern for her sister-in-law. The kowtow and formalities went smoothly, but when they returned to say goodbye to Xiluo, something went wrong.
As soon as she arrived at Xiluo Te's main room, Hongxiu sensed something was wrong. This was a completely different aura from before. She couldn't put her finger on what was wrong, but she simply felt uncomfortable, a feeling she could only feel, not express.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law both looked very unhappy. Hongxiu was about to say goodbye but swallowed her words: "Madam, Grandma, what's the problem?"
Xiluo Te forced a smile and said, "It's nothing serious. Go back and pay our respects to the Crown Princess and ask how the young prince is doing."
Hongxiu felt something was wrong and simply told the truth, "Madam, please forgive me for being so rude. If there really is any difficulty at home, the Crown Princess will know about it sooner or later. Instead of letting others know, it's better for us to talk about it first so that we can have a clearer picture. Even if the news is not good, I can slowly tell my master, right?"
Jueluo said, "Mother, this is no small matter. If it really gets out, I'm afraid it won't spread throughout the city? Or..."
Xiluo Te sighed, "Guests from Uncle Tong's house are coming to pay their respects."
This is a good thing, but Hongxiu knows that things are not that simple.
Sure enough: "I am familiar with the old lady of the Tong family. She is a very well-behaved person. I didn't expect that she would have such a son."
Wendu didn't know what was going on. Seeing Xiluo Te paused, she said, "Since it's a guest from the family, why is your mother sighing?"
Seeing that Xiluo's face had turned pale with anger, Jueluo said, "It's okay for the old lady to come, but that Uncle Long, ask the one in his family to come alone as well!" She could not hide her anger.
"Uncle Long favors his concubine over his wife. Last month...didn't his wife say she accidentally broke her leg while walking? Why did she struggle to get over it? Even just like that, there's no need for you to be so angry."
"It takes a hundred days to heal a broken bone, how can she move like this? - Do you really believe she fell on her own? I wonder how that bitch got to her!"
Xiluo coughed, and Jueluo quickly returned to the topic: "It's a shame that bitch does things behind closed doors at home, but now she's bullying our family! I'm afraid she's the one who's coming!"
Wen Dushi and Hongxiu were both shocked. Hongxiu said, "Isn't that possible?"
Wen Du said, "That's not the way to be confused."
"The old lady of the Tong family wanted to bring her normal daughter-in-law with her, but unfortunately she couldn't. Suddenly, she heard that Uncle Long had sent someone to get a carriage, saying that his wife was going on a trip. The old lady felt sorry for her daughter-in-law and told her not to come. She came here to plead for her on her behalf."
After a lot of confusing conversation, I realized that the lady was Si'er!
The old lady was furious. She couldn't manage her son anymore, and her husband had gone to court. She could only wait for him to return before delivering the notice, but it was already getting late. She had no choice but to bite the bullet and save her dignity. She sent someone to apologize in advance, saying, "If anything goes wrong later, please bear with me." By the time she sent the housekeeper away, her face was green, and she couldn't speak clearly, but she still had to smooth things over.
Hongxiu was completely embarrassed. She used to work for the Shi family and later entered the palace. She had seen many things, but never anything as embarrassing as this.
Xiluo Te ordered her, "We will find a solution here. Don't tell the Crown Princess yet. If you can keep it a secret, then keep it a secret. We can tell her after the baby is born. She can't be angry anymore."
At this time, Fu Hai's family came in and replied, "The eldest brother-in-law and the eldest aunt are here."
Hongxiu said, "I will wait here a little longer and kowtow to my aunt before leaving." She always wanted to stay here for a while, to explore the situation before returning to the palace. With more intelligence, she would have greater initiative. Moreover, she really didn't believe that Longkodo could be so disabled.
She served as a bridge between the Crown Princess and the outside world. She had heard stories about Uncle Long before, but they all stemmed from Longkodo's excessive favoritism towards his concubine, leaving the first wife feeling frustrated. Upon his return, he warned the Crown Princess: Be careful with your concubine. But this time, what did she hear? The concubine had crippled the first wife, and was even openly visiting the Crown Princess's family home, trying to steal the show at the funeral of the Heshuo Efu?!
This is outrageous!
Sit and wait with a fierce look on your face.
When Shuxian arrived, she wasn't surprised by what happened, but she was genuinely angry: "What a slap in the face!" Then she changed the subject, "Madam, this matter...if you can avoid it beforehand, then avoid it. If you can't, then you can only endure it. After all, this is the family of the uncle of the emperor of two dynasties."
This is the most sensible advice.
Xiluo Te responded with a more rational plan: "Go to the front and call Qingde. Doesn't he know Lord E?"
Everyone wanted to cheer! She is indeed the wife!
Qingde was already extremely angry with Longkodo and Si'er, so he immediately agreed: "Lao E is right up ahead! I'll go and tell him right away!"
Sirut shouted sternly, "Come back!"
Qingde stopped and listened attentively.
"Your Mafa's important affairs, you are not allowed to make a fool of yourself! I also dislike that servant girl, but I won't lower myself to lower status, do you understand?"
Qingde responded sullenly.
Hongxiu has to wait for news even more.
Orondai's relationship with Longkodo wasn't particularly close. According to Orondai's sense of hierarchy, Longkodo was from the same clan as him. But don't forget, Orondai despised Fahai! Fahai's biological mother was a maidservant in Tong Guogang's household. Somehow, she and Tong Guogang gave birth to a son. And what was the result? Instead of the mother being honored by her son, the son was humbled by his mother. After Fahai's biological mother died, Orondai, the head of the household, refused to allow her to be buried in the ancestral tomb!
Roll up your sleeves, it's so embarrassing! There's also a picture of Qingde's face looking so aggrieved that he wants to cry!
Orondei galloped on his horse and intercepted his uncle and cousin's caravan halfway!
Tong Guowei was very angry. This nephew was originally out of control, and now he was even more lawless: "What are you doing? Isn't it embarrassing enough to walk on the street!" He and Longkodo both rode horses, while the female family members took cars. The father-in-law and daughter-in-law had to avoid suspicion, and he didn't know that his daughter-in-law had been replaced.
Orondai grinned and said, "Uncle, let me have a word with my brother."
Riding forward, three men put on a show.
Longkodo was still unconvinced, but Orondai got even angrier: "Boy, your wife's leg is broken! How can she go out? It takes a hundred days to heal a broken bone!"
Longkodo's face turned uncomfortable. Tong Guowei was a bit older, but in terms of age, he was right at the tail end of what would be called "the golden age of a politician" three hundred years later. He immediately grasped the point: "What's wrong? Tell me!"
Even if Orondai behaved foolishly again, he still had to save face for his family. He gritted his teeth and said, "This brat! Uncle, let me put it this way. Send someone to see if the leg is broken. I will apologize to her. If both legs are intact, I will break both of them!"
Longkodo growled, "You dare?"
"When did you start loving your wife so much? You don't love that bastard anymore?"
Okay, Tong Guowei understands!
His shaking hands almost slapped Longkodo away: "Tell her to go back! Stop embarrassing herself!" He rode his horse over and whispered something to his wife's carriage.
The old lady of the Tong family, Hesheli, was very happy. She didn't want to bring Si'er with her, but Longkodo said, "You can tell my father that it's okay not to bring her. I'll let her go alone. Then all the sons will have a hat. It will be presentable to have her name written on the post as your son's wife. She has always given birth to children for your son, so she should have some face. Otherwise, your grandson will lose face, right?"
Now that the truth had been revealed, Hesheli was only happy. He whispered, and Tong Guowei looked around and saw some bystanders already watching. He could only suppress his anger for the time being: "Send her back. Do you want her to go back, or should I send her back to where she came from?"
Longkodo was furious, but he didn't dare to disobey his father in public. He went to Si'er's carriage and humbled himself. Si'er was sobbing in the carriage, and Longkodo's heart was broken by her crying. He coaxed her again, saying, "Don't cry. One day I will make you proud."
Orondai sneered. He watched Tong Guowei order his confidants to escort the carriage away before he stepped forward to walk with Tong Guowei, lagging behind him by half a horse's head. Old Orondai looked like a gangster: "Uncle, you are young, so it's okay to be casual. Just don't embarrass yourself. If I hadn't known about this earlier, what happened later wouldn't have been reported to the front. If you had been kept in the dark, you wouldn't have been embarrassed by so many people."
Tong Guowei just thought that this nephew was more reliable than his son, but now he takes back his words.
The condolence went smoothly. Although the Tong family members had some strange expressions—Tong Guowei's face was sullen, Orondei's eyes were squinting, and Longkodo's lips were pouting—at least no one laughed. Old Mrs. Tong looked ashamed. Seeing that Si'er hadn't come, Xiluotai was relieved and sympathized with Old Mrs. Tong. She hoped her son wouldn't be too ambitious, just not have any tics.
————————————————————————————————
After hearing Hongxiu's explanation, everyone was shocked: "How could such a thing happen?"
Hongxiu sneered, "I only came back after seeing their family leave. My grandmother has spoken to me about this more than once! Only Uncle Long from the prince's family doesn't dare to make a fuss. Others, even those with the first or second rank imperial decrees, can still ask their concubines to entertain guests."
When he returned home, he would definitely reiterate the family rules and severely suppress his concubine.
Xiuniu said, "Since the matter is over, don't tell the master."
Zishang said, "That's right. The master and the three gentlemen are in mourning and are not in the mood to join in the fun. It's just right."
Let’s talk about everything after we have overcome the difficulties and have time to spare.
Years later, after learning the truth, the Crown Princess made this comment: "When the cursed eldest prince was born, God forgot to fill his head with milk. When the convulsing Longkodo was born, God did remember to fill his head with milk, but unfortunately, it was soy milk!"
This comment was circulated internally, so internally that no one knew about it except the Crown Princess.
Soy milk, you get shot even when you're lying down.
The author has something to say:
Today's slogan is no fake updates!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
