The new emperor in a trance
The death of an emperor is called "collapse," and the collapse of a mountain tomb is not particularly different from the death of a parent to the subjects. However, the current situation is too strange, and the only people who are truly sad and cry because of the emperor's death are the frightened palace maids and eunuchs.
As for the princes, royal family members, and ministers, everyone was stunned for a moment. What? The emperor was dead? Are you kidding? For decades, Kangxi had been active in every aspect of people's lives, traveling north, south, east, and west. He directed the work of various departments, educated his friends and family, and troubled the wives of his wives. And now he was gone?
The first reaction of the princes and ministers in the room was not to cry, but to be stunned. The one who was hit the hardest was Yinreng. After being reminded by Li Guangdi, he rushed to Kangxi and touched him with trembling hands. He found that Kangxi was still warm. He then checked his breath and pulse and found that his father, the Khan, was dead.
From his expression, the onlookers knew Kangxi was gone. The princes and courtiers opened their mouths, but before they could even cry, the crown prince leaped forward, grabbed the imperial physician's neck, and demanded he tell them the truth.
This wasn't a medical accident, and had nothing to do with the doctor. The patient died before he even showed up. The imperial physician himself was stunned. Strokes are prone to recurrence, and the frequency of recurrence varies from person to person, but Kangxi's condition was improving.
The imperial physician stayed awake for a long time before finally being shaken awake by the crown prince. Seeing that his head would fall off if he didn't speak, he reflexively said, "You were getting better, are you angry again?"
That's right! Yinreng was furious, rolling up his sleeves to deal with the bastards who had angered his father. Ma Qi quickly covered the memorial and said with Li Guangdi, "Prince, calm down. We have plenty of time to deal with them."
Yinzhi and Yinzhen, two of the princes, came over and supported the prince on both sides: "Prince, Prince!" Hongxi, who was married, was also standing at the end of the team. At this time, he squeezed forward and also called him "Ama".
Yinyou and Yinqi had already rushed over and started crying. Once they started crying, Yinreng couldn't hold back any more, crying harder than anyone else. Of all his sons, Kangxi cared the most for him. He had spent the most time with Kangxi, and while they had their share of minor frictions, overall, they were a loving father and a filial son. Kangxi acted like both a father and a mother to him, raising him up as both a kind father and a strict teacher...
Thinking of this, Yinreng couldn't help but nag: "Khan Ama, open your eyes and look at your son. When your son was little, you would come over when you called him like this...Khan Ama, the time your son was sick, you were always by his side to take care of him. If your son gets sick again in the future, can you bear to leave him alone? Khan Ama..."
He had a good memory and could recite every heartwarming moment of their father-son relationship from the moment he could remember. It was truly heart-wrenching. Ma Qi heard that the Crown Prince had already recited the story of his Khan Ama taking him to the Northeast to fish, and was about to continue reciting more. He then looked at Li Guangdi, who was pretending to be dead.
He could only wipe away his tears and look at the other princes, who were about to cry and persuade him, trying to signal with his eyes: Go and persuade the Crown Prince, you can't just cry now! The Eighth Prince was smart, but he didn't have a close relationship with the Crown Prince. He was too busy staying at home right now to step forward. If you flatter someone and hit the horse in the leg, wouldn't that just be asking for a kick?
Finally, it was Yin'e who stepped forward and said, "Crown Prince, Second Brother, Khan Ama is gone. We can't hide this from the Empress Dowager. It's not enough for us to just cry here. The concubines, the wives, and the emperor's grandchildren also need to mourn. And there are also the subjects of the world..."
Yinreng was immersed in his own world, crying bitterly. All the teachings about the crown prince not showing emotions, prioritizing the overall situation, and maintaining a good image without crying were thrown out of his mind at this moment. He knew that his father was gone, the father who had loved him for decades was gone!
Yin'e's entry point was good, and he brought his soul back. He sniffed and fumbled in his sleeves for a long time. Wei Zhu had already wrung out a handkerchief and came over to help him wipe his face.
Yinreng said, "I just cried myself to death." He took a breath and shuddered. "Where is the Minister of the Imperial Guard? Is Fuerdan on duty today? Tell him to control his men, guard the gates, and prevent chaos in the palace. Let's unite our forces and stabilize the capital."
After arranging security inside and outside the palace, they finally spoke of announcing the emperor's death: "Send the eunuch chief to the palace and issue a notice to all." Yinreng closed his eyes, "Khan Ama... has passed away."
As soon as the words fell, everyone in the room burst into tears. Ma Qi, still crying, stepped forward and said, "Please..." He paused, not knowing how to address Yinreng, so he omitted the name. "Issue the order to everyone inside and outside. Also, inform the wife of the prince's mansion..."
Li Guangdi had already thought about a hundred things. He stepped forward to stop Liang Jiugong who was about to go to Ningshou Palace and said, "Wait a moment," and then he turned to Yinreng, "Now we need to ask the kings and princes to come to the Empress Dowager. The late emperor did not leave any will... The crown prince must obey the Empress Dowager's order..." Well, "Why not have the crown prince lead the others to Ningshou Palace in person?"
When everyone heard his words, they wished they could travel back in time and steal his line: Why the hell didn't I think of this opportunity to shine? Damn, you Han official, you actually got ahead of us! Old bastard! No wonder Khan Ama liked him when he was alive, this guy is so damn likable.
They cursed Li Guangdi in their hearts, but said together, "Let's go find the Empress Dowager."
Yinzhi regained consciousness and tried to express himself: "Li Guangdi is right. If the crown prince does not ascend the throne, who will take charge of important affairs?"
Yinreng was silent for a moment, looking at the people in the room, and suddenly felt sad: "Call the people from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Internal Affairs to come and discuss the funeral ceremony first." After saying that, he reached out and took off his hat, "Take off your tassels first."
Yinzhi said anxiously, "Even if I were to issue an order, I would still have to ask the Empress Dowager's permission. It would be better to do it all at once."
That's true.
The Empress Dowager was now a key figure. Kangxi's stroke and death had been sudden, and there was no will. While the Crown Prince's succession was legitimate, with the Empress Dowager present, ascending the throne by her order was more legitimate.
Yinreng asked woodenly, "If we all go, will we leave Khan Ama here alone?"
Li Guangdi said, "The Crown Prince, the younger princes, and the other grandchildren are all studying in the palace. Please summon them."
The Imperial School was located within the Qianqing Palace compound. They had heard the deafening cries from there long ago and had already sent people there. They had reached the gate but hadn't dared go in. Now they came over to say they had heard the cries there and had sent people to inquire about the situation.
Yinreng insisted on not going to Ningshou Palace, wanting to accompany his father-in-law, leaving his sons to go there. Hongdan, upon hearing the eunuch's report, rushed to the main hall with his brother. They arrived in a flash, and the first thing they did was cry "Mafa." The father and son of the Eastern Palace cried in the same way, expressing their gratitude for Kangxi's kindness to them.
Okay, the grandson didn't want to go either. But things don't wait for anyone, so Yinreng ordered: "Send a few people who can explain the situation clearly, and leave everyone else here."
At that moment, those who were able to serve in the court left, and those who were studying stayed behind: You haven't entered society yet, so don't get involved in adults' affairs, come and cry with the crown prince.
In Ningshou Palace, a group of women were chatting and laughing. The arranged marriages came one after another, and Kangxi's condition showed signs of improvement. The Empress Dowager was happy, the concubines were happy, the princesses were happy, everyone was happy.
The Crown Princess brought Wu Yunzhu back, and the group chatted with the little girl. The Empress Dowager was in a good mood, asking and answering questions with her great-granddaughter.
"What are you doing?"
"The bracelet my mother gave me."
"Did your mother give it to you?"
"yes."
Even though it's so meaningless, everyone still listens with great interest.
Princess Rongxian was delighted to see this and took off her bracelet and gave it to her: "This has been blessed."
Wu Yunzhu looked at Shujia, who nodded. Wu Yunzhu took it and said, "Thank you, aunt." She smiled sweetly. Princess Rongxian reached out and pinched her face.
The Empress Dowager asked where the light came from, and Rongxian said that it was from a living Buddha not far from their banner, who was preaching in passing by, and she took the opportunity to pray. The Empress Dowager sighed, "It's been a long time since I last visited the grassland!"
Princess Kejing said, "When Khan-Ama is well again, I will ask for permission to invite him to stay with me for a few days. Empress Dowager, will you come?"
Princess Rongxian said, "I can still accommodate you there, Empress Dowager, please come."
The princesses urged her to go, and the Empress Dowager looked around and said, "Okay, as long as the Emperor agrees, I will go!"
As they were talking, there were more reports from outside. The kings and ministers wanted to see the empress dowager. This time, because the emperor fell while discussing government, the officials gathered in great numbers, and there were more than just the iron-hat princes and princes from the royal family.
The Empress Dowager had experienced the same thing once before and had some experience. She panicked first: "The Emperor is ill again? Didn't he say he was getting better?"
The concubines, princesses, and wives all avoided it, and the Crown Princess even rescued her daughter.
The Empress Dowager looked around and saw no one who could accompany her. She could only bite the bullet and sit on the throne tremblingly and wait.
As soon as everyone entered, the Empress Dowager felt something was wrong. It was definitely wrong. The tassels were gone, and it was definitely different from usual.
As soon as they entered, the leader, Prince Zhuang, burst into tears: "Grandfather. The Emperor has passed away~" A chorus of unspeakable howling stifled the Empress Dowager's "What happened?" With a thud, the Empress Dowager fell backward onto the throne.
The palace maids, eunuchs, and the princes rushed forward and helped the man up. They found that he was breathing. They called for the imperial physician and massaged his chest before finally resuscitating him. When the Empress Dowager woke up, she burst into tears: "Emperor! Why did you die?!"
The princes and ministers cried a few more times, and then thought, we are not here to accompany the old lady to cry! Remembering the mission, they tactfully reminded her that your grandson is waiting for your authorization to preside over your son's funeral. If you don't speak up, it will be difficult to handle the emperor's funeral.
When the crying outside was going on, the women inside could hear it too. Wu Yunzhu didn't understand why her "grandmother," her aunts, and her aunts, who had just been chatting and laughing, suddenly burst into tears, and why her mother's face turned pale. She looked left and right, and her little face was also pale.
Kangxi was dead? Shujia was stunned for a long time. How could it be possible?! He should have lived for more than a decade. He had endured so many sons' quarrels, so why was he dead now? This was a joke, right?
The last question is complete nonsense. April Fool's Day is not celebrated in our motherland these days. Even if it is celebrated, no one dares to joke about the emperor's life and death, right?
So, this is true.
Shujia was stunned. Her arms, holding her daughter, began to tremble. The Third Lady beside her was quick to help her up. "Crown Princess? Crown Princess, what's wrong with you? Don't let the child fall."
As soon as Shujia came to her senses, tears began to flow.
The Empress Dowager, persuaded by the princes, remembered her business and was about to give her orders when she heard the woman crying inside and then started crying too. Hongxi, Hongtong and the others heard what the Third Lady said and could not help but jump up and rush in.
The kings thought to themselves, the situation is urgent, women should stop messing around!
The Empress Dowager announced with sobs on her face: "You draft the edict and I will seal it." The group of men then breathed a sigh of relief.
The Grand Secretary quickly drafted the decree—so efficient, he even brought the paperwork along. The Empress Dowager ordered the imperial edict to be brought, and then, with a clear and precise seal, she continued to cry, declaring that she must go to the coffin to weep.
Seeing his shaky appearance, no one dared to let her go. Yinzhi rolled up his sleeves and went to the battle to deceive: "Grandmother Empress Dowager, things are not going well in the Palace of Heavenly Purity. The Ministry of Rites is drafting the rules of funeral rites. Also, you need to change your clothes..."
"Oh, yes, yes, you need to change before going."
When the news came out, the women looked at each other. They were all dressed warmly and brightly, with colorful velvet flowers on their heads. Hurry up, go back and change your clothes!
Inside, the Third Lady heard her husband's antics, her heart pounding with anxiety. Every husband knows his own. Yinzhi's cleverness was never put to good use. This wasn't the first time he'd messed up at a funeral. She had to go back and take care of Yinzhi's expenses!
At this point, no one wanted to stay. They all told the Empress Dowager, "You must wait for us to return. That's only proper. The Qianqing Palace is now full of foreign officials. The women must send someone to let them know before leaving. They can only go there after receiving a letter."
The poor Empress Dowager wanted very much to see Kangxi for the last time, but she was fooled by the rules and etiquette left and right, so she cried for several times in Ningshou Palace and dared not move.
The Empress Dowager followed the rules, but one person was breaking them. "What kind of bullshit rule is this? What kind of precedent is this? Are you humiliating me? Military and civilian men and women in all provinces must stop mourning on the 27th." The Crown Prince, who had just ascended the throne in the presence of the late Emperor, was furious.
Who said feudal states weren't efficient? It was incredibly efficient! The Imperial Household Department had already quickly set up the Qianqing Palace and urgently brought in white cloth to sew into mourning robes. For the Crown Prince, there was no need to trim the edges; he could just put them on. The Crown Prince had already cut off his braids and was wearing mourning robes. The other princes had also cut their hair and changed into mourning robes.
Prince Zhuang read out the Empress Dowager's decree ordering the Crown Prince to ascend the throne, effectively formalizing Yinreng's position. Then, the Empress Dowager's order was announced to the world: a new emperor had been appointed. Next, funeral rites were discussed, a point of no time for fuss. Fortunately, the Minister of Rites, Mu Helun, had the foresight to retrieve the files before heading to Ningshou Palace.
The precedents used during the time outside the Great Wall are no longer applicable. Shunzhi's funeral rituals are still appropriate, and I will read them out one by one. After Shunzhi's death, Kangxi "cut their hair and braided it into mourning clothes. The kings, dukes, officials, princesses, and wives of the same sex below, as well as clan daughters, assistant commanders, third-class guards, and women of high rank and above, were ordered to remove their crowns and tassels and cut their hair, while women were ordered to remove their makeup and cut their hair."
Yinreng said, "That's it, what else?"
What the Minister of Rites, Mu Helun, said next was also approved, but there was one point that was rejected by Yinreng: when Shunzhi died, the military and civilian men and women in the provinces would stop mourning for 13 days. The Crown Prince, oh, the new emperor was furious!
Seeing him like this, no one could resist. They said, "Fourteen more days is enough." They all said, "Your Majesty is truly filial and wise. All the subjects in the world are the same. The capital will take twenty-seven days to end the mourning period, and the provinces will also take twenty-seven days to complete the mourning period." Only then did Yinreng calm down a little.
Mu Helun then read out the necessary etiquette. Yinreng was only asking for a higher salary for his father, nothing more. His request wasn't costly, so everyone chuckled in support.
Immediately issue a decree in the name of the new monarch—
Those who need a haircut should do so, and should change into mourning clothes. All officials in the capital should come and mourn. After twenty-seven days of mourning, you may remove your mourning clothes. However, music and weddings will be suspended for one hundred days for officials, and one month for soldiers and civilians. For the first hundred days, bills should be issued with a blue pen, and documents should be sealed with a blue seal. Slaughtering animals will be prohibited for forty-nine days. Starting on the day of the great funeral, all temples and monasteries in the capital will ring their bells thirty thousand times. Foreign vassal officials accompanying the deceased will be given white cloth uniforms.
The Ministry of Rites will copy it and distribute it to all provinces. You must do the same as the capital.
During this time, the new emperor resided in a side hall of the Qianqing Palace. According to ancient rituals, he would have lived in a more austere place, but due to limited conditions and the strict prohibition of random construction in the Forbidden City, he could only find a more austere place to live. During this period, all his work was also moved here.
Once everything was done, the emperor was dressed in his burial clothes. The Empress Dowager finally arrived with her army of women, a larger group this time. Palace maids, princesses, wives, and children from various families also arrived, each changing clothes, removing their jewelry, and getting their hair cut. The boys in the Eastern Palace were older, so they looked after each other. They joined the men in mourning, and no one would neglect them. The Crown Princess followed with her daughter.
The mourning process was also formal, with no mixing of men and women, just as it had been at the grand banquet. Originally, the princes and grandchildren were supposed to perform their ceremonial rituals on the altar steps, while the princesses, wives, and others gathered in front of the hall. However, due to the Empress Dowager's presence, she had to be allowed in. After she emerged, everyone persuaded her to stay put, and only then did they proceed in order.
The arrival of the Empress Dowager posed a problem: How should we address her now that she's here? "Old Ancestor" is a term used among family members, but what about public use? We can no longer address her as the Empress Dowager.
So, while crying her heart out, the old lady was promoted to the Grand Empress Dowager, with the formalities completed later.
Yinreng came forward to persuade her: "Grandma, please accept my condolences and take care of yourself. Your grandson cannot live without you." The Empress Dowager cried, "I don't want to live anymore." This caused Yinreng to cry with her.
Shujia was furious when she heard this and came up to comfort the old lady: "Grandma, even if Khan Ama is in heaven, he wouldn't want you to be like this." Then she looked at Yinreng, who was crying so miserably. In comparison, she felt more sorry for her husband and advised Yinreng: "You have to cheer up. Khan Ama's affairs will still depend on you to take care of them."
Yinreng grabbed her hand and said, "I know, I know."
"Let's respectfully send the Empress Dowager back to the palace. Don't tire out the old ancestor."
Yinreng and Shujia escorted the old lady out of the house, one on each side. Seeing the old lady get on the sedan chair, Yinreng wiped away his tears. He still had things to do. He had to prepare the funeral rites, prepare the burial ceremony, and discuss the posthumous title. He didn't have the heart to tell his wife anything, so he just said, "You can handle it if there is anything."
He turned and walked away. Standing among the women was not a big deal. When he passed by his daughter, he even reached out and touched her head. Because something big had happened, he could no longer let this short-armed and short-legged child run on his own. Wu Yunzhu was held by the nanny. In the nanny's arms, he reached out for his father to hold him.
Yinreng reluctantly reached out and hugged her. Wu Yunzhu reached out and touched her father's face: "Father, don't cry. You are a good man."
The new emperor shed another tear and reached out to touch his daughter's hand. "Forget it, forget it, man, cry if you want. No one said crying makes you less of a man. After crying, you have to be tough again..." His other hand continued to tie up the emperor.
My daughter, who taught you this?
Yinreng hugged his daughter tightly and said, "It's okay, it's okay, don't cry, don't cry."
Even though he told himself not to cry, he still cried, and finally scared his daughter, who had been brave and didn't cry, into tears. The father and daughter hugged each other and cried bitterly.
As they started crying, the people around them started crying too. Shujia also started crying uncontrollably. She didn't know why, but she felt uncomfortable.
The Empress Dowager walked around for a while, then returned with the title of Grand Empress Dowager and a heart full of sadness and worry. The rest of the people had to continue crying. The new emperor's attitude was too clear, who dared not to be sad?
Of course, many people wore sorrowful expressions, but their minds remained clear. The world is full of people who take advantage of the situation. Everyone was asking, "Emperor, should you also promote your wife and children?" Otherwise, we're the Emperor, but your wife is still the Crown Princess? And everyone still calls your son "Prince Sun"?
This was instigated by the imperial clan, as the Empress Dowager, who had already become the Grand Empress Dowager, addressed the new emperor's wife as "Crown Princess." The more sensible wives found an opportunity to tell their husbands, and the men realized that pleasing the Empress wasn't the goal; the future Crown Prince needed to be flattered even more.
In this way, the Crown Prince's family, in fact, the three of them, were collectively promoted. Similarly, the ceremony was a backup, but no one was happy.
The next day, Yinreng scolded the funeral committee again: "Where's Bing?!"
Oh, and the weather is still hot. Even a living person would go bad if they didn't bathe for a day, let alone a dead person. Kangxi's corpse hadn't become too scary yet, thanks to Yinreng's early reaction. While personally directing the work, he thought, "It's time to get the Imperial Household Department in order!"
Holding a funeral in the heat of summer is truly daunting. The dead suffer, and so do the living. Not to mention the need to cry several times a day, while kneeling. By the end of the day, legs are numb, and everyone needs support to move. Everyone envied those in high positions of power because…they could invite the Qing Emperor to discuss matters and could get up.
There were many things to discuss, such as the temple name, posthumous title, and the name of the imperial mausoleum. The emperor didn't have to think of these himself; his subordinates came up with a bunch of nice-sounding characters for him to choose from. The first thing to decide was whether Kangxi should be called "Zu" (ancestor) or "Zong" (ancestor).
Zu is credited with merit, while Zong is credited with virtue. It sounds like each has its own strengths, but in reality, this is not the case. By default, Zu is slightly higher than Zong. Just keep counting, what were the founding emperors of past dynasties called? It was either Taizu or Gaozu.
Yinreng naturally chose "Ancestor" for his father. With a wave of his hand, it was settled. Do you think my father is unqualified? Seeing the murderous look in his eyes, only the audience could agree. The peak of feudal centralization, ah! The crown prince's succession to the throne, no dispute! He had the final say in this authority!
Then, everyone truly witnessed the new emperor's madness: he chose the best for his father, as if to nakedly express all his filial piety and respect for his father. "Shengzu Renhuangdi." If Taizu hadn't been appointed, Yinzhi was sure his second brother would have given it to his father without hesitation.
After hesitating for a moment, Prince Cheng made a petition in all seriousness: "Your Majesty has ascended the throne, and the name of Your Majesty must be avoided. I humbly request that the character 'Yin' in your names be changed to 'Yun'."
Flatterer!
The princes cursed inwardly and said one after another: "I second the motion."
Yinreng didn't care much about this at the moment. He just accepted it and it was fine.
Yinzhi was just feeling happy when he suddenly heard Yinreng say, "Prince Yuanzhi was foolish and unreasonable, and the late emperor had him imprisoned. I think Khan Ama originally wanted us brothers to live in harmony, but Yinzhi was too unreasonable! But now Khan Ama has passed away... Someone should tell him and see how he is doing. If he shows remorse, he will be allowed to see him off on the day of his transfer."
Everyone was split. Did they want to forgive him? Was the next step to release him?
After some discussion, they decided that the eldest brother was the real troublemaker. If he were to come out, what would happen to everyone else? Originally, the second brother was the emperor. He was both the leader and the emperor, so we just listened to him. Now that the eldest brother has come out, what about another big brother? And he's an unreliable big brother. He might even get us into trouble.
After discussing it for a while, they all looked at the Fifteenth Prince and said, "Tell your wife to tell her sister about it!" The Empress Dowager was useless, and the Emperor's mother was dead, so only his wife had a say.
Shujia was also busy; it was time to call her Empress. She had a daughter to care for, her young son to worry about, and she had to serve the Empress Dowager. And now she had another very important task: leading the mourning procession. Yinreng was also busy and absent; the two hadn't seen each other for several days.
She was also surprised when she heard the news. Yinreng...had feelings for Kangxi that she could not imagine.
After pondering for a moment, he looked at Shuhui's already heavy body and said, "Don't move. Tell them that nothing bad will happen. Just keep an eye on that one and don't let him cry out anything ugly." Yinreng was not confused yet, otherwise why didn't he let him come out to mourn now?
Shuhui went back and passed on the message, and everyone thought, "Get it! Treat him as a mere decoration and don't let him move around." This would show the emperor's kindness without causing any negative influence. They immediately assigned tasks. Young, strong, and clever people like Thirteen and Fourteen were to follow the boss closely. Those with weaker fighting skills were to stay away from him.
Just hold on a little longer, and on the 27th day, you'll be able to change out of these stinky clothes and stop howling like a ghost. By the way, you'll also need to get some Sichuan loquat paste to nourish your throat.
After twenty-seven days, everyone finally finished mourning and could wear decent clothes. The new emperor and his wife met and had a good chat.
Shujia still lived in the Eastern Palace. Normally, she should have moved to Kunning Palace, but it had been unoccupied for a long time. And with the funeral still ongoing, she hadn't moved yet. Yinreng checked to see if everything was alright and said, "You've worked so hard."
Shujia said, "No matter how hard I work, it's not as hard as you. Are you tired?"
Yinreng sighed deeply, "I really want to stop caring about everything and just live on in this sorrow. I really envy the old lady for being so carefree."
Shu Jiamo. "I never thought that Khan Ama would die like this. I am still confused... This is..." I really didn't expect it!
Yinreng shielded his eyes with one hand, as if the soft candlelight stung his eyeballs. "Yeah." "Everything will be fine. If you're tired, take a break and then set off again. Khan Ama is watching over you from heaven. We still have the Empress Dowager to serve and children to raise. You still have a lot to do. You can't let Khan Ama down."
Yinreng cheered up: "You're right! We can't let Khan Ama down." "Have a good sleep. When you wake up tomorrow, you'll be full of energy again." Shujia breathed a sigh of relief.
The various titles of Kangxi were finally finalized. On the day, the Ministry of Rites was ordered to make silk books and silk treasures. The ceremony was held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, informing the suburban temples and the altars of state. Then the silk books were read out, and the emperor offered sacrifices, laid down silk, read texts, presented wine, and finally burned the silk books and treasures. Only then was the ceremony considered complete.
Then came the occasional offerings and funeral rites. As for Yinreng's promise to have his elder brother attend the funeral, that would have to wait until an auspicious day was chosen. The coffin was now enshrined in the Shouhuang Palace, so wait.
Then, the court officials witnessed Yinreng's madness again. He insisted on observing mourning for the full 27 months. These 27 months were not just a precautionary period other than not having sex, but were entirely based on traditional etiquette. He didn't consider himself an emperor at the funeral. People had said, "The late emperor was my father. As his son, I must observe the mourning period."
Therefore, even after the Qianqing Palace was cleaned up, he did not live in the main hall.
So, he was still wearing his mourning clothes.
Therefore, his family, young and old, had to wear mourning clothes like him. It was not right for anyone else outside to wear mourning clothes again, nor was it right for anyone else not to wear mourning clothes.
Finally, everyone invited the Queen Mother out and told him that state affairs were more important.
Yinreng finally agreed to stop wearing mourning clothes, but he still lived in a side hall and went to his father every day to ask for instructions and report.
The new empress also discovered a major problem: the Eastern Palace had to be relocated! She was no longer the Crown Princess. Her son would live in the Eastern Palace, while her other son, Hongxi, would have to move with his wife to the Prince's Residence. The other underage sons would move to the Zhaoxiang Residence. She herself would move with her daughter to Kunning Palace, which had been unoccupied for a long time.
Besides, Yinreng was resisting Kunning Palace in his heart.
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