jdhmnovel Chapter 319 The Queen Mother passed away
Chapter 319 The Queen Mother passed away
"Little Fourteen has always been more filial than you, so I'll go with him!"
The Queen Mother said this coldly and closed her eyes impatiently.
The emperor, who had been staring at the empress dowager, had red eyes and took a step forward to hold the empress dowager's cold hand.
"Queen Mother, I want to know, have you ever taken me to heart?"
There was a tremor in his voice.
The Queen Mother's eyelids moved slightly, but her lips did not move at all.
A storm was gathering in the emperor's eyes. He gently tucked the empress dowager's hand into the quilt, then turned and left.
The emperor did not notice after leaving the bedroom that tears were falling from the corners of the empress dowager's eyes, which were tightly closed.
When she found out she was pregnant, it was like a bolt from the blue.
Having a child in her belly meant that she had to give up a lot of things. The empress dowager once thought of aborting the child, but Concubine Tong sent people to keep an eye on her belly, so she never found an opportunity.
Later, her former lover Longkodo also took the risk to persuade her to keep the child.
The Queen Mother gave birth to this child out of helplessness.
This child was proof of her fragility and vulnerability, and every day that he existed reminded her of everything she had been through.
How could the Queen Mother like this child?
Fortunately, she is about to meet Xiao Shisi...
Zhang Wuwei pried open the empress dowager's eyelids amid Sun Zhuxi's shrill cries, then shook his head and reported in grief.
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has passed away."
"The Empress Dowager still has a smile on her face. I guess she hasn't suffered much."
The servants in the room knelt in a circle and burst into tears.
The emperor also wiped his eyes and gave the order in a sad tone.
"Su Peisheng, send someone to notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs."
In order to meet the Fourteenth Prince, the Queen Mother took the hidden poison.
When the emperor heard this from Zhang Wuwei, his heart ached as if it were being stabbed by needles.
The subtle pain spread throughout his body, and he still hasn't recovered.
The emperor felt more uncomfortable the longer he stayed in Shoukang Palace.
Since the Queen Mother never cared about him, there was no need for him to stay here and prevent the Queen Mother from resting in peace even after her death.
The news of the empress dowager's death had spread, and suppressed crying could be heard even in the dark palace corridors.
The servants in Shoukang Palace were indeed carefully selected by the Empress Dowager.
As soon as the angry emperor returned to the Palace of Tranquil Longevity, he waved behind the curtain.
"The treacherous servants of Shoukang Palace are committing evil deeds outside without the Empress Dowager's knowledge. You must secretly send people to arrest them all and bring them to a rigorous interrogation."
"The Queen Mother was still thinking of Aunt Zhuxi before she died. You..."
For the safety of his offspring, no one in Shoukang Palace can be left alive.
The imperial kitchen and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which were once managed by Uya, had to be cleaned up again.
But this matter cannot be rushed. After the empress dowager is buried, he will deal with it one by one.
An Lingrong was still in a daze when she heard Baoque say sadly.
"Master, news has come in that the Queen Mother has passed away."
"Bao Que, when did this happen?"
She had thought that the empress dowager would remain bedridden for some time, but she had not expected that she would not even survive the fifteenth day.
"According to the eunuch who reported the news, the Empress Dowager passed away half an hour ago."
"Your Majesty... forget it, please help me get up."
The death of the Empress Dowager was a national mourning. All the concubines and princes and princesses had to go to Shoukang Palace to wail loudly and burn "fallen paper" to express their condolences.
An Lingrong whispered instructions while she was washing herself.
"Bao Ge, Bao Li, Hong Yao, and Zhao Hua are still young. I'm afraid they can't withstand the cold wind outside. You two should stay in Yongshou Palace and take care of the young masters."
In order to avoid gossip, Hongzhan had to go with her.
"The national mourning lasts a long time, and the royal family, ministers, and relatives will come to the palace to mourn. When there are too many people, it is easy for chaos to occur."
"Xiao Linzi, go and call Eunuch Wu. You two will stay with the Sixth Prince during the national mourning period."
As for herself, she shouldn't encounter any serious problems.
An Lingrong took Hongzhan to Shoukang Palace and ordered people to take down the festive red decorations.
"My Lady, do you want to change the banners to plain colors to show your mourning?"
Bao Ge, who had never been exposed to these things, asked softly.
As soon as the news of the Empress Dowager's death came, the entire Yongshou Palace was shrouded in sorrow.
She was afraid that she would not be able to do it well and would be a drag on her master.
An Lingrong patted her hand gently to comfort her, "Just follow the orders of Yikun Palace and guard Yongshou Palace."
The Empress Dowager's funeral is only handled by the Ministry of Rites. It's not like the Emperor is dead, so how can the Yongshou Palace be decorated like a mourning hall?
Besides, the emperor and the empress dowager had already fallen out with each other, so An Lingrong would not get into trouble at this time.
When An Lingrong, dressed in plain clothes, rushed to the gate of Shoukang Palace, people were already crying.
"Her Majesty, why did you leave like this?"
This shout scared Hongzhan so much that he woke up from his sleepiness instantly. He held his mother's hand tightly.
An Lingrong leaned over, held the man in her arms, and patted his back gently.
"Hongzhan, don't be afraid, mother is here."
"Mother, I am not afraid."
But Hongzhan betrayed him by hugging An Lingrong's neck tightly.
The crying sound just now was obviously split. When An Lingrong got closer, she found that the person kneeling and crying was Ulanara Sulan from Taiji Hall.
The pillar of the clan has collapsed, no wonder Concubine Lan cried so undignifiedly.
Not long after, Concubine Hua hurried over with her men and knelt beside An Lingrong.
She casually took out two cushions from her wide cloak and stuffed them into An Lingrong's hands.
"You can use it first."
The national mourning lasted for a long time, and as the highest-ranking concubines in the harem, they had to set an example for other concubines and ladies-in-waiting.
If they really kneel for several hours every day, I'm afraid both of them will lose their knees before the national mourning is over.
"Thank you!"
Now was not a good time to talk, so An Lingrong raised her knee slightly and stuffed the cushion in.
To be honest, An Lingrong didn't have a good impression of the empress dowager who once wanted to snatch Hongzhan away, but she still had to put on a show.
The handkerchief in An Lingrong's hand brushed lightly across her eyes, and tears welled up in an instant.
To others, Concubine Shu was emitting endless sorrow, kneeling and crying silently.
Tears slid down her pale face like pearls from a broken string. She was obviously more filial than Concubine Lan who made a big fuss.
Half an hour later, except for the deposed queen and Concubine Duan who were under house arrest, everyone else in the harem who had received the news came over one after another.
Where there are people, there are conflicts, and the harem is the most prominent among them.
Concubine Qi and Concubine He cried heart-wrenchingly, each more miserable than the other, as if they wanted to pour out all the pain in their hearts.
An Lingrong and Concubine Hua looked at each other, and neither spoke out to stop it.
The two of them cried together, saving other people's tears.
The curtain covering the main hall door had already been removed, and gusts of cold wind blew in, making people shiver.
About an hour later, the emperor, dressed in plain clothes, came in with the support of Su Peisheng.
Concubine Qi and Concubine He, who had been quiet for a short while, cried out together as if they had rehearsed it.
"Empress Dowager! Why did you leave so early? How could you bear to leave the Emperor?"
The emperor paused slightly, and his eyes swept over Concubine Qi and Concubine He. A complex emotion flashed in his eyes, but he did not scold them.
He slowly walked in front of An Lingrong and Concubine Hua, lifted his robe and knelt down.
The sharp-eyed An Lingrong saw the emperor's knee pads and immediately had an idea in her mind.
She took advantage of the break to whisper in Baoque's ear.
"The Emperor is worried about the Sixth Prince. Please send him back to rest first, and ask Bao Ge to bring people to make some knee pads."
Since the emperor has taken the lead in using it, she doesn't have to worry about anything.
As soon as the palace gates opened, clan members and ministers who had received the news would come to mourn. The conspicuous cushions could not be taken out and used, so the knee pads were just right to be hidden under the heavy palace clothes.
An Lingrong had a way to protect her knees, so she naturally wouldn't leave out Concubine Hua, Concubine Jing and Concubine Chun.
She was happy to do someone a favor for something she said casually.
After crying for another half an hour, the emperor stood up and spoke.
"Noble Consort Hua, Noble Consort Shu, Noble Consort Jing, and Consort Hui have children to look after. You should go back first."
"Princess Chun is weak, and Concubine Rou will go back with her to take care of her."
The emperor then appointed a few Mongolian concubines so that they would not get too tired.
The only concubines left in the main hall were Concubine Lan, Concubine Qi and Concubine He.
Concubine Qi, whose eyes were so swollen that she could not see clearly, looked at the emperor hopefully, hoping to hear her own name.
But what was disappointing was that the emperor seemed not to notice the three people kneeling on the ground. The three people, cold and hungry, could only continue to cry along with the eunuchs' singing and shouting.
Concubine Qi cried until she had no more tears left. She felt dizzy and thought vaguely that perhaps it was because the three of them cried most sincerely that the emperor kept them.
Su Peisheng took advantage of the pause in the crying to approach the emperor.
"Master, it's freezing cold, please drink some honey water to warm yourself up."
The emperor took a sip and gave orders in a hoarse voice.
"Su Peisheng, as soon as the palace gates open, send someone to the Imperial Observatory, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Works to pass on the message that the Empress Dowager's funeral must be held in a grand manner."
The Queen Mother had always been at odds with him during her lifetime, so now he was allowed to send the Queen Mother off as he wished.
When the emperor thought of the body of the fourteenth old man lying in Tian Village, his eyes flashed with a bone-chilling chill.
"Su Peisheng, tell Hongchun to tell him that the Queen Mother's national mourning is of paramount importance, so please put the Fourteenth Old Man on hold."
"The slave obeys the order."
The night watchman's call sounded, and Su Peisheng whispered a suggestion.
"Master, there are still many things to arrange after dawn. Why don't you go and rest for a while?"
"You should take a nap too. Remember to send a message to Changchun Garden, asking Hongli to come back as soon as possible."
During the period of national mourning for the Empress Dowager, the Emperor must pay homage to her every day, but he cannot delay the important affairs of the previous dynasty.
The emperor intended to have Prince Guo and his nephew Hongli keep vigil for him.
The auspicious date for the Empress Dowager's funeral needs to be calculated by the Imperial Astronomical Observatory. Before it is officially moved into the mausoleum, it must remain in the palace to receive worship from descendants, officials of the third rank and above, and relatives.
When An Lingrong woke up again, it was already bright outside.
"Baoli, why didn't you wake me up earlier?"
"My Lord, Eunuch Su sent word that only the wives of the royal family and the ministers' families will enter the palace to mourn after lunch."
"Concubine Lan, Noble Lady Qi, and Noble Lady He returned to the palace to rest at daybreak."
"Okay, I understand."
When the Empress Dowager passed away, every family had to make arrangements to express their mourning.
The female relatives of the royal family and the families of ministers had to make arrangements at home before they could enter the palace to mourn.
When An Lingrong thought about the large amount of white linen needed for the national mourning, she covered her nose with her hand to prevent others from noticing the upturned corners of her mouth.
After she learned the news of the Fourteenth Master's death, she passed the message to people outside the palace.
He used the silver looted from the vicinity of the imperial mausoleum to open a cloth shop and stockpiled a large amount of white linen.
This matter was handled by Bao Que. After all, it would not sound good to make a fortune by taking advantage of the national mourning.
After the national mourning is over, An Lingrong will think about what to sell in the shop.
When an elder passes away, one must be a vegetarian during the mourning period, and the royal family attaches even greater importance to this rule.
Today's breakfast at Yongshou Palace was particularly simple. On the table were yam and red date porridge, vegetable and tofu, mushroom buns, assorted vegetables and osmanthus cake.
Hongzhan and Zhaohua are not very picky about food, but Hongyao, the little fat boy who likes to eat meat, couldn't help but frown.
"Mother, I heard that we have to be vegetarian for the next period of time. Is that true?"
"Your royal grandmother passed away last night. As the younger generation, we must observe mourning."
An Lingrong picked up a piece of assorted vegetables for Hongyao with her chopsticks.
"This mixed vegetable dish is Bao Ge's specialty. She makes the vegetables taste like meat. Come and try it."
After learning martial arts, Hongyao still didn't like to move, but his appetite increased greatly, especially his love for meat.
In contrast to his increasingly strong brother, the little fat on his body couldn't be concealed at all.
An Lingrong also wanted to help him lose weight during the mourning period.
But after watching Hongyao eat four bowls of yam and red date porridge, three mushroom buns the size of an adult's fist, half a plate of mixed vegetables and a dish of osmanthus cake, her heart was pounding.
Hongyao eats so much, can he lose weight?
An Lingrong stared at his triple chin and became even more worried.
She wondered whether she should limit Hongyao's meal portions.
After breakfast, she explained in detail the etiquette of mourning to her three children.
Yesterday, except for Shuhe, Wenyi and Hongzhan, none of the younger generations went to Shoukang Palace to pay their respects.
Although she did not inform Concubine Hua and Concubine Jing, they all tacitly agreed to bring the child to Shoukang Palace to show him in front of clan relatives and ministers.
At the end of noon, An Lingrong had just gone out with her three children when she ran into Concubine Hua who was holding Princess Anle.
Concubine Jing and the Seventh Prince also appeared on the palace road not far away.
"Lingrong, I just received news that the Emperor has summoned the Fourth Prince to the palace to mourn for the Empress Dowager."
"I heard that the Fourth Prince's temperament changed drastically after his face was disfigured. Be careful that he might attack the children."
After Concubine Hua handed Anle to Songzhi, she reminded her in a low voice.
"Thank you, Sister Nian, for telling me. I will definitely be on guard against the Fourth Prince."
The two princes born to An Lingrong are the only healthy princes left by the emperor. This mourning will definitely attract the attention of the clan members and the previous dynasty.
When the clan members entered the palace to mourn, Prince Guo, who had evil intentions, was definitely among them.
Before An Lingrong and her group entered Shoukang Palace, they met the Fourth Prince who was wearing a half-silver mask.
"Your son Hongli pays respects to Mother Hua, Mother Shu, and Mother Jing!"
"Hello, Sixth Brother, Seventh Brother, Eighth Brother, Sister Zhaohua, and Sister Anle."
"No need to bow, Fourth Prince."
Concubine Hua, who was walking in front, spoke gently.