Chapter 213

Chapter 213

Following the passing of Queen Mother Guo, civil and military officials, as well as external titled ladies, were required to enter the palace to mourn and pay their respects.

As usual, Tong Sui let the elder ladies, including Madam Lu, Madam Fan, and Madam Feng, take their places ahead of her, while the younger ladies of her generation stood respectfully behind her.

The coffin was placed in the grand hall.

With the guidance of ceremonial officials, the external titled ladies first knelt and wept before the coffin for a quarter of an hour, then retreated outside the hall to continue weeping.

Tong Sui hadn’t had many interactions with Queen Mother Guo, but whenever they met, Guo had always treated her with great kindness. It was a pity that the queen, who had contributed so much to the country and its people, passed away less than a year after entering the capital. Tong Sui felt genuine pity and regret, but she couldn’t bring herself to wail and cry like the elder ladies from Jizhou or the aristocratic ladies from Luoyang, who excelled at such displays.

Madam He, despite being older, outdid both Tong Sui and Lin Ningfang in her display of grief, matching the intensity of the elder ladies from Jizhou and the aristocratic families from Luoyang, who were skilled at such ceremonies. Tears and snot streamed down her face, and she was almost crying herself into a faint.

Tong Sui and Lin Ningfang merely bowed their heads and wept softly, supporting and holding up Madam He, not standing out among the crowd of ladies.

They got through the weeping in front of the coffin and moved to kneeling outside the hall. While the other ladies adhered to the rules and remained silent, the elders from Jizhou were free to weep and recall Queen Mother Guo’s achievements and kindness.

Madam Lu said to Madam Feng, “Her Majesty had been ill since autumn. This time, she was devastated upon hearing of the passing of General Feng and left us.”

Madam Feng, her eyes already swollen from crying over her own patriarch, touched her forehead to the ground and said, “Our patriarch’s untimely passing caused Her Majesty great distress. Her Majesty cared deeply for our Feng family, and we will remember her kindness for generations, repaying her with our lives in this world and the next.”

Madam Fan lamented, “I, an old woman, am still here, but the Buddha and Bodhisattvas have taken Her Majesty too soon. In Jizhou, she treated me like a sister.”

Tong Sui, kneeling behind them, felt her discomfort fade as she listened to these reminiscences.

After kneeling for the entire morning, the ceremonial officer finally announced that the external titled ladies could depart from the palace.

Tong Sui followed the crowd in bowing one last time and helped Lin Ningfang up.

Though Madam He was older, her body was strong, having come from a farming background. Lin Ningfang, however, being a delicate lady of a noble family, had been kneeling on the hard stone slabs for so long that her legs were surely numb by now.

After leaving the palace, the three of them got into the same carriage.

Tong Sui used clear water to wet some towels, and all three wiped their faces.

Madam He sighed deeply and, while helping her daughter-in-law rub her knees, whispered, “The rules of the royal family are truly many. Thankfully, it’s cooler now; if it were the middle of summer, those with weaker constitutions might not endure the prolonged kneeling.”

Lin Ningfang said, “Mother, be careful with your words. If this gets out, the imperial censors might accuse us of great disrespect.”

Madam He said, “I understand, I understand. It’s just us three here.”

Lin Ningfang added, “It’s best to keep such thoughts in our hearts and not say them aloud.”

Madam He nodded repeatedly and focused on rubbing her daughter-in-law’s knees.

After advising twice to no effect, Lin Ningfang let Madam He continue as she wished.

In the afternoon, the elder gentlemen who didn’t have duties returned to the residence first. Tong Sui, worried about his health after kneeling for a morning, visited the Duke’s residence with Liu Chu and Yan Mingxiu.

Xiao Mu had just sat down in the hall and was speaking with Madam He, Lin Ningfang, and Xiao Yuchan. As the three granddaughters-in-law arrived, he reflected on life and death.

When young people talk about life and death, it’s just casual conversation, but at his age, no one dared to engage in such discussions with him.

Xiao Yuchan said, “I think Grandfather is too idle. Two years ago, you were involved in the spring planting and autumn harvest at home. Third Brother and Fourth Brother were so exhausted that they collapsed when they got home, but you remained straight and strong. Now that you don’t have to report for duty at the military camp, why not continue farming? You don’t need to go outside the city; just turn the small garden here into farmland, enough for you to manage alone.”

Tong Sui added, “If you think the garden here is too small to stretch your limbs, we can turn our garden into farmland as well.”

Xiao Mu waved his hand and said, “Enough. Her Majesty has just passed, and we should all show proper respect.”

Liu Chu: "We definitely feel heartache for the Empress, but you must take care of your health. Stop thinking about illness and death all the time. If you don't take care of yourself, it breaks our hearts."

Yan Mingxiu nodded in agreement.

Xiao Mu: "Alright, I won't talk about it anymore. You all go back and rest as well. Aman, you're strong, so help me back to my room."

The others bowed and took their leave. Tong Sui supported the old man's left arm, thinking he just wanted an excuse to talk to her alone, but it actually took some strength to keep him steady.

Tong Sui's eyes welled up with tears.

Xiao Mu sighed: "At this age, you can't deny getting old."

Tong Sui: "It’s not about age. I knelt all morning, and my legs are still sore."

The grandfather and granddaughter slowly made their way to the back courtyard.

Xiao Mu sat on the small bed in the secondary room. Tong Sui had A Fu wait in the main room, and she personally poured tea for the old man, then stood in front of the bed to massage his legs.

Xiao Mu moved aside, "I just need to rest. I’m not that old yet. Bring a chair and sit with me."

Tong Sui obediently brought a chair and sat beside him.

Xiao Mu moved back and looked at the girl's bloodshot eyes. "Didn't sleep well last night? What were you thinking about?"

Tong Sui: "A jumble of thoughts. I wanted to sleep, but they kept rushing in."

Xiao Mu: "Tell me about it."

Tong Sui: "At first, about the Empress. I think she's quite pitiful. She lost her health due to a miscarriage during the war, and her eldest son died from an epidemic. In recent years, Imperial Uncle Dou schemed for the military power in the Emperor's hands, and Empress must have worried about it. Just when the Emperor ascended the throne and she could finally enjoy peace, this happened..."

Xiao Mu: "When you went to the palace today, did you see the Crown Prince?"

Tong Sui: "I caught a glimpse, but didn't look for long."

Both the Crown Prince and Crown Princess were kneeling beside the coffin, so as a court lady, it would have been impolite to look at him.

Xiao Mu pointed to his face. "There’s a handprint from a slap."

Tong Sui was startled.

Xiao Mu: "Empress's condition had just improved, and the Emperor, fearing she would worry too much, forbade the palace people from telling her about General Feng's passing. It must have been the Crown Prince who let it slip."

Tong Sui: "...Even so, why would Empress be so distressed to the point of collapse because of General Feng?"

Xiao Mu: "Too much worry. To us, the Great Yu Dynasty is just a country, but to the Emperor and Empress, it’s their home. Now, with external threats on all sides of the royal family, if one side causes trouble, the other three might attack. Just like in Lingshui Village, when there were bandits on both sides and rebel kings on both sides, and your Uncle Sun wasn’t on the same side and always caused trouble—if one of the four brothers suddenly disappeared, wouldn't you be anxious?"

Tong Sui fell silent.

Xiao Mu: "Compared to the northern regions, Lingshui Village is just a grain of sand in the field. Think about it, with General Feng gone, how much more would Empress have to worry? She was already seriously ill, and this worry and anxiety caused her to wither away like a lamp burning its last drop of oil. The Emperor knew her temperament well, which is why he didn’t dare let her know about external matters."

Tong Sui: "If that's the case, was the Crown Prince's slap..."

Xiao Mu: "That's the Emperor's family matter, not something we should comment on. What I want to teach you is, without long-term worry, there will be immediate concerns. Whether it's long-term worries or immediate concerns, they must be solved one by one slowly. At times like this, you must not be impatient, as impatience hurts the body and mind, and things are more likely to go wrong. Like farming, at the beginning of spring, everyone dreams of a good harvest in autumn, but just dreaming about it isn't enough. You have to plow the fields, sow the seeds, water them, and weed step by step. As long as we do each step well, the harvest won't be bad."

Tong Sui: "General Feng's sudden passing was a calamity for the Empress, something unavoidable."

Xiao Mu: "The Wu country capturing Jizhou would be a catastrophe, but this is just a clap of thunder. What's there to fear? Even if our Great Yu Dynasty faces threats from all directions, the Emperor commands 230,000 frontier guards and 350,000 imperial guards, which make up half of the nation’s military forces. Last year, the Emperor dared to head south with just 50,000 elite soldiers. Now, with more soldiers, should he be afraid instead?"

Tong Sui saw a steely resolve in the old man's eyes, as if even if Mount Tai itself crumbled before him, he wouldn’t flinch.

Xiao Mu patted Tong Sui's head and glanced out the window, saying, "The empire is static, but people are dynamic. With the Emperor's divine authority, even if we lose one or two prefectures due to natural disasters, as long as our foundation remains intact, the Emperor can reclaim them later. What we fear is rushing, which leads to losing our bearings."

Tong Sui said, "You're really something. I was feeling uneasy about the Emperor's plan to attack the Wu country next year, but after hearing your explanation, it seems that even if wars break out all around, there's nothing to fear."

Xiao Mu replied, "That's because I trust the Emperor, and I trust the civil and military officials who follow him. With this confidence, we stay calm no matter what happens."

Most importantly, he believed that even if one day he were to suddenly pass away like General Feng, his grandson and his daughter-in-law would be able to lead the family steadily forward.

——

In the evening, Xiao Zhen sent word that the Xingping Emperor was refusing to eat or rest while guarding Empress Guo's coffin, and the two prime ministers were leading the civil and military officials in kneeling outside the hall to plead with him.

Given the gravity of the situation, Xiao Mu quickly changed into his official robes and donned a sackcloth over his shoulders before heading to the palace.

Seeing Xiao Mu kneel beside him, Fan Zhao immediately shouted towards the hall, "Your Majesty, General Xiao has come to keep vigil for Empress Guo. Even if you don't spare a thought for yourself, aren't you worried that General Xiao might collapse from kneeling all night?"

Inside the hall, the Xingping Emperor, with his back to the door, leaned against Empress Guo's coffin, eyes closed as if he hadn't heard.

Han Bao crawled closer, tearfully begging, "Your Majesty, please eat something!"

The Xingping Emperor's right hand, hanging by his side, suddenly clenched, veins bulging, but he eventually relaxed, reminded of his late wife's love for their son.

"Bring a cot; I will sleep beside the Empress tonight."

The palace attendants hurried to bring a cot.

This was a sign that he was willing to rest. Once the Xingping Emperor sat on the cot, Fan Zhao brought in a food box from the imperial kitchen and knelt beside him to serve the Emperor a meal.

The Xingping Emperor hadn't eaten all day and was weak, listlessly drinking the porridge Fan Zhao spoon-fed him.

Han Bao tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, may I serve you instead?"

The Xingping Emperor did not respond.

Fan Zhao advised, "Your Highness should rest for a while..."

Before he could finish, the Xingping Emperor's eyes turned cold as he pointed at Empress Guo's coffin and scolded his son, "Continue kneeling until I tell you to stand!"

Han Bao shuddered and quickly knelt again.

Fan Zhao continued to feed the Xingping Emperor porridge.

The Xingping Emperor managed to drink half a bowl before lying down fully clothed. He instructed Fan Zhao to see the civil and military officials out of the palace.

As Fan Zhao, carrying the food box in one hand, opened the door to the hall, the ministers outside saw only the Emperor's cot and the Crown Prince, head bowed, kneeling beside the coffin.