Chapter 320 The Funeral Procession

Chapter 320: Funeral Procession

The welcoming banquet for Wu Qingzhou and A Fu was attended by everyone in Cold Fragrance Residence, with two tables bustling with guests.

A Fu remained mostly silent, like a trapped little beast, constantly on alert.

It wasn’t until Fang Zhou handed him a bowl of Snow Mountain Cheese Cherry.

“A Fu, give it a try.”

A Fu looked down at it.

In the white porcelain bowl, shaved ice and milk custard were piled into a small mountain, with cherry jam and honey drizzled from the peak, and a few red cherries dotted around.

On such a sweltering day, a bowl of this icy treat was enough to make even Wu Qingzhou’s eyes linger, let alone a child like A Fu.

Though the County Prince’s estate was certainly grander and more luxurious than the Earl’s manor, his role as a guard involved more hardship and training, leaving little room for such pure indulgence.

No one urged him. A Fu hesitated for a moment, then took the bowl. After another pause, he whispered, “Thank you, Sister Fang Zhou.”

Wu Qingzhou heard A Fu take the initiative to thank someone and couldn’t help but smile.

“You’re welcome. Eat quickly, before the shaved ice melts.” Fang Zhou patted A Fu’s head and said cheerfully, “Everyone, dig in too.”

The group busied themselves eating the iced dessert, when a servant woman from the second gate arrived carrying a food box.

“Sixth Miss, the front gate sent word that Master Xue had this delivered for you.”

Qiu Heng nodded politely. “Thank you for the trouble.”

Qing Luo took the food box from the servant woman, while Fang Zhou quickly wrapped up a few pastries and handed them to her.

The servant woman thanked them repeatedly and, upon returning to the gatehouse, unwrapped the handkerchief and ate a piece of lotus seed cake. As it settled in her stomach, she couldn’t help but sigh.

What a crime—every time she saw anyone from Cold Fragrance Residence, it stung. They were all servants, yet while she ate bland, unexciting communal meals, they feasted on such delights.

And that Nanny Yu, who wasn’t even part of Cold Fragrance Residence, never missed a meal. Supposedly she was a governess, but no one had seen her teach Sixth Miss anything. She might as well take that job herself.

Ignoring the gatekeeper’s envy and resentment, a few maids from Cold Fragrance Residence surrounded Qing Luo, faces alight with excitement.

“Sister Qing Luo, open it quick! See what delicious treat Master Xue sent for our lady.”

“No manners at all,” Qing Luo scolded with a smile, then looked at Qiu Heng.

Qiu Heng smiled. “Open it.”

Qing Luo opened the food box and recognized it immediately. “Miss, it’s Icy Cold Yuanzi.”

Icy Cold Yuanzi was one of the most common icy treats found on summer streets.

But this particular serving, in both appearance and value, couldn’t compare to the Snow Mountain Cheese Cherry everyone at Cold Fragrance Residence had in hand.

Qiu Heng took the Icy Cold Yuanzi from Qing Luo, picked up the spoon, and began to eat.

The Icy Cold Yuanzi she hadn’t managed to get last night—she was eating it now.

“Miss, is it even better than Sister Fang Zhou’s Snow Mountain Cheese Cherry?” a young maid asked, covering her mouth with a laugh.

Qing Luo laughed too. “We all prefer Sister Fang Zhou’s Snow Mountain Cheese Cherry, but miss must certainly prefer the Icy Cold Yuanzi sent by Master Xue.”

Fang Zhou joined in the fun. “Miss, which do you like better—Snow Mountain Cheese Cherry or Icy Cold Yuanzi?”

Qiu Heng dabbed the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief. “Both.”

“No, no, you have to pick one.”

“Have to pick one, huh—” Qiu Heng smiled. “Then it’s the Snow Mountain Cheese Cherry that Fang Zhou made.”

Fang Zhou was a little surprised by this answer. She blinked. “Miss, you didn’t answer as usual.”

Amid the laughter and chatter, A Fu tugged at Wu Qingzhou’s sleeve. “Uncle, who is Master Xue?”

Seeing that A Fu had developed curiosity about the outside world, Wu Qingzhou scooped up his nephew and laughed. “Master Xue is Sixth Miss’s sweetheart.”

He inadvertently raised his voice in joy, drawing several disapproving looks.

How could he say that so directly? What if the lady got shy and ran off?

Qiu Heng didn’t blush at all. In fact, she took a large spoonful of Icy Cold Yuanzi and swallowed it.

Wu Qingzhou was right. Xue Han was her sweetheart.

Peaceful, carefree days always passed quickly. Before they knew it, the day of Emperor Jingping’s burial drew near.

The imperial mausoleum was a considerable distance from the capital, requiring a departure three days in advance.

Before dawn, a long procession left the city, winding like a dragon slowly making its way toward the mausoleum.

Qiu Heng, who held the title of County Princess, joined the other imperial clanswomen in the funeral procession.

The consorts and imperial women in mourning all rode in carriages. Qiu Heng shared one with Princess Rongning.

Lifting the carriage curtain to look outside, she saw an endless line of figures dressed in plain white, as if the period of national mourning had returned.

Qiu Heng glanced down at her own plain clothes, her mood somewhat mixed.

At the Immortal Banquet, she had been intent on killing the Unwise Monarch; now she had blended into his funeral procession. How interesting the world is.

“A Heng,” Princess Rongning called softly.

Qiu Heng let the curtain fall and turned to look at her.

It hadn’t been long since Princess Rongning’s visit, but the woman before her had grown terribly thin, her complexion poor.

“I’ve already exchanged betrothal certificates with Yang Zhen. After this is done, the engagement gifts will be sent…” Princess Rongning clutched her handkerchief tightly, forcing a bitter smile. “Watching both families treat it so seriously, I can’t help but doubt whether that conversation I overheard was just a hallucination. I even think—if only my father and brother would stop, I could be content just to marry Yang Zhen. Isn’t that sad?”

Qiu Heng patted Princess Rongning’s arm. “Your Highness, the arrow is already on the string. Whether they took the wrong path or the right one, no one can turn back now.”

Princess Rongning closed her eyes, tears streaming down.

That was the most hopeless thing of all—she knew she could do nothing. All she could do was watch helplessly as the Fuwang Estate’s runaway carriage hurtled toward the precipice.

“A Heng, I feel terrible.” Princess Rongning hugged Qiu Heng, her tears falling on her shoulder.

Once, losing a game of cuju was her biggest worry. Her life had been split in two from the moment she went to marry abroad, and no one cared whether she could bear it.

Qiu Heng held Princess Rongning’s thin body in her arms, saying nothing more.

The vast funeral procession moved slowly forward, arriving at a temporary palace before nightfall. Emperor Jingping’s coffin was respectfully placed in a specially built reed hall. Then the new emperor led the hundred officials in a solemn ceremony, while imperial clansmen, nobility, and senior civil and military officials took turns keeping vigil over the late emperor.

Such was the journey that it was not until the third day that they finally reached the temporary palace near the imperial mausoleum.

By this time, those who had carriages or horses were still in decent shape, but most of the officials who had traveled on foot looked visibly exhausted and lethargic. A few had fallen ill or felt unwell, keeping the imperial physicians running nonstop.

Qiu Heng recalled what Xue Han had said.

Prince Fu had clearly planned his move to coincide with Emperor Jingping's burial—a carefully calculated choice.

The defenses of the temporary palace were far inferior to those of the imperial palace, and the emperor's burial ceremony was exceptionally elaborate. With everyone exhausted and worn out from the long journey, it was a rare opportunity for anyone plotting rebellion.

They were to stay that night, begin the burial ceremony the next morning, and depart the following day. In other words, the action would come either tonight or tomorrow.

Qiu Heng slept fully dressed, and the night passed peacefully without incident.

At dawn, all those who had stayed in the temporary palace and various official lodgings gathered and proceeded on foot to the imperial mausoleum.