Chapter 157: Volume 1, Chapter 157: Eradicating Prince Qi's Wings

Rong Luoge was right in her thinking—when the Late Emperor's funeral was held, there were indeed matters as numerous as hairs on an ox. Ritual vessels and offerings aside as trivial matters, just managing the titled ladies who entered the palace was already a cumbersome affair.

Rong Luoge watched as Noble Consort Ming truly went head-to-head with the Empress Dowager; whenever the Empress Dowager took a brief rest and was nowhere to be seen, Noble Consort Ming would always, at just the right moment and before all the titled ladies, ask the palace servants with great concern, "Where is Her Majesty the Empress Dowager?"

When some frail titled ladies fainted from kneeling too long, Noble Consort Ming made an even bigger show of seeking the Empress Dowager, as if afraid others wouldn't know.

In less than two days, the Empress Dowager was left with dark circles under her eyes from Noble Consort Ming's relentless shadowing—after all, her age had reached that point, and she truly could not quite bear it.

At this time, Rong Luoge only needed to obediently kneel and weep along, ignoring all other matters entirely, quite unlike the rumors outside that claimed Good Lady Rong was contending with the Empress Dowager for palace authority. Compared to Rong Luoge's low profile, the high-profile Noble Consort Ming seemed more like the one truly vying for power with the Empress Dowager.

Moreover, staying in the palace to mourn meant remaining the entire day, and these people's meals had to be prepared—not only those of the titled ladies but also of the court officials from the front court—which was an extremely heavy task for the Imperial Kitchen.

Having to handle meals for several hundred people at once, the Imperial Kitchen had urgently transferred in a batch of personnel, but still lacked enough hands. Meals were supplied first to the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and the noble consorts, but the titled ladies were all accustomed to a life of luxury at home; by the time the kitchen's dishes were carried before them, they had long lost their warmth. How could half-warm food sit comfortably in the stomach?

In just a few short days, several people had fallen ill, making the Empress Dowager's expression even more unpleasant.

Rong Luoge ignored everything and devoted herself to mourning.

The Princess Consort of Liang found an opportunity to whisper to Rong Luoge; the two hid in the tea room to catch their breath, and only then did she say, "Tell me, why does Her Majesty the Empress Dowager bother with all this?"

Rong Luoge looked at Ling Yuying and gave a light laugh. "Who can easily let go of something like power? As for how things are outside right now, I haven't had a moment's leisure, so I don't know how things stand either."

Ling Yuying then said, "It's quite lively outside now. Just because His Majesty brought you into the Hou Gong, the court officials have taken turns submitting memorials several times already. Furthermore, the Marquis of Ningyuan has joined with court officials to pressure His Majesty, wanting His Majesty to bring the others from the Dong Gong into the Hou Gong as well."

Rong Luoge laughed as soon as she heard this. "What 'others from the Dong Gong'—she must mean Song Huihe."

Ling Yuying nodded and looked at Rong Luoge with worry on her face, saying, "Don't you plan to ease relations with the Zhen Guo Gong Fu?"

Rong Luoge shook her head. "There's no need. I have nothing to say to the Protector Duke. But right now, Rong Yan and Rong Ling Shan have a good relationship with me."

Ling Yuying was startled, then understood, and said with a smile, "I remember now, there is such a thing. This works too—sooner or later, the Guo Gong Fu will be handed over to Rong Yan. But what about that Rong Lang? Still at the Guo Gong Fu, right?"

"Isn't Rong Dai also a side consort for Prince Qi?" Rong Luoge said indifferently. "If he's there, he's there. It's nothing."

Now that Han Xinglan had ascended the throne and Rong Yan's relationship with her was harmonious, even the Protector Duke would have to carefully consider how to treat this son of his.

Even if Di Yue Nu could truly return from Qingxuan, she had already missed the best opportunity—so what if she came back with the status of a princess?

At most, she could drive Chu Ke off the Duchess of the State's seat and take it herself, but if she truly did so, she as a princess would become a laughingstock, and Rong Dai and Rong Lang's situation would only grow more awkward.

Ling Yuying looked at Rong Luoge. "What you say makes sense."

"Let's go. We should head back out," Rong Luoge said.

Ling Yuying nodded, and the two returned to continue kneeling in their places pretending to be wooden figures. One more day and it would be over—they just had to endure a little longer.

Fortunately, the weather was not cold now; otherwise, it would truly have been unbearable. By the third day, the proceedings were nearing their end, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Who would have known that right at this juncture, Beauty Zhong fell down in the Hou Gong—and bled.

Now things were fine—because of this incident, the Empress Dowager's expression was truly as terrible as could be. Since the Late Emperor's funeral kept having mishaps, the Empress Dowager's reputation was already precarious, and now with yet another such incident, it only fueled endless speculation.

Rong Luoge, however, felt the matter was not so simple. Beauty Zhong valued the child in her belly like her very life—how could she fall down for no reason?

Besides, as a pregnant consort, she was not required to mourn—what business did she have wandering about idly?

Full of suspicions, Rong Luoge gave Wet Nurse Zhao a look. Wet Nurse Zhao immediately withdrew inconspicuously from the crowd and headed toward the Hou Gong.

The Virtuous Consort and several others looked even more haggard; none of them were young, and these few days of turmoil had truly been the death of them.

Ling Yuying supported the Virtuous Consort and glanced at Rong Luoge, only to see her standing with head bowed among the crowd—if one did not deliberately look for her, one would simply forget that this person existed.

Ling Yuying greatly admired Rong Luoge for being able to stay so composed even at a time like this.

This minor ripple, apart from adding a bit of gossip for everyone, could not affect the sending of the Late Emperor's coffin out of the palace to the Imperial Mausoleum.

The Emperor chose Prince Qi and the Prince of Liang to escort the coffin to the Imperial Mausoleum. This journey, with its high mountains and long waters, would take at least two months round trip. Rong Luoge guessed that Han Xinglan was sending Prince Qi away from the capital at this time precisely so it would be easier to make a move and purge Prince Qi's forces.

Even if Prince Qi knew, so what? Could he possibly refuse to escort the Late Emperor's coffin to the Imperial Mausoleum?

If he did, the court officials would first impeach him for the crime of unfilial conduct—after all, everyone knew that during His Majesty's lifetime, the one he doted on most was this Highness.

The Emperor's mourning was not like that of common folk, who observe a full three years, but rather twenty-seven days sufficed. Within those twenty-seven days, the new Emperor could not annotate court officials' memorials with a vermilion brush; all were changed to blue brush, known as the Blue Annotation.

The various ministries, courts, and government offices also had to switch to blue seals. During the mourning period, all temples and monasteries had to ring their bells thirty thousand times. Sutra chanting and condolence offerings continued unbroken throughout the entire mourning period. From the date of the Emperor's passing, civil and military officials as well as all common people were forbidden from making music for one hundred days, from slaughtering animals for forty-nine days, and from marrying for one month.

On the day of the funeral, a priceless grand ceremonial boat was burned at the front, and the coffin was carried out of the palace gates on small poles. At the very front of the procession was the banner team, holding high the Ten Thousand People Umbrella, followed by an honor guard of over a thousand people, then the coffin, and finally monks, Daoist priests, nuns, and Daoist priestesses wearing ceremonial robes and holding ritual instruments, continuously playing music and chanting sutras along the entire route...

Rong Luoge gazed at the distant procession; Prince Qi's figure had already been swallowed by the crowd. The new Emperor's enthronement ceremony could now begin its preparations.

Only after the enthronement ceremony would Han Xinglan, as the new Emperor, truly gain the recognition and support of the court officials and the common people.

And then would come the much-anticipated bestowal of rewards upon the ministers, and the grand conferral of titles in the Hou Gong.