Chapter 735: The Second Northern Tour

An atmosphere of grief hung over the room. The servants attending inside and out had all knelt down, their faces full of sorrow. Lady Zhe could be considered strong-willed, but she still could not help but lie prostrate against the edge of the bed. The one who cried the hardest was Liu Fang—he had been very fond of Zhe Congruan, and to this day still carried the dagger Zhe Congruan had given him.

Liu Yun, being too young to understand, let his childish gaze wander about. He was somewhat curious about his mother's and elder brother's crying, wanting to laugh, but probably restrained by the atmosphere, he could not bring himself to do so. He simply wrapped both arms around his father's leg beside him, leaning against it.

"Your Majesty, Duke Zhe has passed. Your servant—your servant is shallow in learning and meager in talent, truly powerless to turn the tide. Please punish your servant!" The imperial physician beside him bowed to Liu Chengyou, speaking with a somewhat trembling voice.

Seeing the look of fear on his face, Liu Chengyou lost even the interest to force a bitter smile. He knew this was the aftereffect of the previous "Empress Dowager's illness" incident. Seeing the old physician scared half to death, he did not make things difficult for him, and simply waved his hand: "Go!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The physician immediately bowed and withdrew.

Taking Liu Yun by the hand and stepping forward, Liu Chengyou wiped away Liu Fang's tears and said to him: "Didn't you say you wanted to be a hero? Heroes do not shed tears easily..."

Hearing this, Liu Fang was stunned for a moment. He looked at Zhe Congruan lying on the bed, already devoid of life. His sobbing quieted, but tears still could not help but well up.

"The departed are gone! Duke Zhe also passed very peacefully. Mourn with restraint!" Letting out a deep sigh, Liu Chengyou crouched down and gently comforted Lady Zhe.

Lady Zhe immediately turned and threw herself into Liu Chengyou's embrace, her tears slowly soaking through his robes. It took considerable effort before she was finally calmed, and he personally supported her as they walked out of the room.

"Zhao Pu!" Liu Chengyou called out in a deep voice.

"Your Majesty commands!" Zhao Pu, who had been attending before the imperial presence, hurriedly responded.

"Zhe Deyuan is at Heyang, is he not?" Liu Chengyou said.

"Yes!"

Zhe Deyuan was the second son of Zhe Congruan. After the reorganization of the Fuzhou Army, he had been transferred to Heyang to serve as Army Commander of the Three Cities. Liu Chengyou directly instructed: "Immediately send a fast rider with relay stations—have Zhe Deyuan rush to the capital at once to handle the funeral arrangements. Also send someone north to notify the Imperial Father-in-Law, Zhe Deyi!"

Saying this, he glanced at Zhao Pu again and said: "You remain at the residence. Until Zhe Deyuan arrives in the capital, you shall be temporarily responsible for managing the funeral affairs!"

"Yes!" Zhao Pu responded respectfully. Though his expression was solemn, a trace of joy could not help but well up in his heart.

For Zhao Pu, this was a good assignment. Handled well, it would both please the sovereign and earn the goodwill of Worthy Consort Zhe and Lady Zhe. Of course, under such circumstances, this bit of joy could not be shown.

By the time the imperial procession set out to return to the palace, the residence of the Duke of Dai was already densely hung with white cloth and white funeral banners raised high. Under Zhao Pu's arrangements, everyone bustled about the funeral preparations. When the mournful music began to play, the news spread along with it. Soon, officials and commoners throughout the court and the realm would learn that the Great Han had lost another elder minister.

On the carriage returning to the palace, Liu Chengyou gently held Lady Zhe and said in a warm voice: "Your body is not in a convenient condition; you should not experience great joy or great sorrow. Duke Zhe's passing grieves me as well. Rest assured, the funeral will be properly handled, and I shall ensure Duke Zhe receives due honor in death..."

Hearing Liu Chengyou's words of comfort, Lady Zhe shifted her head slightly, her cheek still pressed against Liu Chengyou's chest. She looked up at him with somewhat swollen eyes and said softly: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou was somewhat surprised.

Lady Zhe said: "At least I got to see Grandfather one last time!"

"Then I nearly left you with regret!" Liu Chengyou gently rubbed Lady Zhe's shoulder. Given Zhe Congruan's condition, had she not heard some news, she would likely have received the death notice directly—let alone seen him one last time.

"Grandfather was a hero all his life, bringing glory to the family name and blessings to his descendants. Even in death, I think his heart held no regrets!" Lady Zhe was indeed a woman of mettle. Though still unavoidably sorrowful, her mood had clearly begun to gradually settle.

Hearing her words, Liu Chengyou also felt somewhat relieved.

As for Zhe Congruan's passing, the gentry and commoners of the Eastern Capital could hardly be said to find it surprising anymore. At this point, no one would resort to "conspiracy theories" to speculate. By comparison, the impact caused by Zhe Congruan's death was greater, and the stir it would raise was also greater.

First, he was in the Eastern Capital; second, he was the grandfather of Consort Zhe, the pillar of the consort-clan Zhe family. With Zhe Congruan's death, the impact extended directly into the palace.

Just as when Gao Xingzhou had passed away, causing Noble Consort Gao's backbone to soften. The difference from the Gao family was that after Gao Xingzhou, the one in charge was Gao Huaide. With Zhe Congruan's death, the Zhe family still had the two brothers Zhe Deyi and Zhe Deyuan to hold things up together, and Lady Zhe also had more offspring. But what was certain was that the threat Empress Fu felt had diminished by several degrees.

As for Zhe Congruan's funeral, it was handled with extraordinary solemnity. All officials and military officers of the fifth rank and above within the capital went to pay their respects. A series of posthumous honors and bestowals followed, all of considerable scale. Liu Chengyou posthumously promoted him to Commandery Prince of Baode, added five hundred households to his fief, and had Zhe Deyi inherit the Duke title. At the same time, Hanlin Academician Hu Zai was commissioned to compose his spirit-path inscription. Hu Zai's literary talent was outstanding—previously, when he had written an inscription for Jing Fan and been selected, he had risen to fame in one stroke. This time, Liu Chengyou chose him again.

At the same time, Zhe Congruan's death could be said to have drawn a period to the succession of elder ministers and meritorious nobles passing away in the winter of the eighth year of Qianyou. From then on, all the way to the ninth year of Qianyou, there were no more major funerals. Otherwise, if one or two more dukes or marquises—pillars of the state—had died, Liu Chengyou might have summoned the Old Ancestor Chen Tuan into the palace to drive out evil spirits...

In the second month of the ninth year of Qianyou, the Han emperor issued an edict for a northern inspection tour. The Empress, Noble Consort, Ning Consort, and the four eldest princes accompanied the imperial carriage, with Chancellor Wei Renpu following along, and three thousand armored soldiers of the Inner Palace Army and the Longqi Army providing escort.

In the second month, Kaifeng's willow catkins drifted through the air, spring feeling everywhere. The entire city seemed to have recovered from the grief of the past winter.

Before the palace gate in the north of the city, the imperial carriage's ceremonial guard was already prepared, ready to depart at any moment. The hundred officials, led by chancellors Li Tao and Fan Zhi, gathered to see Liu Chengyou off.

A bright imperial robe gleamed somewhat dazzlingly under the spring sun. Even brighter than that was the inscrutable smile that hung at the corners of Liu Chengyou's mouth.

Looking at the two chancellors, Liu Chengyou said leisurely: "Ministers Li and Fan, this northern tour of mine will likely take no short time. The court's governmental affairs shall be left to the two of you to manage and handle!"

"Rest assured, Your Majesty. Your servants will certainly devote themselves wholeheartedly and dare not be negligent!" Li Tao bowed in response.

"Minister Li has assisted in governance for nearly ten years, with deep seniority and prestige, and handles matters with thorough consideration. Naturally, I am at ease!" Liu Chengyou let out a few hearty laughs.

He then looked toward Guo Rong, pointing to the southwest: "Minister Chai, the burden on your shoulders is not light either! I hope that by the time I return to the capital, matters in the southwest will already be prepared!"

"Your servant understands!" Guo Rong's expression was as solemn and composed as ever.

"In that case, I can head north with peace of mind!" Liu Chengyou smiled freely.

This northern tour differed from previous inspection tours and personal campaigns. Liu Chengyou had not specially arranged for anyone to oversee the state in his absence, completely entrusting power to his ministers. He also wanted to see, in this way, how the Great Han's court institutions operated when he was not present.

Boarding the imperial carriage, as the order to depart was given, the northern tour procession slowly began to move. Seven years had passed since Liu Chengyou last embarked on a northern tour—and now he did so again.