RPAGF Chapter 891 Heading to the Imperial Tomb
Chapter 891 Heading to the Imperial Tomb
Zhang Ping'an sneered upon seeing this and withdrew his gaze.
Focusing intently on preparing for the opening ceremony.
Whether they're human or ghost, they'll eventually reveal their true colors.
As the misty morning fog was almost dissipating, Zhou Ziming and the Crown Prince finally emerged together, both looking slightly better than before.
At the auspicious hour, under the supervision of the Imperial Observatory and Yuantong, Zhou Ziming, along with civil and military officials, held a grand funeral ceremony at the place where the body lay in state.
The ceremony ended nearly an hour later.
As Empress Wei's coffin was carried out of the palace, the funerary items prepared by the Imperial Household Department and the Ministry of Works, including gold and silver utensils, jewelry, silk clothing, daily necessities, as well as the funeral procession and carriages required for the funeral, were also carried out and followed behind the coffin.
The ceremony of sending off the deceased is followed by the ceremony of sending off the deceased.
This ceremony requires everyone to gather at a specific location outside the city.
This included the emperor, princes and grandsons, civil and military officials, noblewomen, including concubines and high-ranking ladies, as well as the escorting cavalry and infantry guards.
In total, there are approximately six thousand people.
As the bell rang, the procession set off in a grand procession towards the outskirts of the city.
All the people you encounter along the way must bow and kowtow.
This resulted in the team moving very slowly.
By the time they arrived at the designated place outside the city gate for the funeral rites, a considerable amount of time had passed.
Most officials were actually sweating profusely in this early winter season.
As Zhou Ziming and the chief priest performed the final libation, all the officials knelt in farewell.
At this point, apart from the people Zhou Ziming had previously designated to accompany and escort them, the rest of the large group of people could return to the city.
As one of the people selected to escort them, Zhang Ping'an could only watch with envy and jealousy as his colleagues returned to the city.
The girl with the beady eyes, who was the object of envy, turned around, shrugged, gave Zhang Ping'an a helpless look, and then gently flicked her whip and followed him back.
At that moment, the wind picked up again.
The crown prince, having caught a chill, bent over and coughed twice before loudly ordering, "It's getting late, let's set off!"
He was the highest-ranking member of the escort team, and the others naturally obeyed his orders.
Zhang Ping'an rode his horse at the front of the group, slowly following the main force.
Since Grand Tutor Qian was too old, the Qian family naturally wouldn't send him; they sent Qian Ying instead.
However, Qian Ying's rank was not as high as Zhang Ping'an's, and the two were not in the same place, so they could not chat.
When they took a break in the afternoon, Qian Yingcai came up to them and said, "I've already spoken with the officials from the Ministry of Rites. When we get to the imperial mausoleum, I'll rest with you."
"It's only two nights, there's really no need for that!" Zhang Ping'an glanced at his brother-in-law, somewhat amused and exasperated.
Qian Ying chuckled mysteriously in a low voice, then stoked the fire to make it burn brighter. "You'll thank me later."
Zhang Ping'an looked thoughtful upon hearing this, but Qian Ying didn't answer. Instead, she brought up the previous matter and said apologetically, "By the way, didn't I mention to you before about arranging a marriage between Xiaoyuer and the Qian family? Well, you said your situation was special, so I didn't make the decision on my own. After discussing it with Father, he thought that if you were interested, you could let Xiaoyuer come to the Qian residence for a couple of days after we go back this time and see what he thinks."
This is tantamount to agreeing to continue the close relationship.
"Aren't you afraid of being implicated because of me?" Zhang Ping'an turned to look at Qian Ying.
Qian Ying brushed the dust off her hands and replied calmly, "You won't be implicated. You're a smart person and have made the best choice."
Zhang Ping'an guessed a bit, "What about my father-in-law?"
“My father? Our Qian family never gets involved in the struggle for the throne. Whoever ends up in that position, we will listen to him.”
"I see!" Zhang Ping'an smiled knowingly.
There were no outsiders around them, only two trusted personal guards from their respective families. They spoke in very low voices, so they weren't afraid of being overheard.
After chatting for a while and eating something, Qian Ying clapped her hands, got up, and went back.
Zhang Pingan then got up and left.
Before leaving, he took one last, deep look in the direction of the Second Prince.
The second prince sat quietly on a small hill in the northeast, his gaze seemingly fixed on nowhere. Apart from his guards, there was no one else around him.
No one dared to approach.
Most of them surrounded the crown prince.
Unfortunately, the crown prince was not in a good mood, and the people who came were basically driven away after saying only a few words.
The group did not set off again until half an hour later.
By the time they arrived near the imperial tomb, it was already midnight.
Such a large group of people, carrying ritual implements, white banners, paper figures, paper horses, coffins, etc., with torches lit, walking on the mountain paths in the middle of the night, is actually quite eerie.
Especially today, with the constant northwest wind, the leaves in the woods rustled in the wind.
It's even more like a live version of a supernatural or ghost story.
Zhang Ping'an held a high official rank, so naturally he didn't need to personally set up tents or do chores; he could just wait to be served.
Soon, the tent was pitched and a fire was lit.
Zhang Ping'an had just sat down when Qian Ying came in.
With the help of servants, he took off his boots, wiped his face and hands and feet and lay down. "The conditions here are simple, just make do and go to sleep."
Just as Zhang Ping'an was about to ask another question, Qian Ying put her hand to her mouth and whispered, "Walls have ears."
"Okay, then I'm going to sleep too," Zhang Ping'an said tactfully, taking off his boots and outer robe and lying down.
Speaking of other things, she said, "The weather doesn't look too good; it might rain tomorrow."
"Rain is good, it wipes out all traces," Qian Ying said with a carefree air.
After saying that, he put his hands behind his head, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.
Zhang Ping'an knew that Qian Ying definitely knew something he didn't yet.
He could only shake his head. "You're really patient. I'm going to sleep too. Whatever it is, we'll know in the next couple of days."
Qian Ying didn't reply, as if she had fallen asleep.
…………
Because they went to bed so late, the campsite became lively again after less than two hours of sleep.
Everyone was getting dressed and washing up, afraid of disrupting the arrangements and delaying the auspicious time for the burial.
Zhang Ping'an was always a vigilant sleeper. After getting up, he nudged Qian Ying, and the two of them quickly got dressed and got out of bed.
After lifting the curtain, Zhang Ping'an shivered from the cold.
It did rain today, a light drizzle mixed with a cold wind, quite chilly.
The servants, sensing the situation, helped him put on the cloak, saying, "Sir, you won't be cold with this cloak."
Qian Ying stepped out, made a gesture of catching rainwater, and whispered, "Winter rain is so cold!"
"Let's go, stop nagging, it's getting late," Zhang Ping'an said, pulling everyone along to the Crown Prince's main tent in the middle.
The crown prince had already washed and dressed.
The official in charge of ceremonies was checking the burial procedures again.
Although the Crown Prince looked reluctant, he still slowly said, "Let's follow the Ministry of Rites' arrangements!"