novelaction Chapter 892 The Emperor Dies
Chapter 892 The Emperor Dies
"Second brother, what do you say?"
The second prince had been standing to the side with a blank expression.
Upon hearing the Crown Prince's question, he bowed and said, "I will leave everything to the Crown Prince's arrangements."
The Crown Prince nodded and confirmed with the Ministry of Rites again: "Then let's do it this way!"
After the Ministry of Rites made all the arrangements, the rain intensified during the formal burial.
The tedious process was finally over.
After watching the funeral servants slowly carry the coffin and burial goods into the underground palace.
The prince waved his hand, and the tomb door was sealed shut with heavy objects. Finally, a massive diamond wall sealed the tunnel entrance, making it permanently closed.
As the Vajra Wall slammed down with a bang, Zhang Ping'an's heart trembled slightly.
My eyelids have been twitching non-stop all day; I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing.
After Sanya finished reciting the first prayer at the imperial mausoleum, she disappeared. There were too many people, and even though he secretly sent people to look for her, they couldn't find her.
Don't know where he went.
As for Yuantong, he always stayed by the Crown Prince's side, occasionally offering suggestions.
Zhang Ping'an could tell that the Crown Prince didn't really trust him.
With the burial completed, the final step was to bring the Empress's spirit tablet back to the Imperial Palace and solemnly enshrine it in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, where it would be worshipped alongside emperors and empresses of past dynasties. This also marked the formal inclusion of her soul into the royal family's ancestral lineage.
We'll stay here one more night, and then we can set off back to the palace tomorrow morning.
The rain was getting heavier and heavier when suddenly a thunderclap boomed, making everyone's ears ring.
It was only late afternoon, but the sky was already as dark as midnight, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.
Muddy water rolled down from both sides.
The tent is barely enough to lie down in; there's absolutely no comfort to speak of.
Zhang Ping'an's eyelids twitched even more violently.
"How exactly did the Imperial Observatory calculate the dates? Why is it raining so heavily?"
Zhang Ping'an couldn't help but put down the chess piece and go to the door to take a look.
Apart from the servants running around in straw raincoats, everyone else was in their own tents.
Qian Ying also threw down the chess piece, glanced outside, and said indifferently, "Alright, come and have some tea. In any case, the burial is finally over, and we can return to the palace tomorrow."
"Something feels off," Zhang Ping'an muttered as he sat down.
In a flash, he suddenly remembered whose address in Shandong that he felt was familiar with.
"It was him?! How could it be him?!"
"Who?" Qian Ying asked slowly and deliberately.
"I understand!" Zhang Ping'an suddenly stood up.
"What do you understand?" Qian Ying stood up and then pressed the person down to sit down again.
"I understand their trump card now!" Zhang Ping'an was utterly shocked.
Qian Ying remained calm, her sharp gaze fixed on the man. "Ping An, I don't care what you understand, you'd better not leave this tent today. This is not something you can afford to get involved in. After today, things may be fine, otherwise, you know what the consequences will be."
Zhang Ping'an had by this time figured out about 50-60% of the Second Prince's plan to usurp the throne.
Hearing this, he sneered, "I don't believe His Majesty was completely unaware. The outcome is still uncertain!"
Qian Ying shook his head: "No matter how wise and powerful His Majesty was, that was in the past. He is old and his days are numbered. When his life comes to an end, we don't need to do anything or bear any guilt. We just need to wait for the outcome."
"Besides, didn't you already decide to turn a blind eye? Are you going to go back on your word now? I'm afraid it's too late to back out now."
"Yes, I'm afraid the Second Prince has already gone quite far by now. If I say anything now, it will only cause trouble," Zhang Ping'an chuckled self-deprecatingly, calming down. "Then let's wait and see!"
In the dim light of the room, the expressions of the two men were inscrutable.
Zhang Ping'an glanced at the Second Prince's tent in the distance, couldn't help but sneer again, and leaned back in his chair to pretend to doze off.
After some time, a servant cautiously came to report, "Would the two gentlemen like to have dinner?"
Upon hearing this, Qian Ying quickly regained her usual gentle and refined demeanor and nodded, "Bring it in!"
Zhang Ping'an had no appetite and didn't eat anything.
Qian Ying ate about five or six tenths of her fill and advised, "If you don't eat today, you might not have time to eat when you get back to the city tomorrow."
"I don't have much of an appetite, you eat!"
Zhang Ping'an's feelings were complicated. Zhou Ziming had always been kind to him, helping him rise to prominence and ensuring his smooth career. He didn't want Zhou Ziming to suffer a terrible end.
But rationally speaking, he knew that sometimes it was a matter of life or death. If Zhou Ziming was still alive, then his return to the capital might be his death day, or even the death day of his entire clan.
And will the second prince really be a wise ruler?
Will these people be useful in the future?
It seems that no matter what choice he makes, it's not what he wants; it's just a choice he's forced to make.
Before going to bed, the servants brought in ginger soup again, saying it was brown sugar ginger tea that the Crown Prince had ordered to be brewed, and that everyone should drink a bowl to ward off the cold.
Qian Ying didn't touch a bite, her expression indifferent. "Even if our Crown Prince were to actually sit on that throne, it might not be a good thing for him."
Zhang Ping'an didn't sleep a wink that night.
The next morning, just as everyone got up, they received an urgent message from the capital.
"His Majesty passed away last night at the hour of Chou (1-3 AM)!"
Zhang Ping'an's heart skipped a beat. "Is the news...is the news reliable?"
Qian Ying said solemnly, "What do you think? Alright, stop daydreaming, get on your horse quickly and follow the Crown Prince back to the palace. This is the most crucial moment."
Zhang Ping'an glanced around and noticed that the Second Prince had quietly joined the ranks at some point.
Aside from a hint of fatigue, his face remained as indifferent as ever.
Sanya also appeared at some point.
It was that eerie laugh again, with a hint of madness in the depths of his eyes.
Zhang Ping'an frowned deeply.
Before he could think any further, Qian Ying pulled him onto the horse.
The group split into two parts. The crown prince led high-ranking officials and elite troops back to the palace first, while the rest followed behind.
The horse was a good horse, and it hadn't stopped to rest along the way, doing its best to travel.
We finally arrived in the capital around 3 PM.
At this time, all the city gates of the capital were closed.
The palace had not yet sounded the funeral bells or announced the death, so the common people did not know what was going on.
However, the unusual movements of the Imperial Guards, the Five City Garrison, and the city gates still made the people uneasy, knowing that something terrible had happened.
Driven away by the street officials, the vendors wisely packed up their things and went home, and the street became much quieter for a while.
Upon seeing this, the crown prince took a breath and then rode his horse towards the palace.
Zhang Ping'an glanced at the Second Prince discreetly. He knew that after doing so much, this person must have a backup plan.
Based on his guess, there's probably something wrong with the will!
How should the Crown Prince respond?