Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 309: Queen's Funeral, Both the Real and Fake Emperors Came
Kunning Palace.

After the demon queen came back, she drank a cup of hot tea first, and then sat by the fire and pondered.

The queen was killed, who was the murderer? She had a suspect, but that person was not in the harem, which meant it was someone else. So, was the murderer of Alena and the queen the same person?

Why did the murderer kill them?

The disputes in the harem were nothing more than those things, fighting for favor and the position of queen. Killing the queen was understandable, but why kill Alena first?
"Your Majesty, the emperor is here." Shuangxi came to report.

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhu Qizhen walked in and came straight to the side of the demon queen. He asked coldly, "You didn't do it, did you?"

“Haha…haha…” The Demon Queen raised her eyes, with disappointment and sorrow in them, and a sneer on her face, “Still doubting me? Even if you don’t believe me, do you have a pig brain?”

Zhu Qizhen's face was as cold as ice, and he said in a deep voice: "Now that the queen is dead, will they start fighting for the position of queen next?"

Tears welled up in the eyes of the demon queen, and she laughed miserably at herself: "Can I still fight for the position of queen?"

Zhu Qizhen turned his head to look at her. Her delicate and beautiful face was sad, with a few tears in the corners of her eyes. The tenderness in her beautiful eyes was heartbreaking.

He held her beautiful face in his hands, gently wiped away the tears, and smiled: "Why are you still crying? You get angry with me more often than I get angry with you."

"Don't give me that!" The demon queen pulled his hand away.

She wiped the corners of her eyes and her face became serious: "There have been a series of murders in the harem. Someone must be causing trouble. We must find the murderer."

"Do you also think that it was done by someone in the harem?" Zhu Qizhen asked.

The Demon Queen nodded: "Outsiders are not allowed to enter."

She pondered for a while, then raised her eyes and said, "The queen was killed. You can't tell anyone. You can only say that the queen died of illness."

"I understand. Concubine Xian kept the news secret in time, so only a few people knew about it." Zhu Qizhen sighed, "I have announced that the queen has passed away. A date will be chosen for the funeral."

The demon queen lowered her eyes and sighed softly, "She is finally free."

"If we want to track down the murderer, then you should come?" Zhu Qizhen frowned. "The crime happened in the harem, so it's not convenient for the Jinyiwei to come in."

The Queen snorted and waved her hand: "There is no need for the Imperial Guards. No one knows the harem better than me. You go and prepare for the Queen's funeral. Leave the investigation to me. The harem has been peaceful for too long. They seem to have forgotten me."

Zhu Qizhen was startled and felt a murderous aura.

……

The news of the empress's death was like a bolt from the blue, shocking the court and the people. Although the empress had been living in seclusion in the palace in recent years and rarely appeared in court celebrations, in the hearts of the ministers, the status of the empress of the Ming Dynasty was still prominent and could not be ignored. The empress had no heir, and the shadow of her dethronement was always around her and unresolved.

Now, the queen passed away suddenly, catching everyone off guard.

During the morning court session, the emperor was heartbroken and his sorrow could not be concealed in his words. Later, he even burst into tears, which moved all the civil and military officials present.

"I heard of the Queen's death, and my heart aches. Looking back on the past, the Queen and I have shared joys and sorrows, and have gone through countless storms together. The Queen was virtuous, gentle and respectful, and was truly a good companion for me and a blessing to the Ming Dynasty. Although she had no children, she was deeply in love with me, and we knew and stayed together, better than the closest relatives. Now that the Queen has passed away suddenly, how can I bear it? I would like to go with the Queen, but the state affairs are so heavy that I have no choice. Queen, Queen, please go home in peace. I will remember our love and will never forget it!"

The ministers all urged the emperor to take care of his health. They were secretly shocked. They did not expect that the emperor had such deep feelings for the queen. Zhu Qizhen was not just acting. He was grateful to the queen.

After the court session, the cabinet immediately summoned officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy. According to the rules, they had to submit the "Notes on the Funeral Rites for the Late Empress" to the emperor, who would review and implement them according to the rites.

During the specific implementation process, it will also involve multiple departments such as the Taichang Temple, Guanglu Temple, Honglu Temple and Qintianjian, as well as the Censorate and Six Departments responsible for supervision, the Jinyiwei responsible for protection, the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Households. In addition, during the funeral, royal relatives such as the kings, the duwei of the emperor's wife, as well as ministers and eunuchs will also participate in the sacrifice and other ceremonies.

"The Internal Affairs Bureau sent people to set up mourning and crying seats under the east wall of the other hall," said Li Bing, the new Minister of Rites. "The concubines and ladies in the harem will cry their sorrows here."

Xu Youzhen nodded: "The eunuchs will complete the procedures for the harem, and we will mainly deal with the matters after the funeral."

Everyone began to discuss quickly, because there was a whole set of procedures for the queen's death.

Initial announcement of the death: First, after the queen's death, the death will be reported to the Taichang Temple, and then to the Internal Affairs Bureau. After that, the Internal Affairs Bureau will send people to set up mourning and crying positions under the east wall of the other hall to prepare for the funeral.

Mourning: In a separate hall, the eunuchs will report the identity and date of death of the deceased, and the concubines and the ladies of the palace will cry their hearts out here.

Corpse: The palace where the queen's body is kept is called "dying in peace".

Small burial: bathing the deceased queen's face, trimming her hair, changing her shroud, and placing offerings in front of her body.

Daluan: The deceased is placed in a coffin. In front of the coffin, a "table", a silk cloth for calming the spirit, and a memorial flag are set up. Daluan is usually scheduled on the second day of Xiaoluan. On this day, the emperor and his concubines and other palace family members must wear plain clothes to pay their respects. Civil and military officials and women of the third rank and above in the capital must wear mourning clothes and enter the palace to cry outside the Sishan Gate for three consecutive days, either in the morning or twice in the morning and evening.

Hearing of the funeral: The time is usually before the big or small burial. From this day on, all temples and monasteries in the capital city must ring the bell 13 times to "bless the dead" on behalf of the queen. Slaughtering is prohibited in the capital for 19 to days. Princes, dukes, princesses, dukes' wives, princesses and civil and military officials who are enfeoffed in other places all face the palace and cry and mourn.

Conferring a posthumous title on a deceased empress. Because the deceased empress had a high status during her lifetime, the posthumous title must be given by the heaven, which is called "autumn posthumous title". The etiquette of conferring a posthumous title is also very complicated. First, the civil and military officials must gather to discuss and draft the "Conferring a posthumous title", and after the emperor personally reviews it at Xuanzhi Gate, the Hanlin Academy officials will write the official posthumous title. Then, the emperor will personally perform a sacrifice and place the title in the Jiyan Hall.

Zigongfayin: Commonly known as "funeral procession", it is to bury the queen's coffin from the palace to the cemetery. Before the funeral, a farewell ceremony is held. During the funeral, civil and military officials wear plain clothes, black gauze hats and black horn belts to escort the queen to the sacrificial sites along the way.

Yu Ceremony: The first to seventh Yu Ceremony were held on the road, and the eighth Yu Ceremony was held outside the capital. All of them were presided over by the funeral officials. The ninth Yu Ceremony was held in the "Ji Yan Hall" of the imperial palace. After the ninth Yu Ceremony, the spirit tablets were worshipped in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

At this point, the funeral came to an end.

……

The funeral was held ten days later.

This time the time was so fast, it was decided by the emperor. Because the Chinese New Year was coming soon, the Imperial Astronomical Observatory gave only one time option before the New Year, and the next time option would have to be after the Lantern Festival.

Zhu Qizhen didn't want the matter to drag on too long and affect the New Year, so he decided to finish it before the New Year.

Along the streets of the capital, people knelt, all wearing plain clothes and black hats. The long funeral procession came out of the palace, and the sound of mourning music, like weeping and complaining, echoed in every corner of the capital. On the roadside, although the people were asked to keep quiet, low sobs and occasional whimpers still rose and fell.

In the funeral procession, the high-raised flags swayed gently in the wind, and paper money drifted away in the wind, like pieces of thoughts falling into the dust. Along the way, palace maids and eunuchs had already scattered flower petals and yellow soil along the way, implying that the queen's soul could rest in peace.

Zhu Qizhen sat in the carriage, lifted the curtain, and looked at the people outside, his eyes slowly swept over them with a sad look. At this moment, a man kneeling beside the street quickly lowered his head.

"Your Majesty, did he see you?" Xu Bin asked from the side.

It turned out that the person who bowed his head was the Zhengtong Emperor. He was wearing plain clothes and a black hat, revealing only half of his face. Tears fell from his eyes, and he whispered, "Probably not." Xu Bin looked anxious: "Your Majesty, let's go. It's too dangerous."

"They are all wearing plain clothes and black hats, so they won't be discovered." The Zhengtong Emperor sighed, "I must see the Queen off for the last time."

He looked up at the coffin.

……

After the funeral, there are still three days until the Chinese New Year.

The capital was not in a sad mood, but was welcoming the New Year. The court finally had a holiday, and the ministers did not have to attend court, so they began to visit relatives and friends before the New Year.

In a private room in Taibai Tower, Yu Qian was waiting for someone.

Not long after, Guo Deng came in with Shi Heng. Yu Qian had originally invited Guo Deng to drink alone, but he didn't expect Guo Deng to bring Shi Heng with him.

"I just met him on the road, so I invited Shi Heng to have a drink with me." Guo Deng said with a smile, "I have to make you, Duke Xia, spend more money."

Yu Qian spread his hands and smiled: "Then I won't go home until I'm drunk."

Soon, the food and wine were served, and the three began to drink. As they drank, they talked about the battlefield, and their mood became higher and higher, so they drank more. After half an hour, the three of them felt a little dizzy.

"You've heard of the Junshan Society, right?" Yu Qian narrowed his eyes and asked, "What do you think of this?"

Shi Heng sneered sarcastically: "Just a bunch of rabble."

Guo Deng's eyes flashed with sharpness for a moment, and then he raised his head and said, "Since I came back, I have heard about the so-called Junshan Society everywhere. Haha, if I knew about them, I would be the first to catch them."

Yu Qian sighed dizzily, "Ah, Junshan will say that they want to welcome the real emperor."

"The true emperor is Your Majesty, are they blind?" Guo Deng snorted.

Yu Qian came closer, smiled and whispered: "There are only three of us, we know who the true emperor is."

Guo Deng took a big sip, raised his head, his face became serious, and looked at the two people and said, "Anyway, I, Guo Deng, support your majesty, and I don't care about anything else! Haha, what Zhu family? Our Guo family is a relative of the Zhu family, so I know what kind of people they are. The people of Junshan Society, even if they win, they will not have a good ending! Zhu family, huh, they don't even have family affection, so how can they care about outsiders? Those things between uncle and nephew, didn't you learn a lesson?"

Yu Qian was so shocked that he quickly took a sip of wine. He didn't expect Guo Deng to have this attitude.

……

Qianqing Palace, warm room.

Finally, the holiday came. There were still memorials, but only a few. Zhu Qizhen finished them quickly and then began to read leisurely. The warm room was very comfortable, and it was a completely different world from the ice and snow outside.

The aroma of milk tea filled the air. Zhu Qizhen took the tea from the palace maid and asked, "Has Xiyao not come back yet?"

"Xiyao will be back tomorrow." The palace maid replied.

Zhu Qizhen smiled and said, "She is in a hurry to come back for the New Year. She is even busier than me."

Cao Jixiang came over holding a memorial and said, "Your Majesty, this is an urgent report from Chagatai."

Zhu Qizhen opened it and glanced over it. It turned out to be a memorial from Liu Dingzhi, which said that the team escorting the five pseudo-vassal kings would probably arrive in Beijing after the Lantern Festival.

"That's good, so that I won't see them and ruin my good mood for the New Year." Zhu Qizhen put down the memorial and continued reading.

After a while, Concubine Xian came in and bowed: "Your Majesty, I brought you some soup."

Zhu Qizhen smiled and said, "It's winter, it's just right to drink the soup. By the way, let's go to your palace to eat hot pot tonight."

"As you wish." Concubine Xian bowed with a smile.

Zhu Qizhen finished his soup, hugged Concubine Xian and lay on the soft mat, sighing softly: "There have been a lot of things going on in the harem recently, you have to be careful here."

Xian Fei frowned slightly and said, "There are already all kinds of rumors. Some say that I am the murderer. Because the queen is gone, I will have the opportunity to become the queen."

"Anyone with a discerning eye can see that you only need to wait to become the queen. There is no need to take such risks." Zhu Qizhen snorted, "It seems that someone is behind this. Humph, I will find this person when I have time recently."

Concubine Xian seemed to be thinking about something, and said, "The Queen Mother is investigating, and she also told me not to interfere. I feel that the Queen Mother should have a clue."

Zhu Qizhen was slightly startled.

……

Kunning Palace.

The Queen Mother stood in front of the window, her long black hair reaching her waist, her slender waist, and her graceful figure set off by a long dress made her look absolutely beautiful. But her beautiful face was covered with frost.

Shuangxi came in from outside, walked behind her, and reported: "Your Majesty, Xiyao was indeed not in the palace that day. She drank some wine with Li Ling and Isabella and stayed together all night. At the beginning, Shang Lu was also there. When Shang Lu left to rest, it was already the first quarter of the night. At that time, the gates of the imperial city and the palace were closed. It was impossible for her to return to the harem and then go out again."

The Queen Mother nodded slowly: "It seems that the person who killed the Queen was not her."

"Your Majesty, could it be that someone saw Alena being killed and deliberately imitated the murderer and killed the queen?" Shuangxi said.

The Queen Mother's eyes turned cold, and she said coldly: "That's her. She is the only one among all the concubines who has this ability, and she is so stupid!"

Shuangxi was extremely curious. Who was the Queen Mother talking about? Which queen would dare to kill someone in the middle of the night?
"Others don't know her background, but I know her." The Queen Mother sneered, "She comes from a military family, knows some martial arts, and is a bit ruthless, but she is too stupid. With her brain, she still wants to be the queen?"

Shuangxi asked hesitantly, "My lady, what do I need you to do?"

The Queen Mother was silent for a long time, then sighed softly, "The New Year is coming soon, don't do anything yet, let everyone spend the New Year in peace. I haven't raised my sword for a long time, they are forcing me."

"Now that the queen is gone, the fight for the queen position will have to be laid bare," Shuangxi said.

(End of this chapter)