Proud Feather

Chapter 2 Mourning Hall
The once bustling Nanming Palace was now enveloped in a melancholy atmosphere. The palace maids shed their delicate dresses and donned plain clothing, making this late autumn even more bleak.

Suddenly, a figure rushed out from the palace gate, and the shouts from behind broke the silence: "Princess!"

Before Chu Ling's soul could return to its place, he was stopped by the palace guards at the gate.

A dignified-looking female official in her thirties caught up with him, panting, her eyes full of worry.

"Princess, where are you going?!" she said. "You just fainted. The doctor said it was due to anger and that you need to rest well. You haven't even taken your medicine yet!"

Chu Ling looked at her face and murmured: "Qiuniang..."

"It's me." Zheng Qiu, the head aunt of Nanming Palace, softened her voice and tried to soothe her emotions. "Princess, don't worry. Go back and take your medicine first. When you feel better, go to Huaide Palace. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince won't blame you."

Your Highness the Crown Prince, Huaide Hall... That's right!
She asked in a trembling voice, "Is it the fifth day of the ninth month of the twenty-first year of Jianning?"

Zheng Qiu looked at her with eyes full of pity: "Today is the seventh day of September."

Chu Ling staggered and was instantly filled with disappointment.

The seventh day of the Lunar New Year, why the seventh day? Two days earlier, just two days earlier, she could have prevented her eldest brother's murder!

On the fifth day of September in the twenty-first year of Jianning, Crown Prince Chu Yi died unexpectedly while on patrol along the river under imperial order.

This incident became a turning point in her destiny and the beginning of the decline of the Daxiang Dynasty.

Not long after, her second brother Chu He ascended the throne of the crown prince, and her father, devastated by the death of his eldest son, became bedridden and died in the second year of her exile. Then her second brother ascended the throne and changed the year to Yuanxing.

Chu Ling suspected countless times that there was another hidden story behind her eldest brother's death. Unfortunately, she had no evidence at that time. She targeted her second brother again and again, and instead drifted further and further away from her father.

Chu Ling felt angry and sad when he thought about his fate of being exiled from the capital with a stigma and eventually being killed in Shangyuan.

Since God gave her the chance to come back, why couldn't he have come two days earlier? Why did he make her accept the fate of her eldest brother's early death as soon as she came back? How cruel!
"Princess," Zheng Qiu coaxed again, "Take the medicine first. It won't hurt to go to Huaide Palace later."

Yes, the eldest brother is no longer with us. Even if she rushes there, he will just be a corpse.

Chu Ling lowered her head and was escorted back by the palace maids.

After taking two steps, she suddenly stopped.

"Princess?" Zheng Qiu asked in confusion.

Chu Ling paused and said, "That's not right."

"What's wrong?"

Chu Ling turned around suddenly, shook off the palace servants and ran out.

Even if she doesn't have time to rescue her eldest brother, she still has a chance to expose her second brother's conspiracy!

My eldest brother's body is now lying safely in the Huaide Hall!

"Princess!" Zheng Qiu was very anxious and chased after her with the palace servants.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince died unexpectedly, and His Majesty fell ill upon hearing the news. Now the palace is in chaos, and the princess cannot afford to get into any more trouble!

Chu Ling didn't care and ran to Huaide Hall in one breath according to his memory. Sure enough, there were white flags everywhere and faint cries.

She pushed aside the palace maids who came to help her, ignored the gazes of the mourners, and walked towards the coffin.

Even though so much time had passed, when she returned to this scene again, the sadness in her heart still surged out uncontrollably.

Her mother passed away shortly after giving birth to her. Her eldest brother, eight years her senior, had cared for and loved her since she was a child. Aside from her father, he was the closest person to her in this world.

The tears fell without any need to brew, and Chu Ling choked up and said, "Brother!"

She covered her face and cried, and soon a hand held her.

"A Ling."

Chu Ling turned her head, tears welling up faster and faster. "Sister-in-law!" She cried and hugged the woman in front of her.

Crown Princess Lu Chan, her elder sister-in-law.

I remember when my eldest sister-in-law married into the Eastern Palace, she was only ten years old. Without her mother to discipline her, and with the indulgence of her father and eldest brother, she developed a bad temper. My eldest sister-in-law acted as a mother, patiently teaching her little by little until she finally corrected her bad habits.

But my eldest sister-in-law also passed away. Not long after my eldest brother passed away, their child caught a cold and died. My eldest sister-in-law became depressed and fell ill.

"A Ling." Lu Chan was aroused by her. The two sisters-in-law hugged each other and cried, heartbroken.

Many members of the royal family who were crying in the hall felt sympathetic.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is the son of the Empress Yuan. He is not only born intelligent, but also gentle and polite. It is said that he will be a wise ruler in the future. Who knew that such an accident would happen? God has not given him long enough!
After crying for a long time, Lu Chan finally stopped and whispered to comfort her, "You almost fainted just now. Don't be so excited. Your eldest brother has always loved you. How can he rest in peace in the afterlife?"

"Yes!" Another voice sounded nearby, "A Ling, your sister-in-law is already very sad, don't let her worry about you anymore."

Chu Ling paused.

She will remember this voice even after she goes to hell!

She raised her head, looked at the young man in front of her who was both familiar and unfamiliar, and uttered two words: "Second Brother..."

The young man was only in his early twenties, looking shy and a little embarrassed, but Chu Ling knew that it was all superficial.

Although she had no evidence of her eldest brother's death, the various conflicts she had with her second brother later were a fact that could not be further from the truth.

The second brother was never as harmless as he appeared. When he discovered her hostility, he deliberately led her into conflict with the emperor.

She was young at the time, spoiled and willful, and he often got the better of her. Later, when she grew up and learned, it was too late.

Chu Ling blinked, a look of grievance immediately surfaced on her face, and tears began to fall again: "Second brother, I'm so sad. Why did big brother have to encounter such a thing? With so many people around him, why did big brother have to get into trouble?"

The second prince, Chu He, is twenty-one years old this year. He is the son of Concubine Shu and is given the title of Prince Xin.

He is two years younger than the prince and has been his brother's follower since childhood. He is an honest man and will never go west if asked to go east, or play with a dog if asked to catch a chicken.

Just like his mother, Concubine Tian Shu, who was born as a maid to the Queen, he was as loyal to the Prince as a family son.

——But this is obviously wrong. After all, he is a prince, and a prince who is favored by his mother.

Chu He cried with her: "Yes, why did it have to be Big Brother? It would be great if I could go with him. I would rather take Big Brother's place..."

The brother and sister cried to each other, and their brotherly love was touching.

When Chu Ling lowered her head to wipe her tears, her eyes glanced over secretly.

There are several eunuchs guarding the coffin. Are they to prevent others from getting close?
She changed her mind and reached out to grab Chu He's sleeve, then accidentally kicked the brazier next to her.

"what!"

The brazier flew up and the ashes inside flew out.

The paper ash was sparking and very flammable. When it splashed onto Chu He's hem, the scene suddenly became chaotic.

"Fire! Watch out for fire!"

"Brother! It's on fire!"

"The curtains! The curtains are on fire!"

The accident happened so quickly that the funeral hall became noisy.

Chu Ling seemed to be frightened and retreated repeatedly until he reached the side of the coffin.

The settings of the first chapter have been changed, please refresh the book. Pull down the bookshelf and refresh it a few times.