(Everyone, the author’s words at the end of the chapter have informed you of something, you can check it out!)
In Xianfu Palace, Concubine Duan stood at the door of the main palace, looking at the outside of the palace door.
Night fell, and Concubine Duan should have been chanting sutras in the Buddhist hall at this time, but at this moment he had no thoughts at all.
She already knew that the emperor was critically ill, but she had not received any news about the situation in Qian'an Palace at the moment.
The life and death of the emperor was a major matter. The Qian'an Palace was now under martial law and no one was allowed to come in or out at will. Therefore, Concubine Duan's news channel was cut off.
But instead of waiting, she sent people from Xianfu Palace to inquire about the news about Qian'an Palace.
At the entrance of the palace, Lingsu turned around and lowered his voice and said: "My dear, Lin'er is back!"
A few breaths later, a palace maid aged fourteen or fifteen ran in and gasped: "Your Majesty, the Emperor...the Emperor has passed away!"
Upon hearing the news, Concubine Duan felt as if she had been hit hard, and she almost lost her balance. Fortunately, the palace maid next to her supported her in time.
Concubine Duan was not an ordinary woman after all, and she soon accepted the consequences.
In fact, Concubine Duan had already been prepared for the emperor's death and had made numerous countermeasures.
What made her feel uncomfortable was that she could not see the emperor for the last time.
Although she is not a queen, she and the emperor still get along well with each other, playing the role of the first wife.
At this moment, hurried footsteps sounded outside the palace door, and several young eunuchs were seen walking in carrying things.
"Reporting to the Queen, the Queen has summoned all the concubines and asked the Queen to come to Changchun Palace as soon as possible!"
Concubine Duan nodded and replied: "I understand!"
After the young eunuch retired, Concubine Duan ordered Lingsu to prepare for mourning.
The death of the emperor is a national mourning. Not to mention the concubines, everyone in the previous dynasty and harem must wear mourning.
Soon, Concubine Duan changed into plain white, took Lingsu and several palace maids, and walked slowly to Changchun Palace.
When Concubine Duan arrived, the Changchun Palace was crowded with people inside and outside.
There were more than thirty concubines, big and small, ranging in age from fifty to fifteen, and all of them were crying at this time.
After the emperor dies, these women are like duckweeds in the water. The future life can be said to be unpredictable, and the cold palace is not so easy to treat.
Seeing Concubine Duan's arrival, the lower-ranking concubines outside the main hall took the initiative to make way for Concubine Duan to enter the main hall smoothly.
In the main hall, in addition to the queen herself, there were two noble concubines sitting.
Zhao Yongcheng's harem had a queen and two noble concubines, but the most favored concubine Duan was only a concubine.
Entering the main hall and looking at the enemy sitting in front of her, Concubine Duan felt calm at the moment.
"I've met the Queen!" Concubine Duan smiled slightly.
In recent months, as long as she had the chance to meet the queen, Concubine Duan would no longer be as prickly as before.
The reason for this is because she knows that Zhao Yanxun is still alive, so there is hope for her life, and there is no need to break things.
Although it had happened several times before, seeing Concubine Duan being so "docile" at this moment, the Queen herself and the two concubines still felt a little uncomfortable and surprised.
Of course, everyone can figure out the reason.
The emperor is critically ill, and Concubine Duan will be a rootless tree no matter how favored she is. She should consider her own way out and ease her relationship with the palace.
Of course, even if the emperor died, no one would dare to despise Concubine Duan.
After all, the current emperor's grandson was able to ascend to the throne because of Concubine Duan's contribution. On the contrary, the queen should be worried about herself.
The women inside and outside the palace had their own thoughts, but at the moment they were only doing one thing, and that was to mourn for the emperor.
Concubine Duan arrived, and everyone was gathered. The queen said: "Come here, everyone!"
Everyone in the hall came closer, and people with high status entered the hall.
Amidst the cries, the queen was heard to say: "The late emperor passed away, and the mourning hall is being arranged in Qian'an Palace. After the mourning hall is decorated, you will follow me to Qian'an Palace to keep vigil for the late emperor!"
Seeing that everyone was still crying, the queen's voice suddenly rose: "Do you understand?"
"I understand!" A group of women replied sparsely.
As a result, everyone was waiting in Changchun Palace, and the sky was full of stars outside.
Finally, when the time was approaching Haishi (ten o'clock in the evening), a eunuch entered the Changchun Palace.
Kneeling at the door of the main hall, I heard the eunuch say: "I would like to inform you that the coffin of the late emperor has been arranged properly. Please move it over!"
After retreating with the eunuchs, the queen herself stood up and said: "Everyone... let's go!"
"Your Majesty, please first..."
So with the Queen taking the lead, everyone rushed to Qian'an Hall.
When we arrived outside Qian'an Hall, the place was already completely deserted.
Under the dim light, one could see a large number of royal family members kneeling outside the main hall, and these people were crying and howling at this moment.
However, Wang Tinghe and other ministers had already withdrawn from the palace after supporting the new emperor, and they only had to keep vigil for the emperor for half a day every day.
Even after the emperor dies, the country still needs to function, and ministers naturally have to perform their duties.
Those kneeling outside the main hall were all distantly related to the royal family, and most of them had been pulled up from their sleep.
Entering the palace, there are nobles who are close to the royal family, mostly princesses, consorts, wives, and princes who have not yet become vassals.
As a concubine, the queen led people to the front, where there was a place specially set up for them.
Everyone knelt down on the futon and began to cry.
Concubine Duan was also crying, she was crying sincerely.
After all, Zhao Yongcheng had doted on her for many years, and Concubine Duan still had feelings for him.
Looking at the coffin placed behind the memorial tablet, Concubine Duan couldn't help but shed tears.
…………
Time passed quickly, and three days passed in the blink of an eye.
The death of the emperor had a great impact on the capital. White flags were hung everywhere, and the common people were required to wear mourning.
So when Liu De came to the capital, he was stunned by the scene before him.
Liu De jumped out of the carriage, grabbed a pedestrian and asked, "Brother, is this the emperor?"
The man replied: "The late emperor passed away!"
He had only been away for less than three months, and such a big thing happened. Liu De was shocked beyond measure.
Then he returned to the carriage, hit the horse and rushed to the city. He also had to bring the letter to Concubine Duan.
When he entered the city, he was blackmailed by the soldiers guarding the gate.
Of course, this is also a normal situation. Because of the zombie riots, the capital is under martial law at all times, and ordinary people are not allowed to enter or leave.
Liu De spent thirty taels of silver to get a chance to enter the city.
Then he was told again that he would have to be quarantined for five days when entering the city. If he didn't want to be quarantined, he had to pay.
After another thirty taels of silver went out, Liu De finally entered the capital.
In order to make himself less obtrusive, Liu De bought a white cloth from passers-by and tied it on his body as a tribute to the emperor.
Driving the carriage, Liu De soon arrived at Taoyang's Mansion, only to learn that Cao Jiasheng and his wife had also gone to the palace to keep vigil for the emperor.
Seeing Cao Yunhui receiving him, Liu De asked anxiously: "Sir, when will uncle return?"
Cao Jiasheng sighed: "It's hard to say. I'm afraid they won't be able to come back before the emperor transfers his soul!"
The time for the emperor to transfer his spirit is uncertain, it could be ten to twenty days, or it could be one or two months.