"Your Highness and Your Highness's Consort, news has come from the palace that Consort Yuan collapsed last night!" the servant reported, kneeling down.
Ji Wushang asked in surprise, "Isn't Consort Yuan the Third Prince's mother?"
"Indeed. I never imagined that His Highness would have to suffer the pain of losing his mother so soon after returning..."
"How did Consort Yuan get married?" Ji Wushang asked.
"I heard that she died in the arms of the Third Prince. The Third Prince went to Consort Yuan's palace to see her, but Consort Yuan was already terminally ill. She said a few words and then passed away," the servant said.
"Where is the Third Prince now?"
"Your Highness, this servant doesn't know." The servant looked at Ji Wushang with difficulty.
"You may leave now! We'll go check on him later." Nan Xuzong glanced at Ji Wushang. Why was she so worried about the Third Prince?
"Yes." The servant immediately left.
Ji Wushang looked in the direction the servant had left and said, "The Third Prince is cold-hearted, but I've long heard that he's very filial to Consort Yuan. Now that Consort Yuan is dead, I wonder what he'll do."
"Don't worry about him."
"I wasn't worried about him. I was just scared. His eyes, it gave me the feeling that..."
"Don't worry or be afraid. I have some connections with the Third Prince, and he won't do anything to you," Nan Xuzong said. "Besides, you haven't harmed his interests, so he won't lay a hand on you."
“Maybe that was just my imagination,” Ji Wushang nodded.
"Hmm." Nan Xuzong's eyes flickered; he was determined to find out what was going on!
"Let's go take a look." According to custom, when a concubine passes away, there isn't a grand state funeral or anything like that. The scale of the funeral depends on how much favor she received. Consort Yuan was considered a relatively favored concubine, so some Taoist priests would be invited to perform rituals in the Imperial Ancestral Temple to pray for her soul, and some officials and nobles would be invited to pay their respects and send her off. The palace maids, eunuchs, and matrons who served Consort Yuan would likely be allowed to be buried with her, and their families would be compensated with gold and silver.
Ji Wushang nodded.
Before they even left the manor, Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong were informed that the Marquis and Consort Jin had also gone to the Imperial Ancestral Temple for the funeral. Ji Wushang then gave instructions regarding matters at the manor, and Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong set off for the palace in a carriage.
The spring rain began to fall; it was the first rain of early spring. It carried a hint of melancholy, and the wind blew gently, carrying with it the scent of rain.
Nan Xuzong pulled Ji Wushang's cloak tighter around himself. "Aren't you cold?"
Ji Wushang gently shook her head and nestled in his arms.
After a while, the two arrived at the palace, and the spring rain stopped.
After Gong Shu brought Nan Xuzong down, he stood aside and awaited instructions.
Nan Xuzong said, "Go back and make arrangements, and remember what I said before."
"Yes, sir!" Gong Shu replied.
Ji Wushang walked behind Nan Xuzong. At this moment, a young eunuch stepped forward, raised his pinky finger, and asked, "Are you the heir and his wife from the Marquis of Jinnan's mansion?"
“Exactly.” Nan Xuzong nodded.
The young eunuch said, "Then please come with us, Your Highness and Your Highness's Consort!" He then led the way.
Ji Wushang pushed Nan Xuzong's wheelchair and followed the little eunuch into the inner courtyard.
After entering the inner courtyard and walking for a long time, Ji Wushang felt her hands were a little sore. Nan Xuzong immediately placed his hand in hers. Ji Wushang looked at him in surprise. He smiled, placed her hand in his own, and then pushed the wheelchair with his other hand. "I'm so sorry for making you tired."
"I like it. Sometimes it's a bit tiring, but I'm willing to do it," Ji Wushang said truthfully.
The young eunuch led the way, listening to their conversation, unsure whether to sigh or shake his head. It was indeed a wonderful thing for the Prince of Nan to have a wife like his consort, but wasn't it a tragedy for the legitimate daughter of a great general to be forced to marry a powerless prince who couldn't stand up for himself and only relied on his maternal grandmother?
However, opinions vary. If she doesn't mind, why should I, as an outsider, worry about it?
He shook his head and let them go.
Ji Wushang laughed, and Nan Xuzong smiled contentedly as well.
We finally arrived at the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
Nan Xuzong and Ji Wushang stood outside and saw that there were already quite a few people standing inside, while Huangfu Xuan, dressed in mourning clothes, knelt before the spirit of Consort Yuan.
Ji Wushang looked at Nan Xuzong, who nodded in acknowledgment, and the two went inside silently.
Huangfu Xuan opened his eyes, which had been closed, and turned to look at Nan Xuzong and Ji Wushang, saying, "Prince Nan and Princess Nan."
"Greetings, Your Highness the Third Prince!" Ji Wushang immediately knelt before him, while Nan Xuzong said, "Greetings, Your Highness the Third Prince!"
She reacted quickly.
Huangfu Xuan nodded expressionlessly, "Please rise."
Ji Wushang kowtowed, then knelt directly before the spirit tablet of Consort Yuan.
People around automatically made way for him.
Nan Xuzong pushed the wheelchair forward from behind her.
My heart aches, but I'm not saddened. Why did you have to kneel like that?
Ji Wushang knelt before the spirit tablet of Consort Yuan, took the incense sticks given to him by the palace maid, and respectfully offered them in worship before asking the palace maid to help him burn incense.
Ji Wushang recalled how Nan Xuzong had come to pay respects to his mother when she died. He would never forget that pain, but he never expected that time would pass so quickly.
Turning his head, he looked at Nan Xuzong, who had already finished his worship.
"Please rise, Princess Consort Nan!" Huangfu Xuan said coldly.
Ji Wushang snapped out of his daze and thanked him, "Thank you, Third Prince."
Ji Wushang tried to look into his eyes, but Huangfu Xuan had already turned his back to them, so Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong went to the side.
People around also came forward to worship, making it quite a lively place!
Finally, a monk arrived to perform a ritual.
Huangfu Xuan watched all of this expressionlessly, without the slightest emotion.
When everything was finished, the Emperor and Empress Dowager still hadn't arrived, and Huangfu Xuan's heart felt as cold as an ice cellar. "Are you so busy with your affairs? Holding such a funeral in the Imperial Ancestral Temple is indeed a great favor to Consort Yuan, but without their presence, what good is it?"
Just then, a shrill voice rang out, "The Emperor has arrived! The Empress Dowager has arrived! The Empress has arrived! Consort Yun has arrived!"
Those around them knelt down on their own.
Ji Wushang knelt down, looking outside while secretly observing Huangfu Xuan.
Emperor Zhou, with a trace of sorrow on his face, stepped forward and stood before the spirit tablet without saying a word.
The palace maids dared not step forward to offer the incense.
Huangfu Xuan, his face stiff, grabbed some incense from the side, then walked up to Emperor Zhou, silent, with a hint of arrogance.
"Xuan'er, you've worked hard!" Emperor Zhou seemed to ignore his rudeness and accepted the incense. "I owe Consort Yuan a lot, and I hope to make it up to you in the future!" He then bowed three times to Consort Yuan.
The ceremony was already quite elaborate, and no one around dared to speak. Huangfu Xuan made no comment, silently accepting the incense offered as a sacrifice and placing it in the incense burner.
The Empress Dowager, supported by her nanny, stepped forward and accepted the incense given to her by Huangfu Xuan. "Xuan'er, please accept my condolences!"
"Yes." Huangfu Xuan nodded.
Empress Yao stepped forward, her magnificent robes trailing on the ground, clashing sharply with the somber atmosphere of the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Huangfu Xuan, his eyes filled with resentment, stepped forward and offered incense.
Empress Yao smiled gently, "Third Prince, you must take care of yourself, otherwise it will harm your health! Although Consort Yuan is gone, there are still us. We are all taking good care of you, Third Prince."
"Thank you!" Huangfu Xuan squeezed out a single word through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with ferocity.
Empress Yao took a step back, not daring to provoke him any further. This was a vicious ingrate; she had to find another way to kill him!
Consort Yun Shufei, with a hint of timidity on her face and a rather hesitant demeanor, accepted the incense, offered a prayer, and immediately stepped aside.
Emperor Zhou then said, "Let them be buried!"
The matter eventually passed. Throughout it all, Huangfu Xuan's cold expression remained unchanged.
When they returned to the manor, Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong were sitting in a carriage.
"The Third Prince wants to kill Empress Yao." Nan Xuzong's lips twitched.
"But there's also the Second Prince. He won't let him succeed." After all, she's his birth mother; surely he'd protect her!
"Not necessarily." Nan Xuzong gazed into the distance. "If the Empress's death brings him great benefit, he might secretly help the Third Prince kill Empress Yao!"
"You mean the Second Prince wants to use the Third Prince..."
"Shh!" Nan Xuzong quickly covered Ji Wushang's cherry lips and looked up at the top of the carriage. Ji Wushang immediately fell silent and observed everything.
"It's the King of the Western Regions!" Nan Xuzong slightly lifted the curtain and looked at the figure. If his martial arts were comparable to the king's, he might not necessarily lose!
"What is he going to do? Why can't he just ride a horse or take a sedan chair?" Ji Wushang asked.
"It must be something important; we'll know tomorrow." Nan Xuzong lowered the curtain.
Just then, the carriage suddenly stopped! Ji Wushang was surprised, and Nan Xuzong immediately pulled Ji Wushang into his arms to protect him, "Don't be afraid!" His starry eyes were looking outside, and his ears were perked up, listening alertly to everything outside.
The air was thick with murderous intent. Nan Xuzong could roughly gauge the strength of those people and feel their heartbeats!
With a "whoosh," a bright light shot into the sky. It was Nan Xuzong sending the signal!
The next second, Nan Xuzong's golden silk slingshot ripped off the curtain, and his guards were protecting Nan Xuzong and Ji Wushang beside the carriage.
Everyone around was dressed in black, and they were all highly trained.
Nan Xuzong looked around. The street was deserted, and this road was definitely not the way back to the manor! That meant the coachman wasn't one of his men, and these guards…
Nan Xuzong's cold eyes flashed with a chilling light, and golden threads shot out instantly. At the same time, the guards all swung their swords and blades at Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong! And the men in black stepped forward to kill the two of them.
Ji Wushang was held protectively in his arms, and the two golden threads seemed to come alive, killing all those who approached with their sharp golden threads!
Ji Wushang nervously looked around at the people, whose numbers were steadily increasing. If this continued, he and Nan Xuzong would surely be outnumbered and die!
Just then, someone threw what looked like a smoke bomb towards Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong! All the assassins retreated, while Nan Xuzong and Ji Wushang were surprised and covered their mouths and noses.
☆、186 Menstruation: Good Man
The group of assassins looked on with smug satisfaction at Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong's reactions.
But in the next second, Nan Xuzong pulled Ji Wushang into his arms, his golden threads wrapping around the pill-sized object! With his other hand, he flicked the golden threads, powerfully sending the smoke bomb flying! Instantly, with a "whoosh," the pill exploded, bursting into a thick cloud of smoke. Nan Xuzong held Ji Wushang close, his other hand gathering power on the wheelchair, and with a swift movement, the entire wheelchair flew off the carriage. The assassins, choked by the smoke and smelling its fumes, instantly collapsed and died!
Ji Wushang looked surprised, while Nan Xuzong's eyes deepened. The wheelchair landed steadily, and he looked down at Ji Wushang, "Don't be afraid, hold me tight!"
"Mm." Ji Wushang nodded, and looking into his eyes brought her a sense of peace.