Impératrice douairière Xiaoxuan

Chapitre 209

Zhao Yu smiled and took out an oil paper package from her sleeve. She untied it, and inside lay a mutton shortbread: "I specially saved this from my dinner yesterday. I knew you must be starving."

Mo Yan took it, finished it in a few bites, wiped her mouth, and then smiled at Zhao Yu, "Are you used to dressing up as me?"

"Anyway, I spend most of the day in the tent and don't have to go out, so I'm not uncomfortable with it," Zhao Yu said with a smile. "Even if I do go out, I feel very comfortable, much better than being a princess."

Mo Yan chuckled and nodded, "Of course." Since time was limited, she didn't dare to delay. She combed her hair in front of the mirror, then took the funeral clothes from the tray and went behind the screen to change. After changing, she had to lie back on the couch, and Zhao Yu tidied her up again.

“You’ll have to lie in the coffin for several days now. I’m sorry to trouble you,” Zhao Yu said apologetically.

"I'm just a little hungry, nothing else."

Her clothes were all neatly arranged, as if afraid of wrinkling them. Mo Yan dared not move again, her brows furrowed slightly: "I'm just worried that my older brother is still angry with me. He definitely doesn't agree with what I did."

“Even if someone like Zhan Zhao really gets angry with you, it won’t last long, so why worry?” Zhao Yu said with a smile.

"The thought of him being angry with me makes me uncomfortable, but I can't speak to him right now. Princess, if you have the chance to meet him, could you describe him to me?"

"Of course, you did it all for me."

"Actually, we should really thank you, Little Imperial Uncle, for this. If it weren't for his decision, no one would have dared to do it." Mo Yan felt that Ning Jin really did have some courage.

Zhao Yu nodded and sighed, "Only he would dare to do something like this. He has truly taken the blame for me. If anything goes wrong, even if he is the Prince of Ning, Father will never forgive him."

"There won't be any problems! I'm here for you."

Mo Yan spoke with absolute certainty and confidence.

Two coughs came from outside Ning Jin. Zhao Yu dared not linger. She glanced at Mo Yan again, tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear, and said, "I have to go. Take care."

Mo Yan nodded, and Zhao Yu smiled at her before leaving the tent.

When the sun was high in the sky, Mo Yan lay in the coffin in the mourning hall, her head resting on a jade pillow, a jade cicada stuffed in her mouth, and a gold silk mask covering her face. She was unable to move and was in great pain.

"If I ever really die, I hope no one will torment me like this," she thought to herself.

Because her breath left a trail of hot air clinging to her mask, creating a faint frost-like sheen, Ning Jin had to light more incense and candles, filling the entire mourning hall with smoke and making it eerie and gloomy, truly like the underworld. Standing there, it was difficult not only to see the frost-like sheen on the mask, but even to make out Mo Yan herself.

Once Ning Jin had everything arranged and was quite satisfied with it, people began to arrive in droves to pay their respects.

For some inexplicable reason, Zhao Yu deliberately stayed not far from the mourning hall tent, wanting to see who had come to pay their respects to her.

Yelü Hongji was the first to arrive. After paying his respects, he didn't leave but stayed in the mourning hall to burn paper money for Zhao Yu. Zhao Yu watched the ashes of the paper money drift out from afar, a faint sense of guilt rising in his heart, but he was also helpless. He thought that if he really died, he would only be saddened by burning some paper money, and after a few days, he would probably forget about the sadness completely.

Next, quite a few people came, some of whom Zhao Yu had never seen before. She guessed that most of them came because of Yelü Hongji, and that they were just here to make an appearance. There was no one who was truly heartbroken.

Around noon, Yelü Zongzhen actually arrived in person. He spoke at length with Ning Jin, offering words of comfort and expressing regret, before finally leaving. Ning Jin sneered inwardly, knowing that Yelü Zongzhen was afraid that Emperor Renzong might misunderstand the matter, so he came to put on a show to demonstrate how much he valued Zhao Yu.

Later, more Liao officials arrived one after another. It wasn't until nearly dusk, after Yelü Hongji had left, that Xiao Xin and Xiao Guanyin arrived together.

Xiao Guanyin was dressed very simply and had no expression. Zhao Yu had originally thought that she should be the happiest person, but seeing her appearance now, he felt that he had misunderstood her. Xiao Xin's eyes were actually a little red, as if he had already cried.

Among all the people coming and going, these two were the least likely to be there for show, but rather to genuinely pay their respects to Zhao Yu.

Unlike others, Xiao Guanyin didn't exchange empty pleasantries with Ning Jin. After paying her respects, she slowly walked to the coffin and gazed at the person inside...

Amidst the swirling smoke, a gold-threaded mask still veiled her face. Although Ning Jin knew she couldn't see Mo Yan clearly, he was still somewhat nervous, unsure of her intentions. He wondered if Mo Yan was holding her breath; if Xiao Guanyin noticed the slight rise and fall of her chest, things would be disastrous.

"Princess, this way please, have some tea," he said politely as he stepped forward.

Xiao Guanyin shook her head, her gaze still fixed on the coffin, tears slowly welling in her eyes. She murmured, "I should have called her sister, but I never expected..." She was not a complicated person. Her previous dislike for Zhao Yu was entirely due to Yelü Hongji. Now that she saw Zhao Yu was dead, she felt deep regret when she recalled their previous discord.

The fighting and snatching of the past now seem utterly ridiculous.

Ning Jin subtly shifted his body to the side, cleverly blocking her view, and said, "Princess, please accept my condolences..."

Wiping away her tears, Xiao Guanyin nodded and turned to leave. Just then, Mo Yan's stomach inside the coffin let out an untimely cry. The sound was not loud, but it was enough for Xiao Guanyin to hear.

Ning Jin's expression immediately changed.

Volume 3, Chapter 45

"..." Xiao Guanyin paused for a moment, then turned around in confusion to look at Ning Jin.

"I haven't eaten yet today," Ning Jin reacted quickly, patting his waist and abdomen, and said with a wry smile, "Please forgive my rudeness, Princess."

Xiao Guanyin said softly, "Please accept my condolences."

"Thank you for your concern, Princess." Ning Jin nodded and bowed in acknowledgment, his face calm but secretly hoping she would leave quickly. If Mo Yan's stomach rumbled again, something terrible would happen!

This time, Xiao Guanyin finally stopped shaking her head and walked out of the tent. Ning Jin breathed a slight sigh of relief and politely saw her out of the tent. Behind him, Xiao Xin walked to the coffin.

Xiao Xin showed no restraint, his hand resting on the edge of the coffin, his body plunging inside until his face was only a foot away from Mo Yan's. Ning Jin turned around, utterly surprised that this hothead would do such a thing. Without thinking twice, he hurried back, pulling Xiao Xin out before he could say a word.

After dragging Xiao Xin out, Ning Jin noticed that his eyes were slightly red, and then suppressed his anger and said slowly, "Do not disturb the deceased."

"I... I'm just heartbroken. I never expected her to leave like this so suddenly." Xiao Xin's voice was still choked with emotion. His gaze lingered on the coffin, as if he wanted to see Zhao Yu's face one last time through the smoke and mask.

Despite the freezing weather, Ning Jin felt sweat beading on his back.

"Prince Qi, Xiao Yu'er once said that you treated her like a brother and took great care of her. She was extremely grateful to you." Ning Jin tried to divert Xiao Xin's attention, silently chanting Buddhist prayers, hoping that Mo Yan could hold on at this critical moment and that nothing would go wrong.

Amidst the swirling smoke, Mo Yan lay motionless, as if she were dead; she must have stopped breathing.

Hearing Ning Jin's words, Xiao Xin was even more heartbroken. He shook his head and said, "She actually said that. I know she has been ill for a long time and I have always wanted to see her, but my father doesn't like it, so I haven't been able to come. If I had known she was so sick, I shouldn't have..." Xiao Xin was an honest man and didn't mince words.

Ning Jin had little contact with the Xiao siblings and knew nothing about them. Though he remained outwardly composed, he inwardly sneered, thinking: "Only today do I understand the meaning of 'the rabbit mourns the fox's death.' The Xiao clan should be overjoyed at Xiao Yu'er's death, yet these two siblings insist on coming here to shed tears. Do they really think I'm a fool?"

Despite his thoughts, the play still had to continue. Ning Jin pretended to listen while subtly leading Xiao Xin away from the coffin, and then walked outwards.