When the Directorate of Astronomy's report arrived, it was already the mid-month grand court session ten days later. Ping Huai'an was in the military camp, practicing and demonstrating new battle formations.
Looking at the palace report, the general idea was: the Directorate of Astronomy had matched Princess Ruo'cheng's and Crown Prince Xiao Yan of Qi's horoscopes. Ruo'cheng's birth chart carried earth, like the simplicity of mountains and rivers, while Crown Prince Xiao Yan carried wind, like swift wind and flowing clouds. Ruo'cheng's fate could nourish the Crown Prince of Qi, but staying by his side would easily shake her essence, and illness would be inevitable. The two were not suitable for each other. The princess's recent invasion of wind evil and catching a cold could serve as verification.
Whether Ruo'cheng's birth chart carried earth or not, Huai'an didn't know, but she had certainly experienced the Directorate of Astronomy's skill in fabricating nonsense. If she hadn't known the inside story, she would probably have been completely fooled by the Directorate of Astronomy's report.
Now it was done. No matter what, the emperor couldn't possibly allow his daughter to suffer a chronic illness, so Huai'an smiled with relief and continued her military training. She planned to go see Ruo'cheng again later.
Just when everyone thought the matter had come to an end, the second palace report was issued. Huai'an was so shocked that the command sword and flag clattered to the ground. Her heart pounded like a drum, and her jaw remained dropped for a long time.
The emperor did not adopt the Directorate of Astronomy's suggestion. He still followed the final conclusion reached by the deliberations of the Three Provinces and Six Ministries council and decided to set a date for the marriage alliance with Qi The Empire in South.
This old emperor is unreliable! Huai'an shouted in her heart.
As soon as the news came out, it spread throughout the streets and alleys.
Huai'an stopped her military training and formation practice. She immediately spurred her horse to Huan Sui's manor.
The gatekeeper saw Huai'an, covered in military attire and somewhat dusty, rushing over. He initially thought it was some rude military officer trying to barge into Prince Heng's manor without even presenting a card. But upon closer inspection, he recognized her as the young lady of the Ping family and hurriedly knelt down with a thud, apologizing for his disrespect.
Oh God!, that was the future junior princess consort!
Huai'an didn't pay much attention. She anxiously asked the gatekeeper to report her arrival, but received the reply that Huan Sui was on duty and hadn't returned yet.
Huai'an's official rank was not high. Except for the grand court sessions or special summons, she didn't need to participate in ordinary court meetings. Today, she had taken official leave due to numerous affairs upon her recent return to the capital, so she didn't know what had happened during the grand court session. At this moment, she somewhat regretted taking leave, as it caused her to miss understanding today's events. But then again, even if she had been there, she really couldn't have changed anything.
She rushed to the imperial palace in a great hurry. After presenting her card, she waited for almost half an hour before being granted entry. By the time she arrived at the Glazed Tile Palace, dusk had already fallen.
Parting the beaded curtain, she saw Ruo'cheng on the bed, her face even paler than before. Sitting beside her and gently rubbing her back was Ruo'cheng's godmother, Consort Mu.
Ruo'cheng's biological mother had passed away a few days after giving birth to her due to puerperal fever, leaving behind a crying infant girl. Consort Mu volunteered to take on the responsibility of caring for the child and even had Ruo'cheng recognize her as her godmother. She loved Ruo'cheng a million times more than her own son. She often took little Ruo'cheng running around everywhere, and whatever delicious or fun things there were, whether she had to steal or snatch them, she would find them and give them to Ruo'cheng.
Huai'an gave a slight curtsy and saluted Consort Mu, then stood aside quietly, listening to Consort Mu and Ruo'cheng talking.
Consort Mu came from a military family and had followed the emperor in his campaigns south and north in her early years. She never adhered to formalities and was straightforward in her speech, always saying what was on her mind.
At this moment, she was rubbing Ruo'cheng's back with one hand while gesturing in the air with the other, muttering, "Your ungrateful father! What good did it do to accompany him in his campaigns for so many years! In the end, he got a tiny little imperial throne and eagerly sent his daughter away." She stopped her hand movements, turned her head, and asked Huai'an, "Huai'an, tell me, is he even human?"
Upon hearing this, Huai'an trembled with fear. Consort Mu had military merits, a powerful family backing, and a talented and virtuous son. What did Ping Huai'an have? A sharp-tongued elder brother, a retired father, and an insignificant small military position.
Consort Mu, please don't harm me! I absolutely cannot utter these words of colluding to scold the emperor.
Seeing that Huai'an didn't dare to answer, Consort Mu snorted and turned back to continue scolding her heartless wretch of a family member.
A low, clear voice came from outside the door, "Mother, have some water and rest for a while."
Huai'an turned her head and saw it was Huan Sui.
Huan Sui entered, holding a cup of tea that had appeared in his hand at some point, and handed it to his mother, whose face was flushed with anger. Consort Mu took the tea and gulped it down in one breath. After drinking it, she raised her hand again, wanting to continue scolding.
Huan Sui quickly stopped her to prevent her from choking on her words in her haste, "Mother, speak properly and slowly. Those who don't know would think it's you who's getting married."
"Can I speak properly! Your ruthless father, what! Bullying our Ruo'cheng? This old woman isn't dead yet! I'm telling you! If I don't go and overturn his imperial throne today, my name isn't Mu!"
"Mother, Mother, anger harms the body, please don't be impulsive."
"Look at this explosive temper of mine!" Consort Mu said, rolling up her sleeves. Judging by her posture, she really intended to rush to the Xuanzheng Hall and overturn the emperor's throne.
Huai'an found it both amusing and exasperating. Since childhood, she had loved watching Uncle Huan and Aunt Mu bickering and fighting. Whenever the two of them were about to reach a boiling point in their arguments, Huan Sui and his other brothers would all be on high alert. As soon as they saw the two pick up weapons, they would rush forward to stop them... Aunt Mu, to prevent Uncle Huan from being killed by her.
She really couldn't understand how someone with such an explosive temper as Aunt Mu could have given birth to a son like Huan Sui, who was so gentle, refined, and courteous.
Emerging from the mud yet unstained, rinsed in clear water yet not seductive. That was how Uncle Huan had once described Huan Sui.
She was enjoying the spectacle when she glanced at Ruo'cheng beside her and quickly suppressed her smile. Ruo'cheng had a blank expression and was coldly watching Consort Mu's loud rant without saying a word.
Huai'an's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly stepped forward and called out, "Ruo'cheng." She had completely forgotten that the purpose of her visit to the palace was to see Ruo'cheng.
Ruo'cheng raised her eyes, glanced lightly at Huai'an, and shook her head. "Don't comfort me."
Huai'an's eyebrows drooped, and she opened her mouth but didn't know what to say. She looked up and gave Huan Sui a look. Huan Sui immediately understood and helped Consort Mu to the outer hall to continue her scolding.
Huai'an quietly sat by Ruo'cheng's bed, saying nothing.
It wasn't until the furious Consort Mu had been appeased and left the Glazed Tile Palace that Huan Sui walked into the room with a tired expression, and the three of them exchanged a few words.
At this time, the furious Consort Mu, who had been scolding all the way and searching everywhere for the emperor who was avoiding her, intending to confront him, never imagined that this would be her last meeting with Ruo'cheng.
Three days later, Ruo'cheng passed away.
When the news reached the Xuanzheng Hall where the emperor was, his legs immediately went weak. Ignoring the ministers in the early morning court session, he hurriedly got up from the dragon throne but could barely stand straight. With the hurried support of the palace attendants, he rushed to the inner palace.
Upon arriving at the Glazed Tile Palace, he saw Consort Mu already sitting by Ruo'cheng's bed. The usually cheerful and open-minded woman was now silent, her eyes wide open, her lips tightly pressed together, as if unable to believe the reality before her.
She only had one child, Huan Sui, and she cherished and doted on Ruo'cheng, whom she had managed to obtain (?). Even though she always took the child running around wildly and would only point at her and laugh when she fell, to her, Ruo'cheng was her daughter, the apple of her eye.
She never thought that their meeting three days ago would be their eternal farewell.
She still had so many things she wanted to say to her, wanted to see her brush move like flowing clouds again, wanted to hear her recite poetry again, wanted to tease her serious demeanor again, wanted to...
Huan Sui and Huai'an, who had arrived earlier, stood behind Consort Mu, patting her back and comforting her softly, their eyes red-rimmed and their expressions extremely low.
Ruo'cheng lay serenely on the bed, her expression peaceful, as if she were asleep. Only her chest no longer rose and fell; she had completely lost her breath.
The emperor was still in a state of shock. He stared blankly in disbelief, murmuring, "How could this be?"
A group of imperial physicians knelt on the ground, their faces covered with veils. The leading physician replied tremblingly, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the princess has had a persistent high fever for days. Evil Qi has invaded her body, obstructing her lungs and weakening her internal organs. Furthermore, excessive worry and pent-up emotions have made her lose the will to fight. This led to such a severe lung disease. We, your servants, have failed to save the princess. Please punish us, Your Majesty!"
"Are you singing a song with that long string of words!" A surge of anger rose in the emperor's chest. The usually gentle and kind emperor pointed at the physicians and roared, "Why! Why did it happen so suddenly! She was fine just two days ago! How could this be!"
The physicians prostrated themselves, terrified, repeatedly begging for forgiveness, saying they were incompetent and deserved to die, and imploring His Majesty and the Consort to take care of themselves.
The emperor listened in a daze, his head buzzing, unable to hear a single word clearly.
Ruo'cheng had been a well-behaved and lovely child since she was young, understanding how to appreciate tea and the moon, capable of writing and painting, able to eloquently discuss the essays of various philosophers, and wield her brush to record the rise and fall of the world.
Although he rarely showed affection for his children, Ruo'cheng had always been an irreplaceable child in his heart.
He had already lost one daughter. Oh God!, the heavens were blind, making him endure this heart-wrenching pain of losing another daughter. At this moment, he completely disregarded the marriage alliance with Qi The Empire in South and all national affairs, only wanting to cry his heart out.
He approached the bed, wanting to touch his child's face. Seeing this, the leading physician hurriedly crawled forward and grabbed the emperor, urgently saying, "The princess's illness came on fiercely, and there may be a risk of contagion. For Your Majesty's health, your humble servant begs you to avoid her for now."
Upon hearing this, the imperial attendants hurriedly stepped forward to cover the emperor's face with a veil. One of them anxiously asked the physician, "Contagion? Is it dangerous? Could there be an unknown epidemic quietly spreading in the capital?" At the same time, he urged others to pull the emperor away, but the emperor's feet were rooted to the spot, unwilling to leave no matter what.
The physician replied, "Please rest assured, Lord Eunuch, the capital is currently safe, but to avoid unnecessary panic," he turned to the emperor and said respectfully, "Your humble servant begs Your Majesty to allow the princess to be buried as soon as possible, to rest in peace, and to reassure the people."
Upon hearing this, the emperor raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot, but after hearing the physician's words, he finally gradually accepted the fact that his daughter had passed away. He steadied his mind, let out a long sigh, and warned himself in his heart that he was the monarch of a nation and could not indulge in grief. The most important thing now was to quickly prepare Ruo'cheng for burial to prevent a possible epidemic from spreading.
Just as the emperor was about to give the order, Huan Sui immediately stood in front of him, straightened his robes, and said loudly, "Father Emperor, the Zheng-Qi alliance is imminent. Could we temporarily postpone the funeral and observe the situation?"
The emperor narrowed his eyes and looked at Huan Sui suspiciously. He lowered his eyelids and pondered for a moment, feeling that his son's words were not without reason. The alliance that had been so painstakingly arranged would inevitably undergo changes due to Ruo'cheng's death. If they first used the excuse that Ruo'cheng's health had not yet recovered and she was temporarily unable to marry, and played along with Qi The Empire in South, waiting until the Western Regions were settled before announcing the news of her death, then even if Qi The Empire in South protested at that time, they would already have the strength to deal with them.
Third Son's words were indeed a good plan, but—
The emperor raised his eyes, turned his head to look at his motionless child, shook his head, and slowly said, word by word:
"I, as the monarch of a nation, my words carry the weight of nine cauldrons. The original alliance clearly stated that Zheng and Qi would form a marriage alliance and establish eternal kinship. Therefore, my priority should have been to protect the princess's safety and health. Today, the princess has passed away, and I have already broken my promise. If I were to resort to cunning deception again, how would the world submit to me?"
He paused, his tone softening, his voice filled with tenderness, "Moreover, Ruo'cheng was my beloved child. She has already sacrificed herself for the sake of the nation. How can I use her death solely to fulfill my own selfish desires?"
"But Father Emperor, the deterioration of relations between Zheng and Qi is definitely not what Ruo'cheng would have wanted to see." Huan Sui still wanted to persuade him, but seeing the emperor's gaze lightly sweep over him, he quickly stopped talking.
"Even if a fierce battle is unavoidable, I will ensure that my daughter can rest in peace under the nine springs."
Upon hearing this, Huan Sui lowered his head and quietly retreated to the side, saying nothing more.
"Issue my decree, posthumously confer the title of 'Heaven-Sent Intelligent and Joyful Princess' upon Ruo'cheng. Three days later, she shall be buried with the honors due to a senior princess."
Everyone knelt down and respectfully accepted the decree.
Then the emperor stepped forward, helped up the stiff-bodied Consort Mu, and embraced her. Consort Mu didn't move, as if she were the one who had died, not the person lying on the bed.
The emperor gazed at his beloved daughter's remains. Ruo'cheng's lively eyes and cheerful smile were as vivid as if they were right before him, yet they felt like a lifetime ago.
But things had changed, and no matter how much he thought, it would only be in vain, adding to his sorrow. The emperor didn't allow himself to grieve for too long in front of his ministers. He left the Glazed Tile Palace with Consort Mu in his arms, leaving all the funeral arrangements to Huan Sui.
Huan Sui and Huai'an watched the emperor and Consort Mu leave. They exchanged a look, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.
Huan Sui gave instructions to the palace maids to bathe Ruo'cheng and dress her in her burial clothes. He also arranged all the related matters for the encoffining and the funeral before going to handle the temporary mourning hall that had been set up.
Although the funeral three days later was simple, it was not without solemnity and reverence. Consort Mu gently stroked her beloved daughter lying in the coffin, her eyes bloodshot, and the corners of her lips twitched as she finally couldn't hold back her wails.
The emperor looked sorrowful and couldn't even bear to step forward to see Ruo'cheng's face one last time. He felt that every moment he stayed in the mourning hall, his heart would ache more. Although in the end, he finally glanced at Ruo'cheng's face, he felt a sharp pain in his chest at that instant, as if his internal organs were being cut into pieces. He hurriedly covered his chest and left in haste.
The funeral ended. 'Heaven-Sent Intelligent and Joyful Princess' was buried in the Huan family's ancestral墳墓 outside the capital, which had been converted into an imperial mausoleum, alongside her ancestors and her early-deceased siblings.
At the same time, the emperor received an incredible piece of news:
The Crown Prince of Qi was leading an envoy to visit, and would arrive in the capital no later than five days later.
Upon learning the news, the court officials were in an uproar. They all secretly speculated that with the princess's death, the Crown Prince of Qi was probably coming to demand an explanation.
So they all submitted memorials, urging the emperor to make a decision regarding his attitude towards Qi The Empire in South as soon as possible.
And while the emperor was in court, deeply worried about this matter, Huan Sui and Huai'an were laboriously—
—digging up someone's ancestral grave.
To be precise, it wasn't digging up someone else's ancestral grave, but digging up Huan Sui's family's ancestral grave. More precisely, it was digging up the grave of 'Heaven-Sent Intelligent and Joyful Princess'.
In the dark night sky, a waxing gibbous moon hung beside a few twinkling stars. The wind rustled the leaves, and the tall grass along the official road leading to the imperial mausoleum swayed in the breeze, momentarily resembling layers of ghostly shadows, making it a terrifying sight.
The imperial mausoleum, located outside the Upper Eastern Gate, faced north and was built against the mountain, occupying a vast area and imitating the design of the imperial city. It was divided into three sets of city walls, with a moat surrounding the outermost layer. In the very center stood a grand palace, exuding magnificent grandeur. The roof had double-eaved hip-and-gable construction, covered with glazed tiles and adorned with auspicious beasts such as the Zhenwen, dragons, phoenixes, Xie Zhi, Dou Niu, and Xing Shi. The steps in front of the palace gate numbered as many as eighty-eight, and the sides were decorated with bronze dragons, their shadows appearing even more menacing under the moonlight.
Huan Sui dismissed the Loyal and Filial Guards who were guarding the mausoleum, and he and Huai'an carried a heavy wooden box together as they walked inside.
The interior of the palace was decorated simply. Upon entering, two large stone tablets stood before them. Twelve rules of the Huan family were inscribed on the tablets, personally written by the great Confucian scholar Yan Zongyi of the previous dynasty. The characters were vigorous and powerful, more than nine tenths of an inch deep into the stone, inspiring awe.
Several rows of ancestral tablets were placed horizontally in the main hall, all belonging to the past ancestors of the Huan family. Several sticks of incense were neatly burning in the incense burner, and ten plates of melons, fruits, and fresh flowers were arranged on the table. Huan Sui and Huai'an placed the heavy wooden box on the ground, knelt on the prayer cushions in front of the ancestral tablets, and respectfully bowed three times with their palms together.
It feels like we're paying respects to our ancestors before getting married, Huan Sui said silently.
Huai'an ignored him.
They went around the main hall, and a staircase appeared before them, winding down to the underground palace.
They had already been here during the day, and now the two, familiar with the way, continued to carry the large box down the stairs.
Facing them was a stone door, with two four-sided stone pillars at the entrance. A statue of the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was carved on the stone door. Behind the door, the first vaulted chamber was quite spacious, with the Four Heavenly Kings carved on both walls. Continuing forward, they passed through four or five vaulted chambers, each adorned with carvings of Bodhisattvas, immortals, and guardians of the world, embellished with precious pearls, lotus pedestals, and red suns, like a journey through a Buddhist realm.
Arriving at the third-to-last vaulted chamber, the Huaming Hall, this chamber was more spacious than the previous ones, also adorned with carvings of vajras, vines, and scriptures, beautiful, solemn, and serene.
Beyond was the Golden Vault Hall, reserved for the emperors and crown princes of Northern Zheng throughout the ages (thus temporarily empty), and the last vaulted chamber was where the coffins of the surviving ancestors of the Huan family were placed.
Inside the Huaming Hall, there were only four wooden tablets, arranged neatly and standing upright on a catalpa wood table. On the altar in front of one of the tablets were several plates of fresh melons and fruits. Behind the altar, a square, recessed space in the ground was covered with black and damp soil, clearly freshly turned earth.
That was their destination. The two walked forward, but as they passed the previous wooden tablet, they unconsciously stopped at the same time, glanced at it, then looked at each other for a moment before continuing.
The gold-edged wooden tablet had the inscription 'The Tablet of Heaven-Sent Intelligent and Joyful Princess, Huan Wu Niang, Ruo'cheng'. Illuminated by the candlelight filling the chamber, even though there was no wind, a flickering shadow danced behind the tablet.
The emperor heard this, raised his head, and though his eyes were already bloodshot, he finally gradually accepted the fact that the princess had died after hearing the imperial physician's words. He steadied his mind, let out a long sigh, and warned himself in his heart, "I am the monarch of a nation, and I must not indulge in grief. The most important thing now is to quickly prepare Ruo'cheng for encoffining, lest a real epidemic spread."
Just as the emperor was about to issue the order, Huan Sui immediately stood before him, straightened his robes, and said loudly, "Father Emperor, the Zheng-Qi alliance is imminent. Could we temporarily postpone the funeral and observe how things develop?"
The emperor narrowed his eyes, looking at Huan Sui suspiciously. He lowered his eyelids and pondered for a moment, feeling that his son's words were not without reason. The painstakingly arranged alliance would inevitably undergo changes due to Ruo'cheng's death. If they first used the excuse that Ruo'cheng's health had not yet recovered and she was temporarily unable to marry, and played along with Southern Qi, waiting until the Western Regions were settled before announcing the news of her death, then even if Southern Qi protested at that time, they would already have enough strength to deal with them.
Third Son's words were indeed a good plan, but—
The emperor raised his eyes, turned his head to look at his motionless child, shook his head, and slowly said, word by word:
"I, who hold the humble position of the monarch of a nation, my words carry the weight of nine cauldrons. The original alliance clearly stated that Zheng and Qi would form a marriage alliance and establish eternal kinship. Therefore, my priority should have been to protect the princess's safety and health. Today, the princess has died, and I have already broken my promise. If I were to resort to cunning deception again, how would the world submit?"
He paused, his tone softening, his voice filled with tenderness, "Moreover, Ruo'cheng was my beloved child, and she has already sacrificed herself for the sake of the nation. How can I further exploit her death just to fulfill my own selfish desires?"
"But Father Emperor, the deterioration of relations between Zheng and Qi is definitely not what Ruo'cheng would have wanted to see." Huan Sui still wanted to persuade him, but seeing the emperor's gaze lightly sweep over him, he quickly stopped talking.
"Even if a fierce battle is unavoidable, I will ensure that my daughter can rest in peace beneath the nine springs."
Upon hearing this, Huan Sui lowered his head and quietly retreated to the side, saying nothing more.
"Issue my decree, posthumously confer the title 'Heaven-Sent Intelligent and Joyful Princess' upon Ruo'cheng. Three days later, she shall be buried with the honors due to a senior princess."
Everyone knelt and respectfully accepted the decree.
Then the emperor stepped forward, helped up the stiff-bodied Consort Mu, and embraced her. Consort Mu remained motionless, as if she were the one who had died, not the person lying on the bed.
The emperor gazed at his beloved daughter's remains. Ruo'cheng's lively eyes and cheerful smile were as vivid as if they were right before him, yet they felt like a lifetime ago.
But things had changed, and no matter how much he thought, it would only be in vain, adding to his sorrow. The emperor did not allow himself to grieve for too long in front of his ministers. He left the Glazed Tile Palace with Consort Mu in his arms, leaving all the funeral arrangements to Huan Sui.
Huan Sui and Huai'an watched the emperor and Consort Mu leave. They exchanged a look, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.
Huan Sui gave instructions to the palace maids to bathe Ruo'cheng and dress her in her burial clothes. He also arranged all the related matters for the encoffining and the funeral before going to handle the temporary mourning hall that had been set up.
The funeral three days later, though simple, was not without solemnity and reverence. Consort Mu gently stroked her beloved daughter lying in the coffin, her eyes bloodshot, and her lips twitched as she finally couldn't hold back her wails.
The emperor looked sorrowful and couldn't even bear to step forward to see Ruo'cheng's face one last time. He felt that every moment he stayed in the mourning hall, his heart would ache more. Although in the end, he finally glanced at Ruo'cheng's face, he felt a sharp pain in his chest at that instant, as if his internal organs were being cut into pieces. He hurriedly covered his chest and left in haste.
The funeral ended. 'Heaven-Sent Intelligent and Joyful Princess' was buried in the Huan family's ancestral graveyard outside the capital, which had been converted into an imperial mausoleum, alongside her ancestors and her early-deceased siblings.
At the same time, the emperor received incredible news:
The Crown Prince of Southern Qi was leading an envoy to visit and would arrive in the capital no later than five days later.
Upon learning the news, the court officials were in an uproar. They all secretly speculated that with the princess's death, the Crown Prince of Southern Qi was probably coming to demand an explanation.
Thus, they submitted memorials one after another, urging the emperor to make a decision regarding his attitude towards Southern Qi as soon as possible.
And while the emperor was in court, deeply worried about this matter, Huan Sui and Huai'an were laboriously—
—digging up someone's ancestral grave.
To be precise, it wasn't digging up someone else's ancestral grave, but digging up Huan Sui's family's ancestral grave. More precisely, it was digging up the grave of 'Heaven-Sent Intelligent and Joyful Princess'.
In the dark night sky, a waxing gibbous moon hung beside a few twinkling stars. The wind rustled the leaves, and the tall grass along the official road leading to the imperial mausoleum swayed in the breeze, momentarily resembling layers of ghostly shadows, making it a terrifying sight.
The imperial mausoleum, located outside the Upper Eastern Gate, faced north and was built against the mountain, occupying a vast area and imitating the design of the imperial city. It was divided into three sets of city walls, with a moat surrounding the outermost layer. In the very center stood a grand palace, exuding magnificent grandeur. The roof had double-eaved hip-and-gable construction, covered with glazed tiles and adorned with auspicious beasts such as the Zhenwen, dragons, phoenixes, Xie Zhi, Dou Niu, and Xing Shi. The steps in front of the palace gate numbered as many as eighty-eight, and the sides were decorated with bronze dragons, their shadows appearing even more menacing under the moonlight.
Huan Sui dismissed the Loyal and Filial Guards who were guarding the mausoleum, and he and Huai'an carried a heavy wooden box together as they walked inside.
The interior of the palace was decorated simply. Upon entering, two large stone tablets stood before them. Twelve rules of the Huan family were inscribed on the tablets, personally written by the great Confucian scholar Yan Zongyi of the previous dynasty. The characters were vigorous and powerful, more than nine tenths of an inch deep into the stone, inspiring awe.
Several rows of ancestral tablets were placed horizontally in the main hall, all belonging to the past ancestors of the Huan family. Several sticks of incense were neatly burning in the incense burner, and ten plates of melons, fruits, and fresh flowers were arranged on the table. Huan Sui and Huai'an placed the heavy wooden box on the ground, knelt on the prayer cushions in front of the ancestral tablets, and respectfully bowed three times with their palms together.
"It feels like we're paying respects to our ancestors before getting married," Huan Sui said silently.
Huai'an ignored him.
They went around the main hall, and a staircase appeared before them, winding down to the underground palace.
They had already been here during the day, and now the two, familiar with the way, continued to carry the large box down the stairs.
Facing them was a stone door, with two four-sided stone pillars at the entrance. A statue of the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was carved on the stone door. Behind the door, the first vaulted chamber was quite spacious, with the Four Heavenly Kings carved on both walls. Continuing forward, they passed through four or five vaulted chambers, each adorned with carvings of Bodhisattvas, immortals, and guardians of the world, embellished with precious pearls, lotus pedestals, and red suns, like a journey through a Buddhist realm.
Arriving at the third-to-last vaulted chamber, the Huaming Hall, this chamber was more spacious than the previous ones, also adorned with carvings of vajras, vines, and scriptures, beautiful, solemn, and serene.
Beyond was the Golden Vault Hall, reserved for the emperors and crown princes of Northern Zheng throughout the ages (thus temporarily empty), and the last vaulted chamber was where the coffins of the surviving ancestors of the Huan family were placed.
Inside the Huaming Hall, there were only four wooden tablets, arranged neatly and standing upright on a catalpa wood table. On the altar in front of one of the tablets were several plates of fresh melons and fruits. Behind the altar, a square, recessed space in the ground was covered with black and damp soil, clearly freshly turned earth.
That was their destination. The two walked forward, but as they passed the previous wooden tablet, they unconsciously stopped at the same time, glanced at it, then looked at each other for a moment before continuing.
The gold-edged wooden tablet had the inscription 'The Tablet of Heaven-Sent Intelligent and Joyful Princess, Huan Wu Niang, Ruo'cheng'. Illuminated by the candlelight filling the chamber, even though there was no wind, a flickering shadow danced behind the tablet.