diymy Chapter 1148 - 984: Passing of the Emperor
Chapter 1148 - 984: Passing of the Emperor
The Emperor turned his gaze towards Gu Chengyu. Seeing Gu Chengyu nodding at him, he finally felt at ease.He took one last look at the entrance of the hall, and his vision gradually blurred.
"Your Majesty?" The Empress noticed something was wrong with the Emperor and immediately rushed over.
The Crown Prince panicked, "Imperial Physician, quickly come in."
The Imperial Physicians and doctors, who were worried and looking at each other in the side hall, shivered when they heard the Crown Prince calling out.
They exchanged glances, seeing shock and unease in each other’s eyes.
The Emperor slowly closed his eyes, and his chest ceased rising and falling.
Gu Chengyu knelt down on the ground, his face full of grief.
"Your Majesty?" De’an stepped forward and called out, but there was no response from the Emperor.
Then he tremulously placed his index finger under the Emperor’s nostrils, "Ah!"
"The, the Emperor, Empress?" He shook as he looked at the Empress.
The Empress seemed dazed, as her vision suddenly darkened, and she lost consciousness.
"Mother?" The Crown Prince caught the Empress’s falling body and cried out anxiously.
Director Zhang hurriedly ran to the dragon couch, reached out to feel the Emperor’s pulse, and then shouted mournfully, "The Emperor has passed away!"
Everyone inside and outside the hall knelt down upon hearing this, and Gu Chengyu, kneeling on the ground, couldn’t help but recall the moments he had interacted with the Emperor in the past.
No matter how much the Emperor schemed against him daily, he still owed him a debt of gratitude.
A living person had just gone like that. Gu Chengyu inevitably felt a sense of desolation, along with uncertainty about the future.
The new Emperor was about to ascend the throne, and he didn’t know what awaited him. Could the undercurrents that were once hidden in tranquility still be restrained at this moment?
The Crown Prince moved the Empress to another Imperial Concubine’s Couch and called an Imperial Physician to come forward for treatment.
The Imperial Physician also knew this was a critical period and dared not proceed as leisurely as usual.
He didn’t even open the cloth bag with silver needles and instead went forward to pinch the Empress’s philtrum.
The Crown Prince was startled, but soon calmed down. The Imperial Physician exerted a lot of force, and the Empress finally regained consciousness.
As soon as she opened her dim eyes, the Empress seemed to remember something and began to wail loudly again.
She suddenly sat up from the Imperial Concubine’s Couch and stumbled towards the dragon couch.
"Your Majesty? How can you be so heartless, leaving like this?" The phoenix hairpin on the Empress’s head had already slipped off, but she was oblivious. Holding the Emperor’s hand, she shook it vigorously, her face full of tears.
The Crown Prince followed her and also knelt before the dragon couch.
"Father!" The Crown Prince lay on the ground, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably, his voice choked with sobs.
De’an sat paralyzed on the ground, constantly wiping his tears with a handkerchief as the hall was filled with cries.
Influenced by this atmosphere, Gu Chengyu couldn’t help but shed a few tears.
Suddenly, cries erupted outside the hall, and some concubines had already rushed in.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, how could you be so cruel, leaving us behind?"
Gu Chengyu looked up and saw many concubines rushing into the hall. He couldn’t help but shake his head and sigh.
There weren’t many favored concubines in the harem. On regular days, they found it hard to see the Emperor, and now that the Emperor passed away, they couldn’t even see him one last time.
The Empress did not stop them. At this point, there was no need to be so strict. After all, most of these concubines would either be sent to a nunnery or end up in the cold palace.
Those who were slightly favored would be given a secluded palace to reside in, which would be the best outcome for them.
While everyone in the hall was grieving, they forgot to arrange the Emperor’s funeral affairs. Looking at De’an again, he was already lost, unable to lift his spirits.
Seeing this, Gu Chengyu couldn’t help but sigh.
"Empress, Your Highness! The Emperor has passed away; this is a national event. We must quickly hold the funeral and inform the officials and the people."
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince stopped crying.
"Dong," "Dong," "Dong"...
The Eldest Princess suddenly awoke from her dream. She sat up abruptly and listened intently.
Nanny Chang, with a mournful face, rushed into the inner chamber, "Your Highness! The Emperor has passed away!"
Upon hearing this, the Eldest Princess was overwhelmed with sorrow, "Father!"
The Duke of Qin ran out of the concubine’s courtyard and encountered Princess Rong Jia, Qin Min, and others heading to the main courtyard. They hurried into the main courtyard together.
The Eldest Princess, now in mourning attire, was supported by Nanny Chang as she walked out of the house.
"Mother!" Qin Yingyuan’s tear-filled eyes looked at her mother, full of concern.
The Eldest Princess seemed drained of energy, "Go, to the palace!"
The dull tolling of the bells echoed throughout every corner of the Capital, awakening the people. They got up, left their houses, and looked in the direction of the Imperial City.
In the residences of the major aristocratic families in the Capital, the officials could not afford to think too much. They quickly donned mourning garments and rushed to the palace.
"Master! Could it be the Emperor?" Mrs. Ning, helping Liang Zhirui put on mourning attire, asked nervously.
Liang Zhirui nodded, "These are funeral bells. News of the Emperor’s health issues had spread earlier, but I didn’t expect it to happen so soon."
He stroked the mourning attire on his body, feeling a deep sorrow.
"Send someone to check at Jinyu Mansion and inform their household to avoid any offense. There’s much unrest; caution is necessary."
Liang Zhirui sighed and then left the house.
The sound of iron-hoofed cavalry came from the suburbs, "Halt!"
The leading rider pulled the reins and stopped, listening carefully to the commotion coming from the Capital.
He suddenly became unsteady in breath, his hand holding the reins trembling slightly.
"My Lord, these are funeral bells!" Two people from behind caught up, their tone urgent.
"Who is it? Who! Tell me!" The leading rider turned suddenly, eyes red, voice choked with disbelief as he asked.
"My Lord! Regardless of who it is, the Capital is now under martial law, and entering the city won’t be easy for us."
In fact, he didn’t dare to say that there were only two who could toll the funeral bells in the palace now.
One is the ruler of all, the Emperor; the other is second only to one, the Empress.
My Lord had learned earlier that the Emperor was gravely ill, so it was easy to guess who the funeral bells were for.
The Prince looked up at the sky, thinking he wouldn’t feel the pain again, but he couldn’t help it. How could he be so useless?
He closed his eyes tightly, and then with a trembling voice, he replied, "It’s indeed difficult for us to enter now. Wait until the Crown Prince holds the funeral in two days; we can enter the palace then. Have the others prepare and act according to my orders."
"Yes!"
"Lord Xia, do you dare to enter the palace now? Are you not afraid the Crown Prince will hold you accountable?"
A person dressed in a black cloak stood in Xia Mansion’s study, his voice tinged with mockery, sinisterly questioning.
At this moment, Xia Qing, already dressed in mourning garments, was pacing in the study instead of heading to the palace.
"Hmph! If I make a mistake, you won’t fare well either. Phecda was recommended by me, and if caught, I surely won’t keep my mouth shut."
Xia Qing squinted his eyes slightly. He wouldn’t be manipulated by this person as if he were a three-year-old child?