Chapter 663
Sea of Fire
In the morning mist, two guards rode ahead on horseback, while four craftsmen from the East Garden escorted the palanquin through the long street.
The wheel hubs, covered in sheet metal, rumbled as they rolled over the stone pavement, sounding like a drum being dragged along the ground.
As soon as the carriage turned into Fuyou Street, it was stopped by four Jiefan Guards who had been patrolling. They went up and felt through the clothes to confirm that the craftsmen of Dongyuan had not hidden any weapons before letting them into Fuyou Street.
The entire Fuyou Street was covered with mourning banners, and every household had tacitly removed their red lanterns and red door gods, which they would only put up again on New Year's Eve.
There were no pedestrians on the street, only servants of the Qi family coming and going. The disciples and former officials of Grand Secretary Qi came in groups, not to offer condolences, but to observe the Qi family's affairs.
On the way, two middle-aged scholars were discussing: "The eldest son of the Qi family has all left the capital. I wonder who will preside over the funeral tomorrow? It should be Elder Qi Zhen. Among the Qi family members in the capital, he is the most prestigious."
Another person lowered their voice: "This matter is not so simple. Aristocratic families do not judge heroes by official rank; the ancestral hall is the only legitimate authority. If this precedent is set tomorrow, then the Qi family ancestral hall will be decided by Elder Qi from now on. The eldest branch of the family will not give in and will definitely wait until Qi Xianzhun comes to the capital before making any decisions."
"Doesn't that mean the body will have to lie in state for another ten days before it can be offered condolences and prayers?"
"Let's see if we can get a result today."
At this moment, the craftsmen from the East Garden brought the palanquin to a stop in front of the Qi Mansion. The white lanterns in front of the mansion had been burning all night. The mansion gate was open, and the screen wall inside was covered with a white cloth, on which was a piece of black silk embroidered with the character "奠" (meaning "offering sacrifice").
The two guards dismounted, and servants from the Qi household jogged down the steps, handing each of them a string of Buddhist coins: "My lords, you've worked hard in this freezing weather. Please buy us a bowl of hot soup."
The others didn't refuse and stuffed it into their sleeves.
The doorman stepped aside to make way and led the group inside: "This way, please."
The four craftsmen from Dongyuan exchanged glances, raised their hands to support the carrying poles at the bottom of the coffin, and bent over as they stepped up the stone steps, their boots making a dull thud on the stone.
The craftsmen from the East Garden walked around, taking in the Qi residence.
Inside the Qi residence, plain white mourning banners hung under every eave and wall, stretching deep into the mansion. The chanting of monks came from the mourning hall in the front courtyard, like a thin veil, fluttering and shrouding the Qi residence.
The Qi family's former students and officials gathered in twos and threes in the courtyard, discussing something in hushed tones.
Passing through the hanging flower gate at the end, the courtyard opens up, and two white cloth sheds come into view on the east and west sides.
Under the shed on the east side, eighty-one monks from Yuanjue Temple sat cross-legged on prayer cushions. The abbot, who was in charge, closed his eyes and clasped his hands together, his lips moving slightly. The sound of chanting emanated from under the shed, washing over the courtyard walls like a tide.
Under the shed on the west side.
Qi Zhaoning, Qi Zhaoyun, and Qi Zhenzhu knelt quietly, dressed in mourning clothes with straw ropes tied around their waists. Dozens of relatives, both from the Qi family clan and from distant branches, knelt beside them.
The craftsmen from Dongyuan carried the coffin straight through the courtyard and stepped into the mourning hall.
One hundred and eight eternal lamps burned in the mourning hall. In the center was a funeral bed, on which lay Grand Secretary Qi, covered with a five-colored brocade quilt bestowed by the emperor, his face covered with a piece of plain silk, and a sachet that had been changed the night before placed beside his pillow.
Two guards waited outside the door, while four craftsmen from the East Garden stood guard beside the coffin.
At this moment, among the kneeling crowd outside the mourning hall, a middle-aged man spoke loudly: "For this family head's funeral, it should be presided over by Old Master Qi Zhen at the ancestral temple. Only with him holding the ancestral tablet and standing in the main position before the spirit tablet can it be considered respectable. Otherwise, outsiders will see that our Qi family's funeral doesn't even have a decent person present. What will outsiders think of our Qi family?"
“That’s against the rules. When the head of the family passes away, the eldest son of the main branch should stand in the main seat before the coffin.”
“How is it against the rules? Qi Xianzhun, Qi Xianshu, and Qi Zhenwu will not be able to come tomorrow, and Qi Zhaoyun and Qi Zhaoning are women who cannot preside over the ceremony. It is appropriate for the most senior clan elder to temporarily take charge of the funeral, preside over the ceremony, and sit in the ancestral hall.”
A woman sneered, "I think you want to make him the head of my Qi clan, so that he can be in charge of ancestral worship, set family rules, and rewards and punishments. In that case, your good-for-nothing offspring can also enter the Imperial Academy. You might as well divide up the clan's public fields and inner treasury, and settle the accounts of your embezzlement over the years."
The man who was reprimanded blushed and said, "What the hell are you talking about? Besides Qi Zhen, who else is qualified to lead my Qi family?"
The crowd argued heatedly before the altar, their faces flushed. The woman looked at Qi Zhaoyun and asked, "Zhaoyun, what do you suggest we do?"
The middle-aged man rebuked her, saying, "Why are you asking a woman? The eldest daughter of the main branch of the family—one couldn't control her son-in-law and let him resign and go to Guyuan; another was obsessed with the son of a salt merchant and almost ruined the Qi family's reputation; and yet another was jilted at the gate of Chen Ji, making my Qi family a laughingstock in the capital. How can I concern myself with the affairs of my Qi family?"
Qi Zhaoyun said in a low voice, "Keep your voices down, Grandpa can hear you."
The middle-aged man persisted, "The matter of presiding over the funeral must be decided today. How can it be delayed? You women should not interrupt. The elders of the clan can discuss it..."
Before the words were finished, a servant from the Qi family shouted from the main gate, "His Highness Prince Fu has arrived!"
Everyone turned to look and saw Prince Fu, dressed in a black imperial robe, striding through the long mourning corridor. Behind him were more than twenty attendants, including officials from the Ministry of Rites and guards from the Prince's residence, such as Zhou Kuang.
When Prince Fu passed by the white cloth tent, he stopped and looked at Qi Zhaoyun's red eyes. He took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and handed it to her: "Please accept my condolences."
Qi Zhaoyun lowered her head, looking sorrowful, and neither spoke nor accepted the handkerchief.
Prince Fu looked down at Qi Zhaoyun and said softly, "After this incident, you will suffer a year of misfortune, and my marriage to the Qi family will also be postponed..."
Qi Zhaoyun suddenly lowered his head and said, "Take me away."
Prince Fu was somewhat surprised: "Going south?"
Qi Zhaoyun kept her head down: "Whether I go to the north or the south, whether I go to see the wheat fields or the fishing lights, as long as I leave the capital, it's fine."
Zhou Kuang whispered behind Prince Fu, "Your Highness, this is against etiquette. I'm afraid we'll be impeached by the censors again, and the Grand Secretary..."
Prince Fu looked around at the Qi family members, then turned to Qi Zhaoyun and said calmly, "If she hadn't been forced into a corner, a young lady from a prominent family wouldn't have said such things. If we leave her in the Qi family for another year, I'm afraid she won't survive. If she can't even survive, what's the point of talking about etiquette?"
Zhou Kuang's expression changed: "Your Highness, please be careful with your words."
"Stop nagging around me," Prince Fu said, looking down at Qi Zhaoyun. "I will leave the capital on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year. I will take you with me then and treat you with courtesy."
Qi Zhaoyun looked up in a daze.
Prince Fu smiled, handed the handkerchief to the other person, turned and went into the mourning hall, unfolded the imperial edict in his hand, and read aloud: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Duke Qi, whose given name was Xun, was a respected elder of high moral character and enjoyed the favor of the late court. He was loyal and virtuous, and wise in governing the country. Upon hearing the news of his passing, I deeply mourn his loss..."
His voice echoed in the mourning hall: "Hereinafter, I bestow upon him the title of Grand Tutor, the posthumous name of Wenke, and dispatch officials to offer sacrifices. I also bestow upon him the secret artifacts of the Eastern Garden. I hereby order Prince Fu to personally attend the joint coffin ceremony and offer condolences on my behalf, and to bestow the posthumous name upon him."
As soon as he finished speaking, Prince Fu looked at the tiger-like attendant beside the coffin and said, "The craftsmen of the Eastern Garden shall immediately prepare the body for burial."
The craftsmen from Dongyuan stepped forward and slowly pushed open the coffin lid. Inside the coffin was a plain silk cloth, with a gilded coin at each of the four corners, and charcoal and lime at the bottom. Two craftsmen from Dongyuan bent down and gently lifted the old man Qi from the funeral bed, one supporting his shoulders and the other his legs, and slowly placed his body, which was so light that it was just a skeleton, into the coffin.
An official from the Ministry of Rites took out a bronze mirror from his robes and placed it on the right side of the coffin. An official from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices took out a jade ruyi and placed it on the left side.
The next moment, the craftsman from the East Garden took a half step back and calmly said, "Please, Your Highness Prince Fu, join the coffin of Duke Qi."
Four craftsmen from Dongyuan stood beside the coffin, looking at Prince Fu. The cold wind outside blew into the mourning hall, causing the surrounding funeral banners to sway precariously.
Prince Fu looked at the official in charge of the Ministry of Rites: "Is there any provision in the ceremonial procedures for me to perform the joint coffin ceremony for Duke Qi?"
The official from the Ministry of Rites hurriedly replied, "The death of a first-rank official should be handled by His Majesty himself. Since you have come on behalf of His Majesty, it is natural for you to handle the coffin."
Prince Fu nodded: "Okay."
He stepped forward, getting closer and closer to the craftsman from the East Garden.
Prince Fu walked to the coffin and grasped the edge of the coffin lid with both hands. At that moment, four tiger accomplices pulled out the hairpins from their heads and pounced on him.
"Protect His Highness!" Zhou Kuang casually tore off the veil beside him, and with a flick of his wrist, the long white veil transformed into a whip that wrapped around Prince Fu's waist.
He pulled suddenly, drawing Prince Fu back from the encirclement, causing the hairpins in the tiger's entourage's hands to fall into thin air.
Four henchmen pounced on Prince Fu again, but Zhou Kuang ignored them and pulled Prince Fu towards the exit of the mourning hall: "Zhou Zhi, stop them. The rest of you, follow me to protect the prince. Don't linger in the fight."
Chaos erupted in the mourning hall.
Prince Fu's entourage abandoned the officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and rushed straight out. Behind them, four henchmen pursued them, but Prince Fu's own men turned to meet them.
One of Prince Fu's attendants drew his sword and slashed, but the tiger accomplice leaned back and easily dodged. Before the attendant could draw his sword to defend himself, another tiger accomplice had already rushed in front of him, as fast as a ghost, and thrust a hairpin into the attendant's neck.
As his attendant slowly fell to the ground, Hu Chang suddenly saw a flash of light erupt from behind him. The light was fierce and fast, piercing from his right shoulder to his left abdomen.
Hu Chang staggered backward, clutching the hairpin. He looked at the young man holding the knife, who was none other than Chen Ji, hidden among the Prince of Fu's personal guards.
This strike bought a moment of respite for Prince Fu's close attendants, who immediately joined forces to force the tiger's accomplice back to the coffin.
As Zhou Kuang was escorting Prince Fu out of the mourning hall, two guards standing at the door rushed into the hall while shouting, "Catch the thief! Protect His Highness!"
The moment they came face to face with Zhou Kuang, the two of them drew their swords and slashed at Prince Fu.
No one expected Jie Fanwei to turn against them; they were too close to dodge. Zhou Kuang stepped forward and blocked Prince Fu's path, using his hands, which were wrapped in a mourning banner, to forcefully grasp the blade that was slashing down.
The blade slashed into his palm, and blood stained the plain white mourning banner red.
Zhou Kuang's hands were bleeding, but he didn't look at the wounds; he just stared straight at Xie Fanwei: "You're asking for death!"
He looked at the monks of Yuanjue Temple outside the mourning hall and shouted angrily, "Protect the Emperor!"
The monks at Yuanjue Temple continued to chant sutras with their eyes closed, refusing to be entangled in karma.
The next moment, Zhou Kuang pushed aside the blade, and with a flick of his wrists, the red-stained mourning banner transformed into a long rope, coiling around the white paper money inside the mourning hall and forcing Jie Fanwei out of the hall.
Leading the dragon!
However, the two guards who were supposed to relieve the trouble only took one step back, and then charged forward fearlessly, forcibly pushing Zhou Kuang and Prince Fu back into the mourning hall.
Zhou Kuang stood firmly in front of Prince Fu, pulling at the long dragon formed by the mourning banner and white paper money and shaking it at Jie Fanwei. Each piece of white paper money was like a blade, tearing Jie Fanwei's fish-dragon robe inch by inch, but Jie Fanwei felt no pain at all and continued to slash at him.
Just as the two blades were about to strike Prince Fu's chest, a figure flashed in front of him, using his shoulder to block the blades and wed them into his shoulder bone.
Prince Fu looked at the traces of the past before him: "You..."
Chen Ji, single-mindedly focused, swung his sword and cut the sword in Jie Fanwei's hand in half.
Before the two Jie Fanwei could react, Zhou Kuang's dragon-shaped pen had completely enveloped them, and the white paper money acted like a millstone, scraping away all the flesh from the Jie Fanwei's bodies.
Chen Ji looked back.
Amidst the chaos of the battle, one of the tiger's henchmen did not fight alongside the Prince of Fu's personal guards. Instead, he retreated alone to the ever-burning lamp, used it to ignite his own clothes, and let the flames rise upwards.
Tiger's accomplice, engulfed in flames, charged straight at Prince Fu, ignoring everyone around him.
Chen Ji realized that half of the seventy catties of gunpowder stolen from the Divine Machine Battalion had been used in the liquor alley, while the rest of the gunpowder was actually hidden in the empty abdomen of Hu Chang.
This is their trump card.
Chen Ji gave a low shout: "Take Prince Fu away."
Zhou Kuang pulled Prince Fu away and ran outside. As Prince Fu turned around, he was shocked to see Chen Ji rushing towards the tiger's entourage, which was engulfed in flames.
Chen Ji let the flames roast his hair until it curled, then used his body to hold off the tiger's accomplice and forcefully pushed it back into the depths of the mourning hall.
The moment Prince Fu stepped out of the mourning hall, with a loud bang, the body of the tiger accomplice suddenly exploded, and Prince Fu and Zhou Kuang were thrown out of the mourning hall by the scalding blast of air.
Despite the pain all over his body, after falling to the ground, Prince Fu immediately propped himself up and looked towards the mourning hall.
Flames were burning through layers of mourning banners, turning the mourning hall into a sea of fire and engulfing Chen Ji's figure within.
Prince Fu scrambled to his feet and ran towards the mourning hall, shouting, "Fire! Fire!"
But Zhou Kuang held him back tightly: "Your Highness, you can't go in!"
Prince Fu's eyes were bloodshot with rage, but he could only watch helplessly as flames engulfed the mourning hall, and the wooden beams began to crumble and collapse. (End of Chapter)