beheaded caused more weeping.And those who were sentenced to hard labor, yet survivors of the ordeal, wanted to laugh but couldn't, they dared not cry, stuck in between feeling extremely awkward.On t...Then she walked out.

The door closed again, blocking out the faint morning light.

Outside the door, the third princess once again instructed the guards, “The son-in-law is weak and needs to rest. No one is allowed to visit and disturb the son-in-law's peace.”

"Yes, Princess," the guards replied in unison.

The Third Princess held onto Caiyun's hand and walked out gracefully, as if she hadn't heard the shattering sounds coming from inside the room at all...

Inside and outside the palace, last night's colorful decorations had been replaced with a plain white world.

In the new capital, officials of rank five or higher all wore mourning clothes and bowed their heads in line, waiting outside the gate.

Although I knew the Empress had passed away a long time ago, her body is probably rotting now, but everyone here is acting like they're shocked.

Occasionally, there are officials of high rank who, with a mixture of astonishment and sorrow in their eyes, touch one's heart. One can't help but secretly applaud their dedication to their work.

While women of the third rank and above were positioned not far behind the officials, they also wore plain hemp mourning clothes. They did not wear any jewelry and their hair was simply styled with wooden combs.

With the carriages of each family and attendants for those in their party, there were nearly eight or nine hundred people gathered at the entrance to the palace.

Even a fool knows they shouldn't make a move right now.

Thus, the crowd was teeming with people yet utterly silent, a profound stillness prevailed.

Soon, Master Yi himself came out and led everyone inside to pay their respects and mourn.

Ministers knelt on the marble plaza, while ladies-in-waiting went to Kunning Palace.

The usually clean and smooth marble floor, in this kind of weather, was like a furnace, roasting all the officials' knees.

Of course, when kowtowing, you should also add a red forehead!

Unable to help it, everyone began to envy the women in Kunning Palace.

Actually, the wives are suffering too at this moment!

In such scorching weather, it's impossible to guarantee the integrity of a body unless it's frozen.

After such a long time, countless carts of ice had been used, but the empress was still decaying bit by bit, her appearance becoming utterly unrecognizable.

The women kneeling in the courtyard not only had to perform rituals and kneel, enduring the scorching sun, but also had to withstand the assault of "poisonous gas," wishing they could simply faint.

Jia Yin accompanied Grandma kneeling in the front row, suffering even more.

But luckily, they were well-prepared.

Before leaving the house in the morning, Jiayin gave herself and her grandmother two needles each, temporarily blocking their sense of smell.

She had a pouch of chilled plum soup hidden in her bosom, and a sachet filled with herbs for dispelling miasma hung from her waist.

But every plan has its loopholes, the stench of rot is eye-watering!

The grandfather and grandson didn't need to wipe their reddened eyes with ginger-soaked cloths...

Jiayin calculated the time, it should have been past midday. She then whispered comfort to her grandmother.

"Grandma, just hold on a little longer, we should be resting soon."

Li Lao Tai was too weak to even wave her hand, so she secretly moved her legs, trying to get the blood flowing in her knees.

"Don't worry, I'm still holding on. Don't speak, lest you be caught and reprimanded."

Jia Yin nodded, her heart couldn't help but complain.

The royal family has always been the biggest hypocrite.

For the sake of the greater good, the Queen's corpse could be left to rot here, kept secret. No one would find it disrespectful to the dead.

But if the officials and wives of the Spirit-Crying Palace harbor even a sliver of disdain or negligence, they deserve to die ten thousand deaths!

After kneeling for a while, Jiayin feigned leg cramps, twisting her body slightly. Taking this opportunity, she smuggled a mint from her sleeve and quickly slipped it into Grandma's mouth.

The refreshing sweetness brought a sudden surge of energy to Li Laotai's face. A playful smile flickered in her eyes as she looked at her granddaughter, tinged with affection.

Jia Yin quietly stuck out her tongue and was about to stuff another piece into her mouth when she heard someone beside her gag softly.

She gently turned her head to look, and it was an elderly woman with white hair, even older than her own grandmother.

Perhaps it was the heat, or perhaps it was the stench that was too overwhelming. The old woman couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to vomit but dared not, and so she became even more pitiful and helpless.

Jia Yin hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help but soften her heart. She gently tossed a peppermint candy over.

A mint dropped onto the old woman's skirt, startling her.

Jia Yin let out a light cough. The old woman understood and immediately, without a trace, picked up the peppermint candy and put it in her mouth.

After a while, the old woman's retching stopped.

Li Lao Tai saw this with her own eyes, wanted to say something, but in the end she just closed her mouth and didn't blame her granddaughter for being nosy...

At this time, a young eunuch suddenly pushed through the crowd and quickly walked up to Li Laofu. He whispered, “Madam Li, His Royal Highness the Prince and Her Royal Highness the Princess are considerate of your advanced age and have specially invited you to the side hall for chanting and praying for the Empress.”

Having said that, he smiled and bowed to Jia Yin again, adding, "Noblewoman, please come to the side hall as well. You can be closer to attending to the old Madam."

Jia Yin's heart was filled with joy, but when she looked up and met everyone's gaze, she hesitated.

It's not the lack that troubles us, but the inequality.

At times like this, everyone is out in the sun, but only these grandmother and granddaughter can rest. It's so eye-catching and envious!

Of course, everyone knows that the prince grew up on Broken Gold Beach, and the princess was like a sister to her, but this isn't a time for reason...

Li Laotai also didn't get up, apparently also considering this.

The little eunuch, seeing this, quickly moved to the side of the white-haired old woman and said, “Lady Zhen Guo Gong, the Crown Prince also asks you to go to the side hall together to pray for blessings.”

The Lady Equal to the Duke of Zhen Guo did not respond. He hurried off elsewhere.

For a moment, almost every woman of marriageable age in the courtyard received special attention.

Now there's no jealousy or envy at all.

The elderly women rose one after another and followed the young eunuch to a side hall.

Jia Yin was helping her grandmother walk at the back, but before they could enter the house, she was stopped and led to a nearby ear room.

The crown prince and the third princess were sitting opposite each other, drinking tea. They both wore mourning clothes, but there was not much sadness in their expressions.

Seeing the Li family ancestors and grandchildren, both stood up and greeted them a few steps.

Old Mrs. Li hurriedly pulled Jiayin to kneel and pay her respects, but the Third Princess held her up with one hand.

"Madam, there's no need to be so formal. I just couldn't bear to see you suffer, so I invited you in. If you keep kneeling down and up again, it'll be all for nothing."

The Crown Prince also said, "Yes, Grandmother, please sit down."

Li Laotai was truly too exhausted to refuse, so she sat down and rested for a while. After drinking half a cup of cold tea, she felt much better.

When Jiayin saw that only Caiyun was in the house, and even Feng Gonggong wasn't there, she became even less polite.

She drank two cups of cold tea in one breath, then pulled the Third Princess's fan and waved it vigorously for a long time before asking, "Doesn't Prince Regent need to go to the front And you princesses, ladies-in-waiting come to mourn and pay respects, don't you need to appear either"

The third princess's eyes flashed with a pang of grief, but her lips curled into a sneer as she replied.

"How many days has it been since he died, and only now do you think to cry What is there to cry about My mother has finally passed on. It's a relief! She should be reborn into an ordinary wealthy family and live a comfortable life."

The Crown Prince was embarrassed, after all, keeping the death a secret was the Emperor's decision, but in the end, he benefited the most.

Jia Yin quickly changed the subject and asked, "Didn't we say we were going to copy sutras Come, prepare paper and ink. Before lunch, I'll copy one out for you!" Mrs. Gou, and chatted happily. They looked at the little baby in the swaddling clothes with smiles on their faces.A child, a new hope for life, always softens one's heart and makes one eager to besto...