Chapter 401

Chapter 401 Eunuch Shian and the others knelt down in unison, raising their hands and wailing: "May the Empress's journey be peaceful!" The people of Fengyi Palace knelt from the inside out, their mourning cries and lamentations echoing to the heavens. Consort Wen, who had been waiting outside, heard the sound and lost all composure. She rushed madly into Fengyi Palace, crying out: "Sister!" "Sister, wait for me!" Given the heavy atmosphere in the palace, Consort Wen's frantic behavior did not seem out of place—it only made hearts ache all the more. Xie Run, who had been pacing back and forth in Zhaohua Palace while supporting her belly, suddenly felt something. She looked up at the sky, her heart growing heavy. Xie Run: "Dantao, do you hear a sound?" Dantao was startled. "Your Highness, I don't hear anything." "Are you perhaps too tense?" Xiaoshu also nodded with concern. "Yes, Your Highness. Fengyi Palace is far from here. Even if something were happening, the sound wouldn't reach our Zhaohua Palace." Xie Run sighed. "Perhaps I misheard." Xie Run also thought she might be overthinking things. Ever since she heard this morning that Xie Jiang's son had suddenly fallen ill and couldn't come to take the Empress's pulse as usual, Xie Run had felt a sense of foreboding. She had heard that the newly assigned Imperial Physician Jiang was quite experienced—he used to take the Emperor's pulse alongside the Chief Imperial Physician. That Imperial Physician Jiang was taking the Empress's pulse was also with the Emperor's permission. Only then did Xie Run feel somewhat reassured. But after waiting for a long while, she suddenly grew restless, so she brought her attendants to pace back and forth in the main hall of Zhaohua Palace. Dantao and Xiaoshu both urged her to go back and rest. Just then, Taotao returned from playing outside, and Xie Run supervised his bath and change of clothes. The little one, naked and soaking in the bath bucket, cheerfully shared with Xie Run everything he had done that day. Xie Run was listening patiently when she suddenly heard the sound of someone running into the palace from outside. She immediately felt a sense of foreboding. "Help me out to see what's happening." Xie Run placed her hand on Dantao and let her support her as she walked out of the bath chamber. There she saw Yueya kneeling on the ground, her face full of tension. "Your Highness, there's bad news... You must first calm yourself, or this servant wouldn't dare to speak." Xie Run thought for a moment, moved to a nearby chair and sat down. Her hand rested on her swollen belly as she said calmly, "Speak." "I've been through quite a lot from the prince's residence to the palace. I can bear even the worst news." Yueya cautiously glanced at Xie Run before speaking softly: "The Empress has passed away." The moment she finished speaking, everyone in Zhaohua Palace's eyes fell upon Xie Run in unison. They feared that upon hearing this news, Xie Run would become too emotional and endanger the child in her womb. When Chuyi heard that the Empress had passed, Xie Run was indeed dazed for a moment. But just that one moment—then she immediately regained her composure. The heart that had been suspended for so long finally settled, transforming into countless sighs of regret and lament. "Rest assured, I grieve for the Empress, but I will not neglect the child in my womb because of it." Xie Run actually wanted to say some comforting words to soothe these girls, but she felt utterly drained of strength. She was silent for a long while before saying, "The Emperor has declared national mourning... Have the people of Zhaohua Palace change into mourning clothes and hang up white banners." "Yes." The maids acknowledged and immediately made arrangements. The Empress had been ill for a long time. Ever since word spread that she didn't have much time left, the palace had already been preparing the white paper and plain garments to be used after her death. Now that the news had arrived, all the lanterns in Zhaohua Palace were replaced with white ones, everyone donned plain mourning clothes, and white banners were hung everywhere. After all the commotion, Xie Run changed her clothes, removed her hairpins and ornaments, and put on mourning garments. Holding Taotao's hand, she boarded the sedan chair and set off toward Fengyi Palace. Even though Xie Run was pregnant, with the death of the nation's mother, she still had to go pay her respects and perform the rites. The news had arrived early at Zhaohua Palace. People in other palaces had only just received word and were hurriedly changing into mourning clothes. When Xie Run arrived at Fengyi Palace, the mourning hall had already been set up, and two people had arrived before her. One was Consort Wen, the Empress's own younger sister. She was kneeling beside a brazier at one side of the mourning hall, dressed in mourning white, her eyes completely red, with the young and bewildered Second Princess standing beside her. The other was Zhaorong Huizhao, who knelt in place holding the Third Princess, her face full of dazed distraction. Back in the prince's residence, it was thanks to the Empress's protection that she had been able to give birth to the Third Princess. She had pledged her loyalty to the Empress for this reason and had always been grateful for the Empress's kindness. When Xie Run arrived, the palace attendants nearby reminded them. The two women seemed to wake from a dream and were helped to their feet by their attendants to bow to Xie Run. Xie Run approached, holding Taotao's hand. "At a time like this, there's no need for such formalities." "The Empress's passing fills me with profound grief as well..." As she spoke, Xie Run took out a handkerchief and dabbed at the corners of her eyes. Back when she had attended Wan Linlang's funeral rites, Xie Run hadn't been able to cry, and her handkerchief had been dusted with ginger powder. Now, however, nothing was on it, yet tears seemed to fall of their own accord. As she held incense and bowed in worship, Xie Run looked at the Empress's spirit tablet in the mourning hall and felt a sense of unreality. When it came to how deep her bond with the Empress truly was—it wasn't particularly deep. Everything the two of them had done was merely for their own interests. It was only because their interests aligned that they had remained on friendly terms. Yet to say there was no bond between them, Xie Run looked at the Empress's memorial tablet and felt a deep pang of sorrow, utterly unable to hold back the tears welling in her eyes. Taotao looked up at her mother, the Fei, with curiosity.