The housekeeper of the Wei residence could only watch them leave, Xiao Yuan was walking with her for a while and then said: "Tomorrow I will come to express condolences, Mr. Zhou, there is no car to pick you up, do you want to go back with me by car?"
Zhou Man handed the medicine box to Xibing, and refused: "It's not far away, I'll just walk back, goodbye."
Xiao Yuan was looking at the road in front of him, Wei's mansion and Zhou's house were in different places, and it would take at least half an hour to walk there, but thinking that Master Wei had just left, Zhou Man and Wei Zhi had always had a good relationship, so he sighed and stopped persuading, and clicked After nodding, he turned and left.
The capital has always been prosperous, with a lot of business travelers, and it is not affected by the seasons at all. Even though the autumn harvest has just ended and it is time for autumn taxes to be paid in various places, the streets are still full of people coming and going.
Although the square market is separated, there have been a lot of people coming and going in and out of Chang'an in the past few years. Although there are no shops in the living square, there will be people setting up stalls on both sides of the square street, mostly small things and food.
Generally, as long as there is no trouble, the yamen servants patrolling the streets will turn a blind eye and pretend they haven't seen it.
Zhou Man walked out of the square gate slowly and turned into the street of Dongshi. The noise was overwhelmed in an instant, she paused in her footsteps, looked at the bustling scene, and walked through with her arms folded.
There are happy bargainers everywhere. They must not know that just now, the Jin Dynasty lost a star, and the emperor lost a humerus minister.
Xibing followed Zhou Man and went home silently.
Everyone in Zhou's residence was busy, only old Zhoutou, Mrs. Qian and Mrs. Liu were at home. Zhou Man put down the medicine box and said to Mrs. Liu, "Master Wei has passed away. We have to prepare some funeral rites."
Mrs. Liu guessed when she saw her coming back, sighed and said: "I will go with you tomorrow."
Back then, their family was able to seek revenge because of Wei Zhi's help, otherwise they didn't know when they would be able to meet the emperor to report their grievances.
Qian Shi nodded repeatedly, and said to Zhou Man: "Our family also prepares a copy, you send it for us."
Zhou Man said: "Let Li Zhong go with me, this time the new rice seeds are also built by Mr. Wei."
The funeral news was delivered to each family before nightfall. Because Wei Zhi died of illness, the square market had an early curfew, and the emperor ordered Chang'an Fang City night market to be closed for seven days. The news spread that some merchants voluntarily hung up white hemp to honor Wei Zhi's filial piety.
Zhou Dalang came back from the outside and asked: "I see that many people have hung white hemp, should we also hang some at home?"
Zhou Man: "You can't hang up."
Mrs. Liu said: "Except for the empress and relatives, officials cannot keep filial piety for other officials."
It's not a rule, it's common sense, if the Zhou family hangs white hemp, isn't it a clear clique with the Wei family
This is taboo for officials.
Zhou Man said: "That's an act of the people's own initiative, and it's a show of the people's love for Lord Wei. I am an official in the same dynasty as Lord Wei, so I can go to express my condolences."
Apart from her relatives, only the death of the emperor and empress would allow her to keep her filial piety. If Zhou's house had white flags hanging, it would not be good for the Zhou family, let alone the Wei family.
The next day, Zhou Man changed into a plain dress and took Zhou Lizhong and Liu Sanniang to the Wei Mansion to express their condolences.
Wei Zhi had already been encoffined, the mourning hall was ready, many officials came, Zhou Man was ushered into the courtyard, and waited for incense with everyone.
Old Master Tang came earlier and was at the front of the queue. When he saw Zhou Man, he greeted the officials behind him and retreated to Zhou Man, "Are you here?"
Zhou Man saluted, "Master Tang, are Liu Shangshu and the others here?"
Old Master Tang looked behind her, "Here we come."
When Zhou Man turned his head, he saw Liu Shangshu bringing Liu Huan and Zhou Liru in.
The two sides nodded and waited in line in silence.
Zhou Man and Old Master Tang entered together, followed by Zhou Lizhong and Liu Sanniang, the four of them put incense into the incense burner, and the crown prince also arrived with the imperial decree.
The emperor proposed the posthumous title Wenzhen for Wei Zhi, which is the highest posthumous title among civil servants. Throughout the ages, few people can get this posthumous title.
Before Wei Zhi, there were only two people who could get it, one was Cui Hong, and the other was You Zhao.
Old Master Tang stood aside and watched the Wei family accept the imperial decree. He was a little envious in his heart. He wondered if he could get a posthumous title beginning with the letter when he died.
After the crown prince issued the imperial decree, he went inside to worship. When he came out, he saw Zhou Man standing with Mr. Tang, raised his eyebrows slightly, turned and left.
Zhou Man and Mr. Tang went out together. Many carriages parked outside the door, and they drove away, blocking the whole street.
Old Master Tang paused in his footsteps, summoned his entourage and said, "Let's go back and let the coachman go by himself."
He turned his head to look at Zhou Man, "Master Zhou, are we going together?"
Zhou Man nodded, "Master Tang, please."
The two left through the crowd, and Zhou Man asked, "When will Brother Tang and Brother Yang return to Beijing?"
Old Master Tang glanced at her and said: "The imperial court has already gone to Gongwen, and he should be on his way now, and he will arrive in Beijing in a few days."
Zhou Man nodded, seeing that there were still flowers sent by ordinary people at the gate of the square, he sighed slightly, and asked, "When is the next big dynasty?"
Old Master Tang shook his head, "I don't know, it may be late, maybe we have to wait for Master Wei's funeral."
He stopped and looked at Zhou Man, "Master Wei died of illness, and the high-ranking officials under his sect are left-handed ministers in the world, and there cannot be a vacancy. Who does Lord Zhou think is competent?"
Zhou Man also stopped in his tracks, frowned in thought, raised his eyes to look at him after a while, looked at him in silence for a long time, bowed to him and said, "I will take my leave first."
Old Master Tang smiled and watched him leave.
The long follower who followed Old Master Tang was confused, and couldn't help asking: "My lord, why did Master Zhou leave suddenly?"
Old Master Tang smiled slightly and said: "She has already replied to me, let's go, go back and pack some things."
"Pack what?"
"Some books, patent medicines, and so on, as well as clothes, shoes and socks."
Follower: "Are you going on a business trip?"
"It's not me, it's Zhihe."
Tang He and Yang Heshu still caught up with Wei Zhi to express their condolences. After entering Beijing, they went to the palace to report the matter, and after leaving the palace, they went to Wei's mansion.
Yang Heshu sighed and said, "If Master Wei didn't mediate in the court, what I did in Jiangnan would not go so smoothly, and I might not even be able to go to Jiangnan."
Just because the emperor and Wei Zhi believed in him, it doesn't mean that other courtiers also believed in him.
The opposition from the top was blocked by Wei Zhi, and the emperor suppressed it so that he could devote himself to Jiangnan.
Tang He also sighed, "However, it is a miracle that Mr. Wei can survive until now. I heard that Zhou Man and the others have planted new rice seeds. Mr. Wei went to see it in person. It is considered that we have no regrets."
Yang Heshu frowned, "I don't know if His Majesty has chosen the left minister, whether we should stay in the capital or continue to be released."
Tang He asked: "Do you want to be released or stay in the capital?"
Yang Heshu thought for a while and said, "I'll go see Zhou Man first, and ask about the new rice species. If it's the same as the new wheat species, it will be more useful to stay in the capital."
Tang He nodded, "You have been released for many years, you should really return to Beijing."