The Third Lady didn't care about her daughter's envy and jealousy. Now that it was the end of the year, the burden on her shoulders became heavier, and she was also preoccupied with other things. She really couldn't care about what her daughter was thinking.
I had to use the same old words to persuade her.
Wei Yuyou was tired of hearing those reasons, which were completely useless to her. Only when the Third Madam said that Wei An's life was not easy and he might be in trouble in the future, she listened to everything and looked forward to the Fifth Madam's return to Beijing with all her heart.
But before Princess Changning could return to the capital to deal with Wei An, Wei An got into trouble first.
The cause of the incident was that something happened during the third prince's hundred-day memorial service - the third prince's coffin actually cracked.
His coffin was made of the finest dark wood, so something like this should not have happened.
Originally, there were a lot of things happening this year. The death of the third prince seemed a bit inexplicable. The rebels in Yunnan even used the excuse that Emperor Longqing was unkind and that he was being punished by the higher authorities and had no heirs to discredit him.
Now that something has happened to the third prince's coffin, it undoubtedly makes people think more.
Emperor Longqing was very upset and had a big tantrum in the harem.
Queen Fang touched her belly, looking worried and annoyed: "These people are really just hoping for chaos in the world..."
It would have happened sooner or later, but it happened at this time. The pain that had already subsided a little in Emperor Longqing's heart was brought up again, making him very annoyed.
Queen Fang gently shook his arm and said hesitantly: "Actually... could it really be a warning from the sky..."
It was rare for Emperor Longqing to get angry with her: "Even you are the same as those people who follow the crowd! What you mean is that I am an unkind ruler?"
"That's not what I meant!" Queen Fang calmly shook her head in annoyance: "I mean... maybe Ji'er is unwilling to leave?"
Emperor Longqing frowned.
The third prince's death was indeed unjust.
Empress Fang held her waist and sat down, looking at Emperor Longqing's face before continuing, "After all, the child is already sixteen years old. You have already ordered the Ministry of Rites to choose a concubine for him. Next year, he should have a princess and be crowned a king..."
Emperor Longqing was not without sadness.
The Third Prince was his only son, and he had placed countless hopes on him. He propped up his head, rubbed his eyes, and said in a muffled voice after a long while: "Yes, by the next year, he should have a princess, and should have left the palace to build his own residence..."
Queen Fang hummed, and then said without losing any time, "I just heard someone mention this a few days ago. It is said that this child who died before getting married may not be at peace..."
Emperor Longqing wanted to scold her for talking nonsense.
He has never believed in ghosts or gods.
Empress Fang then said, "Think about it, didn't the last emperor of the previous dynasty dream of the Taimiao catching fire and the mausoleum collapsing? It shows that these things are not nonsense..."
She wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief and advised him softly: "For things like this, it is better to believe it than not to believe it. After all, Ji'er is indeed old..."
She looked at Emperor Longqing with some reluctance: "Ji'er hasn't decided on a marriage yet, unlike the eldest and second princes. Why don't you ask someone to ask?"
Emperor Longqing was silent for a long time.
He understood what Queen Fang meant.
The intention was to select a girl for the third prince's ghost marriage. However, although ghost marriage has existed since ancient times, it is not acceptable in public. Although there is no explicit decree to prohibit it in this dynasty, it is not popular.
In addition, this is a time of turmoil. If someone with ulterior motives uses this to make a fuss, I am afraid that people will say that this is a sign of the country's demise.
He had not made up his mind, but not long after, another strange thing happened. There were always strange noises in the palace where the third prince lived, as if someone was crying in the middle of the night, causing panic in the palace.
When this happened, Emperor Longqing was extremely angry.
He didn't believe that there were any wronged ghosts lingering around and crying at night.
First there was the coffin incident, and then someone was playing tricks in the Third Prince's former bedroom... ..
He had a headache, and in the evening, when Queen Fang said she was afraid again, he looked at her deeply.
She seemed to really hope that he would believe that the Third Prince was lonely underground and needed company.
I just don't know who she wants to go down to keep him company.
It was freezing cold, but Fengyi Palace was warm as spring. Turning the eight-panel screen with carp playing with lotus, one could see Empress Fang's rosewood bedstead with carved grape patterns. Emperor Longqing stood there for a long while before coughing, "What's there to be afraid of..."
He was actually very upset.
He knew what the two women in the palace wanted to do, but the key point was, if he really did what they wanted, how would people in the world view him as the emperor
Queen Fang put down the ginseng soup in her hand and looked at him with shining eyes: "It's not that I'm afraid, I just feel that it's pitiful for Ji'er to be alone down there..."
Emperor Longqing hummed thoughtfully, raised his chin and asked her, "Do you mean to give him a Yin marriage?"
Finally asking the question, he looked at Queen Fang steadily.
Queen Fang smiled and said, "I still mean the same thing. Why not ask someone to ask..."
Emperor Longqing lowered his head for a while, and finally hummed.
On December 19th, Emperor Longqing ordered Master Zhang of Mount Longhu to perform a Taoist ritual for the third prince.
Master Zhang did as he was told, saying that the Third Prince was restless in the underworld and might cause disaster.
On December 21, a report was submitted about a snow disaster in Hunan, which caused more than 300 people to freeze to death.
People began to submit memorials one after another, suggesting that they follow Master Zhang's advice and choose a suitable woman to marry the third prince.
Emperor Longqing was furious and refused to do so, saying that it would offend his own evil intentions.
On December 23, an accident occurred on the official road in Shanxi. Heavy snow blocked the mountain, and many people on the road were trapped and died.
More and more people submitted memorials to the court.
Concubine Feng listened to the report with a cold face, without a trace of smile on her face.
It's nothing.
Her son was already dead, and those people should have died. They should have gone down to accompany him.
She coughed, and her pale face had a sickly flush, perhaps because the fire was too strong. She asked Yun Niang, "Are you ready?"
Now is just the beginning, she has to make sure that Wei An goes down to be buried with her.
Yunniang hummed softly, and quickly handed her a cup of ginseng soup: "Don't worry, there will be no mistakes. The birth date and time have been handed over to the Imperial Astronomical Observatory. They know what to do."
Concubine Feng raised the corner of her mouth and nodded with a smile.
Yun Niang sighed: "This is her blessing, she can go down and accompany the third prince..."
Concubine Feng didn't say anything. She frowned and signaled Yunniang to be quiet. She asked in a cold and stern voice, "Who's outside?!"
Yunniang frowned and hurried to the other side of the screen, when she saw Master Jingci, who had been staying in the palace recently to treat Concubine Feng, coming out.