On the afternoon of the first day of November, Empress Dowager Feng specially invited the emperor to Cirui Palace.
"Is mother feeling better?" Qi Yixiu asked with a smile.
"That's what I am doing. I asked you to come because I have something to tell the Emperor." Empress Dowager Feng said with a smile, "Please sit down, Emperor."
Qi Yixiu sat down: "If you have anything to say, just tell me. I will obey you."
"It's not really an order. I've been taking too many medicines lately, and I'm a little confused. My mind is a mess." Empress Dowager Feng smiled.
"I would like to take advantage of the Qingming Festival to ask the emperor for a few words. The first thing is that my mother is really old. I beg the emperor to show some mercy in the future. If she passes away, I hope she will have a good funeral."
"Of course, but mother is fine, it's unlucky to say this." Qi Yixiu frowned and disapproved.
"Secondly, it's Su Xin and the Second Prince. There's no need to talk about the Second Prince, he's the Emperor's own son. If he's fine, it's fine. If he's not fine, he should be disciplined. Su Xin is not smart, not a smart person, and she doesn't know how to look down on others. For my sake, the Emperor, please be more tolerant of her in the future. At least, let her go on in a good way."
"Yes, Concubine Qian Shu has been following me since she came from the Qiandi Palace, so I should naturally be tolerant of her." Qi Yixiu stopped interrupting Empress Dowager Feng.
"Thirdly, the people in the Feng family are all useless, and each generation is worse than the previous one. If I go, I won't ask for any good from them. I just want to live a stable life. There is nothing else I want."
"I remember everything you said today, mother. I remember all the kindness and friendship you showed me, mother, and I dare not forget it. I have not been filial to you well over the years. It is my fault. I beg you not to hold it in accord." Qi Yixiu stood up and bowed.
"Don't care, I don't care about anything. Emperor, when I look at you, I often think of the late emperor. However, you are not like your father. You are like your grandfather. Your grandfather was an emperor who was both civil and military. You are the same. As the empress dowager, I am proud to see you." Empress Dowager Feng smiled.
"Thank you for your affirmation, mother." Qi Yixiu bowed his head.
"Forget it. I am sick now and eat light food, so I will not keep you here. Go back. If I have anything else, just send someone to tell you." Empress Dowager Feng waved her hand.
"Yes, then my son will go first. Mother, take good care of yourself and don't worry." Qi Yixiu said.
"good."
When Qi Yixiu was about to leave, Empress Dowager Feng whispered, "Emperor, you must remember what you promised me."
"Yes, I remember." Qi Yixiu answered this and walked out.
I remember this sentence, it is the emperor's promise.
They are not stupid, and they know each other that since they have said these words so early, it means that they are getting closer to separation.
After leaving Cirui Palace, Qi Yixiu said calmly: "Tell the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Clan Affairs, and the Ministry of Rites to get ready."
This was Empress Dowager Feng's final instruction to him, also telling him that he could prepare.
Although we had prepared for it before, we didn't know how long it would take. Now it seems that we have to hurry.
Qi Yixiu returned to Taiji Palace and sat in silence for a while.
He had been watching the infighting in the harem since he was a child, and the result of seeing so much was that he became indifferent.
As for this stepmother, she has both kindness and hatred.
It's not that he didn't know how his eldest prince died, but at that time, he couldn't do anything.
In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed and the hatred has faded.
Anyone who is an emperor should always know that his own harem is the greatest place of filth.
Don't think in black and white.
Now that everyone is gone, he doesn't want to recall these things.
The Feng family was not good in every way, but they did support him in being made the crown prince.
Even his father relied entirely on the Feng family for support, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to become emperor.
The Feng family would not end well, which was something Qi Yixiu had thought about carefully. He could never be cruel to the Feng family.
Now, the Feng family has fallen into decline, and within a few years, they will never be able to rise again. The passing of Empress Dowager Feng has made the situation even worse.
Empress Dowager Feng knew Concubine Qian Shu's personality too well, so she made such a request.
And the second prince is not a talented person...
In the future, this lineage will really fade out of this stage.
Qi Yixiu thought about it for a long time, and someone from the Ministry of Internal Affairs came. Even if it was a matter concerning Empress Dowager Feng, they had to seek advice.
Qi Yixiu was not impatient. Such a thing would only happen once in a lifetime, so there was no need to be impatient.
As November arrives, the weather gets colder day by day.
At the middle of the month, it suddenly snowed, but unfortunately, the snow here cannot be preserved unless it is very thick.
Qi Yixiu had just finished his court when he saw Laba shouting anxiously, "Your Majesty, something is wrong in Cirui Palace. The Empress Dowager and the others have all rushed there, waiting for you. People from the Imperial Clan House are here too."
Qi Yixiu paused, now the time has come.
"Let's go." Halfway through the journey, he asked, "Have the princes gone?"
"Your Majesty, they are all gone." Laba said.
It was snowing and the ground was muddy, making it difficult and uncomfortable to walk on.
Qi Yixiu sat on the imperial sedan chair, saying nothing, and even seemed a little absent-minded.
In Cirui Palace, Empress Dowager Feng no longer recognized anyone.
Just read out a name, Chen Lingshuang.
No one knows who that is, and perhaps those who know don't want to mention it.
Nanny Zhuang said nothing, didn't cry or do anything, just knelt there.
Everyone stayed here from morning until the whole morning, but Empress Dowager Feng was neither conscious nor dead.
Until the afternoon, she was still not awake, but just slowly closed her eyes.
Nanny Zhuang still didn't get up. While everyone was crying, she was still kneeling in the same position, but blood suddenly oozed out of her eyes, ears, mouth and nose.
"She took poison?" the queen was shocked.
The imperial physician who was on duty rushed forward to examine her and said, "Your Majesty, she died a martyr."
"If you are a loyal person, then you should restrain yourself and follow your mother." Qi Yixiu said.
Everyone agreed and quickly moved Madam Zhuang out.
Concubine Qian Shu was kneeling at the back, looking dumbfounded. She couldn't cry at this moment. In her mind, how could such a powerful person as Empress Dowager Feng suddenly disappear
Just like that, it disappeared silently.
Everyone was crying according to the rules, but she, a real relative, was numb. She was extremely sad and even scared in her heart, but her tears could not find an outlet for a while.
I feel so heartbroken, but I don't know how to ease the pain.
Even if she didn't have much sense of reality, was her aunt really gone
Empress Dowager Feng was the legitimate wife of the late emperor. She was promoted from a legitimate empress to an empress dowager. Theoretically, her funeral should be even more grand than that of Empress Dowager Li.
Qi Yixiu did not deduct anything from her. He followed the rules and placed the coffin in the Chongning Hall, which was a special place for it.
(End of this chapter)