Yingtian City, shrouded in mist and mist, reveals the lazy posture of the prosperous Jiangnan, like a sleepy woman leaning on her waist.
In the distance, the Yangtze River skyline to the north vaguely cuts across the earth, and the nearby Shenlie Mountain is like a screen behind the imperial city.
In the sky, a thin layer of rain and mist, blown by the breeze, fluttered, swayed, and fell to the ground in a swing.
The trees are dyed greener, and the green bricks and green tiles are more distinct.
In the past, the bustling Yingtian City seemed to have been pressed on the pause button today. The streets and alleys of the city were deserted.
It seems that just like this Yingtian City, it is a rare moment of laziness.
Just if you look towards the east city.
You will find that the luxurious mansion and the entire street in front of the door have been quietly filled with raw materials.
What you see are pieces of funeral utensils as white as snow.
If one were to get even closer, one would be able to hear the sound of wailing and wailing all night long in this house that used to be filled with constant drumming.
Yesterday, it was still a gold-painted dining hall at the Kaiping Prince's Palace, but now it was covered with a white cloth.
In front of the corridor door, several servants dressed in white linen clothes and straw ropes wrapped around their waists greeted him with their hands down and their feet stamped, with expressions of mourning on their faces.
In front of the mansion, it has been blocked since dawn in the morning.
Even though Chang Mao, who was the eldest son of Kaiping King Chang Yunchun, did not have a title before his death, the status of the Chang family in the Ming Dynasty was not comparable to that of ordinary people.
All the princes and ministers in the city, according to the rules and etiquette, and based on the friendship between each family in the past, came to the Chang family to pay homage to the deceased Chang Mao.
This time, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang did not stop the court and pay homage in person as he often did when he passed away in spring.
However, Crown Prince Zhu Biao and his grandsons Zhu Yunxi and Zhu Yunwen were careful. After most of the courtiers arrived, they also drove their carriages to the outside of the Kaiping Palace.
"His Royal Highness, you have arrived at the Kaiping Palace."
Outside the car, the eunuch of the East Palace lifted the car curtain and whispered.
Zhu Biao had a look on his face. He raised his head and looked out of the car. He stood up and looked at Zhu Yunxi and Zhu Yunwen who had accompanied him on both sides.
"I will go to the house with my father to pay my respects."
As he spoke, Zhu Biao stepped out of the carriage.
Chang Mao was his brother-in-law. A few years ago, he had an argument with Duke Feng Sheng of the Song Dynasty due to military matters, which angered Zhu Yuanzhang, and he had just been deprived of his title and official position.
But Chang Mao has always strongly supported Zhu Biao, his brother-in-law, over the years.
Zhu Biao has been feeling depressed since he learned the news of Chang Mao's death last night.
Even after getting off the carriage and being soaked in the rain, he didn't even notice.
Following him, Zhu Yunxi and Zhu Yunwen, who got off the carriage, both looked at their father's back.
Just when Zhu Yunwen was about to raise his hand and speak.
Zhu Yunxi had already opened the umbrella and raised it in advance, and stepped forward: "Father, it's raining, and your health is the most important thing."
As he spoke, most of an oil-paper umbrella was placed on Zhu Biao's head, while half of Zhu Yunxi's shoulders fell into the rain.
Zhu Yunwen, who was about to do the same thing after his death, suddenly felt angrily and glared at Zhu Yunxi's back angrily, already scolding his mother in his heart.
Zhu Yunxi is a man who knows how to be attentive, but he is abominable!
In the front, Zhu Biao just hummed, glanced at Zhu Yunxi with emotion in his eyes, half of his body was in the rain, and then led the two of them into the Kaiping Prince's Mansion.
As soon as he entered the palace, the surrounding eaves and pillars were filled with mournful eyes.
The front yard was already filled with old friends and relatives of the Chang family, as well as princes and ministers from the court.
When they saw Zhu Biao arriving with the two royal grandchildren, everyone looked over and focused their attention.
On the other side of the main hall, people from the Chang family had already come out to welcome him.
Chang Mao's wife and heirs were all red-eyed: "I have met His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the two princes."
Over there, the founding Duke Chang Sheng and the third son of King Kaiping Chang Sen came side by side, and they also saluted when they saw everyone.
Funeral rites, no matter what one's status is, one must accept the rites of ordinary people.
Zhu Biao accepted the courtesy from the Chang family, and then said in a low voice: "My uncle has passed away, and I have never thought about it. If my sister-in-law, nieces and nephews have any problems in the future, just tell me."
When Chang Mao's wife and children heard this, they couldn't help but choked up and cried again.
Chang Sheng invited Zhu Biao to the memorial hall and whispered, "It is a great honor for the Chang family that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is here in person."
Zhu Biao shook his head and said nothing. He took Zhu Yunxi and Zhu Yunwen into the memorial hall as usual. The father and son followed the funeral ceremony and performed a grand ceremony in front of Chang Mao's coffin.
After the family returned the gift, Zhu Biao was naturally pulled into a conversation by the Chang family.
Zhu Yunxi glanced at Zhu Yunxi who had a hint of reluctance in his eyes. He smiled in his heart and walked out of the memorial hall side by side with him: "Why is the second brother not happy about anything?"
He was asking knowingly.
Chang Mao lying inside was indeed Zhu Biao's uncle, and also Zhu Yunxi's uncle.
But he had nothing to do with Zhu Yunwen, and even the Chang family was not one to support him from the beginning to the end.
If his mother and concubine hadn't told him to talk less and do more, Zhu Yunwen would have been willing to come to Chang's house.
Seeing Zhu Yunxi asking this at this time, Zhu Yunwen naturally had a bad look on his face: "Are you very happy?"
Zhu Yunxi was stunned when he asked this question.
On the other hand, under the corridor ahead, a group of people came over.
Before anyone got close, the loud voices unique to this group of people were already heard.
"Third Master!"
"Old minister, I haven't seen the third master for a long time!"
"Old minister, see you, Third Master!"
Zhu Yunxi looked over at the sound.
Only Cao Zhen, the Marquis of Jingchuan, Zhang Yi, the Marquis of Heqing, Zhang Wen, the Marquis of Huining, Chen Huan, the Marquis of Puding, Hu Hai, the Marquis of Dongchuan, Zhu Shou, the Marquis of Shunshang, He Rong, the Bo of Dongguan, and Sang Jing, the Huixian Bo, were already crowded. Together, they gathered around.
Seeing these people, Zhu Yunxi immediately held his breath. After a while, there were tears in his eyes, his face was a little red, and his expression was mournful.
Cao Zhen, the Marquis of Jingchuan, walked at the front. When he arrived in front of Zhu Yunxi, he glanced at Zhu Yunwen beside him, and then said with an unexpected expression: "It turns out that the second master is also here. I have met the second master."
The people behind him couldn't help but curse Cao Zhen in their hearts.
This guy is good at everything, but his mouth is superfluous.
Zhu Yun glanced at him and didn't care much about the salutes of Cao Zhen and others.
These people are not his base, they are all inextricably linked to Zhu Yunxi.
He originally wanted to find a place to go by himself, but he didn't expect that over there, Cao Zhen saw Zhu Yunxi's expression full of sadness and comforted him in a low voice: "Third Master, please don't be sorry. People can't be resurrected after death, so please show your condolences."
Than pure filial piety, benevolence and righteousness?
Zhu Yunxi glanced at Zhu Yunwen beside him from the corner of his eye. Facing Cao Zhen and others, he lamented more and more: "Uncle, there is no holiday in the year, and the country's generals just pass away. Regardless of personal relationships or national conditions, I am a nephew and a clan member." , and how can I control myself..."
Zhu Yunwen on the side listened to these words and groaned in his heart, becoming more and more dissatisfied with Zhu Yunxi, the third brother.
Seeing what Zhu Yunxi said, Cao Zhen took over the words and stepped forward to separate Zhu Yunxi and Zhu Yunwen. He hugged Zhu Yunxi and walked to the other side: "The third master's pure filial piety and benevolence are obvious to all! The deceased is such a husband, and the third master has passed away. It’s time for me to look forward now!”
The sound faded away.
Zhu Yunwen was left alone, standing in the cold wind, rain and fog.
He gritted his teeth, anger constantly flowing in his eyes.
These people also take themselves seriously!
Why can Zhu Yunxi do whatever he wants just because his mother-in-law, who has passed away many years ago, has a good status?
And I can only endure such humiliation!
The more Zhu Yunwen thought about it, the more dissatisfied he felt. He waved his sleeves and brought up a mist of water, quietly disappearing into the mist.
