Chapter 424: Dust to Dust, Earth to Earth
Chapter 424: Dust to Dust, Earth to Earth
Suixui felt a sense of sadness, though she couldn't quite pinpoint the reason.
Aunt Qiu helped her change into a plain outfit, and then Suixui obediently allowed her Mother Empress to lead her outside.
Her brothers also changed into plain clothing.
Although they didn't need to wear heavy mourning attire, they couldn't dress too flamboyantly and attract attention.
So, everyone was dressed simply.
Suixui didn't wear her little hat, as her hair wasn't very long yet, but it was long enough to be tied up, though there were some loose strands.
Aunt Qiu showcased her exceptional skills, tying Suixui's hair into two small buns, and using a silver-white hairband with intricate embroidery to wrap around the buns several times, pretending to be hair, making the buns more noticeable.
After everyone changed their clothes and prepared, they set off for the Princess Dowager's Mansion.
The last time Suixui saw the Princess Dowager was at the beginning of the month when she attended the birthday celebration of the fifth prince, Ying Hongzhi, at the Princess Dowager's Mansion.
At that time, the old lady's complexion was slightly pale, but her body still seemed robust.
However, after half a month, how could she have passed away?
Suixui couldn't understand it and quietly teared up.
Princess Qi's heart also felt heavy.
The carriages from the Marquisate of Qi and the Jing Manor arrived early.
They had received the news and came over after changing their clothes.
The Princess Dowager's two sons, the Marquis of An Yuan and the Duke of Hu Guo, were both wearing heavy mourning attire and greeting guests at the entrance.
Her only daughter, Lady Lu, was also in mourning, helping her two sisters-in-law and nieces-in-law with receiving guests in the inner courtyard.
Marquis Qi went to offer incense with Princess Qi, and then Marquis Jing took his turn.
The children were not allowed to join them.
After offering incense, Marquis Qi and Marquis Jing went to speak with the Marquis of An Yuan and the others.
Princess Qi took Suixui to the inner courtyard, and when she saw Lady Sun, Princess Qi's eyes reddened, and she choked, saying, "Please accept my condolences."
Lady Sun had cried so much that her throat became hoarse.
The Princess Dowager was known for her sharp tongue but soft heart. Although she had her rules and could be blunt at times, she deeply loved and protected her daughter-in-law, Lady Sun.
Now that the Princess Dowager had passed away, Lady Sun felt an emptiness and heartache like never before.
Princess Qi comforted her for a while and then went to check on Consort Yan.
Consort Yan seemed carefree, but over the years, she had benefited from the protection of the Princess Dowager's status, and with her husband's love, she had lived a carefree life.
At this moment, her eyes were swollen from crying.
Lady Lu cried until she nearly fainted.
Princess Qi, along with several marquess consorts and noble consorts among the clan members, helped comfort one person after another.
The Princess Dowager's daughters-in-law were at the forefront, receiving guests and soothing their mothers-in-law and aunts.
The Emperor himself came with the Empress to offer condolences, and after comforting everyone, they left.
The Princess Dowager's funeral rites lasted for seven days.
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau had already calculated the auspicious date for the burial, and the coffin was placed in the auspicious position, awaiting the day to bury it in the Ying family's ancestral tomb.
Over the seven days, the mourners at the Princess Dowager's Mansion, including her sons and grandsons, all looked haggard, and some had lost a significant amount of weight.
Marquis Qi and the others only needed to come daily to offer incense, so they didn't have to stay and keep vigil every day.
However, as her children, they had to send their mother on her final journey, so Sir Ying and Sir Su put aside all other matters and busied themselves with the funeral arrangements.
Moreover, after their mother's passing, they would enter a period of mourning.
Normally, officials would observe a three-year mourning period for their close relatives.
However, the specifics could vary depending on the circumstances.
If someone is needed in this position, or if His Majesty is particularly satisfied with the candidate, it might take three months or even half a year to complete the formalities and then return to the post.
The marriages of the young men and women in the manor also need to wait until three years later.
Currently, there are two eligible young ladies in the Princess Dowager's mansion.
One is Ying Ruolan, a daughter of the first wife's side branch, and the other is Su Ningsulan, a daughter of the second wife's main branch.
Both ladies are fifteen and sixteen years old respectively. At the beginning of the year, Su Ningsulan had even met with her potential suitor, and they were just waiting for the final confirmation.
Now that the Grand Princess has passed away, this marriage is likely to fall through.
If it had been confirmed earlier, the groom's family, whether out of kindness or self-interest, might not have minded waiting another three years.
But without a confirmation, everything is uncertain.
On the last day, after returning from offering incense, Princess Qi couldn't help but sigh as she thought about Su Ningsulan's situation.
Duke Ling had also been through a lot these past few days, and his health hadn't fully recovered. After these recent events, he looked haggard and frightening.
At this moment, he sat there without much vitality, and upon hearing the princess's sigh, he whispered, "Don't sigh, things will work out when the time comes. It'll be fine."
Clearly, Duke Ling was also thinking about the marriages of the young ladies in his aunt's manor.
However, with wealth and status, there's no need to worry too much about marriages.
Three years later, Su Ningsulan will only be nineteen.
There are cases in the capital where older unmarried ladies still find matches.
Among the clan members, there are even families who have made their daughters wait until they are twenty before marrying them off.
This is just to let the young ladies enjoy a few more years of comfort in the manor.
Moreover, with wealth and status, they can afford to be picky. If necessary, they can even consider a lower-status marriage.
Princess Qi understood this logic, but naturally, she couldn't help but think more about it when considering her own situation.
Although the Grand Princess was just their aunt, her status was noble, and they had to consider her opinion regarding their manor's marriages.
Thinking of this, Princess Qi sighed softly, "I was initially worried that the distance to Xi Prefecture is so far, and the marriage proposal with the Wen family would likely take some time. But now it seems like it's a case of serendipity."
The distance made communication between the two families less convenient.
Sometimes, letters would take more than a month to reach each other.
Currently, the progress of the marriage proposal...
Duke Ling's manor had already conveyed their marriage proposal to the Wen family and was awaiting their response.
If the Wen family agreed, although Duke Ling and Princess Qi couldn't personally go to Xi Prefecture for the proposal, Prince Xing had promised to send a familiar commander to help with the proposal, ensuring the Wen family's face was respected.
The capital would definitely show its support, and Princess Qi would arrange for a grand and lively procession to welcome the bride.
This is the future main mistress of Duke Ling's manor, and a grand display is necessary to show the importance the manor places on this marriage.
This will also have a significant impact on the Wen family's daughter's standing in the manor after marriage.
The couple quietly discussed Feng Xuanze's marriage, while Suixui snuggled in her mother's embrace, sleeping soundly.
Children couldn't withstand being tired every day, and Princess Qi felt sorry for Suixui, so she carried her in her arms after boarding the carriage, soothing her to sleep.
Feng Xuanrui and the others were still full of energy, and at this moment, they were riding horses with Prince Xing in the outer room.
As they rode, a voice shouted from ahead, "Urgent news from the Northwest Frontier Pass! Make way!"
Second chapter update at 7 PM
(End of Chapter)
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