Zhou Quan was a little dazed, "Perhaps His Highness was just coincidentally there. Maybe Eunuch De was out doing something else."
Xiao Jingyun nodded, "Go to the palace as quickly as possible and find a way to clarify this matter. Whether he's alive or dead, you must get a definite answer from Xiao Dezhi."
Zhou Quan bowed and turned to leave. Xiao Jingyun sat there for a long time without moving, his thoughts in a tangle. Although he hadn't interacted much with Huang Ying, seeing Chen Xiaobei and the others wailing with grief, he felt a deep sense of empathy.
Putting himself in their shoes, he imagined if his own wife were to pass away; he would surely cry like Chen Xiaobei.
Meanwhile, at Wannian Square, Chen Xiaobei and Cui Hongyu had cried themselves dry. They sat before Huang Ying's memorial tablet, looking at each other in silence.
Cui Hongyu, with a sob in her voice, said, "Husband, keeping Sister Huang Ying's memorial here isn't a long-term solution. We should escort her remains back to Hetou Village as soon as possible."
Chen Xiaobei thought for a moment and nodded gently. His current actions were largely a bluff. Frankly, even without this charade, the fish schools wouldn't have come. They had already done this for a day, and doing it for another day would be sufficient. To be safe, he would do it for at most three days.
"Hongyu, we'll do this for one more day tomorrow. After sunset tomorrow evening, I will bid farewell to the Crown Prince and we will return to Hetou Village." Sundan Novel Network.
Cui Hongyu nodded, "I'll go and get some clothes for Sister. Sister didn't enjoy much fortune in Hetou Village when she was alive. Now that she's leaving, we can't let her depart looking shabby."
"Let Sister Xiaoyue accompany you. She's more familiar with the capital." After speaking, Chen Xiaobei lowered his head and sat there, silent. He was once again reminded of his past life.
His current feelings were perhaps comparable to those of his parents in his previous life. The grief of losing a child was even greater than the grief of losing a wife.
Just then, a few young eunuchs hurried over, led by Xiao Shunzi.
Chen Xiaobei didn't recognize the man, but he knew they were from the palace. Out of politeness, he still stood up.
Xiao Shunzi stepped forward and cupped his fists at Chen Xiaobei, "Greetings, Young Master Chen."
Chen Xiaobei politely returned the bow, "May I ask, sir, who you are?"
"I am a personal attendant to His Majesty the Emperor, sent to deliver an imperial decree."
Upon hearing that it was an imperial decree, Chen Xiaobei quickly drew up his robes and knelt. Xiao Shunzi stepped forward again to help him up, "Young Master Chen, in your profound grief, there's no need for such formality. His Majesty wishes to accord Miss Huang Ying a state funeral. Please make preparations, Young Master Chen."
Chen Xiaobei thought he had misheard. He raised his head in confusion and looked at Xiao Shunzi again.
Xiao Shunzi cupped his fists at him once more, a hint of joy in his eyes, "Congratulations, Young Master Chen, congratulations! For His Majesty to accord your wife a state funeral is a treatment reserved only for princes and nobles!"
Hearing this, Chen Xiaobei was so angry he wanted to hit someone. His wife had died, and this man was congratulating him.
And why was this happening? He was merely a humble villager. Even if he had rendered some service to the court, he hadn't reached the pinnacle of officialdom. To hold a state funeral for his second wife seemed excessively extravagant.
Chen Xiaobei didn't understand the situation deeply, but Cui Hongyu was completely stunned.
She certainly understood the significance of a state funeral. It would require Chen Xiaobei to be granted a noble title or marquisate.
How could a mere villager be accorded a state funeral? Was the Emperor about to bestow a title upon Chen Xiaobei?
With this thought, she stepped forward, tugged at Chen Xiaobei's hem, and whispered, "Husband, quickly thank His Majesty for his grace."
After speaking, Cui Hongyu was the first to kneel. Seeing this, Chen Xiaobei had no choice but to follow suit, three times shouting "Long live the Emperor" to express his gratitude.
Xiao Shunzi, having delivered the imperial decree, left. Chen Xiaobei remained in a daze.
Cui Hongyu stepped forward again, embraced Chen Xiaobei, and whispered, "Husband, according to the law, only if you were to become a marquis could your wife perhaps enjoy the treatment of a state funeral. This perhaps indicates that you are about to be enfeoffed."
Chen Xiaobei shook his head, "I don't want any enfeoffment. I only wish Huang Ying could come back to life. I would gladly exchange my own life for hers."
After a moment of thought, he said to Cui Hongyu, "I feel something is amiss. I need to find someone knowledgeable to ask."
In the blink of an eye, it was noon, and they were at the Crown Prince's mansion.
Zhou Quan hurried back with someone. Seeing Xiao Jingyun in his study, he cupped his fists and bowed, "Your Highness, we have news. It's about Xiao Dezhi. Xiao Leizi is waiting outside!"
Xiao Jingyun waved his hand. Zhou Quan went to the entrance of the imperial study and brought in a young eunuch, who immediately knelt before Xiao Jingyun.
"Little Leizi pays his respects to His Highness the Crown Prince."
Xiao Jingyun nodded, "Do you have news of Xiao Dezhi?"
Xiao Leizi nodded, "Replying to Your Highness, last night at the third watch, I had already fallen asleep when Xiao Dezhi suddenly came to find me."
Hearing this, Xiao Jingyun frowned, "Oh? Why did Xiao Dezhi suddenly come to find you?"
"Replying to Your Highness, Xiao Dezhi and I entered the palace in the same year, and it's been eleven years now."
"For the first few years, we slept in the same room."
"Only in recent years, after he began attending to His Majesty, did he get his own room."
This explanation convinced Xiao Jingyun that Xiao Leizi had an unusual relationship with Xiao Dezhi.
"Very well, then tell me, what did Xiao Dezhi want when he found you last night?"
"Last night, Xiao Dezhi came to me and said he had a great task to perform for His Majesty. He also said that this task was not of his own volition, but that His Majesty had saved his life, so he had to do it."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingyun shot to his feet. "Did he tell you what the task was?"
"He did. He said he was going to kill someone for His Majesty."
"He said he had never killed a woman in his life, but this time would be an exception. He said he was going to kill two of Chen Xiaobei's wives at the altar outside the West Gate."
"He also told me that if anything unexpected happened and he didn't return, I was to collect his remains and send them back to his hometown in Xishan. His real name is Qian De."
After hearing Xiao Leizi's account, Xiao Jingyun let out a long sigh and waved his hand, signaling Zhou Quan to escort the person away.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Leizi remained kneeling on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing, "Your Highness, I have told you the truth. I have already divulged heavenly secrets. I fear I cannot return to the palace."
Xiao Jingyun frowned. He immediately understood Xiao Leizi's meaning.
"Zhou Quan, give him Xiao Dezhi's remains and let him go. Once he leaves, don't let him return."
Zhou Quan agreed, brought Xiao Leizi out, and took a silver note from his sleeve, handing it to him. "This is His Highness the Crown Prince's token of appreciation. Do not let His Highness's kind intentions go unheeded."
Xiao Leizi left with profuse thanks. Only then did Zhou Quan turn around and re-enter to face Xiao Jingyun.
"Your Highness, what should we do next?"