Prince Bei Jing of the Red Chamber, starting from saving Qin Keqing

Shui Rong was about to mount his horse and head to the Wenhua Hall when the plum blossom pouch at his waist still retained the warmth of Daiyu's embroidery thread.

Before the warmth in her heart had faded, Gong Ji quietly stepped out from the ranks of guards in the shadows beside her.

He stood tall and straight, his expression solemn. He walked very lightly to Shui Rong's side, leaned down slightly, and his lips almost touched Shui Rong's ear.

He whispered a message in a voice only the two of them could hear.

The sound was extremely soft, yet it struck Shui Rong's ears like a thunderclap.

His gentle demeanor froze instantly, and the soft light in his eyes vanished, replaced by a solemn expression—an instinctive alertness to the sudden change in the political situation.

Pei Zhenxi, the Prince of Xining, was an old general who had served three emperors and guarded the northwest for decades.

The man who single-handedly intimidated the Mongol cavalry and single-handedly guarded the northwestern gateway of the Great Yin Dynasty is gone.

Shui Rong lowered her eyes, concealing the turmoil within them, but in an instant, she regained her usual composure, though her aura grew increasingly cold.

He nodded slightly, his tone so calm that it betrayed no sign of anything amiss, and said in a low voice, "I understand. Go now, and don't make a fuss."

Gong Ji bowed in agreement and quietly retreated back into the ranks of the guards, his expression still solemn.

Shui Rong raised her eyes again, looking in the direction of the palace, her heart already in turmoil.

He knew all too well how important Pei Zhenxi was.

As long as Pei Zhenxi was in the Northwest, the Mongols dared not cross the line, and the Northwest border remained peaceful.

He was a pillar of the Great Yin's defense of the borders, one of the few veteran generals in the court who could keep order and balance the military power of all sides, and a trusted minister whom Zhu Yiheng relied on for half his life.

His death was not as simple as the passing of a prince; it was a major earthquake in the Great Yin Dynasty and a thunderbolt on the northwestern border.

Upon hearing of his death, the Mongol cavalry would surely be eager to make their move, and the situation in the Northwest would instantly descend into turmoil.

With military power out of balance in the imperial court, various factions will inevitably seize the opportunity to compete, making the already turbulent political situation even more dangerous.

He is currently caught in the vortex of the engagement banquet and is being used by His Majesty as a pawn to check the Crown Prince, making his future increasingly unpredictable.

Meanwhile, inside the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Yiheng had just seen off the officials from the Imperial Clan Court. He was rubbing his swollen temples, his old shoulder wound throbbing, and he was exhausted.

When the eunuch, carrying a memorial announcing the death of the Prince of Xining, stumbled into the main hall...

With a trembling voice, he reported, "Your Majesty, Prince Pei Zhenxi of Xining has passed away while serving in the Northwest."

Zhu Yiheng shuddered, and the teacup in his hand clattered onto the table, splashing tea onto his dragon robe, but he was completely unaware.

"How could this be...?"

Zhu Yiheng muttered to himself, his face filled with disbelief, his voice trembling slightly, "Uncle Wang... how could he just collapse like that?"

Pei Zhenxi, the old minister who served his father and accompanied him in guarding the country for decades, was his most trusted and relied-upon minister and the pillar of the border defense.

Now, this pillar of stability has fallen.

He felt a sudden emptiness in his heart, and a wave of immense sorrow and helplessness washed over him.

He slumped directly onto the dragon throne, his imperial majesty vanishing instantly, leaving only an undeniable air of old age and exhaustion.

But he was, after all, the emperor of the Great Yin Dynasty, and even in his deepest grief, he did not completely lose his composure.

A moment later, he clenched his fist, a resolute glint in his eyes, and ordered Li Fuquan beside him in a deep voice:

"Issue my decree: immediately summon Meng Zhili to the palace to see me! Also, send someone by fast horse to inform Shui Rong and the Crown Prince of the passing of the Prince of Xining. I believe they know what to do."

"Your servant obeys!"

Li Fuquan dared not delay for a moment, and hurriedly bowed in response. He then turned around and ran out of the main hall in a panic, his steps even a little unsteady.

Zhu Yiheng took a deep breath, forced himself to stand up, looked towards the northwest, his eyes filled with grief and worry, and then loudly ordered:

"You, summon Qin Zhongxun and Zhang Shi'an to the palace as soon as possible!"

At that moment, Shui Rong was supporting Lin Ruhai and whispering the news of the death of the Prince of Xining to him.

Upon hearing this, Lin Ruhai's expression suddenly turned to shock, his body swayed violently, and the look of satisfaction and smile on his face vanished instantly.

Instead, his face was filled with astonishment and solemnity: "Wh...what? The Prince of Xining has passed away? How is this possible!"

Although Lin Ruhai was a civil official and not involved in military power, he was well aware of Pei Zhenxi's importance to the Great Yin Dynasty. The reputation of that border-guarding prince had already spread throughout the court and the country.

His passing was not only a national tragedy, but also the beginning of turmoil in the court.

Lin Ruhai subconsciously looked at Shui Rong, his eyes filled with worry.

Today is the engagement day of Shui Rong and Dai Yu, but it coincides with a time of national mourning, so the banquet will certainly be affected.

Shui Rong, being at the heart of the imperial clan and entrusted by His Majesty with the high hopes of counterbalancing the Crown Prince, will only find his future situation increasingly difficult.

"Father-in-law, don't panic."

Shui Rong quickly reached out to support Lin Ruhai, speaking calmly as he tried to soothe his emotions, before turning around.

His gaze swept over the honor guard and attendants behind him, his voice deep yet powerful, resounding with conviction.

"All men, heed my command: immediately remove your hairpins and embroidered ornaments, discard all festive attire, and march in complete silence. No noise or commotion is permitted. Anyone who disobeys will be punished for the greatest disrespect!"

After saying that, he took the lead in raising his hand and removing the gold ornaments and hairpins from the prince's crown. His fingertips moved swiftly and without the slightest hesitation.

The decorations that once symbolized joy and nobility have been removed, and the dark blue four-clawed python robe appears even more simple and elegant, with a touch of solemnity and gravity added to the gentle and refined demeanor of the wearer.

He stopped riding his horse and began walking towards the palace.

According to etiquette, during times of national mourning, princes must remove their hats and ornaments and walk on foot to offer their congratulations as a sign of respect.

The attendants and the honor guard dared not delay for even a moment, quickly removing their festive decorations and following silently behind Shui Rong.

The festive music had completely faded away, leaving only the sound of orderly, heavy footsteps.

The slow, meandering procession along Zhuque Avenue contrasted sharply with the earlier grandeur of the Eastern Palace's ceremonial procession. The festive atmosphere in the air was replaced by a heavy sense of sorrow and tension.

On the other side, Crown Prince Zhu Changyu's engagement procession had only traveled halfway when they received a message from an eunuch sent by Li Fuquan.

Upon hearing the news of the death of Pei Zhenxi, the Prince of Xining, Zhu Changyu's smug and arrogant expression instantly froze.

A flicker of shock crossed his eyes, quickly replaced by a complex mix of emotions.

There was regret over the passing of the Prince of Xining, but even more so, there was astonishment and calculation regarding the sudden change in the situation.

Although he was not as insightful as Shui Rong, he knew the importance of the Prince of Xining and understood that during a time of national mourning, all celebrations had to give way.

According to protocol, he immediately ordered his attendants to remove all festive decorations, cease the bells and drums and ceremonial music, and for the procession to proceed in silence.

Although he hadn't changed his bright yellow five-clawed dragon robe, he had removed the extra gold ornaments, making him less ostentatious and more solemn.

Therefore, when Li Fuquan arrived near the two groups of men, he was surprised to find that Shui Rong's and the Crown Prince's armies were remarkably similar in formation.

They were all dressed simply, walking silently, without any music or celebration.

Only the heavy footsteps and the pervasive sadness in the air made this engagement, which was to take place on the same day, seem all the more awkward and eerie.

Shui Rong's pace was slightly faster than the Crown Prince's.

He was anxious, partly out of respect for the Prince of Xining and his eagerness to enter the palace to offer condolences, and partly because he wanted to see Zhu Yiheng as soon as possible to ascertain His Majesty's arrangements for the situation in the Northwest.

He had a vague premonition that the death of the Prince of Xining would completely disrupt his plans.

He must extricate himself from the south as soon as possible; otherwise, once he becomes embroiled in the power struggle within the imperial court, he will find it difficult to extricate himself.