The Demon Prince

The day after Cao Bi's death, the Ministry of War finally stamped the document.

When the red seal was affixed, the clerk responsible for delivering the document was trembling. The former Minister had died too quickly, so quickly that before anyone in the Ministry of War could even change their tune, the people from the Prince of Zhenguo's Mansion had already blocked the door.

No one dared to mention verification anymore, no one dared to mention removing the armor, and no one dared to ask who the person in the coffin really was.

In the afternoon, the north gate of the city was opened wide.

Nine black coffins entered the capital amidst the whispers of the city.

Before the coffin was an old flag, the Zhenbei Army flag, tattered and its edges scorched by fire.

As soon as the flag entered the city, many elderly people on the street knelt down on the spot:

"The prince is back!"

Someone shouted, but no one cried out; only a muffled sob escaped their lips.

The people of Kyoto spontaneously moved to the sides, and although the windows of the teahouse were open, no one dared to peek out and laugh.

The old man selling sugar figurines on the street packed up his stall, put the bamboo sticks aside, and kowtowed three times to Ling Shu.

The children, too young to understand, were quickly covered by their mother's hand.

"Don't be silly, that's... a hero who guarded the North."

The former northern troops guarding the spirit marched in heavy armor, their blades stained with the frost of time, their boots treading through the mud and water of the outskirts of the capital, traversing the bluestone road, like warriors carving out battle formations, unstoppable!

Xiao Xingyue stood in front of the Zhenguo King's Mansion, dressed in white robes, a black belt, and a plain crown on his head. His usually talkative face was devoid of any smile at this moment.

Zhao Yuanbao stood to the side, his eyes red with tears.

Chen Manfu was already kneeling in front of the threshold, clutching a white cloth in his hand, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

When the first coffin was carried to the gate of the Prince's mansion, the old steward finally couldn't hold back any longer:

"Your Highness, you've returned home."

His forehead hit the ground with a thud, and blood immediately seeped out.

Xiao Xingyue reached out to help him, but Chen Manfu clung tightly to the floor tiles.

"This old servant has failed to protect the Prince's residence; this old servant has no face to see the Prince."

Xiao Xingyue felt a lump in his throat. He didn't try to persuade him anymore, but just watched as the nine coffins were carried into the mansion one by one.

The mourning hall in the Prince's mansion had already been set up, but that was all there was to it. The white banners were there, the memorial tablets were there, and the incense table was there. The actual funeral arrangements were a complete mess.

The Ministry of Rites did not send anyone to verify the titles, the Ministry of War did not submit the list of former officials, and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices did not receive any official documents for co-organizing the event.

In name, this was a state funeral for a prince.

In fact, Cao Bi and Lu Chengzhang never intended to handle this properly when they were alive.

They just put things on the books, like casually tossing away something they don't care about into a corner, and since no one's pushing them, they just keep putting it off...

Now that the coffin has arrived in Beijing, everyone has realized that this whole affair never even began.

Zhao Yuanbao was so angry that he stomped his feet:

"The Ministry of Rites says the official in charge is ill, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices says they haven't received the document from the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War says Cao Bi is dead, and the old files still need to be organized! Isn't this just passing the buck?"

Xiao Xingyue's eyes flickered with candlelight, and he remained silent, his gaze growing colder and colder.

The area in front of the Prince's Mansion was also very deserted.

The common people came, the veterans came, but almost none of the officials from the court came.

Several horse-drawn carriages stopped far away at the alley entrance, watched for a while, and then turned around and left.

Some feared the emperor would be wary of the Xiao family, while others feared Cao Bi's death would reveal more.

Some people have also heard that Cao Bi died at the residence of a foreign ruler, with some saying he murdered an official and others saying he was a womanizer who caused his downfall.

The court has been in such chaos these past two days that it looks like it's been chewed up by dogs, and no one dares to take the wrong side at this time.

The palace was deserted, with wisps of smoke rising and a hazy mist hanging over it.

Just as Chen Manfu was worrying about the gift list, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from outside the door.

The first carriage stopped, and Li Wangshu got out of the carriage with the help of a maid.

She wore a plain-colored palace dress today, and instead of a gold hairpin, she wore only a white jade hairpin in her hair.

Her former flamboyant and delicate nature was replaced by a dignified and solemn demeanor. Looking at the slightly forlorn but still upright figure in the mourning hall, her eyes welled up with tears.

Xiao Xingyue stirred the paper money in the brazier, sending paper scraps flying everywhere:

"Why are you here?"

Li Wangshu glared at him:

"I am your lawfully wedded wife. If I don't come when your father and brothers return home, who will?"

After she finished speaking, she went to Xiao Xingyue's side and gently re-tied his loosened mourning band.

Don't be stubborn.

Xiao Xingyue did not refute.

Li Wangshu bent down and straightened his cuffs.

Not long after, the second car arrived.

Li Miaoqing got out of the car, carrying a medicine box in her arms, followed by two doctors from Beitang Prefecture.

She frowned as soon as she entered the door:

"Why are so many people pale-faced? Didn't they sleep last night?"

Just as Zhao Yuanbao was about to cry, Li Miaoqing had already opened the medicine box:

"Chen Manfu has a head injury, those three veterans over there are weak and bloodless, and you too..."

She looked at Xiao Xingyue: "You don't look well either."

Li Wangshu bowed:

"Thank you for your concern, Seventh Sister."

Li Miaoqing avoided eye contact:

"I heard there were many people at the funeral hall, and I was worried that some elderly people might not be able to cope. Doctors are compassionate."

Li Wangshu squinted:

"Just a doctor's compassion?"

Li Miaoqing's ears turned red:

"Otherwise what? Did you think I came here to see him?"

The third set of footsteps was even crisper.

Li Shunhua did not take a carriage; instead, she entered the mansion with a team of female guards, dressed in armor.

Wearing black armor with white silk draped over it, he stood before the mourning hall and first saluted the nine coffins.

The movements were upright and serious, without the slightest perfunctoriness:

"Li Shunhua pays his respects to the King of Zhen and the eight young generals."

As the words fell, the eyes of several veterans from the North stood even redder.

They recognize Li Shunhua.

On the martial arts stage, she defeated Gou Li for Da Xia; in the military camp, she also protected Xiao Xingyue.

Xiao Xingyue said in a deep voice, "You've come too."

Li Shunhua stood up:

"Your father and brothers are also the souls of the Great Xia army. It is only right that I come to see them off."

Li Wangshu noticed the armor she was wearing:

"Eighth Sister, why are you wearing armor when you come to offer condolences?"

Li Shunhua spoke frankly:

"The Prince's mansion is deserted today; someone needs to keep things quiet."

Li Miaoqing asked softly, "Are you afraid someone will cause trouble?"

Li Shunhua did not deny it:

"With Cao Bi just dead, the old clique in the Ministry of War might not be able to keep quiet. I... am worried."

Xiao Xingyue said in a low voice, "Thanks."

Li Shunhua glanced at him:

"Don't give me that, I'm not doing this for you."

Li Wangshu and Li Miaoqing were looking at her at the same time.

Li Shunhua remained unfazed:

"I am the King of Respectful Town."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a click came from outside the courtyard wall.

A wooden bird fluttered in and landed beside the incense table.

Zhao Yuanbao was so frightened he almost jumped up.

The wooden bird's belly opened, and a roll of paper rolled out, on which were written: "Always-on mechanical lamp, to be sent to the funeral hall, do not break it."

Everyone looked up and saw Li Lingxi peeking half her head out from the top of the wall. She was wearing a light gray cloak and holding a mechanical lamp in her arms.

When she saw everyone looking at her, her face stiffened:

"I was just passing by."

Li Wangshu raised an eyebrow:

"Sixth Sister passing by the Prince's Mansion wall?"

Li Miaoqing added insult to injury: "And you're carrying a perpetually lit lamp as you pass by?"

Li Shunhua's gaze fell upon:

"Get down."

Li Lingxi reluctantly jumped off the wall, nearly stepping on her own cloak as she landed, before hurriedly regaining her balance.

She shoved the switched-off light into Xiao Xingyue's arms:

"This is what I made. It will last for thirty days without needing oil. It's much better than the broken lamps in your palace."

Xiao Xingyue looked down and examined the lamp. The lamp body was made of bronze and wooden teeth, and there were intricate mechanisms inside.

He placed the lamp on the incense table in the very center:

"Won't he suddenly call for my dad in the middle of the night, will he?"

Li Lingxi immediately bristled:

"Xiao Xingyue, you can insult my people, but you can't insult my invention."

Li Wangshu frowned as she listened; her intuition told her that this was no simple matter.

"He also insulted your people?"