Zheng Ying was sitting in the study, reading the letter sent by the fourth prince, when suddenly the door of the study was knocked three times, and Jue Ling lowered her voice and said outside: "Master! Someone just came to report that at dusk, the Anguo Mansion knocked on the cloud board...... Everywhere. Someone from their house has already gone to the palace to deliver a letter. ”

"Four!" Zheng Ying stood up abruptly and almost knocked over the chair: "Who is it?" ”

"Second General Mu Chengfang." Jue Ling replied in a low voice through the door, "Death." ”

Zheng Ying walked to the door in a few steps, directly opened the door of the study, and strode towards the bedroom, ready to change clothes and enter the palace. Jue Ling followed behind him and said, "Master, the emperor's will has not yet arrived, you don't have to be in such a hurry. ”

"I changed my clothes first." Zheng Ying didn't stop: "Go to the palace gate and wait." ”

Almost at the same time, Xie Shurou also received the news. She hurried to Mrs. Xie's yard with her skirt in her hand, running all the way, refusing to die all the way, maybe it was a miscommunication! Hongshang said in the letter that An Guogong had already asked General Mu Er to return to Beijing to recuperate, how could he be so good, but the person was suddenly gone.

And in King Yi's mansion, Zheng Jin had already changed into a solemn and solemn dress, waiting to enter the palace. Before he went out, he specially instructed the commander of the guards of the Yiwang Mansion, and asked him to take the name of the Yiwang Mansion to the Anguo Mansion in person, convey the greetings as soon as possible, and ask if there is anything that needs help by the way.

Of course, after receiving the news, the princes and nobles in Beijing also did the same thing as Zheng Jin, so at the end of the unitary time, it should be the time when the families are quietly closed, but there is an endless stream of cars and horses in front of the Anguo Mansion, and there are constantly people dressed in stewards to deliver the famous post.

The door of the Anguo Mansion has been opened, and the people in the gatehouse have already changed their clothes and tied white cloth belts around their waists. Mr. Sun, dressed in gray and white linen, moved a small table and sat near the gatehouse, only hanging a small lamp with white paper, and personally collected the registration and condolence notes under the dim light.

And on the plaque of the Anguo Mansion, white silk has also been hung high, looking in from the gate, a black hole, like an open mouth, as if it can swallow people, it looks scary.

The stewards who came to deliver the famous posts did not bother much, most of them were posts on the ground, and they left in a hurry.

At the beginning of the day, Chen Quanli, who was dressed in the official uniform of the chief supervisor of the fourth grade, suddenly appeared at the door of the Anguo Mansion. He was dressed up so neatly, at first glance, the emperor sent him over.

The emperor's personal supervisor arrived, and Mr. Sun naturally couldn't receive him like he did with those stewards, so he immediately sent people to run errands to report to the inner house, and at the same time stood up in person, holding the dim white paper lamp, and led the way for Chen Quanli.

Chen Quanli followed Mr. Sun, who was holding the lamp, all the way, passing by the dark corridor and heading to the back house. The entire Anguo Mansion was dark, not as brightly lit as usual, and a pair of white paper lanterns had been hung on the courtyard gate, which looked very depressed under the autumn wind.

This is the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the moonlight is bright, but under the bright moonlight, the entire Anguo Mansion looks more and more desolate and sad.

The mourning hall has not had time to be arranged, everything is very simple, but Mu Chengfang's tablet looks very exquisite, with ebony oil and gold lacquer, it doesn't look like it's new.

Mrs. Mu has changed into a navy blue dress, and the jewelry on her body has been removed, leaving only a silver hairpin and holding her gray hair. When Chen Quanli entered the door, she was holding a cane, quietly looking at Mu Chengfang's tablet.

After Mr. Sun led Chen Quanli into the door, he immediately retreated, and Mrs. Mu heard the movement, but did not turn back immediately.

However, Chen Quanli did not disturb Mrs. Mu, but stood aside, waited quietly, and said softly after a long time: "Old lady, I was shocked to hear the bad news of General Chengfang, the emperor was grief-stricken, General Chengfang is the pillar of the country, and the emperor has issued an order to posthumously seal General Chengfang and give him the nickname 'Zhongmin'. ”

"It turned out that Father-in-law Chen arrived, and it was the old man who was rude." Old Madam Mu turned her head and replied in a hoarse voice. She staggered to get up from the chair with a cane, so frightened that Chen Quanli hurriedly reached out to help.

"Old lady, just sit down." Chen Quanli said softly: "The will of Mu Zhongmin's official name will only arrive tomorrow, and today the emperor specially sent our family over, but I don't worry about you, old lady." You are old, this white-haired person must be distressed to send a black-haired person, but old lady, our family also wants to advise you for the emperor, your body is important, and please mourn. Zhongmin Gong's spirit in the sky couldn't bear to see the old mother so sad for him. ”

"Emperor Lao is worried." Old Madam Mu sat on the chair and bowed slightly: "I also bothered Father-in-law Chen to run overnight." ”

"It should." Chen Quanli hurriedly said: "The emperor has already said that the country has lost its pillars, and tomorrow will stop for a day to mourn, and the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet has also been canceled." Early tomorrow morning, King Xin will personally come to announce the will of the Duke of Zhongmin, and the emperor specially instructed the two princes, King Xin and King Yi, to replace the emperor tomorrow and keep a day for the Duke of Zhongmin in the Mu family. ”

"The old man thanked the emperor for Chengfang." Old Madam Mu turned her head to look at Mu Chengfang's tablet and replied in a choked voice.

"It should be, it should be." Chen Quanli hurriedly replied. He followed Mrs. Mu's line of sight and also looked at Mu Chengfang's tablet, and after a closer look, he found it a little strange.

But before he could ask, Old Madam Mu seemed to know what he was thinking, and took the initiative to speak: "It's not new. The Muhammad generals had prepared their tablets before they went to the north to fight. Cheng Fang is the same, this tablet was made by himself when he was eighteen years old, before he went to the north, and it has been some years......"

Chen Quanli never expected that the origin of this tablet would be like this. Since the death of Lao An Guogong in battle, the Mu family has not had a general killed for twenty years, in fact, even the emperor can't accept this sudden bad news, let alone the Mu family.

Chen Quanli knew very well that no matter what he said at the moment, he couldn't comfort Mrs. Mu, but he didn't leave quickly, but silently stayed with Mrs. Mu for a while before leaving.

When Chen Quanli said goodbye and left, it was already the right time, and when Gu Yilan, who was dressed in linen filial piety clothes, helped Second Mrs. Mu in, Mrs. Mu didn't even change her posture, so she kept sitting near her son's tablet.

The autumn night was cold, and Mrs. Mu was thinly dressed again, after Gu Yilan entered the door, she first helped her mother-in-law to sit down, and then took the cloak held by the maids behind her, and personally draped it on Mrs. Mu.