Hu Zhenbang expected that after Tianming, he did not hide the news that Pang would release the news of the emperor's death. At that time, the envoy sent by Tubo would not be able to marry the "princess of Western Xia" as scheduled. In this way, Na Song Zanpu was faced with two choices, one was to lead the welcoming team back to Qingtang City to resume his life, and the other was to choose to stay, and wait for the emperor's funeral to end, and then marry the "Xixia Princess" to return to China. I just don't know if if he chooses to return to Qingtang City first to resume his life, will he ask Daxia to return the twelve volumes of the dowry "Wujing General Essentials" that have been handed over.

Thinking about it while walking, he had returned to his residence unconsciously, and saw that the guards outside the East Palace next door had been evacuated, so he went back to his room, changed into the guards' clothes, and still changed back to his original daily clothes. Leaning on the head of the bed, tiredness hit, closed his eyes and slept for more than an hour before waking up. Seeing the morning light dewing outside the window, it was already the middle of the day.

He and Mu Hanyi lived in the prince Ning Lingge, as the "Xixia Princess" of the marriage relatives temporary residence, now the prince is dead, and was named "murder of the king and rebellion" charges, the palace servants and maids are all other to the master, leaving only an old mother to serve three meals, the moment called a few times, the old mother yawned out of the side room.

Hu Zhenbang took out two pieces of broken silver and gave it to her, told her to make some breakfast, and sent it to Mu Hanyi, asking her to turn around and reply, whether the little sister had gotten up.

The old mother accepted the money and agreed with a smile. After a while, I replied that I had already done it early and sent it away, and the young lady over there had already gotten up and said that she was inviting her brother to come over for dinner. Hu Zhenbang thanked him, immediately walked to Mu Hanyi's residence, knocked on the door and went in, turned back to the old mother and said, "I'll talk to my little sister about something, if there's anything outside, please report it." Seeing that he was bold, the old mother happily agreed.

Mu Hanyi and Zina were waiting for him in the house, and when they saw Hu Zhenbang coming, they all got up to greet him. Hu Zhenbang hurriedly said: "My brothers and sisters, you don't have to be polite. The three of them sat down and talked while eating breakfast, and Hu Zhenbang told Mu Hanyi and Zina everything about the night before. The two of them were both surprised and delighted. Hu Zhenbang said that he promised Ayimu to send Zina to her, Mu Hanyi was a little reluctant, it turned out that the two of them got along in just one night, although communication was inconvenient, but they were already like sisters. Zina couldn't help but be overjoyed, and told Mu Hanyi by gesture, saying that she, Mu Hanyi, and Ayimu would always be good sisters.

Hu Zhenbang said with a smile: "You three sisters, there will be more times when we get together in the future, now it's just a temporary farewell, judging from the current situation, we still have to stay in the palace for a while." ”

While he was talking, he heard the old mother outside hurriedly knocking on the door, and Hu Zhenbang said, "Come in." ”

I saw that the old mother looked panicked, and when she entered the door, she shouted: "It's amazing, the emperor has died!"

Hu Zhenbang said: "Old mother, don't panic, you have been in this palace for a long time, you know that this national funeral will take some time, what are the rules, please mention it if you have to work for the old man." ”

The old mother said: "Yes, when the old body was young, the first emperor died and also experienced, and now somehow, when he is older, he can't hold his breath, the national funeral of the Great Xia Kingdom was originally to imitate the Great Song Dynasty mourning system, after the emperor's death, the courtiers must serve the mourning for 27 days, and someone will come to the palace after a while, everyone needs to change into mourning clothes, remember not to talk and laugh loudly." ”

Hu Zhenbang asked again: "In this way, the marriage of the 'Xixia Princess' must be delayed, right?"

The old mother hurriedly said: "This is natural, during the national funeral, where can I marry the princess far away." ”

Hu Zhenbang said: "Yes, my sister, I can't get married even if I want to." ”

The old mother said: "It's not that you can't get married, after the mourning period, let's see how the enthroned emperor arranges for the princess to marry far away." ”

Hu Zhenbang said: "Thank you mother, the rules of the DPRK and China, I will ask you to mention more." ”

The old mother said that it was okay and retired. After a short time, sure enough, the inner chamberlain sent someone to ask everyone in each palace and room to change into mourning clothes, and Hu Zhenbang changed into mourning clothes with Mu Hanyi and Zina.

Hu Zhenbang said: "Now that the palace is busy with funerals, the palace will not be too strict, so it is better for us to go to Jiangfu Palace now, let Zina stay in the palace, and the two sisters will reunite." ”

At that moment, the three of them went out to the Jiangfu Palace, on this way, they saw that the palace people were all dressed in white, and they were in a hurry, and white flags were hung everywhere in the palace, and groups of monks could be seen coming in and out from time to time, and the bells were ringing in the distance.

Occasionally, I saw a few teams of guards, who were also dressed in plain clothes, and did not interrogate the three of them more. Passing by a palace gate again, he saw several officials wearing mourning clothes, talking in a low voice there, Hu Zhenbang listened attentively, and heard an official look humane: "Later, there will be no Tibetan Xiangguo to hold an edict ceremony in front of the Xia'an Gate, and then he will rush to the Danxi Palace to hold the new emperor to enthrone the throne." ”

I heard another official say: "Brother Ning Ling is dead, and I don't know who ascended the throne, so it shouldn't be that he didn't have the Xiangguo to sit in this position by himself!"

The first official hurriedly said: "Lord Shi, be careful when you speak, if someone reaches Xiangguo's ears, it will be bad." ”

Mu Hanyi also heard the conversation between the two officials, and whispered to Hu Zhenbang: "Big brother, it seems that they don't know who will ascend the throne." ”

Hu Zhenbang said: "Yes, now only Wuzang Xiangguo and his group of henchmen know, I don't know how everyone will react when they hear that it is an infant who succeeds to the throne." ”

As he was talking, he suddenly saw several Tubo people dressed as people hurrying on the opposite side, the first one was wearing a fur hat, and the tall thin man with a cold face was Song Zanpu, only to hear him turn around and talk to his companions while talking about Tubo, Hu Zhenbang knew a little about Tubo, only heard him say: "Li Yuanhao died last night, and those "Wujing General Essentials" we gave must try to get them back. ”

A Tibetan retinue replied: "National teacher, if we still need to marry the 'Princess of Western Xia' in the end, it is difficult to ask Daxia for the dowry gift. ”

Several people hurriedly walked by Hu Zhenbang and the three of them, Hu Zhenbang only heard Song Zanpu say: "The princess wants to marry, but the book must also act at the opportunity......"

Hu Zhenbang listened to what the two said to Mu Hanyi, and Mu Hanyi said: "What do you mean by acting at the opportunity? Could it be that the princess wants it, and they also want to try to bring this scripture back?"

Hu Zhenbang said: "I'm afraid it's not so easy, but we also have to be careful not to be taken by them first." ”

While speaking, he had arrived outside the gate of Jiangfu Palace, and saw that a group of palace attendants outside the palace gate were also busy arranging funeral Bai Lingzi Baihua. Hu Zhenbang called someone to report it, saying that Her Majesty's family had arrived, and he invited him in a moment.

Ayimu saw that Zina was also coming, and was so happy that she pulled her to laugh and cry, and Zina couldn't help but be overjoyed, holding Ayimu's hands and not letting go. Hu Zhenbang and Mu Hanyi were so happy to see them reunited, and they couldn't help but be happy for the two of them.

Hu Zhenbang said to Ayimu: "Second sister, Zina is here with you, and I feel at ease for my brother." Now the situation in the palace has changed greatly, and I asked the old man in the palace just now, saying that after the emperor's death, the court will mourn for 27 days, and the matter of marrying Tubo must also be delayed. ”

Ayimu said: "Big brother, you should go again at night, I'm afraid that the inspection will be too strict during the day." Zena nodded yes.

Mu Hanyi said: "Today's funeral, the palace is busy everywhere like a fly, my sister doesn't have to worry, I think, I still accompany my eldest brother to listen to some news, so I can take care of it." What do you think, big brother?"

Hu Zhenbang smiled: "That's fine, but you have to go back to your residence to change into that set of guards." ”

Seeing that Mu Hanyi was also going with him, Ayimu thought in his heart that this sister was also very good at martial arts, and she could take care of her eldest brother and feel at ease, so she smiled and said: "If you have a care like this, I will be much more relieved, and the eldest brother will take care of the younger sister." ”

Mu Hanyi said with a smile: "My sister is so good, I care about my sister everywhere, if my eldest brother doesn't take care of me, you can help me scold him when I come back." ”

The two of them went out of Jiangfu Palace, went to the residence, and met the guards on the way, saying that they were the brothers and sisters of the "Xixia Princess", because the emperor died, and they were also in mourning, and the guards did not ask much to let them go. The two glanced at each other, and suddenly laughed, it turned out that everyone in the palace was dressed in white, and they were almost exactly the same, so where did they need to change into any guard clothes.

I didn't go back to the palace at the moment, so I discussed where to go first. Hu Zhenbang said: "I heard the official on the way to Shicai that he didn't hide Pang to issue Li Yuanhao's edict in Xiaanmen, how about going down now?"

Mu Hanyi said: "Okay, then hurry up, the direction of Xiaanmen, do you know." ”

Hu Zhenbang said: "Come with me." After that, he walked quickly in front of him, seemingly walking leisurely, but he floated out a few feet in an instant, Mu Hanyi performed light skills to chase after him, and always followed him within a kilometer of a distance. Hu Zhenbang said with a smile: "The little sister has good light skills. ”

Mu Hanyi also smiled: "It's worse than the eldest brother, but the eldest brother, you don't want to get rid of me." ”

While speaking, he came to an open place, the palace gate was tall and majestic, and hundreds of civil and military officials gathered outside the door, standing in front of the palace in two columns, and there were generals from all walks of life, all dressed in white clothes, and lined up in a horizontal line in the middle.

The two quietly approached the end of the queue and stood at the end, fortunately no sergeant noticed, and when they stood for a short time, a master of ceremonies walked out of the Xia'an Gate and said: "The auspicious time has arrived, and there is no Tibetan Xiangguo to announce the edict of the first emperor." ”

I saw another minister in white mourning clothes walking out of the door, who was standing in front of the palace gate, coughing, and proclaiming loudly: "The edict of the first emperor said, 'After the crown prince Ning Lingge abolishes the throne, he plots to rebel and kill the king, and he must not succeed to the throne again, and it is decided to set up the prince Li Liangzuo to ascend the throne."

As soon as he said this, the ministers were in an uproar except for the commander of the Nuo Shift Reward and the general of the three roads. Hu Zhenbang and Mu Hanyi heard everyone talking and said: "The emperor also has a prince named Li Liangzuo, why haven't you heard of it?"

"I heard that the emperor and the master of the Wuzang have had many private meetings in the Jietan Temple, isn't it ......"

"Shhhh ”

Suddenly, I heard Pang who didn't hide it and said loudly: "Everyone, Li Liang's deception is born from the first emperor and his concubine who did not hide the black cloud, and it is indeed the dragon vein of the first emperor, and this former emperor's personal guards can eat more than they can prove, who has any objections?"

Hu Zhenbang whispered to Mu Hanyi: "This big traitor actually lied openly in public, it is really shameless. ”

Mu Hanyi said: "It seems that this human right is tilted towards the government and the opposition, and the power covers the sky, and no one in the Manchu Dynasty dares to refute it in person." ”

Sure enough, the ministers responded: "The ministers respectfully obey the edict of the first emperor and support the crown prince Li Liang's ascension to the throne." ”

He said: "Ladies and gentlemen, an hour later will be auspicious, and the Prime Minister will preside over the enthronement ceremony for the prince in the Danxi Palace. ”