12dz Chapter 161 Post-Mourning Arrangements
Chapter 161 Post-Mourning Arrangements
Consort Qin was a shrewd woman, and upon hearing this, she immediately understood the Crown Prince's meaning. While crying out, she also immediately replied to the Crown Prince.
"His Majesty has passed away, and the Crown Prince is now the new emperor of our dynasty. We concubines in the harem will naturally follow your arrangements. The Crown Princess is decisive and resourceful, and it is only right that she should handle the affairs of the harem. Consort Liang, go back and tidy up, and send everything to the Crown Princess."
In front of so many people, Consort Liang couldn't utter a single word of dissent.
It's also her fault for being so busy with Consort Jia these days that she didn't pay attention to the old emperor's health for a while. She thought that a chronically ill person could be put off for three or five years, and that she would pave her own way out.
But I never expected it to happen so quickly.
Therefore, with her head down, a hint of resentment flashed in her eyes, but when she looked at everyone again, her eyes were already filled with tears.
Every woman in the palace is capable of acting.
Even the most innocent and naive will learn some skills after being immersed in this melting pot.
"Your Highness is right. I will make arrangements as soon as I get back. However, I am afraid I will be in a bit of a panic for a while. Please allow me a few days."
"How many days?"
Consort Qin asked directly, leaving Consort Liang speechless for a moment, but after a brief pause, she could only bite the bullet and answer.
"Seven days."
"No, that's too long. The Crown Prince's ascension to the throne is only a matter of a few days. If the power in the harem is still in the hands of the old concubines, the whole world will criticize us. At most, it will take three days. If the people around Consort Liang are not capable, then I will send these old women to help. They are all veterans who have been handling my affairs for many years and know the ropes very well."
Upon hearing this, Consort Liang gritted her teeth in hatred, but she could not refute it in front of everyone.
After all, Consort Qin had truly ruled the palace for many years, and compared to her, her strength was still a level above. Therefore, she could only nod with tears in her eyes and remain silent.
He Lingyi had to admire the Crown Prince's strategy; his handling of the young prince had proven to be a good one.
If they had sent the little prince to Consort Yi, given Consort Yi's personality, she wouldn't have stood up for her. But it was different with Consort Qin. She had a higher status and more power in the harem. With the arrival of the little prince, she became much more active.
Reciprocity has always been a skillfully employed tactic among members of the royal family.
Today, He Lingyi has witnessed it firsthand.
Therefore, the first battle in which power was transferred from Consort Liang was fought very well. Outsiders felt that there was harmony inside and outside the palace, and no one had any objection to the Crown Prince's ascension to the throne and the Crown Princess's control of the harem.
The royal night watch consisted of imperial relatives inside and ministers outside.
The lights were on, yet everything was in perfect order.
In the side hall, the Crown Prince rested for a while and also had a late-night snack.
The sky was pitch black, and the entire Qi'an Hall appeared solemn and dignified. The monks' chanting never stopped. At first, He Lingyi was a little confused by the noise and didn't know how to proceed, but now she had gotten used to it.
Seeing that the Crown Prince ate a few bites of fish porridge and then rested, He Lingyi was still a little worried.
"Your Highness, do you have a poor appetite?"
"The incense smoke is so strong that it makes people lose their appetite. It's okay to eat lighter food for the next few days. Once the forty-ninth day is over, everything will naturally return to normal."
Then the Crown Prince closed his eyes and rested for a while, and He Lingyi did not disturb him further.
There's not much she can do now but stay by the Crown Prince's side. She used to think that being in a high position meant having a broad perspective, but now she realizes that while that position grants her the highest power in the world, it also means bearing the weight of the people's gaze.
One wrong move and you're doomed.
In comparison, her revenge seems rather lackluster.
The Crown Prince's breathing became much more even, and He Lingyi knew that he had fallen asleep. So she got up and tiptoed out of the side hall, where she bumped into Hai Yu and Qiao Er. Upon seeing this, she quietly stopped them.
"His Highness is so tired that he has fallen asleep. Let him rest for half an hour. We still need to keep watch tonight."
"Your Highness, the messages have been sent to the various regional princes. A large number of people will soon flood into the capital, so we need to discuss the arrangements with His Highness."
Hearing this, He Lingyi didn't dare to stop her. She just thought that she could postpone it for a while, since the matter couldn't be completed in a day. But before she could speak, she heard the Crown Prince shout from inside.
"Come in."
He Lingyi sighed, thinking he was asleep, but she didn't expect him to wake up so suddenly.
Nodding, the two clasped their hands and entered the side hall, while He Lingyi went to check on other matters, such as whether the ministers and relatives had made any mistakes in their vigil, and thus made his own arrangements.
In the side hall.
Haiyu felt a little sorry for the Crown Prince when he saw that the Crown Prince looked somewhat tired. But the Crown Prince was the Crown Prince, and he would become the Emperor in the future. If the current matter was not dealt with, there would only be more trouble. So he answered directly.
"Your Highness, all the messages to the vassal kings have been sent out. The faster ones will arrive in the next day or two, and the slower ones will arrive in seven days at most. So if we wait for all the vassal kings to enter the capital for the funeral, I'm afraid we'll have to be on high alert in July and August."
It's June now, and while the news may arrive quickly, it doesn't mean the princes will arrive just as fast.
The situation in each fiefdom is different, so it would be ideal if everyone could gather in July. When Haiyu asked this question, he had another important matter to ask: when would the Crown Prince ascend the throne?
The difference between receiving these vassal kings as the crown prince or as the new emperor is significant, hence the long wait for the crown prince's reply.
After a moment of silence, the prince's eyes regained their clarity.
After calmly turning the jade thumb ring on his left index finger, he gave the order.
"Let the Bureau of Astronomy and the Ministry of Rites choose a date. I will ascend the throne within half a month. As for the princes from various regions, if any of them come to the capital, they shall be arranged to stay in the post stations and await my decree."
"Yes, Your Highness."
With the Crown Prince's words, Haiyu and Qiao Er's arrangements became much easier to carry out.
They are now the Crown Prince's confidants and the backbone of the future new dynasty, so everything they do will become a trendsetter in the eyes of others. So, as soon as they left, the two went straight to the Ministry of Rites and the Bureau of Astronomy to relay the Crown Prince's words.
The ministers all understood and immediately began to make arrangements.
The crown prince's ascension to the throne was a natural progression, but the grand ceremony could not be taken lightly. Therefore, during the preparations, the Ministry of Rites wished they had twenty-four hours a day to handle all sorts of complicated matters. Because of the shortage of manpower, they even borrowed some people from the other five ministries for help, which was unprecedented.
Guo Yong, who had just taken office as an assistant director of the Ministry of Transportation, was fortunate enough to be included in the list of officials participating in this grand ceremony, and was immediately filled with honor.