eurekapd Chapter 1039 Funeral Procession
Chapter 1039 Funeral Procession
The sky was overcast on the day of Qian Bin's funeral.
According to the final agreement between the Ministry of Rites and the Emperor, the coffin was to be carried out at 7:00 AM.
Lead-gray clouds pressed down on the eaves and brackets of the capital, but could not suppress the mournful glory that spread from the Qian family mansion.
The coffin, meticulously crafted from nanmu wood by imperial artisans, was lifted by sixteen imperial guards dressed in plain clothes and slowly moved out of the Qian residence.
The moment the ceremonial procession appeared, the officials waiting on both sides of the long street outside the mansion paused for a moment.
There was no other reason than that the filial son walking at the very front of the coffin, holding the soul-guiding banner, was none other than the current emperor!
Despite being mentally prepared, it was still quite a surprise to see the emperor actually performing the filial piety rites for his subjects as a disciple.
The dual impact of visual and conceptual shock still deeply moved all the officials and civil servants.
Everyone hurriedly lowered their heads, not daring to look directly at each other, their hearts filled with complex emotions.
Some were shocked, some were moved, some were envious, and some were dissatisfied.
But most people had only one thought in their minds: His Majesty treats his meritorious officials like this, so if we are loyal and devoted, what do we have to worry about after we die?
The funeral procession proceeded silently along the road leading out of the city.
White banners fluttered like snowflakes, paper money filled the sky, and mournful music played in a low, mournful tone.
Officials followed in order of rank, their carriages and horses swaying, yet there was not a sound.
The roads had already been cleared, and both sides were heavily guarded by the Imperial Guards and the Embroidered Uniform Guards, creating a very solemn atmosphere.
At first, the people who were stopped outside the cordon just looked around curiously and whispered among themselves about which important person had passed away, that such a scene was being held.
Most of them were illiterate and unfamiliar with the names of high-ranking officials in the court. They regarded it as an ordinary funeral for nobles and, although they felt it was solemn, they did not pay too much attention to it.
After all, the life and death of high-ranking officials and nobles are far removed from their daily lives.
Not to mention the numerous absurd and disgraceful things done by officials during the previous dynasty, and the frequent oppression of the people, so the relationship between the people and officials was far from harmonious.
Now that the new dynasty has been established, Li Che has effectively restrained the powerful and wealthy, but easing tensions between classes is not something that can be achieved in a short time.
However, when the ceremonial procession that led the way passed and the emperor's figure appeared before the coffin, all the whispers vanished instantly.
The people stared wide-eyed, almost unable to believe what they were seeing.
The Emperor? It's His Majesty the Emperor!
His Majesty was actually wearing mourning clothes and walking at the very front?!
The common people may not understand the profound principles of loyalty between the emperor and his subjects, nor the weight of the posthumous title "Wenzheng," but they recognize the emperor, the young emperor who, after ascending the throne, reduced taxes, ended wars, and punished corrupt officials and powerful figures.
In their simple understanding, the emperor was heaven, a sage ruler who brought them good days.
And now, this sage ruler is so respectful at someone's funeral, personally carrying the coffin...
How loyal must this person be?
Needless to say, he must be an extremely good person to deserve such treatment from the emperor!
The common people's logic was simple: those whom the emperor cared about must be those who were good to the emperor, and being good to the emperor was being good to the people!
The death of such a person caused even the emperor great sorrow. Shouldn't we, the common people who have received the emperor's favor, also show our gratitude?
Therefore, there was no organization, no orders...
Someone quietly stepped forward and followed at the end of the officials' procession, keeping a respectful distance.
One, two, ten, a hundred...
More and more ordinary people dressed in plain clothes joined in.
They walked on in silence, their faces solemn.
The paper money and white silk flowers scattered along the way were originally to be cleaned up by special personnel arranged by the Ministry of Rites.
But soon, the officials of the Ministry of Rites discovered that the people had begun to take action on their own.
They bent down and carefully picked up the white objects that had fallen to the roadside, gathering them together.
The officials of the Ministry of Rites were dumbfounded. They were the most opposed to the emperor having his ministers carry his coffin, so they were somewhat reluctant to arrange the personnel, but they had no choice but to do so because of the emperor's imperial authority.
To everyone's surprise, His Majesty didn't need to do these things at all. He didn't even have to say a word, and the people of the city were willing to help him.
The accompanying officials from the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue were dumbfounded.
When it came time to perform corvée labor, you all made excuses and refused to participate. Because of His Majesty's benevolent rule, they dared not enforce it.
Now we're doing things for the emperor, and we're not paying you, yet you've come here on your own initiative.
So, the common people are also snobs, huh?
The funeral procession stretched out like a snowball, winding like a long white dragon as it slowly traversed the wide streets of the capital.
Li Che glanced back unintentionally, and was slightly taken aback at first, but then felt a warm feeling in his heart.
In fact, this doesn't mean anything. The Chinese people have a deep-rooted reverence and respect for the dead and kings.
But this also represents a lot. It represents the will of the people and the foundation of his governance over the years, which has unknowingly penetrated into the hearts of the most ordinary people.
Meanwhile, in the group, Xu Jiezi, with his white beard and white hair, was already in tears.
"Teacher...can you see it?" Xu Jiezi murmured to himself, "This...is the world you have been pursuing!"
At this moment when the whole city was draped in white mourning clothes, a small, weary-looking group quietly entered the city through the south gate.
The two leading figures were dressed in a worn-out imperial physician's robe, with a gaunt face.
The other man was dressed as a young general, with dark skin and sharp eyes.
It was Hua Chang'an and Ma Zhong who were appointed to go to Qiongzhou in a time of crisis.
The two men and their entourage were stunned by the stark white atmosphere as soon as they entered the city.
The streets were deserted, and the shops were half-closed.
In the distance, somber funeral music drifted, and a faint white-clad crowd could be seen.
The two were quite frightened; the scene was too grand... Could this be more than a national mourning?
But His Majesty is clearly very young... How could this be?!
The two dared not think any further and quickly grabbed a patrolling soldier standing at the street corner, asking in surprise:
"What...what happened in the capital? Which important person has passed away? It's unbelievable..."
The soldier recognized Hua Chang'an's official robes and replied respectfully in a low voice, "Your Excellency, this is Duke Shu, Grand Secretary Qian, whose funeral is being held today."
"Grand Secretary Qian?!" Hua Chang'an and Ma Zhong exclaimed in unison.
Qian Bin! That always-smiling old minister actually...
The two looked at each other and saw the shock in each other's eyes.
They were fighting the plague far away in Qiongzhou, where news was relatively scarce. Although they knew Qian Bin was old, they never imagined that his return would be to find him gone forever.
"His Majesty, I'm afraid..." Ma Zhong murmured hoarsely.
Although he was young, he was a close advisor and favorite general of the emperor, and he knew well how much Qian Bin meant to the emperor.
Hearing this terrible news, he was already feeling bad; how heartbroken His Majesty must be at this moment.
Hua Chang'an took a deep breath and made a quick decision: "It's not a good time to report to the Emperor. Let's go and see Grand Secretary Qian off."
Ma Zhong nodded in agreement.