Chapter 188 - Gathering of Officials
In the spring of the 212th year of the Ruen Dynasty, the fifth Emperor of the Ruen Dynasty, Chen Kaiming, passed away at the age of sixty-four.
Chen Kaiming’s sudden death came to the shock of everyone. It was so abrupt that no one had time to react. The person affected the most by the Emperor's passing was undoubtedly the Crown Prince, Chen Xun.
Su Yi had no way of knowing how Chen Xun was really coping, as they hadn't met for several days.
On the second day after Chen Kaiming’s passing, an announcement was issued from the palace, instructing all ministers and officials of various governmental departments to observe a seven-day period of fasting, a hundred days of abstinence from festivities, and a prohibition on marriages.
Military personnel and civilians in the capital were forbidden from wearing their ceremonial hats and must wear mourning garments for twenty-seven days. Marriages were banned for one month, festivities were banned for one hundred days, the slaughter of animals was banned for forty-nine days, and prayers and offerings could only resume after twenty-seven days. From the day of mourning until the day normal services resumed, all temples and shrines in the capital were to toll their bells a total of thirty thousand times.
On the third day, all officials proceeded to the palace to enter the Qingan Hall in an orderly prearranged manner for the condolence ceremony. The sequence was arranged according to official rank, so Su Yi was among the first to enter. He entered the silent hall with his head lowered, holding his breath so as not to make a sound.
Su Yi cautiously raised his eyes to survey the surroundings. Long-burning lamps were lit on all sides of the hall, quietly burning, while a peculiar fragrance lingered in the air. He was alone.
In the center of the hall, not far ahead, lay a golden-threaded Chinese cedar coffin. Su Yi’s heartbeat quickened involuntarily when he thought about the person lying inside. Just the day before yesterday, they had exchanged glances. The situation felt inexplicably surreal.
Following the ritual, he performed the three kneels and nine kowtows, and completed various ceremonial offerings before leaving Qingan Hall. He then stood with the officials outside the hall in silent condolence.