dognovel Chapter 137 The Divine Tablet That Violates Ancestral Rules
Chapter 137 The Divine Tablet That Violates Ancestral Rules
Shen Qingtan had just woken up and hadn't washed her face yet. Seeing him so close, she shyly pulled the blanket over half her face and said, "I...I'll get up now."
She turned to the side and rang the copper bell beside the bed.
Zhao Yi watched as she turned around and quickly rubbed the corner of her eye with her hand, and immediately understood why she was covering herself with the blanket. For a moment, he was at a loss for how to react.
It was clear that her mental state had improved considerably, so I was relieved.
Hearing the commotion, Liuyue and Tingxue came in from outside to help Shen Qingtan get up.
After the couple finished their breakfast, they took a carriage to the palace.
At the palace gate, palace attendants were already waiting to greet them and take them to the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
Shen Qingtan stepped out of the sedan chair and saw Emperor Jing'an standing in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple with his eunuchs and imperial guards, but no one else.
Before entering the palace, she thought that even if the memorial ceremony for Empress Yuanrong was not extravagant, all the concubines and princes would be present.
As a result, none of the concubines or princes came; only Emperor Jing'an arrived.
After all, Consort Ling had specially invited Old Madam Zhao to the palace to discuss the memorial ceremony for Empress Yuanrong, which seemed to indicate that she intended to hold a grand and extravagant event.
Could it be that the disaster in Guanzhou was so severe that they no longer followed the ancestral worship tradition?
Compared to Shen Qingtan's surprise, Zhao Yi was not surprised at all.
In recent years, he has basically been the only one who has paid homage to Empress Yuanrong together with Emperor Jing'an.
Emperor Jing'an once explained, "Your aunt prefers quiet and doesn't like being disturbed by too many people, so it's enough for just the two of us to come and see her."
Zhao Yi did not try to guess Emperor Jing'an's thoughts, but followed his wishes and participated in the memorial ceremony for Empress Yuanrong.
"Today is the Empress's memorial ceremony, you two don't need to perform the grand ceremony." Emperor Jing'an stopped the two from bowing and looked at Zhao Yi: "You look much better today. She will be happy to see that."
Zhao Yi coughed a few times: "My aunt has always been protecting me."
"Yes." A hint of sadness flashed in Emperor Jing'an's eyes. "She has always been protecting you."
The group entered the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
The Imperial Ancestral Temple is divided into the front hall, the middle hall, and the rear hall.
They arrived at the central hall, where the spirit tablets of emperors and empresses of past dynasties were enshrined. Outside each shrine was a throne for the emperor or empress of that dynasty.
Historically, only the spirit tablets of the first empress could be placed in the Imperial Ancestral Temple; the second empress was not eligible.
During the sacrificial ceremony, officials would typically offer incense the day before, place the spirit tablet on the altar, and then move it to the front hall.
Emperor Jing'an, however, did not do so.
When Shen Qingtan saw Empress Yuanrong's memorial tablet, she was surprised to find another memorial tablet placed right behind it, so that the words on it were not clearly visible.
She couldn't help but wonder if Emperor Jing'an had erected a spirit tablet for the child that Empress Yuanrong had lost in her womb.
This practice was against the rules, but it also showed how much Emperor Jing'an valued Empress Yuanrong.
She and Zhao Yi paid homage to Empress Yuanrong together, placing several incense sticks in the incense burner.
Emperor Jing'an stood to the side, watching the couple kowtow, his eyes slightly reddening. His gaze fell on the direction of the ancestral tablet, his eyes filled with deep sorrow.
Eunuch Cao was an old servant of Emperor Jing'an and knew the depth of the emperor's feelings for the deceased. Every year on this day, he would neglect state affairs and remain only in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
The reason Emperor Jing'an is so moved is probably because Zhao Yi has started a family.
He has at least given himself an explanation.
Thinking of this, Eunuch Cao couldn't help but feel a little sad.
Even emperors are not omnipotent, and their lives have several regrets.
After Shen Qingtan and Zhao Yi finished their prayers, they looked at Emperor Jing'an standing to the side.
Emperor Jing'an said kindly, "After you have finished your worship, have lunch in the palace before you leave."
Zhao Yi knew that Emperor Jing'an would stay at the Imperial Ancestral Temple on this day. In previous years, when he stayed in the palace for meals, Eunuch Cao would serve him.
Moreover, Shen Qingtan met with Gu Zongci today.
He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, my wife and I have other important matters to attend to, so we will leave the palace first."
Emperor Jing'an did not insist on keeping them: "Very well." Then, he instructed Eunuch Cao: "Go and escort them out of the palace."
Eunuch Cao accepted the order and personally escorted Zhao Yi and Shen Qingtan away.
Shen Qingtan was half a step behind Zhao Yi. As she stepped out of the central hall, she subconsciously turned around and saw Emperor Jing'an standing in front of the ancestral tablet. The light and shadow from the window shone through the latticework onto him, giving him a sense of loneliness and solitude.
It is often said that the imperial family is the most ruthless, but it seems that Emperor Jing'an is a ruler who values loyalty and righteousness.
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Consort Ling stood at a distance with her palace maids, watching Emperor Jing'an lead Zhao Yi and his wife into the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
Over the years, except for the three years following Empress Yuanrong's death when she attended her memorial service, she never went again.
Because Emperor Jing'an forbade it.
Every year, Emperor Jing'an would bring Zhao Yi along, even if Zhao Yi was unwell, he would wait until Zhao Yi's condition improved before they went together.
If Zhao Yi hadn't been two years old when Empress Yuanrong died in childbirth, she would have suspected that Zhao Yi was Empress Yuanrong's son.
Emperor Jing'an's affection for Zhao Yi surpassed that for all his other children.
Consort Ling was extremely relieved that Empress Yuanrong had not given birth to a prince, otherwise Emperor Jing'an would have made the prince the crown prince as soon as he was born.
She didn't know how long she had waited, but she saw Eunuch Cao personally escort Zhao Yi and Shen Qingtan out.
Eunuch Cao wielded real power and recognized only the Emperor as his master in the palace, showing no courtesy to anyone else.
Even with the other princes, they treated each other with the same official business, showing no sign of closeness.
He was particularly kind and even respectful to Zhao Yi.
Consort Ling was once again relieved that she hadn't made a foolish mistake by interfering in the matter of establishing a heir for the Duke's mansion.
Otherwise, if Emperor Jing'an found out, even though she had saved Empress Yuanrong's life, he would never let her off easily.
Consort Ling stood there for half an hour, and as she was about to leave, she ran into Eunuch Cao.
After seeing Zhao Yi and Shen Qingtan off in their sedan chairs, Eunuch Cao turned back.
"Your Highness, what brings you to the Imperial Ancestral Temple?" Eunuch Cao asked.
“Eunuch Cao.” Consort Ling glanced at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, her eyes filled with sorrow. “Today is my sister’s memorial service, and I have come here specifically to pay my respects.”
Eunuch Cao's brow twitched slightly.
Consort Ling pressed a handkerchief to her eyes and said, "Eunuch Cao, go and report back to the Emperor. I will return to my palace first."
Eunuch Cao bowed slightly and said, "This servant respectfully sees off the Imperial Concubine."
After Consort Ling had walked a distance, Eunuch Cao entered the Imperial Ancestral Temple with a whisk. There he saw Emperor Jing'an sitting on a prayer mat, holding a spirit tablet in his hand and carefully wiping it with a handkerchief.
"Yi'er has married the man she loves and brought him to see you today. You can see that they have a very good relationship, right?"
“Once his illness is cured, he can bring the child to see you... and I will have an explanation to give you.”
After watching for a while, Eunuch Cao decided not to make a sound and slowly withdrew from the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
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Zhao Yi and Shen Qingtan left the palace, and their carriage headed directly towards the Qin residence.
Unable to suppress her questions, Shen Qingtan asked, "Second Master, is the tablet behind my aunt's tablet for the unborn prince?"