by her granddaughter and opened her eyes, struggling to sit up.Her face was pale and somewhat weak.But she still picked up her granddaughter and chuckled, "Little Blessing worried about Grandma Don't...She looked around at everyone blankly before remembering what had just happened. Then she threw herself onto the coffin and cried out loud.

"Mother, mother, woe is me!"

Now, dusk had fallen upon the land, shrouding everything in dimness.

The little girl who lost her mother was weeping, her cries piercing the heart of anyone who heard them.

The Emperor sighed, stepped forward and patted his daughter's back, comforting her.

"Alright, stop crying. Your mother has been ill for so long, her lamp has finally run out of oil. Now she is finally at peace. I will give her a proper funeral, befitting a queen's dignity. But..."

"Just what" The third princess raised her head, her eyes red as she looked at her father. Suddenly, a chilling guess arose in her heart.

The Emperor couldn't quite meet his daughter's gaze, turning away to clear his throat and say, "The ceremony for crowning the Crown Prince is just around the corner, as is the selection of a Crown Princess. This concerns the stability and succession of the entire Tianwu Empire. To hold a funeral now would disrupt too many plans.

"Therefore, you'll have to ask your mother to stay here for a few days. Keep it a secret from the outside world. Wait until after the Grand Ceremony of the Crown Prince and the selection of the Crown Princess, then we will give your mother a proper burial."

"Your mother is the Empress, the mother of a nation. She surely understands my actions, after all, the greater good comes first..."

The third princess remained silent, two lines of tears, faintly tinged with blood, silently sliding down her cheeks.

"Your Majesty, I have been your wife for twenty years, bearing you children. Even if I have made mistakes, I am still your first wife!

Even if you dislike her, even if you blame her, she is dead. Doesn't she even deserve a peaceful burial!

"Must she be left here to rot and stink Must we wait until the right day to let her 'die'"

The third princess didn't have a hysterical outburst, she acted like a child who knew nothing, asking every word one by one, which pierced the emperor's heart and exposed his lies.

He didn't know how to answer, or perhaps he couldn't answer at all.

Finally, he could only choose to escape.

"I know you're heartbroken and have lost your composure. I won't hold it against you, but please don't say such things again. You are not only the daughter of your mother, but also Princess Tianwu. For Tianwu, both you and your mother are destined to make sacrifices."

"I shall return first. If you wish, stay here and guard it."

Having said that, he flicked his sleeve and returned to the study.

The third princess did not bow or inquire, she slowly turned away, holding the coffin and continuing to weep.

The crown prince was silent for a long time, then knelt down and said, "Don't be too sad, Mother is in heaven and always hopes that you will take good care of yourself."

The Third Princess wiped her tears furiously, retorted with resentment, "Would you not be sad if your mother died"

The prince lowered his eyelids and replied softly, “My birth mother passed away when I was very young, so I don't have even a glimmer of memory of her. And now, even if I wanted to pay my respects, I wouldn't know where her remains are.”

The third princess was choked, her inherent kindness wouldn't allow her to say anything more.

The prince didn't hold it against her, patting her shoulder and saying, "I've sent someone to bring the county princess into the palace to keep you company. You... mourn in moderation."

After saying that, he also got up and left the palace gate. As soon as he turned a corner, the little fox jumped down from the wall next to him and landed in his arms.

The prince smiled helplessly, stroking its smooth fur and said, "Your master is about to enter the palace. When that time comes, you mustn't forget the little fried fish in Xilong Pavilion. Remember to come see me often."

The little fox immediately raised its neck and looked around, looking guilty as if it had been caught slacking off.

The prince laughed, his lips curving upward, and continued walking back, still holding the little fox.

Feng Gonggong walked a few steps behind, with the little eunuch following him. He dared neither to speak nor listen too closely.

Finally, the Crown Prince spoke as they neared Xiling Pavilion.

"Master Feng, please go to Suijin Beach and invite the county princess into the palace to accompany the princess. Remember to explain things clearly and don't startle the county princess. The county princess is intelligent and knows what's important, so there's no need to worry about her leaking secrets."

"Yes, Your Highness, this old slave will go and do it right away."

Feng Gonggong dared not delay, quickly prepared the carriage and horses and hurried out of the palace.

Jia Yin felt very relaxed because she had resolved a big matter weighing on her mind.

Even though the third princess had tricked him into looking like a fool, he was still in high spirits. On his way back to Suijintan Beach in his carriage, he almost hummed all the way.

Water Spirit and Water Cloud were overjoyed to finally see their master's appearance.

Shuǐyún smiled and said, “My lady, after the sun sets, it’s much cooler. I can make some delicious dishes. Would you like to have a glass of wine”

Jia Yin nodded, happily agreeing.

"Sure, I brewed a lot last year. Let's open a jar and see how it tastes. Remember to prepare some ice cubes and let the wine breathe for a while."

Suiling joined in the fun, her eyes sparkling with desire as she pleaded, "Miss, could we have a cup too"

Jia Yin playfully tapped her, saying, "Fine, as long as you don't get too drunk and go around causing trouble."

Shui Ling blushed and twisted her body in protest.

Last Mid-Autumn Festival, she greedily drank a few too many cups, and in her drunken stupor, climbed on the roof and trees, causing quite a commotion. Finally, she was knocked unconscious and thrown back into her room, only then did things quiet down at home...

As they were speaking, the carriage arrived at the village. From afar, one could hear that the village was very lively.

At the village entrance, Jia Yin jumped off the carriage and asked a few questions. It turned out that there was an old man celebrating his birthday in the village.

The old man didn't make any special preparations at home. He just cooked some good dishes and invited the village head and Uncle Zhao over for a drink, treating them as fellow brothers getting together.

For so many years, life in the village has been good. The elderly have plenty of food to eat and warm clothes to wear, enjoying a comfortable life.

But birth, aging, sickness, and death are inescapable for everyone.

Gradually, one by one, several of the elderly who had once fled together over mountains and valleys have passed away.

So, the rest of these things, we cherish the time spent together even more.

They all longed to see their descendants thrive and witness the prosperous days of Suijintan.

Jia Yin wasn't keen on joining the commotion with the elderly men. After all, her status here would make everyone feel constrained and uncomfortable.

So, she directly opened the warehouse, took two jars of good wine, two pieces of fabric suitable for making clothes for the elderly, and added two boxes of snacks and two baskets of fruits. She hurriedly asked Shui Ling to send them over.

It's not that she was reluctant to give away the wine, it's just that the old men prefer strong spirits that burn the throat and find wine too sour and weak!

Needless to say, the gifts from the host made the gathering of the old men even more lively.

The elderly man who had celebrated his birthday also asked his son to come to the old house to express his gratitude, and sent him back a plate of longevity biscuits.

Jia Yin took a bite, then wrapped it up, planning to have someone send it to Yuan Yuan tomorrow.

This longevity biscuit, is actually just a regular small crispy pancake filled with sugar and sesame.

But because it is used for elderly birthdays, it has the implication that children who eat it will live a long and healthy life.

Such a good thing, Jia Yin naturally couldn't forget her little nephew!

After nightfall, the evening breeze turned refreshingly cool.

On the small stone table in the backyard, Shuiyun had meticulously prepared a feast of delicious dishes. Shuilin, with a beaming smile, carried out a goblet carved from white jade from the ice bucket.

As a result, just as I had poured three cups of purplish-red liquid, the front gate was slammed!

Here are two updates for today~!looked at Li Lao Si, who was as agitated as an ant on a hot pot, and couldn't help but laugh."Okay, we're not taking him!"Li Lao also glared fiercely at her son and soothed her granddaughter, "Your fa...