The fifth watch, the crow's crow, all signaling the approaching dawn.
Early in the morning, the young servants and maids in the prince's mansion were each attending to their duties, busy with their own tasks, none daring to delay.
Activity stirred in every courtyard. Before long, Fan Zehao returned from outside the mansion and hurried towards the main courtyard. The servants and maids along the way quickly bowed as they saw him, his face covered in stubble and looking utterly exhausted, suggesting he had been traveling day and night for the past few days.
In the sleeping chambers.
Te Jiu stood before Zhao Jiaqi, bowing respectfully. "Princess, your subordinate has been ordered to come and awaits your command."
Seeing him disguised as her husband, Zhao Jiaqi's heart was filled with a mix of emotions. After some thought, she said, "Today is the old madam's funeral. As her 'son,' you should be very sad. Apart from that, follow the steward's instructions for the burial and the rites. You will do as instructed."
Te Jiu understood the princess's words and the implications of impersonating the prince today. However, a flicker of worry crossed his mind. "What if I encounter someone who knows me on the way?"
This was a plausible concern. However, in profound grief, one's attention tends to wander.
A moment later, she said, "You need not pay them any mind. If absolutely necessary, offer a few words. After all, at this moment, you are the prince. No one will dare contradict you. Just remember, you are the prince now, and the person in the coffin is your mother. Keep this relationship in mind, and you will know what to do."
Her words stirred something within Te Jiu's heart. Because of his family's poverty, he had been sold by his mother and lived as a slave. Had he not met Te Shou, he would have remained a servant for his entire life.
He felt he could never repay the prince for saving his life, nor Te Shou for his recognition. His only recourse was to give his life in return. As for the concept of a mother, he held little sentiment.
Te Jiu could not think of the person in the coffin as his mother; he feared he might celebrate with firecrackers. It would be better to think of Te Shou. That way, he might even shed a tear.
Yes, he would do just that.
He hastily ate a few mouthfuls for breakfast and then proceeded to the mourning hall.
Both joyous and somber occasions had designated stewards. The roots of their prince's mansion lay in the countryside. The elder uncle and the prince's father had discussed it, and the funeral rites would follow the customs of their hometown. They had specifically asked Zhao Jiaqi for her opinion on this matter.
She stated that she respected the wishes of the deceased and agreed to the idea of her mother and her father-in-law being buried together. However, the current father-in-law appeared somewhat displeased, though he said nothing.
This time, the steward was Fan Biao's elder uncle. At his command, Fan Zehao carried the memorial tablet, and the burial rites commenced in an orderly fashion.
The entire inner city was draped in white.
Along the road, servants scattered paper money to clear the path. The grand procession departed from the prince's mansion, filled with wailing.
Guards followed closely beside the coffin, with grandchildren and maternal grandchildren behind them. The procession moved towards the graveyard.
The departure was smooth. They were just about to leave the city gate. Once they boarded the carriages to head to the graveyard, the task would be complete, and they could relax.
As they passed through the city gate, the coffin was placed on a four-horse carriage. Everything was in place, and the procession proceeded towards the graveyard. What had been a smooth journey was unexpectedly interrupted by an unforeseen obstacle.
Assassins descended from the sky, their swords flashing with cold light, charging directly at Fan Zehao. Their target was clear, and their movements were swift and deadly, each strike aimed to kill.
Seeing the situation, those with timid hearts fled. The braver ones pulled the coffin carriage aside and began to defend it.
Zhao Jiaqi, holding her children, handed them to Pingting. "Xu Dong can hold them off with the soldiers for a while longer. You take the children and the elders and leave first. I will have Shi Lei escort you back to the city."
Pingting glanced at the children, who were trembling with fear but not crying, making a fuss, or showing any signs of cowardice. In this regard, they were very much like their father, possessing backbone.
"Sister-in-law, let Shi Lei escort the children back. I will stay and help you."
Zhao Jiaqi frowned, her brows knitting together. "Listen to me, don't be reckless. This situation is not as simple as it appears. I trust you with the children. Hurry and take them away."
She was anxious, almost to the point of kicking Pingting back to the city.
Pingting bit her red lips, a hint of stubbornness in her eyes. She forcibly pulled the children away. Under their mother's angry gaze, Fan Sen and Fan Yao reluctantly returned.
Conversely, Yu Meng charged to the front line, fighting alongside her 'father.' By the time Zhao Jiaqi noticed, the battle was already raging.
On the ground lay shattered bodies, with severed arms, legs, and hands. Some were cut in half at the waist, their intestines, bladders, and lungs spilling out. Blood stained the ground, and the air was thick with the stench of gore.
The assassins' targets were clear; they did not harm the innocent. However, seeing that they could not subdue Fan Zehao and his companions, they shifted their attention to others.
At this moment, Yu Meng and Zhao Jiaqi became their primary targets.
The hidden guards protecting the lady saw that the situation was deteriorating. As the assassins shifted their targets, they emerged from the shadows.
Once the hidden guards engaged, the fate of the assassins was no longer in their hands. Soon, the battlefield began to quiet down.
Yu Meng saw her 'father' get injured and rushed forward to check on him. He dodged her approach, causing Yu Meng to freeze on the spot, her hands still suspended in mid-air.
She said nothing, moved not, and simply stared at 'Fan Zehao.' After a moment, she turned and went to her mother's side.
Te Jiu and Fan Xudong assessed the situation. Their side had lost eight men, with fourteen severely injured and over thirty lightly wounded. Half of the assassins sent by the enemy were dead, and the remaining few, barely breathing, numbered five. Eight were captured alive, and their poisoned teeth were extracted, their jaws dislocated. This rendered any attempt to bite their tongues and commit suicide futile.
Looking at the assassins with dislocated jaws, their saliva constantly dripping, they were a truly disgusting sight.
Zhao Jiaqi's temples throbbed. She reached up and massaged them, then said to the 'Fan Zehao' beside her, "Sever the tendons in the hands and feet of these assassins. Take them directly to the prince's mansion dungeon. Send two teams to escort them along the way, and the special forces will provide protection. No errors are to be permitted."
Te Jiu: "Understood, subordinate... I will have someone do it now."
He almost revealed himself. Under Zhao Jiaqi's sharp gaze, he quickly corrected himself.
However, no matter how quickly he changed his words, Yu Meng had already detected the anomaly.
After the funeral procession had recovered, Fan Biao calmed his pounding heart and they set off again. He had attended many funerals in his life, but this one was unique. He thought he would never attend another person's funeral. Perhaps one more would shave ten years off his life.
Along the way, Yu Meng stayed close to Zhao Jiaqi's side, appearing to support her, but in reality, she was speaking in a low voice. "Mother, where is my father?"
"Don't say that person is my father. My father wouldn't be so incompetent."
Yu Meng's bright eyes sparkled as she looked at her, waiting for her words.