Peaceful Farm Life

Chapter 1368: Chapter 1369: Another Ziwei Star in the Sky

When the citizens of Xiyun learned that Emperor Su Haoyu, the Retired Emperor, had passed away, they poured out of their homes.

Standing by their doorsteps, the commoners mournfully knelt in the direction of the Imperial Palace, crying and bidding farewell to Su Haoyu: ”The mortal realm has lost Emperor Haoyu, while the heavens gain another Ziwei Star. Retired Emperor, may your journey be smooth.”

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Although Xiao Changyi was Su Haoyu’s adopted son, he was conferred the title of Prince and granted the royal surname. After his death, he would be eligible for burial in the imperial mausoleum. In essence, Xiao Changyi had been formally recognized as Su Haoyu’s successor, able to wear mourning garments and perform funeral rites for him.

At this moment, Xiao Changyi was kneeling in front of the spirit hall, clad in mourning attire, keeping vigil for Su Haoyu.

Beside him knelt An Jing and their four children. An Jing and the four little ones were also dressed in mourning clothes, all of them keeping vigil for Su Haoyu together.

Xiao Changyi kept his head bowed the entire time. Even without looking at him, An Jing knew that his eyes were likely red at this moment.

The eyes of the four little ones were also bloodshot.

So were hers.

The grief weighed heavily on everyone’s hearts—they had lost a loved one, someone so dear.

Su Chengyu knelt not far away, his head lowered as well. The atmosphere of the spirit hall was utterly one of crushing sorrow.

Su Haoyu’s other son, Gong Juechen, although not present at the vigil, was also struggling to cope.

He had wandered aimlessly outside the palace for three days before returning to the women’s military camp.

When Ye Zhi saw Gong Juechen’s return, she initially wanted to avoid him, fearing he might start pestering her again. However, to her surprise, Gong Juechen did not bother her this time—in fact, he seemed not to even notice her, silently walking past her.

Eh?!

Ye Zhi was taken aback and immediately turned around to watch Gong Juechen’s solitary figure head to the tent where the military doctor resided. That silhouette radiated loneliness and melancholy.

”What’s going on?” Ye Zhi was intensely curious about what had happened to Gong Juechen. Although a trace of worry about him flickered in her heart, her curiosity far outweighed her concern, and as a result, she didn’t realize she was actually worried about him.

The death of the Retired Emperor, Su Haoyu, had already been proclaimed throughout Xiyun. Everyone in Xiyun knew of Su Haoyu’s demise, and Ye Zhi was no exception.

In fact, Ye Zhi had known earlier than the people of Xiyun, as An Jing had sent someone to inform her, asking her to temporarily take charge of the female soldiers.

There were only nine female soldiers at present because Su Chengyuan had left the military camp shortly after An Jing and Xiao Changyi had departed. Even though she felt that Emperor Su Haoyu had not favored her sufficiently as a father, Su Haoyu was still her father. With his life hanging by a thread, she had naturally rushed back to see him.

Yet, because Su Chengyuan’s horse wasn’t as fast as An Jing’s group, by the time she arrived, Su Haoyu had already passed away.

Now, Su Chengyuan was also keeping vigil in the spirit hall for Su Haoyu alongside Xiao Changyi and the others.

Recalling the message An Jing had sent, telling her to temporarily manage the female soldiers, the instructions had also included a request: if she saw Gong Juechen, she should keep him company. An Jing had mentioned that Gong Juechen would be in a bad mood.

However, An Jing had not explained exactly why Gong Juechen would be upset, and so Ye Zhi remained uninformed.

For the past three days, Ye Zhi had not seen Gong Juechen, and as such, she hadn’t paid much attention to this matter.

Now, seeing him, it was clear that Gong Juechen was indeed in a bad mood. He had walked right past her, as though she didn’t exist—completely unlike the brazen Gong Juechen who used to shamelessly try to cling to her.

Unexpectedly, Ye Zhi found her steps turning toward the tent of the military doctor.

She was going to seek out Gong Juechen.