Traveling through Tianlong: Starting from the Zhenlong chess game

Chapter 609 Special Grace

Seeing Queen Wang's dazed and dejected look, Zhao Mu looked at the dead Zhao Ji again.

He picked up the white silk that Queen Wang had just thrown away from the ground, and tied it back on Queen Wang's forehead.

Queen Wang was surprised by Zhao Mu's action and asked, "Your Majesty, what is this?"

Zhao Mu patted her shoulder and said, "This poor fellow has become a scapegoat and died like this. It's his bad luck. He shouldn't have ended up like this. If anyone is to blame, it can only be blamed on that old witch in the palace who stirred up trouble and left everyone helpless."

Hearing what Zhao Mu said, Queen Wang also frowned tightly.

Zhao Mu was very smart. He completely attributed Zhao Ji's death to Queen Mother Xiang. In the future, even if Queen Wang didn't like him, she wouldn't hate him too much.

Zhao Mu said to Queen Wang, "Although you and everyone in the palace belong to me now, you and Prince Duan were husband and wife after all. Now he is dead. His debts are wiped out after his death. Even if he did a lot of wrongdoings in his life, they should be written off. I will go back to Prince Qi's palace today. Prince Duan's coffin will stay in Prince Duan's palace for three days. You can see him off for the last time."

When the official of Zongzhengfu heard this, he stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, is this..."

Zhao Mu looked at the Chief of Imperial Clan Affairs and said, "Don't worry, I will explain this to your Majesty. Besides, Prince Duan is your Majesty's brother. Your Majesty would not want to kill him unless it is absolutely necessary. All right! Just do as I command!"

After hearing this, Si Zheng said "yes" and did not bother to argue any further. He then prepared to follow Zhao Mu's order and transport Prince Duan's coffin back to Prince Duan's mansion.

Zhao Mu sent Si Zheng away, then looked at Queen Wang and said, "You are his princess consort and his queen. When you return to Qi, I will allow you to observe mourning for him and offer sacrifices to his tablet."

Hearing Zhao Mu's words, Queen Wang was deeply moved. She knelt down in front of Zhao Mu and kowtowed, saying, "On behalf of my husband, I thank your majesty for his grace!"

Zhao Mu slowly helped Queen Wang, who had already burst into tears, up and said, "All right! Go ahead. Carry his coffin and see him off for the last time."

Queen Wang nodded at this time and said nothing more.

At this time, the people from the Zongzheng Mansion had already finished embalming Zhao Ji and lifted him onto a cart.

Queen Wang supported Zhao Ji's coffin and walked slowly back to Prince Duan's Mansion following the carriage.

However, Zhao Mu gave Queen Wang this "grace" not because he was kind-hearted, but because of Zhao Mu's bad taste.

When he thought about himself flirting with Queen Wang, who was wearing mourning clothes, in front of Zhao Ji's spirit tablet, the feeling was very perverted, but he also felt that it was a different kind of feeling.

When Zhao Mu saw their figures disappear around the corner of the street, he turned around, got on his imperial carriage, and headed into the palace.

After all, Zhao Ji was dead, and he had to go back to the palace to report.

Zhao Mu returned to the palace and reported to Zhezong in detail how he had hanged Zhao Ji with his own hands.

Zhezong's mentality is very complicated now. On the one hand, Zhao Ji deserved to die, and now that he is dead, Zhezong has gotten rid of the last worry.

But Zhezong was also a little unhappy. However, his unhappiness was not because Zhao Mu killed Zhao Ji personally.

It was because the culprit, Empress Dowager Xiang, did not die with him, and when he was under house arrest by Zhao Ji, Zhao Ji, as his younger brother, took into account the brotherly love and did not treat Zhezong badly.

After all, they were brothers who grew up together. Now that Zhao Ji was dead, Zhezong felt very upset.

Zhao Mu then told the emperor everything about how he had "gracefully" helped Queen Wang to attend Zhao Ji's funeral. Zhezong agreed with this, saying that Zhao Ji was already dead, and that he should be treated with some respect. Zhezong also praised Zhao Mu's "benevolence and righteousness".

Afterwards, the emperor and his ministers held a banquet in the harem and watched singing and dancing. It was not until nightfall that Zhao Mu returned to Prince Qi's mansion.

After Zhao Mu returned to the palace, the palace steward came forward and reported: "Your Majesty! The Queen Mother and the Princess are in the palace."

Hearing this, Zhao Mu said, "Oh? Mother and sister-in-law are here? Where are they?"

The steward reported: "We are now waiting for Your Majesty in the main hall."

Afterwards, Zhao Mu hurried to the main hall to meet Concubine Chai and Princess Qian.

Today, Princess Qian is wearing warm mourning clothes on her head and plain clothes, looking very pretty and charming.

When they saw Zhao Mu, Concubine Chai and Princess Qian both bowed to him.

After Zhao Mu said "Stand up", he asked, "Mother and sister-in-law came to me, but what happened?"

Concubine Chai said, "Oh! Mu'er, your second brother and his wife are back now. You know what's going on at home. It will be inconvenient for your eldest sister-in-law to live in the mansion. Besides, you will have to go back to Qi soon. So I thought about it and decided to let her move in with you first."

Princess Qian didn't say anything, but just looked at Zhao Mu pitifully, then nodded to him.

Seeing Princess Qian's pitiful look, Zhao Mu couldn't help but feel pity for her.

Although Zhao Mu hated his elder brother Zhao Yong, he did not have much aversion to his elder sister-in-law.

Firstly, because his eldest sister-in-law had not been married for long, he moved to Daizhou with his mother.

Secondly, the eldest sister-in-law was very courteous to him, unlike other brothers and sisters who were so mean. Now seeing her so unlucky, a prince and princess, but ended up like a stray dog, Zhao Mu felt a little sorry for her.

Zhao Mu replied, "Alas! Anyway, we will be back to Qi in half a month at most. It would be good for my sister-in-law to stay in the Qi Palace for a while. It will also save the family from having a rift over a small matter."

At this time, Concubine Chai said: "Oh! By the way, Mu'er. Your second brother and second sister-in-law also said they would come to see you. After all, you haven't seen each other for many years."

Before Concubine Chai finished her words, Zhao Mu said, "I haven't seen my second brother for a long time. Since he wants to see me, it's too late today. I'm afraid that His Majesty will summon my second brother to confer the title of Prince of Dongping on him at the grand court tomorrow, so there's no time to waste."

"How about this, let's first settle the matter of second brother inheriting the title of king. After everything is settled, let second brother come to see me. During this time, I have to wait for the soldiers from Xizhou to return to the capital to receive their rewards. In addition, the case of Prince Duan's Mansion has been handled, and I will stay in the mansion these days. Second brother can come anytime."

Hearing Zhao Mu's reply, Concubine Chai nodded with a smile, and then said, "Okay! I will go back home and tell your second brother and his wife."

Then Concubine Chai looked at Princess Qian and said, "Yuzhen! I will go back home first. You can stay at Mu'er's place for the time being. I will send someone to deliver the things you packed to you tomorrow."

Princess Qian didn't say anything, but nodded to her mother.

Seeing her like this, Concubine Chai sighed. After all, this time it was like kicking her eldest daughter-in-law out of the house. Princess Qian had never done anything wrong in all these years since she married into the Dongping Palace. But now she has ended up like this. Concubine Chai felt a little sorry for her.

But for the sake of family harmony, I had no choice but to let her suffer.

(End of this chapter)