Great drifts of snow were blown by the wind toward the sole swept path before the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The six palaces blazed with light, countless ceremonial lanterns flowing like a river of light surging toward the hall’s entrance, converging into a massive formation of radiance before its doors.

The sky had not fully darkened; at the western horizon, a thread of dying light still struggled against the gathering dark.

Deng Ying had just returned from the Eastern Depot prison and was presenting his ivory tablet at the East Prosperity Gate. The snowy wind made his robes snap and flutter. In the bitter cold, his leg wound had been acting up severely these past two days, and even standing in the wind for just that brief moment was truly difficult to endure.

“Director, sorry for the delay.”

As Deng Ying raised his hand to take back his ivory tablet, he suddenly heard shouts carried on the snowy wind: “Lock the city gates! Lock the city gates!” The cries grew louder and louder as they approached.

The guards atop the gate towers heard the sound and immediately echoed the command in unison—”Lower the bars…”

Deng Ying turned his head. The heavy city gates were being pushed closed by the guards’ combined strength. At the same time, Li Da, the general of the night watch of the Imperial Guard, had also rushed to East Prosperity Gate.

“Who dares enter the palace at this hour? Seize them and take them to the Commander’s office for questioning!”

The Imperial Guards who had followed him immediately moved to make the arrest.

The gate guards hurriedly blocked them, saying, “General, it’s the Director of the Eastern Depot.”

Li Da narrowed his eyes, finally making out the figure through the snowy shadows. He clasped his hands and bowed, “Director, forgive my offense. This humble officer’s eyes failed him.”

Deng Ying asked directly, “Why are the gates being locked at this hour?”

General Li replied, “We received orders from the Commander’s office to seal all four gates. Once they’re sealed, the moat outside will also be placed under strict guard.”

Early gate closure and heightened moat security were measures only implemented when the capital fell or when an emperor passed away.

After hearing this, Deng Ying quickly asked, “When did the Commander’s office issue the order?”

Li Da answered, “At the hour of shen (3-5 PM).”

Deng Ying asked, “Has the Hall of Mental Cultivation announced the death notice?”

Li Da hesitated for a moment. “Director, we dare not speak carelessly. When we received our orders, we had not yet heard the death announcement, but all the imperial consorts had gone there, and several princes from outside the palace entered earlier.”

After hearing this, Deng Ying asked no more questions. Enduring the pain in his foot, he hurried through the snow toward the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Halfway there, he suddenly saw Li Yu running toward him, who abruptly fell to his knees before Deng Ying and said, “Master… He has passed…”

“When?”

Li Yu choked out, “Just now…”

Deng Ying raised his head to look toward the hall’s entrance. Behind the doors, the formation of lanterns stood in silence, the sound of flames battling against the howling snow-laden wind. Only human voices remained caught in their throats, stammering and faltering as they waited for the signal to begin the mourning wails. He bent down to help Li Yu up and was about to continue forward when suddenly a deep voice came from behind.

“Director Deng.”

Deng Ying turned around to see it was Zhang Luo who had called him.

Zhang Luo wore armor today with a sword at his waist, each step crunching the accumulated snow beneath his feet.

He walked up to stand before Deng Ying, also glancing inside the doors, and said evenly, “There’s something I need to tell you. The Empress Dowager has fainted from grief, and now inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, it’s the Empress leading the Second Prince in viewing the body.”

Deng Ying was silent for a moment before asking, “What of the Crown Prince?”

“He kneels outside with Princess Imperial Jiayi.”

“Has the final edict been issued?”

“Not yet. The Ceremonial Office has stated directly that the edict won’t be presented to the Cabinet for discussion until tomorrow.”

“Has anyone in the Cabinet questioned the matter of the edict?”

Zhang Luo withdrew his gaze from inside the doors. “Not yet, but though the edict hasn’t been issued, allowing the Second Prince to view the body—the intention is already quite clear.”

“Indeed.”

Zhang Luo gripped his sword hilt. “Let me ask you first: if someone questions the edict today, what will the Eastern Depot do?”

Deng Ying replied, “You and I need to have an understanding—whether it’s the Eastern Depot or the Embroidered Uniform Guard, we both watch coldly and don’t touch the officials who raise questions.”

Though Zhang Luo didn’t verbally acknowledge these words, he turned his back and nodded slightly.

“Deputy Commander Zhang.”

Deng Ying called out to him.

Zhang Luo stopped walking and raised one hand to indicate he should speak.

Deng Ying took a step after him and asked, “When did you first have doubts?”

Zhang Luo turned around and said directly, “In front of Clear Wave Pavilion, when she said I wasn’t worthy—that’s when I began to doubt.”

At this time, imperial consorts, royal relatives, and several close ministers of the Cabinet were kneeling from the hall’s entrance all the way to the Imperial Road.

The hall doors were locked from within, and those outside could only see faint shadows of figures through the doorway.

The Head Eunuch of the Ceremonial Office, Hu Xiang, stood before the hall and called out in a loud voice: “Begin the mourning!”

Immediately, wailing shook the heavens outside the hall.

Consort Chen and other consorts without children, knowing they couldn’t escape the fate of following their lord in death, were filled with boundless grief. One after another they beat their chests and struck the ground, crying until they fainted.

Attendants immediately came forward to carry away these unconscious consorts, leaving a trail of fallen hairpins and jewelry as they were dragged away.

However, apart from these women of “true feeling,” the remaining royal relatives and close ministers mostly produced sounds of crying without visible tears.

Yi Lang knelt at the very front, completely silent. His aunt, Princess Imperial Jiayi, seeing he wasn’t crying, wiped her tears while embracing his shoulders, saying, “Your Highness, you must cry… join your aunt…”

Yi Lang gently shrugged his shoulders, avoiding Princess Imperial Jiayi’s hand, lowered his head, and still made no sound as he pressed his lips together.

Princess Imperial Jiayi could only turn to look at Yang Wan, saying softly, “Quickly, won’t you persuade His Highness.”

Yang Wan knelt behind Yi Lang and couldn’t see his face, but she could see his hands resting at his sides, gripped so tightly the knuckles had turned white.

She was about to speak when suddenly a weak voice cut through the crying: “I… White Huan, Prime Minister of the Cabinet… request to receive His Majesty’s final edict!”

The crowd’s crying faltered as they all turned to look at White Huan.

They saw White Huan dragging his sick body forward on his knees, using all his strength to raise his voice: “I… White Huan, Prime Minister of the Cabinet… request to receive His Majesty’s final edict! I! White Huan, Prime Minister of the Cabinet, request to receive His Majesty’s final edict!”

After speaking these words, he vomited a mouthful of fresh blood onto the ground, instantly melting the snow before him.

Seeing the Prime Minister cough blood, the kneeling officials were suddenly inflamed.

Yang Lun stood up directly, walked to White Huan’s side, and knelt, kowtowing as he called out loudly: “I, Yang Lun, Minister of the Cabinet, request to receive His Majesty’s final edict!”

Once these words were spoken, voices requesting the final edict rose one after another.

Hu Xiang became flustered at this sight and hurriedly said, “What are you all standing there for? Quickly carry the Minister away!”

The Ming armor guards were about to step forward but were blocked by Qin Wende, who said, “Those who abandon their posts before the hall will be executed immediately.”

Hu Xiang raised his head to look at Deng Ying standing before the Hall of Mental Cultivation and shouted, “Deng Ying, is your Eastern Depot rebelling? Deputy Commander Zhang… Deputy Commander Zhang!”

Zhang Luo said coldly, “If you didn’t understand Captain Qin’s words, I’ll say them once more: those who abandon their posts will be executed immediately!”

Hu Xiang’s legs weakened and he couldn’t help stumbling back several steps. “You… you all…”

The hall doors suddenly opened and Li Head Scribe walked out from within, casually helping Hu Xiang steady himself, then bowed to Yi Lang saying, “Crown Prince, the Empress permits Your Highness to enter the hall and view the body.”

Then he raised his voice to add, “Announce the death to Banana Garden.”

These last words were meant for Yi Lang to hear. At the words “Banana Garden,” Yang Wan saw Yi Lang’s body sway slightly.

He slowly stood up, ascended the steps to the moon terrace, and at the hall doors lifted his robes to kneel, kowtowing as he said: “I, Zhu Yi Lang, once showed great disrespect at my royal father’s sickbed. Knowing my guilt, I dare not view the body.”

The snowy wind carried these words to the ears of all the officials.

White Huan struggled to raise himself and opened his mouth but could produce no sound. Yi Lang stood up, walked down the steps, came before White Huan, and knelt again.

Seeing this, the officials hurriedly prostrated themselves and pleaded: “Your Highness must not do this!”

Yi Lang said, “I implore all the ministers to perform the mourning rites and send my royal father’s soul to rest.”

Then he turned and called to Yang Wan: “Aunt, let us return to change into mourning clothes.”

Night had fallen.

Yang Wan held a snow umbrella as she followed Yi Lang toward Chengqian Palace, but halfway there, Yi Lang stopped walking. Yang Wan crouched down with the umbrella, “Your Highness, if you want to cry, then cry. You can cry now.”

Yi Lang shook his head, “I want to see the Director.”

“I’ll go find him to come here.”

“No need, I’ll go see him.”

With all four gates locked, Yang Lun and the others could not leave the palace. White Yuyang supported White Huan as they went to the Cabinet’s chambers.

Yang Lun and Deng Ying stood in the snow before Huiji Gate.

“The teacher’s body can’t hold out much longer.”

“Yes. Tomorrow after the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), I’ll have Eastern Depot guards escort him out of the palace. You should go with him.”

Yang Lun shook his head and said, “I won’t leave. With the teacher gone, the Cabinet needs someone to remain in the palace keeping watch. White Yuyang has such an explosive temper, and now I’m the only one who can still hold him back a bit.”

Deng Ying smiled slightly.

Yang Lun said, “What are you smiling at on this day of national mourning?”

Deng Ying lowered his head and said, “Nothing.”

Yang Lun didn’t pursue it further and changed the subject: “Fu Ling, do you think His Majesty left a final edict?”

“Yes, but the Ceremonial Office won’t produce it.”

Yang Lun continued, “They might even write a false one.”

Deng Ying raised his head and said, “Whether true or false, tomorrow the Cabinet will certainly receive an edict. Have you discussed it beforehand? If His Majesty passes the throne to the Second Prince…”

“Reject it.”

Yang Lun spat out one word. Then he added, “The Cabinet has the right to reject and remonstrate. Even though this is a final edict, I can risk death to try.”

Deng Ying said, “And after you try?”

“Draft a new edict, supporting the Crown Prince’s ascension.”

Deng Ying interrupted him, “If the Empress doesn’t permit it, you’ll have died in vain. Can you rest easy leaving the Cabinet to Minister White?”

Yang Lun fell silent, and after a long while finally said, “You’re right. Today when the Empress led the Second Prince to view the body, making the Crown Prince kneel outside with us—just this one thing is enough to prove the Empress will not allow the Crown Prince’s ascension.”

“So, Zi Xi, rejecting the edict is not the best method.”

Yang Lun clenched his fist and said, “But persuading the Empress will be no easy task.”

Just then, Qi Huaiyang came running over, “Minister Yang, Minister White has awakened, but there’s no more charcoal in the chamber.”

Deng Ying said, “Get some from the Inner Eastern Depot.”

After speaking, he suddenly furrowed his brow and looked down at his ankle.

Yang Lun asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, an old injury from last year.”

Yang Lun said, “The charcoal still needs to be burned. Wan’er fought desperately to treat your injury, don’t make yourself out to be a prisoner.”

Deng Ying smiled slightly, “I’m not.”

“Whether you are or not, you know in your heart.”

“Enough.”

Deng Ying turned around. “This isn’t the time to argue with me. I’ll return to the Inner Eastern Depot first to change into mourning clothes and get charcoal for the teacher.”

After speaking he walked into the snow, then after a few steps turned back and said: “Yang Zi Xi, your life is more important than mine. Don’t act rashly in rejecting the edict, let me think more on it.”

“Who says your life is worth more than mine, stop talking such bullshit!”

“Fine, I’m talking bullshit.”

With that, Deng Ying cupped his hands in the snow and said, “But please be cautious, and leave a path for me.”