In the rain-drenched mountains, what was originally quite tranquil was shattered by the labored sounds of carrying the coffin and the man’s anxious shouting.
Probably because the coffin was rather heavy, it took those people quite a while to carry it from the entrance into the courtyard.
Two people ran ahead into the ruined temple, hurrying to clear out a space.
They paid no attention whatsoever to Jingrong, Ji Yunshu, and the others on the other side.
Wei Yi had originally been drowsy, but the commotion outside instantly swept away all his sleepiness. Those curious eyes, as if glued, kept watching those people in the wind and rain outside.
Tugging at Ji Yunshu’s sleeve, he kept asking questions from time to time.
Asking, “Shu’er, why are they carrying a coffin?”
Ji Yunshu didn’t answer him.
“Uncle Fu said coffins are meant to be buried in the ground. Why aren’t they burying it?”
“…”
“Shu’er…”
“Alright, Wei Yi, stop talking.”
Ji Yunshu cut him off.
This boy had an especially large number of questions wherever he went.
Wei Yi pressed his lips together and stopped talking, merely watching.
Ji Yunshu’s eyes also looked outside the temple. She saw those people carrying the coffin, each one’s strength nearly exhausted. To carry the coffin into the temple would probably take quite a bit more time.
The next moment, she glanced at Jingrong. That fellow held a wooden stick, casually poking at the fire, his eyes not bothering to glance outside even once.
A completely indifferent appearance!
After thinking, Ji Yunshu said to him, “With such heavy rain, though the coffin is made of camphor wood, it still cannot withstand being drenched like this. Why doesn’t Your Highness go help…”
Before she finished speaking, Jingrong interrupted her without even raising his eyes.
“Do you know what kind of people they are? And you want this prince to go help?”
Hmm?
What kind of people?
This question seemed rather random.
Ji Yunshu looked outside again. Her eyes lowered, and then she suddenly understood—
Those people all wore horn-shaped felt hats. Their robes were open-fronted style, the front lapel folding left, actually left-over-right closure, narrow sleeves bound at the waist, also fitted short garments, long pants, and leather boots.
Everyone had fine sheepskin wound around their waists, and around their necks hung strings of agate.
This attire was not Central Plains people at all!
“They’re Huyi people?”
Ji Yunshu drew her conclusion.
Only then did Jingrong slowly raise his eyes. “Then guess again—what kind of Huyi people are they?”
Like an examiner interrogating her.
Ji Yunshu’s interest was piqued somewhat. Looking more carefully, her gaze fell on the male master.
Though the robes were all open-fronted style, on this person’s robe lapel at the shoulder, five peacock tail feathers were embroidered.
“The Huyi people were originally nomadic tribes at the Great Lin border. Until a hundred years ago, they declared themselves king and rose up independently. They have always revered all creatures with feathers, believing them to be sacred gifts bestowed by heaven. So later, they designated the peacock as their sacred bird, and also based on the number of peacock feathers to determine status rankings. On the Huyi king’s official robe, seven peacock tail feathers are embroidered. Six are for generals and marquises. Five are for nobility. Generally speaking, Huyi nobility are confidants of the royal family, so this person should be a close brother of the Huyi king or similar.”
Jingrong listened attentively to her analysis, the corners of his mouth occasionally lifting slightly.
Indicating agreement!
“Where did you learn all this?”
“From books!”
Indeed, the county magistrate had quite a few good books, mostly official documents issued by the court. After the county magistrate finished reading them, he would also pass them to her to read.
When she had nothing to do normally, she’d read those books like novels.
Most of it stayed in her mind.
Jingrong’s thin lips pulled. “Since you can speak so accurately, you should also know that Great Lin and Huyi fought for decades, only ceasing hostilities in recent years, but relations remain tense. This prince, as a Great Lin imperial prince—do you think this prince should help or not help?”
Logically speaking, of course he shouldn’t!
“Stubborn and inflexible!” Ji Yunshu rolled her eyes at him, then turned to look at Lang Bo. “You’re a grown man. Your prince is an imperial prince and can choose not to help, but must you also not lend a hand?”
Lang Bo nodded. “Miss Ji speaks correctly.”
Thus, Lang Bo lifted his bottom, preparing to call a few guards to help.
The next moment…
“Are you very idle?” Jingrong’s hawklike eyes coldly scorched him.
Lang Bo’s entire body suddenly shuddered. He swallowed and looked at Ji Yunshu with difficulty.
Jingrong was his master—he still had to listen to his master.
So he prepared to sit back down.
The next moment, Jingrong spoke again.
“Go ahead!”
Lang Bo’s mouth twitched. In the end, should he go or not go?
“Your Highness? Help or not help?”
Jingrong glared at him. “What are you standing there for? Hurry up and go!”
“Yes.”
Having received the order, Lang Bo called several guards to help.
Ji Yunshu looked at Jingrong across from her. This person was just a stubborn duck refusing to admit it!
Bang—
The sound of wood hitting the ground suddenly rang out from outside.
Wei Yi was startled and shrank closer to Ji Yunshu. Ji Yunshu also instinctively patted his back.
This gesture was all seen by Jingrong, who truly wished he could pry those two apart and sit himself in the middle!
But what happened outside dismissed his thoughts.
Lang Bo and his men had not even left the ruined temple when the coffin’s rope came loose, and it crashed heavily to the ground!
That’s what made that “bang” sound.
The coffin fell at an angle, the coffin lid also flipped open, and a corpse immediately rolled out from inside, accompanied by quite a few burial items.
All kinds of gold, silver, and jewels!
All kinds of gold bowls and jewelry!
There were even some bronze mirrors and such.
No wonder it was heavy enough to break the rope. These burial items were quite extravagant. Presumably, the burial site in the future would also not be stingy!
“It’s a pregnant woman?”
When Ji Yunshu saw that corpse roll out, she exclaimed in surprise.
Her gaze fixed tightly on that pregnant woman’s belly, her brow involuntarily furrowing.
Yet others seemed not to notice the contemplation in her expression.
“Madam.” The male master called out once, rushing through the rain, weeping mournfully.
“How are you all handling this? Hurry and carry Madam’s remains inside. A bunch of useless things.” The male master’s attendant kicked several times at those servants’ backsides.
Lang Bo quickly led several guards forward to help. Braving the heavy rain, they lifted the corpse back into the coffin and covered it with the lid.
Fortunately, the coffin had fallen at an angle and no water had gotten inside—a blessing among blessings.
In no time, the coffin was carried into the ruined temple.
Several servants were still outside collecting the burial items scattered all over the ground!
At this point, Ji Yunshu had already opened her sandalwood box. From inside, she selected a wide, flat small knife and placed it over the flames, rotating it left and right to heat it.
Then she handed the knife to Wei Yi.
Instructing, “Hold it over the fire to heat for a while.”
Wei Yi shuddered, trembling as he received the knife, asking quietly, “Shu’er, are you going to kill me?”
Pfft—
Child, do you have persecution complex?
Ji Yunshu shook her head. “No, we’re going to eat meat shortly!”
“Great, there’s meat to eat.”
Thus, Wei Yi obediently heated the knife.
Thinking about eating meat, his drool dripped all over the ground.
Meanwhile, Ji Yunshu took out a large-headed needle and thread from the box, carefully threading the needle.
Jingrong looked confused. To eat meat, why would she need thread?
So he casually asked, “What do you want to do?”
“Perform a cesarean section to extract the child!” Her tone was flat and indifferent.