Free Web NovelChapter 1112: Chapter 800: Duke Shenwu Has Passed Away! (Part 3)
In the center of this procession, four white horses drew a tall carriage, carrying a massive coffin!
This was a funeral procession!
Shang Ruyi’s breath caught instantly. She widened her eyes, her gaze piercing through the drifting paper money, staring intently at that enormous coffin. Such a design was certainly not something an ordinary person could use; at least, it was reserved for someone of Commandery Prince level!
Could it be that the deceased was indeed...
As Shang Ruyi was pondering, feeling increasingly that something was amiss, she suddenly noticed a hand resting on the coffin.
This hand was pale, slender, with well-trimmed nails, lacking the thick calluses and deformed joints left by years of martial training. Not only was the hand aesthetically pleasing, but it was evident that it contained power. Yet, the veins on the back of the hand were bulging, the fingertips tightly clutching the coffin lid, nails turning white, as if this was the only way to maintain control. Shang Ruyi followed the hand, looking towards the snowy white sleeve, then towards the broad shoulders, and finally saw that familiar, paper-white face.
It was Crown Prince Yu Wenqian!
His complexion was ghastly pale, almost indistinguishable from the surrounding paper money fluttering down. Those clear and brilliant eyes had now lost all luster, his lowered lids and thick lashes further hiding the last glimmer in those eyes, making them appear like a still pond, devoid of light or ripple.
The people around evidently saw it too, yet before they could discern exactly what had happened, upon seeing the Crown Prince’s attire, everyone couldn’t help but gasp.
The Crown Prince was wearing mourning clothes?!
What’s going on?
Why was he wearing mourning clothes? The Emperor was still alive, how could the Crown Prince just wear mourning attire? Who was he mourning for?
The crowd was utterly stunned, and Shang Ruyi also stood dumbfounded, watching Yu Wenqian support the coffin—who on earth was in the coffin? Even if it was indeed Duke Wushan, Yu Mingyue hadn’t married Yu Wenqian yet, so he couldn’t count as the Crown Prince’s father-in-law. How was he worthy of the Crown Prince wearing mourning for him?!
As Shang Ruyi was in utter shock, her mind in a whirl, the funeral procession passed through Mingde Gate, all the civil and military officials around held their breath, remaining motionless, almost forgetting to react. Not until the coffin passed in front of them, and some people from the procession rushed over, whispering to the crowd, did someone finally come to their senses and hurriedly kneel. Although others didn’t know what was going on, they followed suit and knelt.
Although nothing official had been announced, anyone could tell, given that the Crown Prince was wearing mourning clothes and personally supporting the coffin, the person inside the coffin was no ordinary person.
They had faintly guessed.
At this moment, Shang Ruyi’s entire body was paralyzed.
Even though she knew she should make some sort of gesture, at that moment, she had lost the ability to react, only staring with wide eyes at the coffin slowly passing in front of her, listening to the wailing cries of the mourners, watching the paper money fluttering around her, as if her soul was shaken and she had no idea how to react. And just as Yu Wenqian was passing in front of her with the coffin, he suddenly turned his head without warning, his blood-red eyes glancing at her!
"...!"
Shang Ruyi’s heart stopped instantly.
At that moment, she only felt as if some invisible knife had cruelly stabbed into her chest, though there was no blood, and it wasn’t excruciating, but the despair, pain, anger, and resentment contained in those eyes carried a coldness sharper than a blade, piercing her chest, instantly spreading from her heart to her entire body, nearly freezing her blood and turning her limbs and body to ice.
Simultaneously, the shadow in her heart suddenly expanded, enveloping her whole body in an instant. Shang Ruyi only felt another thunderous rumble resonating, shaking the whole of Chang An.
Amidst the ensuing booming sounds, she heard the deep voice of Eunuch Yu slowly say—
"Duke Shenwu, has passed."
