Chapter 608: The Pei Family’s Mourning Ceremony

While Pei Kuan was alive, he served as the bond that kept the Pei family in Chang’an closely united. Everyone usually stayed at his residence until evening before returning to their own homes. After Pei Kuan’s death, this bond vanished, and the Pei family gradually became fragmented, with fewer interactions among its members. Pei Zunqing moved back to his old home in Chongren Fang and devoted himself to government affairs. At this time, various internal conflicts began to emerge—arguments between sisters-in-law, disputes over wealth among brothers, unfair divisions of property, and unjust land allocations. These were common issues in ordinary families, but they also arose within the Pei family. However, these were minor problems. More serious was the bitter rift between Pei Zunqing and Pei Min, something that would have been unthinkable in the past.

Especially after Pei Zunqing was assassinated, some within the Pei family blamed Pei Min, while those who supported Pei Min harshly condemned such accusations, leading to factionalism and signs of division within the family.

Six days had passed since Pei Zunqing’s assassination, and the imperial court finally issued an official statement. Through a decree from the court’s administrative department, it declared that Pei Zunqing had been killed by the Southern Tang dynasty, condemning their despicable act of assassination.

With the court’s verdict, ministers began arriving at Pei’s residence one after another to offer their condolences. Pei Zunqing’s home was located in Chongren Fang, and a mourning pavilion had been set up in front of the house. Pei Zunqing’s family members, dressed in mourning attire, knelt in tears to welcome the visiting ministers. Pei Zunqing’s wife, Lady Qu, and his sons also knelt inside the mourning pavilion. The ministers entered one by one, offered incense in tribute, comforted the family, and then left.

At that moment, a convoy of hundreds of cavalry guards escorted Li Qing’an’s carriage into Chongren Fang. Inside the carriage, Li Qing’an was comforting Pei Wan’er. As Li Qing’an returned home, Pei Wan’er’s helplessness, sorrow, and pain gradually subsided. For her, Li Qing’an was her entire support. Although her grandfather’s death had caused her great pain, Li Qing’an’s comfort soothed her heart, allowing her to focus on taking care of the fetus in her womb.

“Wan’er, the dead cannot be brought back to life. What we must do is ensure the deceased rest in peace and comfort the living. I have gone to the administrative department and hope to posthumously confer upon Prime Minister Pei the title of Grand Tutor and grant him a hundred households as a fief, so that his wife can enjoy a peaceful old age. Please stop grieving. Take good care of yourself—your sorrow will make the baby cry, and he will sense your emotions, understand?”

Pei Wan’er leaned her head on Li Qing’an’s shoulder. At that moment, she felt a great sense of reliance. She nodded silently. Li Qing’an held her hand and said, “Also, when you meet your parents and elders later, you must comfort them. That’s something you absolutely must do. You can’t cry with them; it will only deepen their sorrow instead of healing it. Remember? You are now my wife, not the granddaughter of the Pei family.”
“I remember. I’ll do it well!”
……
The carriage slowly came to a stop beside the Pei family’s residence. It was time to leave court, and officials from Pei Zunqing’s side came in an endless stream to offer their condolences. There were over a hundred officials waiting outside the mourning hall alone. Li Qing’an’s sudden appearance caused a stir—no one knew he had returned. Many officials stepped forward to pay their respects, saying, “Your humble servant pays respects to Prince Zhao!”
Li Qing’an got out of the carriage and returned their greetings one by one. At that moment, Pei Zunqing’s two sons, Pei Yang and Pei Xiang, rushed over and knelt down, crying, “Our father was cruelly killed by Li Heng. Please, Your Highness, avenge our father!”
Li Qing’an quickly helped them up and said with deep sorrow, “This isn’t just the Pei family’s misfortune—it’s a shame for the entire court. Not only Prime Minister Pei, but also the late emperor. I will settle every single debt of blood.”
Li Qing’an’s words were both heartfelt and reasonable, carrying the authority of a king. By using this opportunity to declare his stance on the matter, he immediately won applause from the officials present. Some even remembered his words, planning to spread them. The Pei brothers were overjoyed and repeatedly thanked him, inviting him to sit in the guest resting area.
At that time, Pei Wan’er also came out of the carriage. Qu, Pei Zunqing’s wife, along with her mother, several aunts, and concubines, led her into the mourning hall. Although Wan’er had promised Li Qing’an she wouldn’t cry, when the women gathered and talked about sad matters, her emotions overwhelmed her, and she couldn’t help crying. Instead, the women advised her to be strong and accept fate—since the dead could not be brought back to life, she needed to take care of the fetus in her womb. Luo, Pei Xiang’s wife, hearing that she was pregnant, exclaimed in panic, “How can Wan’er enter the mourning hall while pregnant? Get her out quickly!”
The others realized what had happened and hurriedly asked her to leave and rest inside the house.

A group of women surrounded Pei Wan’er like stars surrounding the moon and led her into the mansion. At this moment, Pei Wan’er’s status was akin to that of the imperial concubine who visited her family in “Dream of the Red Chamber” — she had become the hope of the Pei Zunqing family. With Pei Zunqing’s death, his wife, son, daughter-in-law, grandson, and granddaughter-in-law all lost their support. While mourning Pei Zunqing, they were even more worried about their own futures. With Pei Zunqing dead, Pei Min took control of the family. Would Pei Min forget past grudges and treat them kindly? Pei Yang and Pei Xiang were concerned about their careers, the women worried about daily necessities, and the grandchildren feared they might lose any chance of entering official service. As a result, they cried less for Pei Zunqing and more for themselves. Fortunately, Pei Wan’er was married to Li Qing’an, which brought the greatest hope to Pei Zunqing’s family — like a lifeline for them.

They forced Pei Wan’er to sit in the chief seat. Seeing her sisters like Pei Yu and Pei Juan’er sitting far below, surrounded by elders such as her grandmother, mother, and aunts, she felt embarrassed and said, “Wan’er is just a descendant; how can I sit in the chief seat? It would be too much for me.”

Luo, Pei Xiang’s wife, was very eloquent. Before Pei Wan’er’s mother could speak, she interjected with a smile, “No one would let you sit here before you got married, but now you belong to the Li family and represent your husband’s status. Although you’re currently just a concubine, once your husband ascends the throne, you’ll become an imperial concubine.”

“Second wife, don’t talk nonsense!”

Grandmother Qu quickly interrupted Luo’s rapid speech. Realizing what she had said, Luo realized she couldn’t mention Li Qing’an ascending the throne, even though everyone understood. She quickly slapped herself and scolded herself, “I’m in my fifties yet still speak carelessly. I deserve to be punished!”

“Second aunt, stop. We’re all family; no one will go and spread rumors.”

Meanwhile, Pei Wan’er’s mother smiled and said, “Actually, everyone is concerned about the baby in your womb. Has anyone called a midwife to check if it’s a boy or a girl?”

“Well… it’s only three months; how can we tell?”

“That’s not certain. Walk a few steps; let me take a look!”

It was grandmother Qu who spoke. Qu was Pei Zunqing’s second wife, several years younger than him — in her forties — only two years older than Pei Wan’er’s mother, Liu. Since she had never given birth, she still looked young and didn’t resemble a grandmother at all. When she said she could tell the gender of the fetus, everyone laughed. How could she tell the gender when she hadn’t even given birth?

At first, Lady Qu still felt a bit sad about her husband’s death, but as the conversation turned to their child, that sorrow faded in her heart. After all, Pei Zunqing had been dead for six or seven days; she had already cried her share. Moreover, Pei Zunqing was in his seventies, and their relationship was merely formal. They had slept in separate rooms for seven or eight years. Lady Qu’s apparent grief was mostly an act. Now that everyone was in high spirits, she forgot she was still in mourning and smiled, saying, “Don’t underestimate me. My father used to be an imperial physician and taught me some basic knowledge. I understand this—women are delicate, and men are bold! Wan’er, walk a few steps so we can see.”

Everyone could see she was pretending to know what she was talking about; it was impossible to tell the sex of a baby just by walking after three months of pregnancy. But they didn’t want to dampen her spirits, so they all cheered, “That’s right, Wan’er, walk a few steps.”

At that moment, they had forgotten Pei Wan’er’s true identity and treated her as the Pei family’s granddaughter. Reluctantly, Pei Wan’er walked a few steps in front of her elders, feeling embarrassed. Seeing everyone staring at her body, her face turned red with shame. What were they looking at?

“It’s a boy! I was right—it must be a boy! Oh, Wan’er is destined for prosperity!”

…

Just then, a maid came to report that several ministers’ wives had arrived to offer their condolences. Lady Qu and the others hurried to go greet them, but Pei Wan’er gave her mother a subtle signal. Lady Liu then said she would stay with her daughter.

Lady Liu was the daughter of Liu Jing, a former deputy minister of war. She was timid and cautious, and because her family’s status wasn’t high, her position in the Pei family wasn’t very strong. Yet, she was kind and polite, and the family liked her. She had been married to Pei Yang for over twenty years and had given birth to two sons and a daughter. One of the sons served as a guard in the palace, another studied at the Imperial Academy, and the daughter was Pei Wan’er. Lady Liu placed great hopes on her daughter.

The mother and daughter found a quiet room. Noticing her daughter’s pale complexion, Lady Liu asked, “Are you not feeling well? Why don’t you lie down and rest?”

Pei Wan’er shook her head and bit her lip lightly. “Mother, what if I give birth to a daughter?”

Lady Liu was momentarily stunned before smiling. “Whether it’s a boy or a girl is determined by fate. Whatever happens, I’m more worried that you might have a difficult time giving birth due to your weak health.”

“But… I feel like everyone in the Pei family is watching me, expecting me to have a son. I’m under so much pressure! Mother, my time in the prince’s mansion hasn’t been easy. I’d rather have a daughter.”

Lady Liu was shocked. Her daughter had been married for months, and she had never mentioned anything bad about her life. The so-called unhappiness was just a euphemism—meaning she wasn’t living well.
“Is it… that your husband treats you poorly?”
“No, he treats me very well, doting on me. I’m satisfied with my husband. It’s just…”
Lady Liu, having experienced similar things, understood at once. “You mean the princess treats you badly?”
Wan’er sighed softly. “Actually, it’s not really her fault. She was kind to me at first, taking care of everything meticulously. She even let me choose my own four maids. She’s a very tolerant older sister. It’s just that my grandfather was obsessed. After learning from the imperial physician that I was pregnant, he accused Du Gu Hao Ran—Moonlight’s father—of colluding with Southern Tang. Wasn’t that a clear attempt to remove the princess from her position? He wanted me to replace Moonlight as the Princess of Zhao, directly threatening her status. Since then, the princess has been wary of me. I can tell—when everyone is chatting and laughing, they fall silent as soon as I arrive. Even Ru Shi Ru Hua dislikes me. Especially, the princess forbids me from seeing Tan’er. Once, I gave Tan’er a piece of cake, and she told her mother. As a result, the princess had the maid who brought her to my courtyard dismissed. Sigh! My grandfather does such things without thinking of me. To be honest, I really hate him.”
Lady Liu was speechless for a while. Something similar had happened to her too. Because of her low social status, several of Pei Yang’s wives and concubines wanted to replace her. Over the years, she had been framed several times. If it weren’t for giving birth to two sons, her position might have been lost forever.
Lady Liu understood the cruelty of these palace intrigues. Seeing her daughter about to get drawn into them, her heart ached. She said, “I’ll just ask you—do you have the ambition for this?”
Wan’er shook her head firmly. “I’ve never had such ambitions. I just want to support my husband, raise our children, and live a peaceful life. I never want to take Moonlight’s place. That’s my grandfather’s wishful thinking. Besides, the Anxi Army already supports this princess and the young prince. How could I possibly compete with her?”
“Since you don’t have such ambitions, then let’s not fight. We’ll just live our lives. Over time, the Princess of Zhao will surely understand your true feelings.”
“But I’m worried about the Pei family. They will definitely force me. What should I do?”

“I think you shouldn’t worry too much about this. It’s mainly because your grandfather was too domineering—he insisted strongly that you replace Princess Zhao. Now that he’s gone, although your father and uncles also have similar thoughts, their status in the family isn’t as high as your grandfather’s. It’s now your Second Uncle Min who is in charge of the family. He even argued with your grandfather over this matter. I think he won’t pressure you. In a few days, I’ll visit his residence and talk to Second Aunt Min about this to ease the pressure on you as much as possible. Besides, your Second Uncle Min is Princess Zhao’s uncle, so he can better mediate between you and her.”

Her mother’s words finally calmed Pei Wan’er’s anxious mood. She nodded. “Mom’s words make me feel much better.”

“Yes! The key is to improve your relationship with your husband—make him like you and understand your feelings. That way, no matter what others do to you, you can live safely. This is what I’ve learned over the past twenty-odd years. Remember this.”

“Mom, I’ll remember.”

……

The news of Li Qing’an’s arrival at the Pei family’s residence spread quickly throughout the city. Everyone praised Li Qing’an for his loyalty and righteousness. Upon returning to Chang’an, his first act was to offer his condolences to Pei Zunqing, even wearing mourning clothes as a junior. This alone was enough to earn praise from the Tang people who valued propriety and filial piety.

Perhaps among all the officials in Chang’an, only one was afraid of Li Qing’an’s actions—General Hu Peiyun of the Imperial Guard. At that moment, Hu Peiyun was sitting in the carriage, imagining Li Qing’an wearing mourning clothes and crying at the funeral. He thought such sincerity would move everyone, but what if they knew that Pei Zunqing had been killed by Li Qing’an? What would the Pei family and those in the court think?

Hu Peiyun sighed deeply. “Those who seek to rule the world are beyond ordinary people’s comprehension.”

The carriage rushed to the West Market and entered Lingxi Alley, slowing down until it finally stopped.

“Sir, we’ve arrived!” The coachman jumped down and opened the door.

Hu Peiyun peeked outside and saw that Rehai Ju had indeed changed—its flags were new and twice as large, with a golden border on a white background, bearing the three large black characters “Rehai Ju” written in cursive script. Hu Peiyun couldn’t help but smile bitterly and shake his head. Since Li Qing’an took power, the Hidden Dragon Society had become less cautious and more ostentatious, at least judging by these flags.

As soon as Hu Peiyun got out of the carriage, a clerk came forward, bowing and saying with a smile, “Sir, I’m truly sorry, but our shop is under renovation today and not open to the public. Please come back tomorrow!”

Hu Yunpei was also a member of the Hidden Dragon Society. He used to head the Luoyang branch of the Han-Tang Society and often visited Rehai Residence. Seeing that the guy in front of him seemed new and didn’t recognize him, he glanced at the farthest window on the third floor and noticed a pot of chrysanthemums on the outdoor platform—a signal that the Hidden Dragon Society was holding a meeting.

Anger surged in Hu Yunpei’s heart. They held a meeting without notifying him! Pointing at the chrysanthemums, he said, “All flowers wither in winter, but only the chrysanthemums welcome guests.” This was the Hidden Dragon Society’s code, meaning he too was coming to attend the meeting. The guy clearly didn’t understand and stared at Hu Yunpei, clueless about the meaning of those words. At that moment, someone came out of the main hall laughing, “What wind brought Brother Hu here?”

It was Chang Jin, the owner of Rehai Residence and the vice president of the Hidden Dragon Society, akin to a board secretary. The president was Li Qing’an, but he wasn’t involved in the society’s affairs—Chang Jin handled everything day-to-day.

Hu Yunpei snorted heavily. “It seems I’ve come at the wrong time!”

Chang Jin understood his resentment and patted his shoulder to comfort him. “You know it’s the leader’s decision. Those in active roles don’t participate in daily affairs but only in the annual ceremony. People like you, Zhang Yue, and Luo Qiming are all in active roles.”

“But there are some things you should tell me!” Hu Yunpei still felt resentful, thinking of Pei Zunqing’s matter.

“Let’s go in and talk.”

Chang Jin led him upstairs to a room and sat down. Smiling, he asked, “Go ahead! What is it I shouldn’t hide from you?”

“The matter of Pei Zunqing!”

Chang Jin’s expression changed. He walked to the door, glanced around, locked it, then sat down and asked in a low voice, “How did you know?”

“Have you forgotten what I do?”

After a long pause, Chang Jin sighed. “I planned and executed this whole thing alone. Not even you or anyone else knows about it. It’s extremely confidential and affects the master’s reputation. Please keep it secret at all costs.”

“I know. The general has already warned me.”

Hearing that no one else was aware, Hu Yunpei felt a bit more at ease. He asked again, “Was there another murderer back then? Did you hide him?”

“That person was a member of the Han-Tang Society. He’s been sent back to Anxi and will never return to the Central Plains.”

Hu Yunpei actually had more details he wanted to ask, but knowing Chang Jin wouldn’t tell him, he dropped the subject and changed the topic. “Hmm! What meeting are you holding today?”

“Well… the meeting this morning has already ended. It was mainly about discussing the establishment of a counter shop.”