Although Wang Qingyao had recovered, the Old Imperial Concubine still insisted she rest and be excused from morning greetings.
In the afternoon, Fang Yuan paid another visit.
Wang Qingyao initially thought she was just bored and looking for some amusement.
To her surprise, Fang Yuan had a favor to ask.
"The annual royal hunt is approaching. This time, the Emperor has permitted officials of the third rank and above, along with the female dependents of noble families, to accompany him. You know my family; my grandfather is too old to endure the journey. My elder sister-in-law is about to give birth, so my elder brother must stay home with her. I'm all alone and want to go but can't..."
"Don't you have your brother Zeng Huai?" Wang Qingyao teased.
Fang Yuan blushed shyly. "He's not third rank yet, and besides, we're not married... I don't count as a female dependent..."
Wang Qingyao smiled. "You want me to take you along?"
Fang Yuan nodded her head vigorously, like a pecking chick.
"But aren't you in mourning? Can you go out and play?"
Fang Yuan chuckled twice. "I'm not going out to play. My mother passed away, and I can't shake off my grief. I'm just going out to clear my head during the hunt."
Wang Qingyao: "..."
"Take me with you!" Fang Yuan tugged at her arm, acting spoiled. "I promise I won't cause you any trouble; I'll be very well-behaved."
Wang Qingyao instantly felt like she had gained a daughter and said with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, "Alright, alright, I'll take you."
Fang Yuan joyfully exclaimed, "Cousin-in-law is the best!"
When Xiao Yun returned, Wang Qingyao told him about it.
"Why didn't you tell me about the hunt?" His tone held a hint of playful reproach.
Xiao Yun exclaimed, "Who let the cat out of the bag? I was planning to surprise you."
"Fang Yuan told me. She wants to go with us."
"If she doesn't go, she'll ruin all my plans."
Wang Qingyao pursed her lips and smiled. "Alright, I already have a big surprise now."
Consort Wei also planned to attend this hunt. The Emperor, fearing she would be bored, had invited the female dependents of officials and noble families.
Consort Wei had always been fond of Wang Qingyao and would surely summon her to chat.
The two Wei sisters would undoubtedly be by her side.
Thinking of this, Wang Qingyao felt a slight headache.
Sometimes, being too popular wasn't a good thing.
The days passed quickly, and it was October fifth.
Knowing that Xiao Yun and Wang Qingyao were going to pay respects to the former King Ding'an's colleagues, the Xiao family's own rituals were simplified to avoid delaying them.
Fortunately, the Great Sheng Dynasty did not favor returning to one's roots; most officials were buried in suburban cemeteries after death, with only a few returning to their ancestral hometowns. This saved Wang Qingyao and the others a lot of trouble.
There was a large pile of sacrificial offerings, and the accompanying retinue was also substantial. A large group could not move quickly anywhere. Wang Qingyao found them to be a nuisance but couldn't shake them off, as it was a ceremony of remembrance, and arriving without offerings or proper conduct would seem insincere.
The opera stage was already set, and the performance had to continue.
Xiao Yun quietly told her, "Don't rush. If we can't finish in one day, we'll take two. If not two, then three."
This turned out to be a jinx. In reality, one day was far from enough for the entire ceremony.
Many tombs were located on the mountainside, and the mountain paths were difficult to navigate. Just climbing up would take a considerable amount of time. Furthermore, out of "sincere respect," they couldn't ride in sedan chairs.
Xiao Yun was fine; he exercised daily. Wang Qingyao, however, suffered. Her calves trembled, and she had to stop and rest for three minutes after every minute of walking. It felt even harder than her military training. Even with Xiao Yun's support, she felt like half her life was gone.
"My lady lacks exercise!" Xiao Yun whispered as he supported her, "We'll have to add extra training when we get back tonight."
Wang Qingyao didn't even have the strength to glare at him. She hung on him like a puddle of mud.
Families who came for their own remembrances would stop and look at them with admiration.
Everyone knew that the Consort of King Ding'an had been ill recently. After only a few days, for the sake of the dream entrusted by their ancestral grandfather, she had dragged her weakened body to pay respects to their ancestors. Truly filial piety was commendable!
If they could uncover something, all this hardship would be worth it.
However, after visiting and paying respects everywhere for two days, they found nothing. None of the officials whose graves they had visited had bodies that had turned green. Moreover, these remains were already forty to fifty years old. Seeing one or two was one thing, but seeing so many made her stomach churn, and she even had nightmares at night.
Pity that she had just recovered from her illness, and now she was back in bed, unable to eat anything, having vomited several times. She suffered from insomnia at night, and even closing her eyes brought dreams of scattered bones, both disgusting and terrifying.
"Is it because you've used your perceptive abilities too much?" Xiao Yun speculated again.
"Not really," Wang Qingyao said weakly. "It's just the remains... seeing too many makes me feel sick..."
Xiao Yun finally understood, but there was little he could do. This depended on Wang Qingyao's willpower.
"Perhaps I should have the doctor prescribe some calming medicine for you?"
"No need. Medicine has its side effects. I'll be fine in a few days."
During the day, it was manageable, but the nights were torturous. She wanted to sleep but dared not. Even holding onto Xiao Yun didn't help.
This left Xiao Yun feeling a bit defeated.
Wang Qingyao then remembered the lullaby Bian Siyue had sung to her last time. The tune was beautiful and soothing. So, she sent for Bian Siyue and asked her to sing to lull her to sleep.