As the conversation between Zhongli and Lumine in the Northern Bank came to an end, the Rite of Parting proceeded as scheduled.
The mountain road leading to the Yujing Terrence was bustling with activity, with countless citizens of Liyue walking with heavy steps, their faces filled with sorrow, making their way towards the site of the farewell ceremony.
"With this Rite of Parting, it seems that those rumors are now confirmed!"
"Lord Rex Lapis, it's true. But the problem is, the culprit hasn't been caught yet, right?"
"I heard a rumor that I think is highly plausible. They say the assassin is from the Fatui'!"
"The Fatiu? That's suspicious. Everyone knows what kind of greedy and unscrupulous people they are, all practitioners of the dark arts."
"Shh! Keep your voice down. What if the Fatui catches wind of this? We don't have Lord Rex Lapis to protect us now!"
Wang Daoyi held Lumine's hand as they listened to the discussions along the way.
The actions of the Qixing were indeed swift. There were rumors before that the Qixing were responsible for the assassination of the Archon, but now it seems that the Fatui is being blamed for it.
Lumine's mood was also low, tightly gripping Wang Daoyi's hand, as if it could bring her some comfort.
Arriving at the Yujing Terrence, the atmosphere was extremely solemn.
Soldiers of the Qixing, wielding their spears, stood solemnly around the square, their faces serious. But upon closer inspection, one could see traces of sadness in their eyes as well.
Compared to the ordinary citizens of Liyue, these soldiers of the ancient Qixing army, originally the personal guards of the Archon in the mortal realm, now mourned the fall of their god and king.
The solemn tolling of bells echoed as the ceremony began on the square of the Yujing Terrence. The noisy voices disappeared as the atmosphere grew even more solemn, with a hint of sadness lingering in the air.
Wang Daoyi, holding Lumine's hand, stood in a corner of the Yujing Terrence square, watching as Zhongli, the guest of honor at the ceremony, conducted the rites. Even his eyes couldn't help but twitch at the sight.
Suppressing the urge to take a photo with his holographic camera, Yujing Terrence tried to calm his desire to criticize and remained composed, unconsciously squeezing Lumine's hand a little harder.
Feeling the strength in Wang Daoyi's hand, Lumine glanced at his face, which had become expressionless due to his suppressed emotions.
[Is Daoyi brother also very sad about Lord Rex Lapis's departure?]
Thinking this, Lumine also tightened her grip on Wang Daoyi's hand, hoping to convey her concern.
"Hmm?" Wang Daoyi felt Lumine's firm grip and found it strange. Why was this girl exerting so much force? Was she afraid of losing him?
In the center of the square, Zhongli, unlike Wang Daoyi, had a solemn expression on his face.
Zhongli conducted the farewell ceremony with solemnity, as if he had completely forgotten that this ceremony was in honor of himself. Each ritual proceeded smoothly under his command, like a ritualistic sacrifice from ancient times to the present.
Perhaps for Zhongli, this was a farewell to his former identity and the beginning of a new life.
Amidst the sadness and solemnity, the opening ceremony of the farewell ceremony finally came to an end, and the people began to offer incense to the Archon.
But after offering incense, the people did not leave. They were waiting for an explanation, a statement from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, from the Qixing.
In the gaze of the crowd, a soldier of the Qixing, with the rising sun in the east and the dawn crowing of roosters, arrived at the Yujing Terrence and delivered a proclamation that echoed throughout every corner:
"Notice from the qixing Administration:
Everyone should know that even dragons and phoenixes, though they live longer than mountains, eventually turn to dust.
The Archon's celestial tenure, as grand as the sun and moon, can be affected by the changing fortunes of time, falling victim to unforeseen calamities.
Amidst the gossip and rumors, it is said that the Archon was assassinated, but in truth, the Archon faced a heavenly calamity and has returned to the heavens. Therefore, this notice is hereby issued to all citizens of Liyue, urging them to mourn and avoid causing further distress.
Furthermore, do not believe in rumors and unfounded speculation."
On the other side, Zhongli, Lumine, and Paimon finished the ceremony and were chatting together.
"Hmm! Why has the Qixing' statement changed like this? Have they given up on investigating the culprit? Or have they already learned that Zhongli faked his death?" Paimon looked at Zhongli, interpreting the decree as implying that the Geo Archon had faced a heavenly calamity and died.
Facing Paimon's suspicious gaze, Zhongli nodded decisively. "Yes, after the completion of the transaction at the heart of the Archon, I informed a few members of the Qixing and some immortals."
"Huh?! But how did you inform them?" Zhongli smiled, "Through a magical method called dream projection, it's the best way to convey messages."
"But didn't you intend for Liyue to move forward on its own? Why did you still inform them while you were still alive?" Lumine couldn't understand, feeling that Zhongli's actions were somewhat contradictory.
"Human desires are limitless. Without constraints, they will ultimately lead to self-destruction. The Qixing are indeed very capable now, but what about the future?"
Zhongli was always like this, always thinking about distant matters.
"Seeing the 'undead' Archon in their dreams will serve as a good constraint. They can develop Liyue according to their own ideas, but they cannot use their power recklessly because they know that the Archon is still watching over them!"
Lumine and Paimon shook their heads, unable to understand the political implications of Zhongli's actions.
The three continued to stroll through the farewell ceremony, feeling the last thoughts of the people of Liyue for the Archon.
On the other side, after Wang Daoyi and Lumine lit incense for the Geo Archon, they left the Jade Capital. Wang Daoyi couldn't help but laugh when he thought about meeting Zhongli face to face.
Leaving the Yujing Terrence, Wang Daoyi did not return to the Wanmin Restaurant with Lumine, but instead went to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Compared to the funeral he arranged for himself at the Yujing Terrence, the discussions in the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor were the real funeral arrangements.
An old man with white hair sat in front of a walnut table, carefully reading the documents prepared by Hu Tao.
"Tian Shu!"
Wang Daoyi greeted him and sat between Hu Tao and the old man.
The old man looked at Wang Daoyi and nodded; "How was the Rite of Parting?"
The old man was none other than the Tian Shu of Qixing. He did not attend the Rite of Parting but came to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor instead, with the purpose of arranging the affairs of the thousands of soldiers who sacrificed themselves in the disaster.
"The farewell ceremony conducted by Guest Minister Zhongli was perfect. Not a single old scholar could find fault with him." Wang Daoyi replied truthfully.
Tian Shu nodded; "That's good. With the sudden departure of the Archon, many people are restless. Although Ningguang acted quickly, there are still people lurking around. At this time, we cannot afford to make any mistakes."
Then he turned to look at Hu Tao.
"Hu Hall Master, can the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor handle the funeral of hundreds of people simultaneously?"
After the disaster ended, although the Ministry of Civil Affairs provided assistance as soon as possible, rescuing most of the seriously injured, there were still hundreds of casualties before dawn.
Faced with such a large task, Hu Tao, unlike her usual mischievous and cute self, had a solemn expression on her face as well.
"The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor doesn't have enough ceremonial officials to handle such a large-scale funeral!" Hu Tao's answer troubled Tian Shu. The comfort for the fallen soldiers had already been completed, but the aftermath of these soldiers' deaths was equally important.
The silence between Tian Shu and Hu Tao made Wang Daoyi think of a solution.
"Hu Hall Master, if the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor only handles the final ritual after death, and the other steps are handled by the Qixing soldiers, can we conduct them simultaneously?"
The funeral at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was very complex, often requiring dozens of ceremonial officials for a single person's funeral. However, usually, these ceremonial officials were responsible for the entire funeral process.
These steps include:
1. Preparation of the Body: Cleaning and dressing the body in burial clothes.
2. Announcing the Death: Officially notifying relatives and friends of the time, circumstances, and funeral arrangements, often with strict formalities and sequence regulations.
3. Funeral Procession: Relatives bring gifts, money, couplets, wreaths, etc., from distant places to attend the funeral.
4. Wake: Also known as temporary lodging, the body is placed in the funeral parlor for several days, waiting for relatives and friends to come for the wake; it also helps to confirm death rather than coma or false death.
5. Vigil: During the wake, already present relatives and friends, especially the deceased's juniors, take turns guarding the deceased in the funeral parlor.
6. Funeral: In front of the family, the deceased is moved into a coffin with a mattress, covered with a quilt, and nailed shut.
7. Funeral and Burial: The coffin is taken to the cemetery for burial.
These cumbersome steps would certainly be impossible to carry out simultaneously for hundreds of people.
So Wang Daoyi thought of a solution, delegating all preparations to the Qixing soldiers, leaving only the final ritual after death to be handled by the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Hearing Wang Daoyi's suggestion, Hu Tao nodded, and the gleam of light appeared in her previously silent eyes.
"That's feasible. The previous steps can all be replaced by the Qixing soldiers. Only the final ritual after death must be performed by the ceremonial officials of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!"
Then, Hu Tao explained the various steps of the funeral to Tian Shu, breaking them down step by step and writing them out, which would be handed over to the Qixing soldiers to familiarize themselves with.
After watching Tian Shu leave, Wang Daoyi had a thought: perhaps, this was Liyue's first official state funeral!
(End of this chapter)