Xie Yunzhen returned to the capital but had not entered the palace to pay his respects; the Empress Dowager understood his intention.
He was on guard.
Worried that the palace had set a trap, ensuring he wouldn't return.
As long as the Emperor's death had no conclusion, he would not enter the palace and would also take other actions, pushing the situation to another extreme.
The Empress Dowager couldn't fathom Xie Yunzhen's thoughts, but she could read the situation.
People are most adept at seeking benefits and avoiding harm.
The path Xie Yunzhen chose was surely the best for him and Ji Mingzhu, for that pair of twins.
The palace invited a master to chant scriptures for the Emperor, delivering him to the other side.
Womenfolk of the harem also, under the Empress Dowager's lead, knelt chanting scriptures.
Empress Wei was imprisoned, unable to attend.
But the Crown Prince, draped in mourning clothes, knelt beside the Empress Dowager.
