Chapter 194

194 A LETTER FOR HIM

The dead in Dong Lang was usually buried instead of cremated, and that was why there was no rule about cremation that was held by some people in the empire.

However, just now Emperor Bai Guowei said that he was the one who scattered his wife’s ashes many years ago, and Bai Chen assumed that the one who could do that to the dead was indeed the closest person to them.

The one who could hold the ashes of the dead should be the closest to them because ashes were the last remains of the dead, and they couldn’t be held by random people. The same custom probably could be applied to the one who was supposed to scatter the ashes into the river.

That was what Bai Chen believed, and that was why he looked surprised as he shifted his blue eyes to the porcelain jar in his hand before frowning.

‘Bai Renshu is married, and even if he doesn’t want his wife to scatter his ashes into the river, his father can do that for him. Why did he suddenly want me to scatter his ashes into the river?’ Bai Chen wondered as he continued to stare at the jar in his hand.

Bai Renshu was indeed married before he died, but Bai Chen knew that the man might not sincerely love his wife because he only had Shao Meihui in his heart, and that was why he could understand that Bai Renshu wouldn’t like it if it was his wife who was going to scatter his ashes into the river.

However, Bai Renshu still had a father, and their relationship was also close to each other, and that was why Bai Chen thought that it should be his father who did the last ritual for him.

Furthermore, Bai Chen’s mind had just discovered the oddity in Bai Renshu’s request, and he immediately looked up from the porcelain jar to seek an answer from Bai Guowei. “You just said that Crown Prince Bai Renshu wanted me to scatter his ashes into the river, right, Your Majesty? How could Crown Prince Bai Renshu make such a request? I mean, he suddenly died yesterday, and I’m assuming he didn’t have time to tell you that request?”

Bai Chen did find it quite strange, but he wasn’t too sure of his theory either, and that was why he used a questioning tone when he voiced his opinion in front of the Emperor.

.....

Hearing the question, Bai Guowei’s expression did not change, and he calmly replied, “Bai Renshu left a letter for me, and the letter was in the clothes he wore yesterday. In the letter, he clearly wrote that he wanted you to be the one who scatter away his ashes into the river.”

Bai Chen once again did not expect such an answer from Bai Guowei. The situation in Zuigao Hall was chaotic yesterday. The Emperor couldn’t accept Bai Renshu’s death, and he blindly blamed Bai Chen for the man’s death.

Even Zhu Ge had to come forward to protect Bai Chen from the Emperor, and Bai Chen knew that the people in the hall didn’t even have time to see Bai Renshu’s body because of the tension between the Emperor and the second Prince of Dong Lang.

The atmosphere was indeed uncomfortable in the hall yesterday, and the Emperor simply ordered the palace guards to immediately take Bai Renshu’s corpse out of the great hall.

No one checked Bai Renshu’s body yesterday, and that’s why no one found the letter that Bai Guowei mentioned, and Bai Chen assumed that Bai Guowei found the letter after they all left Zuigao Hall yesterday.

“But I still don’t understand why Crown Prince Bai Renshu would want me to dispose of his ashes, Your Majesty,” Bai Chen ventured to voice his opinion again, and he could see how the old man was frowning at him after hearing his words.

“You don’t believe my words?” Bai Guowei asked, and from the tone of his voice alone, it could be seen that he was a bit annoyed with his youngest son. “Don’t you remember how Bai Renshu kept blaming me for Shao Meihui’s death? Until he hanged himself from the ceiling in the Zuigao Hall, Bai Renshu still believed that I was the one who killed Shao Meihui, and that’s why he didn’t want me to be the one who will dispose of his ashes after his death! He would even prefer you to dispose of his ashes!”

“...” Bai Chen didn’t know how he should react.

There were only him and Bai Guowei in front of the offerings hall after Bai Renshu’s funeral was over, and it seemed Bai Guowei didn’t want to hide his true feelings when it was only him and his youngest son in the area.

Bai Chen could see that Bai Guowei was hurt, and apart from that feeling, he could also see that the man was desperate.

‘Bai Guowei loved Bai Renshu very much, but Bai Renshu hated him until his last breath. No wonder Bai Guowei looks dispirited when he realizes that he has disappointed his dear son,’ Bai Chen thought to himself as he glanced at the porcelain jar in his hand one more time.

He, more or less, could understand Bai Guowei’s feelings now. Bai Guowei must have known that Bai Renshu had also disliked Bai Chen for many years, but the Crown Prince even preferred Bai Chen to be the one to dispose of his ashes after he died.

It could be said that Bai Guowei’s position in Bai Renshu’s eyes was even lower than Bai Chen’s, and that was why Bai Guowei felt upset after he found the letter on Bai Renshu’s body.

Bai Chen still glanced at the porcelain jar in his hand, but he was once again forced to look up when he heard Bai Guowei’s words.

“That letter addressed to me is not the only letter that Bai Renshu wrote before he hanged himself from the ceiling in Zuigao Hall,” Bai Guowei said again, and Bai Chen furrowed his brows as he continued to stare at the older man. Bai Guowei then took a deep breath before taking out something from his white robe. “He left another letter, and it’s for you. You are also the only one who can open this letter.”