By the time the envoys found "Qi Zonghao" at the bottom of the cliff, his body was unrecognizable. They could only identify him through his clothing. The town was too far from Jingdu, and the weather was very hot. It was impossible to transport the bodies of Qi Zonghao and Qi Qiuxin back to Jingdu, so after discussing, the envoys cremated the siblings and brought back their ashes.
Qi Zongyu found an opportunity to exchange the real urn of Qi Zonghao. Then he rode hard to return to Jingdu ahead of the main party, leaving no trace behind.
Among the envoys, there were confidants of Qi Zonghao. Since Qi Zongyu's plan had no flaws, neither Emperor Xiliang nor the consort noticed anything amiss. After decreeing a grand burial for the siblings, the Emperor and consort remained immersed in sorrow over the loss of their beloved son and daughter, paying no mind to Qi Zongyu.
