In the spring of 194, Yuan Shu held a funeral for Yuan Yao. Although Yuan Yao had said not to make a big fuss over his funeral rites, Yuan Shu still solemnly buried him with the ceremony due to the Nine Ministers. Had Yuan Yao not requested otherwise, Yuan Shu would have certainly buried him with the rites due to a Feudal Lord.
Speaking of which, although the ceremony of the Nine Ministers still exceeded what was customary, the world was in great chaos at the time and no one was there to enforce the rules. Moreover, because Yuan Shu had opened his granaries to feed his people and promised to do so annually, after learning of this, the people of Yuzhou, Yangzhou, and Jingzhou all spontaneously offered incense to Yuan Yao—their gesture akin to feeling compelled to reciprocate kindness.
