Compared to arranging Old Master Lian’s funeral, it seems that only now has Lady Zhou realized that Old Master Lian has truly passed away, and she seriously begins to miss him, and starts to pay attention to his affairs after death.
The offerings are neatly prepared, all packed into a large basket, with so paper money placed on top. Lian Shouren carries it, while Lian Jizu holds a small dining table. After saying a word to Lady Zhou, the group sets out.
Upon exiting the old house’s main gate, Erlang has another shovel shouldered, Lian Shouyi carries one too, but once they reach the village’s entrance, he hands it over to Liulang.
On the road, the brothers, uncles, and nephews don’t say much. Only Lian Shouxin asks a few questions about Erlang’s matters at the cart station, while Xiao Qi and Liulang walk together, discussing school topics.
Everyone is neat and orderly, except for Lian Shouyi, who grins, a smile on his face, arms crossed in front of him, and his walking isn’t as proper as usual.
At Old Master Lian’s grave, they place the offerings and the table down, and begin, sons and grandsons taking turns to dig and fill the grave with earth. When they heap the mound into a pile that’s a full circle larger than before, Lian Shouxin and Lian Shouli use the shovels to carefully trim it.
It doesn’t matter who does this job, Lian Shouxin and Lian Shouli are the best at farming tasks among them, and they are the most precise at other tasks as well.
Once the grave is tidied, they arrange the offerings, then kneel in front of the offering table together, burning paper money, and begin to wail.
After a while, those with Lian Shouxin co forward to persuade them, and everyone stands up, pouring a pot of wine over Old Master Lian’s grave. As for so of the offerings, they put them back in the basket in the sa way, and again, Lian Shouren carries it, and they descend the hill, returning to the old house.
"What dishes are there later?" Lian Shouyi asks Lian Shouren and Lian Jizu, then adds, "That piece of at, I have to eat it later."
Just like the at, vegetables, and other items offered during the New Year ancestor worship, generally, after the ceremony, everyone eats them. Today, these dishes sacrificed to Old Master Lian will be brought back for everyone to eat later.
Old Master Lian’s age, although not considered extrely old in this era, was no early death either. According to usual customs, offerings before his spirit and grave bring longevity and good fortune to people. Additionally, so of his descendants have beco successful, which attributes more auspicious anings to his offerings. Quite a few of the offerings placed before Old Master Lian’s spirit earlier were stolen by villagers at the ti of the funeral.
This stealing isn’t regarded as a heinous act. Moreover, during tis like this, the more offerings are stolen, the more glory the bereaved family gains.
When they return to the old house, only Lady Chiang is picking vegetables, while Lady Zhou sits steadily on the kang.
Originally, when Old Master Lian was around, Lady Zhou’s bedding had to be tidied up every day. Now, she no longer tidies the bedding, but instead learns from Old Master Lian, rolling up her bedding and placing it during the day.
With Old Master Lian gone, the kang in the east room undoubtedly belongs to Lady Zhou. However, Lady Zhou doesn’t occupy the entire kang; she leaves half the space for bedding, only using her own bedding.
After everyone enters the room, they greet Lady Zhou and then sit down.
"I’ll ask the children’s mother to send over a few dishes later..." Lian Shouxin says to Lady Zhou after sitting down.
"Just send them, you’re a wealthy landlord..." Lady Zhou remarks sarcastically.
Lady Zhou’s manner of speaking is sothing everyone has grown accustod to. No matter what people do, Lady Zhou always has sothing to say, not just for a day or two. As a result, Lian Shouxin doesn’t take it to heart at all, simply tunes it out, and slowly takes a sip of the hot tea brought by Lady Chiang.
After pouring tea, Lady Chiang cos to ask Lady Zhou if they should start cooking.
"Where are your two wives?" Lady Zhou looks at Lian Shouxin and Lian Shouli and asks.
Lian Shouxin and Lian Shouli exchange glances, both slightly surprised. In similar situations before, Lady Zhou had never asked about Lady Zhang and Lady Zhao.
Lian Shouxin explains a reason, saying Lady Zhang really can’t co, and Lian Shouli, too, vaguely speaks for Lady Zhao.
Lady Zhou just snorts coldly.
At this mont, Wu Lang inadvertently glances at Lian Shouyi, and Xiao Qi asks Liulang where his mother is.
"Isn’t Erlang’s mother here? Let her help, just right!" Lian Shouyi eagerly calls for Lady He to co to the Upper Room and help, and then he can’t help but add, "She’ll eat alone later, saving you a few mouths!"
This clearly suggests Lady Zhou fears the daughters-in-law will eat it all.
Lady Zhou, enraged, turns increasingly dour.
Upon hearing Lian Shouyi’s summon, Lady He imdiately arrives and actually helps Lady Chiang outside. Lady Zhou sits sulking on the kang for a while, occasionally giving instructions outside, but soon she can’t sit still and hurriedly gets off the kang to supervise Lady Chiang’s work in the outer room.
When the dining table is set, Lian Shouyi, Lady He, and Liulang automatically sit at the table, only Lian Yaya hesitantly doesn’t dare co forward.
Nowadays, Lady Zhou has no regard for Lian Shouyi, unable to resist acting out, and demands the other sons stand up for her.
"Don’t let him near . If he’s near , I’ll lose decades of longevity. You all won’t intervene, letting him bully a widow with no livelihood..."
Lian Shouren, Lian Jizu, and Lian Shouli remain silent, leaving Lady Zhou to look at Lian Shouxin.
Under her gaze, Lian Shouxin has no choice but to speak.
"Mother, it’s the al commorating father."
This al, Lady Zhou cannot drive Lian Shouyi away. Lady Zhou, at her wits’ end, curses Lady He heavily. Ultimately, Lady He doesn’t sit at the table but is pulled outside by Lady Chiang, who then serves her a separate al to calm things down.
Afterward, Lian Shouyi’s family unexpectedly becos regular guests at Lady Zhou’s dining table...
...
Asking for pink. (To be continued. If you love this work, feel free to go to Qidian (qidian) and cast recomndation votes, monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.)
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