Chapter 5 The Dead Open Their Eyes
Before even entering the courtyard, I heard a mournful cry.
As soon as Tao Tao entered, she saw many people standing in the center and on both sides, but no one dared to take a step closer to the coffin placed in the mourning hall.
The old lady, supported by a woman, wept bitterly, her grief so poignant against the backdrop of the torrential rain.
She said in a trembling voice:
"Yan Ling must have been harmed by that traitor Duan Gan, which is why he chose to open his eyes on the seventh day after his death, wanting to tell us something."
The woman beside her was Qiu Yanling's first wife, Qiu Liu, who bore him a son and a daughter. Their son, Qiu Yueli, was twelve years old and of school age, while their daughter, Qiu Hehui, was ten and started school with her brother.
In China, there was no rule that prohibited women from attending school; both aristocratic and commoner families could enroll as long as they had the means.
Despite being deeply grieving, she forced herself to remain composed.
Since her husband is dead, if she doesn't support the family, she will soon be exploited to death by the first and third wives.
Even if the matriarch favors the second branch of the family, over time she will tend to favor the other branches, since Qiu Yanling is no longer here and can no longer bring glory to the family.
Under the scrutinizing and strange gazes of many people, Tao Tao smiled awkwardly and, carrying her small cloth bag, approached the coffin, which was avoided by most.
Boom! A deafening clap of thunder accompanied by a silver dragon of lightning crashed into the air, causing those present to tremble involuntarily and feel a sense of fear.
She reached out and pushed the coffin lid open a little, revealing the upper body of the corpse inside.
The corpse's eyes were wide open, the pupils cloudy and covered with a thin white film, a truly chilling sight in the eerie funeral hall at night.
No wonder they were so terrified that they had to call her over that very night.
Suddenly, a series of sounds came from outside: the clashing of weapons and footsteps.
Immediately afterwards, a group of people walked in, led by Duan Gan.
He swaggered in like that, and the old lady's eyes widened in fury. She pointed a trembling finger at him and cried, "You! You...you dare to trespass into my Qiu residence! This is utterly lawless..."
Such arrogant behavior made many people frown, and it's no wonder that so many people impeached him before the emperor.
"Why is the old lady so angry? Take care of your health."
His voice was soft and languid.
Chen Jinghe stood beside him, holding an umbrella. Raindrops pelted the umbrella and splashed onto his shoulder, soaking it.
He stepped slowly into the low-lying area, splashing ripples.
Just as the old lady was about to step forward to stop him, she saw the Privy Council Guards behind him dressed in mourning clothes. They were a group of ruthless killers who only obeyed Duan Gan's orders.
Qiu Liu quickly stopped her, and the other people from the house also rushed forward to stop her.
At this moment, a middle-aged man wearing a dark blue robe stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and was Qiu Yanling's older brother, Qiu Yanwen, the eldest son of the main branch.
“Your Excellency, we are dealing with family matters. Is it inappropriate for you to barge into our residence without permission?”
"Qiu Yanwen?"
His tone seemed to carry a hint of disdain.
Qiu Yanwen sensed this and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "It is indeed I."
He was a great scholar in his own right, having established his own academy; he was a true intellectual.
"There's no place in the capital I can't go to for work at the Privy Council."
After saying that, he walked straight past him and went to the front.
Qiu Yanwen's pupils dilated instantly. He turned to look at the departing figure, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes.
Tao Tao, wearing sheepskin gloves, reached inside the coffin and groped around the back of the corpse's head, seemingly searching for something.
"What are you looking for?"
A deep, husky voice rang in her ears. She turned around and saw an incomparably handsome face before her, strikingly beautiful. He lowered his brows, his phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, and looked down at her.
She blinked and said, "I just tried to close his eyes, but they wouldn't close. I suspect there's something pressing on the nerves in his back that's still alive."
"Actually, it's quite normal for the dead to open their eyes. The brainstem dies, but some nerve cells are not completely dead. It's not uncommon for this to happen within a few days after death."
"But other people don't know this principle, and they might think that the deceased has come back to life, or that they died with hatred and resentment."
Duan Gan nodded thoughtfully.
"Been taught a lesson."
Suddenly, her expression changed drastically, she paused, and looked at him with a hint of surprise.
He pulled a blackened silver needle from the back of his head and handed it to him.
Duan Gan took out a handkerchief from his sleeve, unfolded it, placed the silver needle in his palm, and squinted at the thing in his hand.
After removing the silver needles, Tao Tao reached out and closed the corpse's eyes, which closed successfully.
The man with the mustache jumped out, somewhat agitated: "Look at this! Why does our brother still have this thing on his head?! Someone in his family must not want him to die peacefully, so they did this on purpose!"
He was the head of the third branch of the family, Qiu Yanshu, who lived a leisurely life at home, relying on the protection of his family. He was ambitious and unrealistic, and once asked his elder brother Qiu Yanling to arrange an official position for him. However, he looked down on the small position, so Qiu Yanling simply ignored him.
The third wife has always had reservations about the second wife.
Such noise is hardly befitting someone from a humble background.
Duan Gan frowned and glanced at him.
Supported by Qiu Liu, the old lady walked forward, staring at the silver needles that gleamed faintly, and asked in shock, "What is this?! How could this thing appear in my son's brain?"
The others also looked surprised.
Duan Gan handed the items to Chen Jinghe behind him, then took a handkerchief from someone next to him, wiped his hands, and then threw it on the ground.
Tao Tao then whispered to him, "Sir, would you like to send a coroner to examine the body?"
He glanced at her: "No need, it's just a bunch of nonsense. When someone dies, they're dead."
She gave a forced smile and nodded.
The rain was still pouring down, and the dark sky seemed about to fall, creating a sense of oppression.
He watched the people beside him packing up to leave and casually asked, "Shall we have someone take you home?"
Tao Tao looked up at him in surprise: "No need."
She turned to them and said, "Madam, everyone, this gentleman is not a zombie. His nerves are not completely dead. I don't mean he is a person. To put it simply, his brain just had a reflex."
"There's a high probability this will happen before the body is completely stiffened, so don't be afraid."
"Then I'll leave now, and I'll come back for the burial!"
Some people present roughly understood, while others still didn't.
Qiu Yanshu touched his mustache in confusion.
Duan Gan smiled slightly and said to the old lady, "Farewell."
They come and go as they please, it's incredibly rude! The Qiu family produced an empress, yet these aristocratic scions dare to be so disrespectful!
So these people are arrogant to the core; they look down on those from humble backgrounds.
The three daughters-in-law accompanied the old lady as she returned home.
The crowd dispersed, except for the eldest brother, Qiu Yanwen, who stepped forward, glanced at the person in the coffin, his eyes filled with sorrow, and sighed helplessly.
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