Chapter 55 A Fight to the Death
Human destiny is a strange thing.
In just six months, the Lin family held two funerals.
If the elders of the Lin family were still alive, they would probably be heartbroken over the deaths of Lin Daniu and Lin Erniu.
Lin Erniu harmed his elder brother, and he himself could not escape the cycle of karma, dying in prison and also tarnishing his son's reputation.
Lin Changning's family was busy with ancestral worship. As she was a sixth-rank official, the clan elders had informed her family early in the morning that the ancestral worship was today, and they led the villagers in preparations.
After consulting with the Lin family, the chief officiant decided to appoint the highly respected clan head as the chief officiant, while the other positions would be filled by the elders of the clan.
The ancestral hall had been cleaned a few days before Lin Changning returned, and today it was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers. The offering table was filled with offerings of pigs, sheep, fish, etc., and below it were fruits, incense, candles and paper money.
Early in the morning, Lin Changning was dragged out of bed by his mother and dressed in clothes sent by the clan. The upper body was a blue silk robe with black edges, and the lower body was a red silk skirt, paired with red knee-highs, a large sash, a jade belt, and a wide sash. The scepter was tied at his waist. Because he was too young to wear a hat, he simply tied his hair up and did not wear a Liang crown.
The clan elders stated that once Liu Lang comes of age, he can once again worship his ancestors in the ancestral hall and hold a coming-of-age ceremony.
After finishing his preparations, Lin Changning followed the clan chief and several elders towards the ancestral hall. The elders looked on with satisfaction at the handsome and spirited young man.
"Looking at Liu Lang's appearance, he is truly outstanding, with a posture as upright as a pine tree. Our Lin family has produced a fine son, who will surely bring glory to our ancestors in the future."
After thanking the clan elder for his praise, Lin Changning exchanged pleasantries, and the sacrificial ceremony began.
Following the clan chief, they offered incense, knelt three times and kowtowed nine times to welcome the gods, then offered wine and sacrificial items. After the clan elders finished reading the prayer, they offered gifts again.
After the sacrificial ceremony, the gods are sent off. After the offerings are removed, music is played and people kneel in worship. Once the ancestral spirits are returned to their places, the ceremony concludes.
After the sacrificial ceremony, it was time to share the offerings. A group of clansmen were gathered outside the ancestral hall, waiting to receive their share of the meat. This was a rare and fortunate occasion, and everyone in the clan was overjoyed.
Lin Changning sat in the hall, surrounded by the elders of the clan, all of whom were smiling broadly as they looked at her. Madam Chang and a group of female relatives were at another table.
Lin Erniu's body is lying in state at home today. The clan knows about the feud between the two families, so no one was called.
In their opinion, if it weren't for Lin Erniu's wicked heart, the clan would surely have produced two talented individuals today. It's just a pity that Lin Erniu was so heartless that he killed his elder brother and didn't get any credit for himself. In the end, he also ruined his children's reputation. Sanlang was a good student and finally passed the imperial examination, but now his reputation is tarnished, and it will probably be difficult for him to pass the imperial examination.
The promising Liu Lang has incurred the wrath of Lin Erniu's family, and it is likely that the two families will fight to the death if they meet again. San Lang's career is already ruined, so Liu Lang must not get into any more trouble.
The clan elders were all shrewd; after careful consideration, they knew which side to abandon. Only Fifth Grandfather, who greatly admired Third Brother's literary talent, frowned as he looked at Lin Changning.
"Sixth Brother, your second uncle is dead, and his legacy has ended. Your third brother is very talented in literature. If you can loosen your grip, you'll have someone to look after you in the future."
Lin Changning's smile relaxed. He picked up a piece of food from the table, tasted it, swallowed it, and then slowly looked at Fifth Grandfather.
"Fifth Uncle's words are interesting. When have I ever had a grudge against Third Cousin? The magistrate was the one who tried the case, and the rumors were spread by the people who were wronged. I am a military officer and I do not handle cases. These words make it sound like I am abusing my power. Fifth Uncle, you should be careful with your words to avoid damaging the village's reputation in the future."
Fifth Uncle was glared at by the clan chief and didn't say anything more, but he thought to himself, "If no one authorized it, how could it have spread throughout Qingshui County in just one or two days? Clearly, someone is stirring things up!"
The clan chief glanced at the fifth son and stroked his mustache: "The third son's character is indeed worrying. The clan will keep an eye on him. The sixth son just needs to focus on his work outside. We will take care of things at home."
Lin Changning stood up and bowed deeply: "Then I thank you all, elders. It is really inconvenient for me to be in the army. To express my gratitude to the clan, I am willing to donate thirty taels of silver to the clan every year to support the clan members' education."
It was naturally wonderful that her clansmen were willing to protect her family, and she naturally wanted to reciprocate. Her annual salary was 120 taels of silver, and with the money from selling furs and wild animals, she earned at least 200 taels a year. She would use a portion of it to support the clan school, which would not only bring her a good reputation but also make things easier for the clan if her family needed help.
This would be a win-win situation. As soon as the words were spoken, the smiles of the clan elders became more genuine. Even the Fifth Grandfather's expression improved considerably. The reason was simple: he had three grandsons who wanted to go to school, so he decided not to mention Lin Changqing again.
After a lively meal, Lin Changning, feeling slightly dizzy from drinking some rice wine, was helped back home by his mother. The ancestral worship was finished today, and they would return to Daxing tomorrow.
Supported by her mother, she walked along the village path and soon arrived near Lin Erniu's house.
Lin Changqing, dressed in mourning clothes, was waiting on their inevitable route.
Today he has experienced the coldness of human relationships. People in the clan avoid their family. When they meet, they don't speak to each other and keep their distance. Today, when the clan held a banquet for ancestral worship, no one invited them. His mother is bedridden and Fu Bao has been unconscious for two days. He and his brother are handling their father's funeral arrangements, but no one is helping them. Only his fifth uncle came to visit today. No other clan members came, for fear of offending the now successful Liu Lang if they were associated with their family.
No matter how well he studied, he couldn't compare to Liu Lang, who now held an official position. Such was the world, and human relationships were cold and indifferent. His father's funeral was even more desolate than his uncle's.
As Chang was helping Changning walk, she noticed Lin Changqing pause for a moment, and then pretended not to see him and left.
Lin Changqing, dressed in mourning clothes, blocked the way: "Aunt, please wait. My father's body is lying in state today. After all, we are relatives. Would you like to take Liulang to see him?"
Lin Changning, who had just been staggering, chuckled upon hearing this, straightened up, patted his mother's arm to comfort her, and showed no signs of drunkenness: "Me, go over there? Third cousin, aren't you afraid that Second Uncle will be so angry that he'll come back to life?"
The two knew perfectly well how and why Lin Erniu died. Lin Changning sent his mother back first, while he stayed behind.
In the darkness, Lin Changqing's face was not visible, but his voice could be heard: "My father is already dead, and even if Sixth Brother is still angry, he should have calmed down by now."
Lin Changning looked up at the sky, where dark clouds obscured the moon, and not a ray of light could be seen: "My father's body has been lost, my eldest brother is missing, my second brother has lost a leg, and my elder sister is bedridden and can't even get out of bed now. Does my third cousin mean that one life can make up for all the suffering my family has endured?"
Lin Changqing's voice was urgent and sharp: "Then what do you want? My father is already dead! Do you expect my whole family to give their lives for you?!"
Lin Changning sneered: "If Third Brother has nothing else to say, I'll head back now. I don't have time to listen to your nonsense."
"In that case, let our two families fight to the death. If I die, I'll take you down with me."
Lin Changning turned his head and looked Lin Changqing over carefully, then sneered, "You think you're worthy?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
