Chapter 167 Alienation
Liu's funeral arrangements were quickly finalized.
Although Zhou felt a little uneasy about Liu's sudden death in the old house, she still insisted that Liu should not be buried in the ancestral tomb.
According to the folk customs of Beiguan Town, children who died young, men who did not live to the age of fifty, women who did not die of natural causes, and people who died suddenly are not qualified to be buried in the ancestral tomb.
The most benevolent families would only find a piece of land near the ancestral graves and leave them a lonely grave mound, so that when their descendants visit the graves, they can also burn some paper money for them.
As for Xia Dalang and Jinhua's proposal to invite a monk to perform a full set of rituals, such as keeping the body for 49 days, all of them were rejected. Yinhua cried at the beginning, and then remained silent.
When Jinhua and Xia Dalang argued with Xia Youcai and the old couple about what to do about Liu's funeral, she remained silent. She was either silent or crying silently.
At first, Zhou felt a sense of inexplicable guilt about Liu's sudden death.
But when she saw the way Xia Dalang and Jinhua looked at her, with obvious anger and a bit of hatred in their eyes, she felt as if the heat in her heart was poured out with cold water, and then froze into ice, feeling extremely cold.
Later, Zhou was too lazy to be the bad guy and only made it clear that Liu could not enter the ancestral tomb. She let Xia Youcai arrange everything else on his own.
Xia Youcai had a gloomy face and it was unknown what he said to the two children. In the end, it was decided to keep Liu's body for three days. Xia Dalang and Jinhua actually agreed.
On the day of Liu's funeral, the weather was gloomy and it was drizzling.
The mournful sound of suona echoed all the way.
Xia Dalang walked at the front of the funeral procession, dressed in white mourning clothes, holding a spirit flag in his hand. He walked, cried, and scattered paper money as he went.
The cemetery in Beiguan Village was not far from the village. Even though everyone from the Xia family's eldest branch tried their best to walk slowly, they arrived there in less than two hours.
Liu's coffin was placed in the pit that had been dug in advance. Xia Dalang walked over slowly and added the first shovel of soil on the coffin.
Xia Daohua watched as Liu's coffin was gradually covered by soil, and soon a mound of grave appeared with a wooden tombstone erected on top.
This stone monument may not last long. How can this wooden monument withstand the wind and sun?
Xia Daohua looked at Xia Dalang and Jinhua.
Jinhua's face was full of indignation and a bit of misery.
Xia Dalang, however, had a determined look on his face...
Yes, he probably planned to move Liu's grave after he became rich!
Jinhua looked at Xia Youcai again.
During the days of Liu's funeral, Xia Youcai's expression became more gloomy and frightening day by day. Occasionally, he would cast a creepy look at him.
Xia Daohua would naturally not be scared by him again.
She had sorted her thoughts out.
Liu has paid the price for her crime. As an insider and accomplice in the failed murder of Jiang, should Xia Youcai go unpunished?
However, Xia Daohua has not yet figured out how to punish Xia Youcai.
Kill him directly?
That seemed too good of a bargain for him.
After all, although Liu was charging in the front, the one giving orders from behind was most likely Xia Youcai.
Xia Daohua didn't want to kill him directly, but she also didn't want to lift him up high and then let him go easily. She had to deal with Xia Youcai, and this had to be done quickly and not delayed for too long!
After the funeral, the eldest family returned to town.
The old couple packed a bag and gave it to Xia Youcai.
Xia Daohua knew that there were some clothes, shoes and socks made by Zhou for Xia Youcai, as well as some food, two pieces of silver and a bag of copper coins.
After the separation, the old couple became much more stingy with money.
Liu came several times to cry poor and asked the old couple for money in various ways, but she was unable to get any money out of them.
This time, the old couple actually took the initiative to give it to Xia Youcai.
How come the relationship between the old couple and Xia Youcai eased after Liu's death?
After Liu's death, the eldest wife obviously began to resent the old couple.
No, it should be said that they might have resented everyone who was in the old house at that time.
A few days ago, they had a big argument with the old couple over the cemetery issue, and they said a lot of nasty things.
Why did Zhou forgive them so quickly?
Xia Daohua was a little confused.
Besides, the old couple knew clearly that the eldest wife was plotting against Lihua.
Although Lihua didn't really get into trouble later, it was the eldest wife's family that suffered in the end...but the old couple wouldn't sympathize with the eldest wife just because of this, right?
If Xia Daohua could see it, how could Xia Youtian and Jiang not see it?
Although Jiang is still in confinement and has difficulty moving, it seems that she should know nothing.
But among the sisters-in-law, Wu and Cheng were on good terms with Jiang, and Sun was also able to maintain superficial peace with Jiang because of Erlang's frequent persuasion.
Jiang's sources of information are even more abundant than Xia Daohua's!
Seeing what the old couple did, Xia Youtian and Jiang Shi felt a little chilled. They secretly agreed that when the locust tree bloomed for a full month, Jiang Shi would move back to her new home by the South Lake.
From now on, the interactions between the fourth house and the old house will gradually fade.
The old couple's feelings for the eldest wife are truly unfathomable. I'm afraid they will have to support them for the rest of their lives without any regrets.
But since the family has been divided, the fourth branch has severed ties with the first branch, but the old house is destined to never completely sever ties with the first branch.
Then the best choice for our family is to stay away from them.
If we can't afford to offend, can't we just hide away?
Of course, the fourth room would not fail to observe the etiquette during festivals and other things that were done for outsiders to see.
But I will never be as open-hearted as before.
The days are as plain as water, but they slip away quietly without us noticing.
When Huaihua was one month old, she was no longer dark and thin as when she was just born. Instead, she became white and plump, like a snowball. She smiled sweetly and her eyes were particularly bright, making her very lovable.
Before, Jiang had a fall and gave birth prematurely, and Zhou had always felt uncomfortable about giving birth and recuperating in the old house. But now, looking at the beautiful and lovely Sophora japonica, Zhou ignored the discomfort she had felt at the time.
Unfortunately, before Zhou had time to see her granddaughter enough, the fourth wife happily moved away.
The most hateful thing is that the Fourth House used the recent death of Mrs. Liu as an excuse to not hold a full-month banquet for the little girl Huaihua!
Zhou felt very disappointed.
Although the full moon banquet of this farmer's family was very simple, it was just an excuse for relatives and friends to get together to have a good meal and praise the child sincerely.
However, when the eldest wife heard about this, her attitude towards the fourth wife improved slightly.
The fourth wife has always been rational and distant towards the first wife.
(End of this chapter)
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