Chapter 72 Lin Yan hadn't seen such a simpleton in a long time...
On the night of the nineteenth day of the first lunar month, the cold air was still and all was silent.
A series of urgent yet suppressed knocks disturbed the Lin family's sleep.
Lin Yan was awakened by his mother's soft, tearful call. When the door opened, he saw that his mother's eyes were red and her back stood a middle-aged man who looked travel-worn and sad. He was a relative from the old house.
“Brother Yan, the old lady is at the end of the 5-7 pm…” The man’s voice was hoarse, and though he didn’t finish his sentence, his meaning was clear.
Although he had expected it, Lin Yan still couldn't help but feel sad in this situation.
Lin Chengji had finished packing and his face was gloomy: "Quickly change into plain clothes. The carriage and horses are ready. Let's set off immediately."
The night was thick, and the sound of the carriage rolling over the frozen road seemed particularly dull in the deathly silence.
Lin Yan leaned against the car wall, gazing out at the boundless darkness.
When we arrived at the old house, only a sliver of pale gray could be seen on the horizon.
The blue-brick courtyard was brightly lit by countless white lanterns, reflecting a deathly still chaos. White banners hung down, fluttering weakly in the morning breeze. Suppressed sobs came intermittently from the main hall, heart-wrenching.
When Old Master Lin saw Lin Yan and his family arrive, his voice was hoarse: "Go and kowtow first."
The mourning hall is not yet fully prepared, and the great-grandmother's remains are temporarily placed in the east room of the main house where she lived.
The ever-burning lamps were dim, the candlelight flickered, and the air was filled with the scent of incense and a chilling atmosphere unique to the passing of life.
The old man was dressed neatly, his face withered yet unusually peaceful, lying quietly on the bed as if in a deep sleep.
Lin Yan and Lin Mo knelt down one after another with their parents and kowtowed deeply.
After the ceremony, Old Master Lin called Lin Chengji over. The old man suppressed his grief and said in a hoarse voice, "Yan'er is the most promising among the great-grandchildren. Now that he is in the court, let him perform this ceremony."
The ritual of covering the body – holding the deceased's clothes, climbing to a high place and calling out, summoning the soul back.
An uncle silently handed over an old garment that his great-grandmother often wore. It was icy cold to the touch. Guided by the old servant, Lin Yan walked into the courtyard and prepared to climb onto the roof.
Lin Yan gripped the clothes in his hands and climbed the ladder, while Lin Chengji and his men held the ladder steady.
Upon reaching the top of the roof, Lin Yan felt the biting wind, which stung his face. He struggled to stay upright, facing the vast north, the legendary place where souls were said to return.
He had served as an official in the Ministry of Rites for a long time, and was most familiar with these matters of etiquette.
Lin Yan raised the old clothes, mustered all her strength, and shouted towards the cold sky: "Great-grandmother—Zhang Yulan—come back—!"
The call pierced through the cold morning light, carrying a barely perceptible tremor, and dissipated into the void.
"Great-grandmother—Zhang Yulan—return—!"
The second note, filled with sorrow, choked with emotion, making it almost impossible to form a coherent melody.
"Great-grandmother—Zhang Yulan—return—!"
The third cry was uttered with sheer willpower, hoarse and strained, as if even his soul was about to depart with it.
The ceremony is complete.
Almost the instant Lin Yan finished speaking, the relatives waiting below burst forth like a dam breaking, their pent-up grief erupting and their wailing instantly engulfing the entire courtyard.
Lin Yan stood on the rooftop, gazing at the white mourning below, listening to the deafening wailing; a vast and real grief enveloped him.
He silently descended the stairs, and when his feet touched the ground, he felt somewhat weak.
The subsequent rituals were tedious and burdensome.
The body was carefully laid to rest, and a "food bowl"—a rice shell and a small, warm jade—was placed in its mouth, so that the old man would not leave empty-handed.
A "memorial offering" was set up on the east side of the coffin, where food and drink were placed, and the first sacrificial ceremony was held.
As dawn broke, Lin Yan's grandparents, suppressing their grief, sent messengers to spread the news of his death. His descendants, dressed in mourning clothes, began their period of mourning.
The master craftsman we specially invited bathed, cleansed, combed her hair, and trimmed her nails for my great-grandmother. Every action was filled with final respect and service.
Then, they performed the "meal again," dressing the elderly person in elaborate burial clothes that had been prepared beforehand, and covering them with a quilt.
As great-grandchildren, Lin Yan and Lin Mo were required to kneel and keep vigil beside the coffin along with a group of younger relatives.
Mourners came in an endless stream.
The Lin family was a local family that valued both farming and scholarship. Although Lin Yan's grandfather and uncle only reached the level of Xiucai (a lower-level scholar), they taught for many years and had many students. In addition, Lin Yan and Lin Chengji both served as officials in the capital, which made the Lin family quite prestigious in the area.
Lin Chengji, Wen Yun, and their uncles and aunts, along with their grandparents, kept returning the greetings and expressing their gratitude. Everyone had a sorrowful expression on their face and their voices were hoarse.
Lin Yan knelt on the cold ground, her knees stinging, but her thoughts could not be fully focused on grief. The exhaustion of her body and the length of the ceremony intertwined, and her consciousness was sometimes in a daze.
In the afternoon, the number of mourners thinned out slightly.
Lin Yan was secretly easing his numb legs when he suddenly heard a commotion outside the door, mixed with the gatekeeper's slightly flustered announcement: "The magistrate has arrived—"
The Lin family members were all taken aback. The county magistrate's personal visit was an excessive show of courtesy.
Old Master Lin hurriedly came out to greet him.
The county magistrate, Chen Boyuan, led several yamen runners as he strolled in.
The magistrate, Chen, was about forty years old. He had a small mustache and wore his official robes neatly, but his eyes revealed a shrewdness and affected manner.
He waved his hand casually, his gaze sweeping across the mourning hall, lingering for a few seconds, especially on the local gentry offering their condolences and the rather lavish offerings. Then, he drew out his words: "I heard of the passing of the Lin family's matriarch and have come to offer my condolences. Hmm... judging by this display, the Lin family truly lives up to its reputation as a prominent local clan. This funeral ceremony... seems a bit too extravagant, doesn't it?"
Chen Boyuan paused, his tone carrying a hint of criticism and deeper meaning: "According to the 'Rites and Ceremonies,' such a celebration by an ordinary family is probably a bit excessive. As the head of this county, I cannot ignore it. I will investigate this matter carefully later. If there is any overstepping of bounds, I will have to report it to the Ministry of Rites."
The moment these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the mourning hall froze, and everyone's faces turned grim.
This is clearly someone looking for trouble! And they specifically chose to cause trouble during someone's funeral!
Lin Yan knelt down below, and a small flame suddenly ignited in her heart.
Old Master Lin was furious: "Lord Chen, don't speak recklessly!"
Chen Boyuan dusted off his official robe: "Whether I speak carelessly or not is not for you to decide."
"Lord Chen, my son and grandson are here too, please don't go too far." Some things are better left unsaid, so Old Master Lin only hinted at them.
Unexpectedly, Chen Boyuan scoffed disdainfully: "Your old lady has just passed away, while your son and grandson are still in the capital."
Lin Yan, having been in officialdom for several years, quickly understood what Chen Boyuan was up to.
It is unknown what grudge the Lin family has against Chen Boyuan, but Chen Boyuan wants to find something wrong with the Lin family to destroy them. However, there are two officials in the Lin family who hold official positions in the capital. If these two people were in front of Chen Boyuan, Chen Boyuan, as a subordinate official, would naturally not dare to be so presumptuous. But he thought that since the old lady had just passed away, even if the Lin family sent someone to the capital to call Lin Chengji's family back, it would take quite a while. He could take this opportunity to find fault with the Lin family and destroy them.
Lin Yan hadn't seen such a fool in a long time. He propped himself up, lifted the white cloth covering half of his face, and stepped forward: "Magistrate Chen, you have quite the airs."
The voice wasn't loud, and even had a slightly hoarse quality from kneeling for so long, but the quiet, oppressive feeling instantly silenced the noisy mourning hall.
He didn't rush to argue with Chen Boyuan, but instead slowly sat down in the chair that Jin Jiu had brought over.
The way he performed this action was perfectly natural, as if he was born to be above others and to be the center of attention.
Lin Yan straightened the wide sleeves of his plain mourning clothes, his fingertips pale, his movements both contradictory and strangely integrated with the sorrowful scene, displaying a composure.
Chen Boyuan was taken aback by the sudden turn of events and the condescending tone in the other party's words. When he saw that the other party was just a young-looking man dressed in mourning, he couldn't help but get angry: "Who are you? How dare you speak to me like that!" He tried to intimidate him with his official authority, but his confidence was no longer as strong as before.
Lin Yan did not answer directly, but instead slightly raised her eyes, her gaze calmly falling on Chen Boyuan's face.
The gaze wasn't sharp, but it was heavy, carrying scrutiny and coldness, making Chen Boyuan subconsciously want to look away.
“Magistrate Chen,” Lin Yan began, his tone calm but pressing, “My Lin family is holding a funeral today. The old lady has just passed away, and the whole family is grieving and devastated. Instead of showing any compassion, you are criticizing my Lin family for overstepping the bounds of mourning at this very moment, in the mourning hall.”
Lin Yan paused slightly, as if genuinely puzzled. He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice even further, yet revealing an even colder edge: "What a coincidence. Before becoming a Hanlin Academician, I was a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. I would like to ask Magistrate Chen, what has my family done wrong according to the rules of etiquette? Or is it that you have offended my family, and that is why you have chosen this time to come and make things difficult for us?"
Everyone was stunned.
What does it mean to say "you have offended our family"?
Is that how it's supposed to be said?
Upon hearing the words "This official," Chen Boyuan's expression changed drastically. He immediately realized that this young man was Lin Yan, who was extremely favored by the emperor!
How could Lin Yan be here? The old lady of the Lin family clearly just passed away!
Chen Boyuan's mind went blank for a moment, all his calculations crumbled instantly, leaving only immense fear gripping his heart. His legs went weak, and he almost knelt down on the spot. He barely managed to stay composed, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a single word.
Lin Yan gave him no chance to catch his breath: "Magistrate Chen? What are you trembling about? Can't you tell me where my family's funeral is not in accordance with the proper etiquette?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Boyuan was utterly terrified. What did he know about etiquette? It was just a pretext to intimidate people. Besides, Lin Yan had served as an official in the Ministry of Rites. When it came to etiquette, who could possibly outdo someone from the Ministry of Rites?
"This humble official...this humble official..." Chen Boyuan's throat was dry, cold sweat trickled down his forehead, dripping into his eyes, stinging but he dared not wipe it away. "This humble official misspoke, this humble official absolutely did not mean it! Lord Lin, please understand, this humble official only..."
Chen Boyuan was incoherent, racking his brains but unable to find a suitable excuse. In the end, he could only bow deeply, almost at a ninety-degree angle: "This humble official was confused! I disturbed the peace of the old lady and offended the Lin family. This humble official deserves to die! Please forgive me, Lord Lin! Please forgive me, Elder Mr. Lin!"
He wished he could turn back time and swallow back every word he had just said.
The mourning hall was completely silent. All the guests watched this scene with bated breath, seeing the once arrogant county magistrate now trembling like a leaf in the wind after a few casual words from the young Lord Lin.
The Lin family members had mixed feelings. When the old man looked at his grandson, he felt both a sense of triumph and a strange shock. He knew that the officialdom was strictly hierarchical, but he never thought that his grandson could force the county magistrate to such a state with just a few words.
This is no longer just about official rank, but also an invisible deterrent derived from power.
Looking at Chen Boyuan's disheveled and unsightly state, Lin Yan felt even more disgust. He did not call out to him immediately, allowing the suffocating silence to continue for a while, letting the fear erode the other person even more deeply.
"Grandfather, please tell me, what exactly is the grudge between our Lin family and this Magistrate Chen?" Lin Yan turned his gaze to the old man.
Chen Boyuan cried out in disarray, "There's no grudge!"
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